Tag Archive | shield of faith

Remain Quiet???!!!

Jun20

Today’s post is going to be a bit personal.

   For quite sometime now, I’ve been threatened by an annoying dark cloud lurking on the periphery of my thoughts. For the most part, I’ve been able to avert its intrusion. I realize, because I wrote a book about it, that fiery darts are the culprit. Therefore, holding up my Shield of faith, sustains me. 

   But lately, while I’ve not lost my resolve to reject these fiery darts and to replace them with Truth thoughts, I’ve come too close to  the brink of despair and that bothers me. I’ve struggled to find the word that would label this battle, feeling that if I could know what I was fighting, I would be more savvy in choosing my weapons. And I did come up with the label, ‘bewildered!’ 

   Yes, that did help but not entirely. This negative storm, while never succeeding in hiding the Son, was wearing down my resistance. I pray unceasingly, read scriptures, and, yet, the  storm does not dissipate. 

   Today as I was reading from a book, In This Mountain, by Jan Karon (my favorite author), I came across an excerpt by Oswald Chambers:

At times God puts us through the discipline of darkness to teach us to heed Him. Song birds are taught to sing in the dark, and we are put into the shadow of God’s hand until we learn to hear Him. . . . Watch where God puts you into the darkness, and when you are there keep your mouth shut. Are you in the dark just now in your circumstances, or in your life with God? Then remain quiet. . . . When you are in the dark, listen, and God will give you a very precious message for someone else when you get into the light.

   I think it’s pretty clear what God is saying to me. “My child, you are consumed with pouring your heart out to me with your continual pleadings, but you don’t let Me get in a word in edgewise. Why don’t you come to Me, and remain quiet? I know what all is going on with you, you’ve certainly shared that with me in excess. Now, all that is left is for you to remain quiet and just listen.”

  Remain quiet?!

   I’ve never been good at listening quietly  following my prayers, so it’s going to take some practice on my part. Therefore, I will resist the temptation to reiterate my problem (I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have anything new to add) and practice being quiet.

   This is pretty bold of me to post this. I can hear the fiery darts now: What if God remains silent? What if you don’t succeed in being quiet? What if you miss what God is saying? What if you don’t understand what He is saying. What if you fail?

   While I expect to be pelted with fiery darts (Satan doesn’t give up ground easily), I will lift up my shield of faith as I stand on the following verses:

Ephesians 3:20, Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. (It depends on Him, not me)

Psalm 17:6, I call on You my God, for you will answer me; turn Your ear to me and hear my prayer. (God will answer me)

Examining the enemy’s motives

Mar22

devil_lion

   Chapter Two of Fiery Darts: Satan’s Weapon of Choice, entitled “The Strength of Knowing your Enemy” discloses the gravity of knowing what our enemy is capable of and being wise to his strategy.

    By examining Nehemiah’s battle strategy, we come to understand the advantage that is ours by becoming familiar with an Enemy’s motives. From Nehemiah 6:1-16, we can learn much regarding the strategy we need in combating the Enemy of our day. FD p.7

   So how do we know when we are being attacked?

   While the enemy may not necessarily cause the problem, rest assured he will be bound to take advantage of it. Therefore, we must be familiar with how we are likely to be taken advantage of by the enemy. Fiery darts or negative thinking is Satan’s choicest of weapons.

   As we struggle with a particular problem, Satan will do all that he can to keep us from focusing on the truths of God. Instead, he will influence us to focus on our emotions. This, he knows, will makes us vulnerable to negativity such as doubt, fear, judgmental attitudes, tearing down instead of building up, etc.

   Therefore, when fiery darts attempt to infiltrate your thoughts, you MUST NOT grant them entry. Their poison is deadly and can quickly take over your thoughts, blocking the Truths from God that bring clear thinking.

   If you have remained in God’s Word and have kept in touch with Him by prayer, you have a deep reserve from which to call forth a Truth thought that will thwart the fiery dart’s intention.

   If you haven’t been persistent in prayer and Bible study, it’s going to be more difficult to be successful over your enemy. The poison has been brewing and much needs to be cleansed before you can hear from God about the Truth thoughts He would give you in these moments.

Never, Never, Never Forget,

   Satan’s primary temptation is keep you from God’s Word and prayer. That’s how he sets the stage for further temptations which find you vulnerable. Yes, he may serve up the temptation but the choice you make determines whether or not you will allow it to deposit its poison.

   Whenever, you encounter problems, please know you are a prime target for fiery darts. If you have your armor on, raise your Shield of Faith (God’s Word, remember) to deflect the fiery darts. God’s intention is to saturate our thoughts with wisdom, patience, trust, forgiveness, self-control–whatever the problem calls for.

using shield to fight lion

Take up the Shield of Faith! Ephesians 6:16A

God knows your enemy! Ask Him to make you wise to his strategy!