Introduction
Good morning, afternoon, or evening. How is everything going with you? Have you used your shield of faith yet? You will have to if you want to keep your peace, strength and joy. If someone spoke ill of you, or criticized you, or put you down today and you feel real bad, then you have not used your shield of faith. Of course, we are not perfect and sometimes we need to be corrected. But, that is not what I am talking about here. I am talking about you walking along through your day and wham!!!…You get hit with a person who is angry and they say something to you to throw you for a loop. Or perhaps you are walking along your merry way and someone you know says something to make you feel like you are nothing. Get the picture? Where is your weakness? Take a good look because the devil knows them and will use whoever he can to destroy your day and rob you of your peace, rendering you incapable of sharing your God given gifts and talents.
The shield of faith…how do you use it and why is it so important? Glad you asked.
Ephesians 6:12 & 14 “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against, spiritual wickedness in high places.” “Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand Therefore.”
Ephesians 6:16 “ABOVE ALL, taking the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.”
Though the full armor is greatly important. It says in Ephesians 6:16 above all take the shield of faith.
God gave me a great revelation just recently. He said look at this. There is the devil and his demons going around seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8).
He comes to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10).
How does he do this? One way that God revealed to me was through people. Oh those people out there…you say. No, through anyone, that has a weakness in a particular area in his or her personality. Non-Christians, you may be thinking. Sure them. No all people? Remember, Jesus rebuked one of his disciples and said in Mark 8:33 “Get thee behind me Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.” Of course, Peter, His disciple was not Satan but Peter. He was being used by Satan to attack Jesus. And guess what? Poor Peter didn’t even realize it. We are also like that… unaware sometimes. And there you go, hurting someone you had no intention of hurting.
Then finding ourselves again apologizing for what we did. The thing is, if we would only become more aware of the fact that we are being used. Then we can stop that by using the Word of God. Every time anger, jealousy, envy, critical saying, etc. rise up in us, we can say NO! This is not of God and cast it down. Then seek God for His help and deliverance from this chip in our armor.
How about the other side of the coin? Those other people that just seem to get under our skin. You know, the ones that will always criticize you. The ones that always seem to be angry when you’re around. The ones who say you’re not good enough to do anything.
These people God showed me are deceived. He showed me that every person has a certain bent, in the flesh, which characterizes his or her personality. It could be anger, jealousy, pride or some other manifestation of the flesh.
Galatians 6:19-21 “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envying, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”
The devil operates through our flesh. He has no power of his own. He will hide wherever he can get a strong hold in you. Are you bent to anger, or to criticize? He knows your weakness and will use it to hurt others, even when you are not aware of what is going on.
This is how God showed me…. Picture “Paper Made People.” The devil comes along and picks up one of these paper made people, hides himself behind it, and criticizes you. Then steps away from that person, and throws it aside and pick ups another and on and on. As paper made people, they don’t get hurt. But as real people they do. Why, because they didn’t even realize they were used to hurt you. So there you are you are hurt and the person used is in confusion. We know that confusion is not of God. So who do you think just messed up your day?
The conclusion of the matter from God to us is… To be sober! Be vigilant! For your adversary, the devil, is roaming around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
Matthew 7:15 “Beware of false, prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” Matthew 7:20 “Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them.” Matthew 7:21 “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”
Go and do what God has called you to do. Use the SHIELD of FAITH to quench the fiery darts. How? faith is the substance hope for and the evidence of things not yet seen.
11 Rules of Faith
- You are Told of God,
- You OBEY God,
- MOVE in God,
- RECEIVE of God,
- WALK in the blessing,
- You WORSHIP God,
- Leave sin,
- Leave the place or situation,
- WALK in New Life,
- SEE old walks fall down,
- Have everlasting Life.
A Promise from the Lord found in Jeremiah 30:16 & 17 “Therefore all they that devour thee shall be devoured; and all thine adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity; and they that spoil thee shall be a spoil, and all that prey upon thee will I give for a prey.” “For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion (Mary, Joe, Emily), whom no man seeketh after.”
So next time you are criticized, envied, lied to, swayed away from God and His Word, picture the Paper People and how they are used to destroy your day and walk with God.
Then stand with your shield of Faith in God, knowing this truth and you will find yourself laughing as you walk on past the deceptions and lies.
Until Next Time,
Rev Marilyn Marinelli