We have looked at 3 of the 4 practical ways to guarantee that you can extinguish every flaming weapon of Satan: 1) Think faith, 2) Speak faith, and 3) Pray faith. Today, let's look at the fourth way to "hold up the shield of faith, to stop the fiery arrows of the devil" (Ephesians 6:16).
To extinguish every dart, you must live faith. Living faith is powerful, so powerful that the Word says we can look back on the life of the one who lived faith to see that "By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight" (Hebrews 11:33-34).
If you want to live a life that pleases God, live faith (Hebrews 11:6). If you want to be healed, live faith (Matthew 9:29). If you want every promise of God's Word manifested in your life, live faith (Hebrews 10:23). If you want to be an overcomer in this world, live faith (I John 5:4).
Living faith means that your life is impacted by faith, for "faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless" (James 2:17). Good deeds won't get you to heaven, but they should be a natural, outward manifestation of the inward work of faith.
If you want to "fight the good fight of faith" (I Timothy 6:12), heed the words of Paul in I Timothy 1:19, "Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked." Know that you are not alone. The very God of the universe is with you and has promised that, as His servant, "No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you" (Joshua 1:5). Lift up your Shield of Faith--think it, talk it, pray it, and walk it, and you will defeat every dart of doubt, discouragement, and depression (and anything else the enemy tries to throw at you)!
II Timothy 2:3-5
"Endure hardship like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs--he wants to please his commanding officer. Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules" (NIV).
What this has to do with weight loss: The weight-loss journey is a part of your life. As such, there will be hardships connected with it. Endure them. Your challenge will be not to get so entangled in those hardships that you lose focus and go from being "a good soldier of Christ Jesus" to merely a civilian, leaving out of your journey the wonderful weapon of faith. If you want to win the weight-loss marathon, run by the rules of faith. If you don't know what to do, keep your eyes upon the Lord (II Chronicles 20:12), and know that if you truly believe in Jesus, He has promised that you "will do the same works [He did], and even greater works" (John 14:12). Live like you believe it!
Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, sometimes I forget what a powerful weapon faith is, and when I do, I fail to think it, talk it, pray it, and walk it. That leaves me open to the darts, arrows, and missiles of the enemy. Sometimes I am my own worst enemy. Help me to take advantage of the life of faith, so that I can see Your every promise manifested in my life and so I can experience the 'victory that overcomes the world.' In Jesus' Name. Amen."
Go forth today, living faith and overcoming every dart of the enemy (doubt, discouragement, depression, and more).
Showing posts with label Shield of Faith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shield of Faith. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Monday, September 7, 2009
Life Plan Devotion #81 [God's Armor--Shield of Faith, Part IX]
We have looked at 2 of 4 practical ways to guarantee that you can extinguish every flaming weapon of Satan: 1) Think faith, and 2) Speak faith. Today, let's look at the third way to "hold up the shield of faith, to stop the fiery arrows of the devil" (Ephesians 6:16).
To extinguish every dart, you must pray faith. Prayer is powerful, so powerful that when coupled with faith and a true relationship with Jesus, we have the promise of John 15:7, "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you."
If you want to be able to stop the enemy's fiery darts of doubt, discouragement, and depression, you must pray in faith, for strength and to call upon the power of Almighty God. The prayer of faith can heal the sick (James 5:15), raise the dead (Acts 9:40), and open prison doors (Acts 16:25-26). When you pray God's Word and pray in the Name of Jesus, there is nothing Satan can do to harm you (I Peter 3:12-13; Mark 16:17-18; Luke 10:19).
In my quiet time, I was reading through the Book of Exodus. One day, I read Exodus chapter 20, and as I read about the 10 Commandments, I paused at verse 7, "You shall not take the Name of the LORD your God in vain." Now, I know that means that we should not use God's Name in a flippant manner (i.e., say, "Oh, my God") or in a derogatory manner (i.e., say His Name as a swear word), but I just felt there was something more to taking His Name "in vain."
I went to Him in prayer, to ask God what He meant. I prayed, "Father, what do You mean when You say we should not take Your Name in vain?" As I got quiet before Him, to listen for that "still, small voice," I "heard" Him say, "When my children pray in My Name but do not believe I will answer, they take My Name in vain."
Whether you're praying for help in any area of life or praying for power to tackle the enemy, if you do not believe that God will come through for you, your prayer will fall on deaf ears. Oh, but when you pray in faith, God says, "When [you] call on Me, I will answer; I will be with [you] in trouble. I will rescue and honor [you]" (Psalm 91:15).
Matthew 21:22 [Amplified]
"And whatever you ask for in prayer, having faith and [really] believing, you will receive."
What this has to do with weight loss: When the enemy comes at you, throwing darts of doubt, discouragement, and depression about your ability to release excess weight and keep it off, you can pray for a different outcome. However, you must pray in faith, believing, to receive.
Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, I thank You for the power of prayer. I thank You that when I call upon You in faith that You hear me and will answer me. May I never pray in Your Name but doubt that You will come through for me. May my prayers be strengthened by the power of Your Word, as I pray a promise or a precedence from Your Word, and may every dart of the devil be deflected by my prayers of faith. I pray in Jesus' Name. Amen."
Go forth today, praying powerful prayers of faith, to defeat the enemy's intentional darts of doubt, discouragement, and depression.
To extinguish every dart, you must pray faith. Prayer is powerful, so powerful that when coupled with faith and a true relationship with Jesus, we have the promise of John 15:7, "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you."
If you want to be able to stop the enemy's fiery darts of doubt, discouragement, and depression, you must pray in faith, for strength and to call upon the power of Almighty God. The prayer of faith can heal the sick (James 5:15), raise the dead (Acts 9:40), and open prison doors (Acts 16:25-26). When you pray God's Word and pray in the Name of Jesus, there is nothing Satan can do to harm you (I Peter 3:12-13; Mark 16:17-18; Luke 10:19).
In my quiet time, I was reading through the Book of Exodus. One day, I read Exodus chapter 20, and as I read about the 10 Commandments, I paused at verse 7, "You shall not take the Name of the LORD your God in vain." Now, I know that means that we should not use God's Name in a flippant manner (i.e., say, "Oh, my God") or in a derogatory manner (i.e., say His Name as a swear word), but I just felt there was something more to taking His Name "in vain."
I went to Him in prayer, to ask God what He meant. I prayed, "Father, what do You mean when You say we should not take Your Name in vain?" As I got quiet before Him, to listen for that "still, small voice," I "heard" Him say, "When my children pray in My Name but do not believe I will answer, they take My Name in vain."
Whether you're praying for help in any area of life or praying for power to tackle the enemy, if you do not believe that God will come through for you, your prayer will fall on deaf ears. Oh, but when you pray in faith, God says, "When [you] call on Me, I will answer; I will be with [you] in trouble. I will rescue and honor [you]" (Psalm 91:15).
Matthew 21:22 [Amplified]
"And whatever you ask for in prayer, having faith and [really] believing, you will receive."
What this has to do with weight loss: When the enemy comes at you, throwing darts of doubt, discouragement, and depression about your ability to release excess weight and keep it off, you can pray for a different outcome. However, you must pray in faith, believing, to receive.
Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, I thank You for the power of prayer. I thank You that when I call upon You in faith that You hear me and will answer me. May I never pray in Your Name but doubt that You will come through for me. May my prayers be strengthened by the power of Your Word, as I pray a promise or a precedence from Your Word, and may every dart of the devil be deflected by my prayers of faith. I pray in Jesus' Name. Amen."
Go forth today, praying powerful prayers of faith, to defeat the enemy's intentional darts of doubt, discouragement, and depression.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Life Plan Devotion #80 [God's Armor--Shield of Faith, Part VIII]
Last time, we looked at the first of 4 practical ways to guarantee that you can extinguish every flaming weapon of Satan, by thinking thoughts of faith. Today, let's look at the second way to "hold up the shield of faith, to stop the fiery arrows of the devil" (Ephesians 6:16).
To extinguish every dart, you must speak faith. Words are powerful, so powerful that the Word says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit" (Proverbs 18:21, NKJV). With faith words, Jesus said we could move a mountain (Matthew 17:20).
If you want to be able to stop the enemy's fiery darts of doubt, discouragement, and depression, you must use the Word of God to do so. Jesus Himself used God's Word to counter every temptation of the devil (Matthew 4:1-11), and you'd be wise to do the same. In the heat of battle, you won't have time to grab your Bible and Concordance, so you must prepare by hiding God's Word in your heart (Psalm 119:11). If you do that, you will have the mightiest weapon of warfare on the tip of your tongue, and you will pull down every stronghold (II Corinthians 10:4).
Revelation 12:11 [Amplified]
"They overcame him [the accuser of the brethren, Satan] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony..."
What this has to do with weight loss: You will be on the receiving end of Satan's whispers of doubt, discouragement, and depression, even in the area of weight issues, and he will seek to hear you repeat them. If you desire to defeat his words, speak God's words of faith, hope, and love, even about your body and its ability to release weight. Which words will you speak today?
Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, Your Words are 'light to all who find them, and health to all their flesh' (Proverbs 4:22). I need that light and health today, Lord. I know that Your Word is 'alive and powerful' (Hebrews 4:12), and with it, I will defeat every dart of the devil. May Your faith-filled Word be in my mouth and on my tongue throughout this day. I pray in Jesus' Name. Amen."
Go forth today, speaking words of faith, to defeat words of doubt, discouragement, and depression.
To extinguish every dart, you must speak faith. Words are powerful, so powerful that the Word says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit" (Proverbs 18:21, NKJV). With faith words, Jesus said we could move a mountain (Matthew 17:20).
If you want to be able to stop the enemy's fiery darts of doubt, discouragement, and depression, you must use the Word of God to do so. Jesus Himself used God's Word to counter every temptation of the devil (Matthew 4:1-11), and you'd be wise to do the same. In the heat of battle, you won't have time to grab your Bible and Concordance, so you must prepare by hiding God's Word in your heart (Psalm 119:11). If you do that, you will have the mightiest weapon of warfare on the tip of your tongue, and you will pull down every stronghold (II Corinthians 10:4).
Revelation 12:11 [Amplified]
"They overcame him [the accuser of the brethren, Satan] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony..."
What this has to do with weight loss: You will be on the receiving end of Satan's whispers of doubt, discouragement, and depression, even in the area of weight issues, and he will seek to hear you repeat them. If you desire to defeat his words, speak God's words of faith, hope, and love, even about your body and its ability to release weight. Which words will you speak today?
Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, Your Words are 'light to all who find them, and health to all their flesh' (Proverbs 4:22). I need that light and health today, Lord. I know that Your Word is 'alive and powerful' (Hebrews 4:12), and with it, I will defeat every dart of the devil. May Your faith-filled Word be in my mouth and on my tongue throughout this day. I pray in Jesus' Name. Amen."
Go forth today, speaking words of faith, to defeat words of doubt, discouragement, and depression.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Life Plan Devotion #79 [God's Armor--Shield of Faith, Part VII]
Last time, we looked at the 3 most commonly used "darts of the evil one" (doubt, discouragement, and depression). Today, let's look at the first of 4 practical ways to guarantee that you can extinguish every flaming weapon of Satan. How do you "hold up the shield of faith, to stop the fiery arrows of the devil" (Ephesians 6:16)?
To extinguish every dart, you must think faith. You must "take every thought captive to the mind of Christ" (II Corinthians 10:5). The enemy will try to whisper thoughts that are counter to the Word of God, because if he can plant a seed of doubt, discouragement, or depression in your mind, he knows that thought can become a feeling, that feeling can become an action, that action can become a habit, and that habit can shape your character (who you are) and your life (what you experience).
To take every thought captive, you must think the thoughts of Jesus, and those thoughts are contained in the Word of God. Spend time in the Word, and be "washed by the cleansing of God's Word" (Ephesians 5:26). Do that, and you will think faith and be able to extinguish every flaming weapon of Satan.
Philippians 4:8 [NLT]
"Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise."
What this has to do with weight loss: Every pound of excess weight is gained or lost in the mind first. Follow the trail from the scale to the mind and you will see that is so. The enemy wants you to think thoughts of doubt, discouragement, and depression, even about your weight. The Lord wants you to think thoughts of faith, hope, and love, even about your body and its ability to release weight. Which thoughts will you attend to today?
Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, I know it is crucial that I think faith, that I wash my mind in the water of Your Word. Help me to do that today, Lord, so that every thought I think this day will bring honor to You and victory to me. I pray in Jesus' Name. Amen."
Go forth today, and think the thoughts of faith, to defeat the thoughts of doubt, discouragement, and depression.
To extinguish every dart, you must think faith. You must "take every thought captive to the mind of Christ" (II Corinthians 10:5). The enemy will try to whisper thoughts that are counter to the Word of God, because if he can plant a seed of doubt, discouragement, or depression in your mind, he knows that thought can become a feeling, that feeling can become an action, that action can become a habit, and that habit can shape your character (who you are) and your life (what you experience).
To take every thought captive, you must think the thoughts of Jesus, and those thoughts are contained in the Word of God. Spend time in the Word, and be "washed by the cleansing of God's Word" (Ephesians 5:26). Do that, and you will think faith and be able to extinguish every flaming weapon of Satan.
Philippians 4:8 [NLT]
"Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise."
What this has to do with weight loss: Every pound of excess weight is gained or lost in the mind first. Follow the trail from the scale to the mind and you will see that is so. The enemy wants you to think thoughts of doubt, discouragement, and depression, even about your weight. The Lord wants you to think thoughts of faith, hope, and love, even about your body and its ability to release weight. Which thoughts will you attend to today?
Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, I know it is crucial that I think faith, that I wash my mind in the water of Your Word. Help me to do that today, Lord, so that every thought I think this day will bring honor to You and victory to me. I pray in Jesus' Name. Amen."
Go forth today, and think the thoughts of faith, to defeat the thoughts of doubt, discouragement, and depression.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Life Plan Devotion #78 [God's Armor--Shield of Faith, Part VI]
Last time, we looked at what the Shield of Faith does. Today, let's look at Satan's "darts." In the verse, "Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one" (Ephesians 6:16), the Greek word for "dart" is belos, and it means "a missile, i.e. spear or arrow." That tells me that it doesn't matter the size or type of weapon the enemy throws at us, with the Shield of Faith we will be able to stop every potentially harmful weapon.
In thinking of my own life and that of other believers that I know, the 3 most commonly used "darts of the evil one" (NKJV) are: 1) doubt, 2) discouragement, and 3) depression. Each flaming dart, arrow, or missile will come with a temptation, and the intention will be your defeat. Don't be afraid, just be aware.
The devil's first dart is doubt. The first words we hear from him, in the Garden of Eden, are "Did God really say...?" (Genesis 3:1, NLT). The enemy will whisper words to you, to tempt you to either distrust or disbelieve God. Every word of the Evil One is a lie, but if your Shield of Faith isn't up and plastered with the truth of God's Word, you'll fall for those lies.
The second dart of the devil is discouragement, and it is a fiery arrow. No matter how hard he tries, the Wicked One knows he cannot snatch you (a true believer) from the Father's Hand (John 10:29, NLT), so he will settle for the dis-ease of discouragement. The Adversary will orchestrate annoying occurrences on a daily basis, if he can get away with it. With your Shield of Faith, cushioned by the Word of God, nothing Satan brings to you will harm you.
The third dart of the devil is depression, and it is definitely a flaming missile. This is the weapon he uses even with unbelievers. Satan hates every person. Why? Because each of us is made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26), so no matter whom he looks at, he sees God. The Enemy's hatred is compounded, though, when a true believer is involved, and if he cannot steal your assurance of salvation and eternal future, he'll settle for stealing your present joy. With your Shield of Faith lifted up, fortified by every God-breathed Word that tells you who you are in Christ and every promise at your disposal, depression cannot enter your spirit (mind, will, and emotions).
Satan's number one priority is to keep unbelievers in spiritual blindness and to make believers as miserable as possible. With faith, applying God's Word and under-girded with God's Grace, Satan will be the one taking the hit.
Isaiah 54:17
"'In that coming day no weapon turned against you will succeed. You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the LORD; their vindication will come from Me. I, the LORD, have spoken!'" [NLT]
What this has to do with weight loss: The weight-loss journey is fraught with thoughts of doubt and times of discouragement, but for the true believer, it doesn't have to be that way. If you are a "servant of the LORD," you can claim the "benefits" of seeing that "no weapon turned against you will succeed" (i.e., no temptation will get you to succumb to it), "you will silence every voice raised up to accuse you" (i.e., you will quickly tell those nagging thoughts of doubt to BE QUIET!), and your "vindication will come" (i.e., you will be cleared from every accusation from the Accuser, and victory will be yours). God has spoken it. Do you believe it to be true for you?
Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, thank You for the realization that I don't have to put up with the darts of doubt, discouragement, and depression that Satan tries to throw at me. I have the power of Your promises and Your presence to stop every arrow and quench every flame. I have all the FAITH I need for that, because For All I Trust Him. I trust You, Father, and Your Word. Help me to show that I do. In Jesus' Name. Amen."
Go forth today, and deflect every dart of the enemy with your Shield of Faith.
In thinking of my own life and that of other believers that I know, the 3 most commonly used "darts of the evil one" (NKJV) are: 1) doubt, 2) discouragement, and 3) depression. Each flaming dart, arrow, or missile will come with a temptation, and the intention will be your defeat. Don't be afraid, just be aware.
The devil's first dart is doubt. The first words we hear from him, in the Garden of Eden, are "Did God really say...?" (Genesis 3:1, NLT). The enemy will whisper words to you, to tempt you to either distrust or disbelieve God. Every word of the Evil One is a lie, but if your Shield of Faith isn't up and plastered with the truth of God's Word, you'll fall for those lies.
The second dart of the devil is discouragement, and it is a fiery arrow. No matter how hard he tries, the Wicked One knows he cannot snatch you (a true believer) from the Father's Hand (John 10:29, NLT), so he will settle for the dis-ease of discouragement. The Adversary will orchestrate annoying occurrences on a daily basis, if he can get away with it. With your Shield of Faith, cushioned by the Word of God, nothing Satan brings to you will harm you.
The third dart of the devil is depression, and it is definitely a flaming missile. This is the weapon he uses even with unbelievers. Satan hates every person. Why? Because each of us is made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26), so no matter whom he looks at, he sees God. The Enemy's hatred is compounded, though, when a true believer is involved, and if he cannot steal your assurance of salvation and eternal future, he'll settle for stealing your present joy. With your Shield of Faith lifted up, fortified by every God-breathed Word that tells you who you are in Christ and every promise at your disposal, depression cannot enter your spirit (mind, will, and emotions).
Satan's number one priority is to keep unbelievers in spiritual blindness and to make believers as miserable as possible. With faith, applying God's Word and under-girded with God's Grace, Satan will be the one taking the hit.
Isaiah 54:17
"'In that coming day no weapon turned against you will succeed. You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the LORD; their vindication will come from Me. I, the LORD, have spoken!'" [NLT]
What this has to do with weight loss: The weight-loss journey is fraught with thoughts of doubt and times of discouragement, but for the true believer, it doesn't have to be that way. If you are a "servant of the LORD," you can claim the "benefits" of seeing that "no weapon turned against you will succeed" (i.e., no temptation will get you to succumb to it), "you will silence every voice raised up to accuse you" (i.e., you will quickly tell those nagging thoughts of doubt to BE QUIET!), and your "vindication will come" (i.e., you will be cleared from every accusation from the Accuser, and victory will be yours). God has spoken it. Do you believe it to be true for you?
Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, thank You for the realization that I don't have to put up with the darts of doubt, discouragement, and depression that Satan tries to throw at me. I have the power of Your promises and Your presence to stop every arrow and quench every flame. I have all the FAITH I need for that, because For All I Trust Him. I trust You, Father, and Your Word. Help me to show that I do. In Jesus' Name. Amen."
Go forth today, and deflect every dart of the enemy with your Shield of Faith.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Life Plan Devotion #77 [God's Armor--Shield of Faith, Part V]
Last time, we reflected on what the Shield of Faith looks like. Today, let's look at what it does. Ephesians 6:16 says, "Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one." We'll look at those "fiery darts" tomorrow.
Faith is being sure that God will keep His promises. The Shield of Faith in God protects you when you are tempted to doubt. Psalm 125:1 says that 'Those who trust in the LORD are as secure as Mount Zion; they will not be defeated but will endure forever." Do you trust in God, completely? Do you believe that nothing can defeat you?
Your toughest battles will concern matters of faith--times when you'll be tempted to think God's Word and His ways won't work for you, that He has abandoned you, let you down, or failed to come through for you. If Satan can get you to drop your Shield of Faith, he knows you won't remain standing for very long.
When your defensive Shield of Faith is down, every gate into your "palace" is wide open, unguarded. Satan's forces can walk right in and take whatever they want, without having to put up a fight. Doubting God and His Word causes your Shield of Faith to clatter to the ground, but you might not even hear a sound.
Be careful. Be vigilant. Plaster your Shield of Faith with God's Word, and then hold it up, believing and affirming that 1) God is who He says He is, 2) God can do what He says He can do, 3) I am who God says I am, 4) I can do all things through Christ, and 5) God's Word is alive and active in me! [5-point Shield of Faith by Beth Moore]
I Peter 5:8-9 [NLT]
"Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith."
What this has to do with weight loss: I Peter 5:8-9 gives a whole new meaning to the saying, "It's not what you're eating; it's what's eating you." When you know you're being obedient in matters of food and exercise, take a look at the possibility that the enemy may be devouring you, so that you are experiencing a stall or other forms of weight-loss defeat. Trust me, he'll do what he can, he'll use what he can to cause you to stumble and fall. The Shield of Faith in God and His Word, if you keep it raised high, will defeat your enemy, and you'll see victory in your life and body.
Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, I wonder how many times I've allowed my Shield of Faith to lower and even clatter to the ground. I wonder how many bouts of sickness, how many 'upsets' and even crises Satan has been able to bring to me because I did not wield my Shield. I can't go back and change any of that, Lord, but right here, right now, I say to the enemy, 'NO MORE!' I'm keeping my Shield up, in front of me, with all the power of Your Word behind what I know to be true! In Jesus' Name. Amen."
Go forth today, and wield the Shield of Faith.
Faith is being sure that God will keep His promises. The Shield of Faith in God protects you when you are tempted to doubt. Psalm 125:1 says that 'Those who trust in the LORD are as secure as Mount Zion; they will not be defeated but will endure forever." Do you trust in God, completely? Do you believe that nothing can defeat you?
Your toughest battles will concern matters of faith--times when you'll be tempted to think God's Word and His ways won't work for you, that He has abandoned you, let you down, or failed to come through for you. If Satan can get you to drop your Shield of Faith, he knows you won't remain standing for very long.
When your defensive Shield of Faith is down, every gate into your "palace" is wide open, unguarded. Satan's forces can walk right in and take whatever they want, without having to put up a fight. Doubting God and His Word causes your Shield of Faith to clatter to the ground, but you might not even hear a sound.
Be careful. Be vigilant. Plaster your Shield of Faith with God's Word, and then hold it up, believing and affirming that 1) God is who He says He is, 2) God can do what He says He can do, 3) I am who God says I am, 4) I can do all things through Christ, and 5) God's Word is alive and active in me! [5-point Shield of Faith by Beth Moore]
I Peter 5:8-9 [NLT]
"Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith."
What this has to do with weight loss: I Peter 5:8-9 gives a whole new meaning to the saying, "It's not what you're eating; it's what's eating you." When you know you're being obedient in matters of food and exercise, take a look at the possibility that the enemy may be devouring you, so that you are experiencing a stall or other forms of weight-loss defeat. Trust me, he'll do what he can, he'll use what he can to cause you to stumble and fall. The Shield of Faith in God and His Word, if you keep it raised high, will defeat your enemy, and you'll see victory in your life and body.
Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, I wonder how many times I've allowed my Shield of Faith to lower and even clatter to the ground. I wonder how many bouts of sickness, how many 'upsets' and even crises Satan has been able to bring to me because I did not wield my Shield. I can't go back and change any of that, Lord, but right here, right now, I say to the enemy, 'NO MORE!' I'm keeping my Shield up, in front of me, with all the power of Your Word behind what I know to be true! In Jesus' Name. Amen."
Go forth today, and wield the Shield of Faith.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Life Plan Devotion #76 [God's Armor--Shield of Faith, Part IV]
Last time, we looked at the phrase "taking the shield of faith" as found in Ephesians 6:16, "Above all, taking the shield of faith..."[New King James Version]. Today, let's see what the Shield of Faith looks like. Tomorrow, we'll look more closely at what it does.
The Greek/Roman soldier's oblong, curved 4' x 2' shield was, both individually and collectively, their most important defensive weapon. Soldiers could join their shields together, in front or overhead, placing themselves behind a fortified wall. Their wooden shields, covered in thick leather, protected them well. The Shield of Faith is meant to be as valuable a weapon in spiritual warfare.
According to Romans 12:3, "God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith" [King James Version]. That tells me that God has placed in every person the same amount of what I like to call "faith potential." That makes sense, since "God is no respecter of persons" (Acts 10:34). It is up to each of us, whether or not we yield to faith and whether or not we yield to the Shield.
The believer has the potential for great faith, the faith shown by all those pointed out in Hebrews chapter 11, the Hall of Faith chapter. When you read that chapter, you will see that many of these precious believers suffered great persecution, but they never lost their confidence in the Lord. Today, most of us don't suffer persecution like that, thankfully, but we do have an enemy who would like to defeat us, and if he can't steal our salvation, he'll certainly try to steal our joy, on a daily basis.
When we look at our own life, as a believer, and perhaps that of others we know, it certainly seems as if there are various sizes of shields of faith. Some hold up a very small shield, and others hold up a very large shield, and that, my friends, is why some experience defeat and others, while still in the fight, experience ultimate victory.
In the Shield of Faith, size matters. Your challenge is to increase your faith. Don't wait for God to do it, because He's already given you everything you need. Experience will teach you that the more you use it, the more you'll see it works, and the more it works, the more you'll use it. Now, it's up to you. You've got to yield to the Shield!
Revelation 2:13 [NLT]
[Jesus speaks to the church at Pergamum words He wants to say to us today] "'I know that you live in the city where Satan has his throne, yet you have remained loyal to Me...'"
What this has to do with weight loss: When you recognize that Satan will use even your weight-loss journey to try to defeat you, you know that you can use your Shield of Faith to protect yourself. It's available to you, and as you yield to the Shield, you will hear the words, "You have remained loyal to Me." Victory is assured, when that happens.
Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, I'm so grateful for the measure of faith You've given to me. My desire is to increase it and to yield to the Shield of Faith, every moment of every day. I want victory, and nothing less will do! The Shield of Faith works. Help me to work it, in Jesus' Name. Amen."
Go forth today, and yield to the Shield of Faith.
The Greek/Roman soldier's oblong, curved 4' x 2' shield was, both individually and collectively, their most important defensive weapon. Soldiers could join their shields together, in front or overhead, placing themselves behind a fortified wall. Their wooden shields, covered in thick leather, protected them well. The Shield of Faith is meant to be as valuable a weapon in spiritual warfare.
According to Romans 12:3, "God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith" [King James Version]. That tells me that God has placed in every person the same amount of what I like to call "faith potential." That makes sense, since "God is no respecter of persons" (Acts 10:34). It is up to each of us, whether or not we yield to faith and whether or not we yield to the Shield.
The believer has the potential for great faith, the faith shown by all those pointed out in Hebrews chapter 11, the Hall of Faith chapter. When you read that chapter, you will see that many of these precious believers suffered great persecution, but they never lost their confidence in the Lord. Today, most of us don't suffer persecution like that, thankfully, but we do have an enemy who would like to defeat us, and if he can't steal our salvation, he'll certainly try to steal our joy, on a daily basis.
When we look at our own life, as a believer, and perhaps that of others we know, it certainly seems as if there are various sizes of shields of faith. Some hold up a very small shield, and others hold up a very large shield, and that, my friends, is why some experience defeat and others, while still in the fight, experience ultimate victory.
In the Shield of Faith, size matters. Your challenge is to increase your faith. Don't wait for God to do it, because He's already given you everything you need. Experience will teach you that the more you use it, the more you'll see it works, and the more it works, the more you'll use it. Now, it's up to you. You've got to yield to the Shield!
Revelation 2:13 [NLT]
[Jesus speaks to the church at Pergamum words He wants to say to us today] "'I know that you live in the city where Satan has his throne, yet you have remained loyal to Me...'"
What this has to do with weight loss: When you recognize that Satan will use even your weight-loss journey to try to defeat you, you know that you can use your Shield of Faith to protect yourself. It's available to you, and as you yield to the Shield, you will hear the words, "You have remained loyal to Me." Victory is assured, when that happens.
Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, I'm so grateful for the measure of faith You've given to me. My desire is to increase it and to yield to the Shield of Faith, every moment of every day. I want victory, and nothing less will do! The Shield of Faith works. Help me to work it, in Jesus' Name. Amen."
Go forth today, and yield to the Shield of Faith.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Life Plan Devotion #75 [God's Armor--Shield of Faith, Part III]
Last time we looked at the phrase "Above all," found in Ephesians 6:16. Today, let's look at the next phrase in "Above all, taking the shield of faith..." [New King James Version]. Again, let's look at that from various Bible translations.
The New International Version says that we should "take up the shield of faith." The Message advises us to "Take all the help you can get." The Amplified Version directs us to "Lift up over all the [covering] shield." The New Living Translation tells us to "hold up the shield of faith." The New Century Version simply says to "use the shield of faith." My favorite way of putting this key phrase is found in the Contemporary English Version, which says to "Let your faith be like a shield."
Brothers and sisters in Christ, decide today to "let your faith be like a shield." Faith is of little value if you don't know how to walk it out from day to day. Your Shield of Faith will not help you, if you leave it at church or at home. You will not be victorious if you forget to lift up and use your Shield of Faith. Without it, you're fair game to the enemy.
I Corinthians 16:13 [NLT]
"Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong."
What this has to do with weight loss: The weight-loss journey requires the 4 things mentioned in I Corinthians 16:13, and if you follow it, you will be successful. So, be on your guard, against all forms of temptation that would seek to cause you defeat. Stand firm in your faith. You must believe that you can victorious in weight-loss issues, and you would be wise to depend on your faith in the Lord to get there. Be courageous. It takes much courage to follow through, to do what you know you should do, day after day. Finally, be strong. Courage and strength go together. You are stronger than you think you are, and you have all strength in Jesus (Philippians 4:13).
Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, You have given me, as a believer, the Shield of Faith, but I know I must decide to take it up, to use it each day. It won't do me any good, otherwise. I don't want to be a sitting duck for the one who seeks to 'steal, kill, and destroy' (John 10:10). Help me to allow my faith to shield and protect me. I pray in Jesus' Name. Amen."
Go forth today, determined to take up your Shield of Faith.
The New International Version says that we should "take up the shield of faith." The Message advises us to "Take all the help you can get." The Amplified Version directs us to "Lift up over all the [covering] shield." The New Living Translation tells us to "hold up the shield of faith." The New Century Version simply says to "use the shield of faith." My favorite way of putting this key phrase is found in the Contemporary English Version, which says to "Let your faith be like a shield."
Brothers and sisters in Christ, decide today to "let your faith be like a shield." Faith is of little value if you don't know how to walk it out from day to day. Your Shield of Faith will not help you, if you leave it at church or at home. You will not be victorious if you forget to lift up and use your Shield of Faith. Without it, you're fair game to the enemy.
I Corinthians 16:13 [NLT]
"Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong."
What this has to do with weight loss: The weight-loss journey requires the 4 things mentioned in I Corinthians 16:13, and if you follow it, you will be successful. So, be on your guard, against all forms of temptation that would seek to cause you defeat. Stand firm in your faith. You must believe that you can victorious in weight-loss issues, and you would be wise to depend on your faith in the Lord to get there. Be courageous. It takes much courage to follow through, to do what you know you should do, day after day. Finally, be strong. Courage and strength go together. You are stronger than you think you are, and you have all strength in Jesus (Philippians 4:13).
Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, You have given me, as a believer, the Shield of Faith, but I know I must decide to take it up, to use it each day. It won't do me any good, otherwise. I don't want to be a sitting duck for the one who seeks to 'steal, kill, and destroy' (John 10:10). Help me to allow my faith to shield and protect me. I pray in Jesus' Name. Amen."
Go forth today, determined to take up your Shield of Faith.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Life Plan Devotion #74 [God's Armor--Shield of Faith, Part II]
Ephesians 6:16 says, "Above all, taking the shield of faith..." [New King James Version]. Today, let's focus on the phrase "Above all," and, by reading from various Bible translations, its meaning may be enhanced.
"Above all" can simply mean "In addition to" [New International Version] or "Also use" [New Century Version]. Those phrases point to the Shield of Faith as being another piece (the fourth) of the Armor of God.
"Above all" can mean "In all things" [Wycliffe New Testament], "In all circumstances" (English Standard Version], and "In every situation" [Holman Christian Standard Bible]. These phrases point to the importance of using the Shield of Faith at all times.
"Above all" can also mean "Lift up over all" [Amplified Version]. This phrase shows that the Shield of Faith will protect all of the other pieces of armor, if used correctly.
Take some time today to think about how you see your Shield of Faith. Is it simply another piece of God's Armor? Do you know how to use your Shield of Faith? Do you use your Shield of Faith seldom, sometimes, often, or always?
How you view and use your Shield of Faith will determine your level of victory or defeat in the spiritual battle in which you're engaged on a daily basis. In order to improve your results, you must first take an honest look at yourself as a Christian soldier and evaluate how well you're using the tools given to you by your commander, God.
I Thessalonians 3:10 [NLT]
"Night and day we pray earnestly for you, asking God to let us see you again to fill the gaps in your faith."
What this has to do with weight loss: When there are gaps in your knowledge of what to do when you are in a weight-loss stall or are experiencing even a minor post-surgery complication, you will feel confusion and frustration. The same thing happens when there are gaps in your faith. Others are praying for you. Allow them to help you "fill in the gaps," in whatever areas are lacking.
Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, when I came to You, in faith, believing in You and the sacrifice of Your Son, Jesus, I was given a most wonderful gift, salvation. Along with that gift, I was given faith to live the Christian life and to 'fight the good fight of faith.' I want to use every tool You've given to me, Lord, and I want to use them well. Help me to see any gaps in how I view or use faith, for that can make the difference between victory and defeat. In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen."
Go forth today, determined to identify and close up any faith gaps.
"Above all" can simply mean "In addition to" [New International Version] or "Also use" [New Century Version]. Those phrases point to the Shield of Faith as being another piece (the fourth) of the Armor of God.
"Above all" can mean "In all things" [Wycliffe New Testament], "In all circumstances" (English Standard Version], and "In every situation" [Holman Christian Standard Bible]. These phrases point to the importance of using the Shield of Faith at all times.
"Above all" can also mean "Lift up over all" [Amplified Version]. This phrase shows that the Shield of Faith will protect all of the other pieces of armor, if used correctly.
Take some time today to think about how you see your Shield of Faith. Is it simply another piece of God's Armor? Do you know how to use your Shield of Faith? Do you use your Shield of Faith seldom, sometimes, often, or always?
How you view and use your Shield of Faith will determine your level of victory or defeat in the spiritual battle in which you're engaged on a daily basis. In order to improve your results, you must first take an honest look at yourself as a Christian soldier and evaluate how well you're using the tools given to you by your commander, God.
I Thessalonians 3:10 [NLT]
"Night and day we pray earnestly for you, asking God to let us see you again to fill the gaps in your faith."
What this has to do with weight loss: When there are gaps in your knowledge of what to do when you are in a weight-loss stall or are experiencing even a minor post-surgery complication, you will feel confusion and frustration. The same thing happens when there are gaps in your faith. Others are praying for you. Allow them to help you "fill in the gaps," in whatever areas are lacking.
Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, when I came to You, in faith, believing in You and the sacrifice of Your Son, Jesus, I was given a most wonderful gift, salvation. Along with that gift, I was given faith to live the Christian life and to 'fight the good fight of faith.' I want to use every tool You've given to me, Lord, and I want to use them well. Help me to see any gaps in how I view or use faith, for that can make the difference between victory and defeat. In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen."
Go forth today, determined to identify and close up any faith gaps.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Life Plan Devotion #73 [God's Armor--Shield of Faith, Part I]
The fourth piece of the Armor of God, given to each believer, is the Shield of Faith. In order to understand what it is and how to use it, we must understand what faith is. Let's spend a few days looking at the topic of "faith."
If you want to be an overcomer, you must live by faith, and that faith must be real faith, not the "I'll give it a try" kind of faith. Have the kind of faith that goes beyond hoping and into believing, no matter what.
How do you know if you are living in real faith? Real faith involves:
1) Finding out God's will regarding your need and then trusting Him to bring it to pass,
2) Stepping out and believing God for what you know to be His will for your life,
3) Believing that God said what He meant and means what He said and then trusting Him to do what He said,
4) Acting like His Word is true and expecting Him to do the same.
Get to the place where you say to yourself, "Either I believe the Bible or I don't." Hope will give up, but faith has tenacity. Real faith digs in its heels and says, "I know what belongs to me, and I'm not going to live without it!" That's how to be a world overcomer--someone with real faith, who knows it, thinks it, speaks it, and walks in it.
I John 5:4 [NLT]
"Every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through faith."
What this has to do with weight loss: Do you know that it's God's will for your body to be healthy, for you to release excess weight? Do you recognize that Satan wants you to experience defeat in this area? Do you know that tenacious faith will give you victory in this area? Meditate on these facts, and be willing to go from hope to overcoming faith.
Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, I desire the kind of faith that defeats the enemy and achieves victory. Often, I just 'hope' that something good will happen, but now I realize that I need to know what Your Word says about it and then stand on it, trusting You to bring it to pass. Help me to learn to live the life of overcoming faith. I pray, in Jesus' Name. Amen."
Go forth today, determined to be a world overcomer, by faith.
If you want to be an overcomer, you must live by faith, and that faith must be real faith, not the "I'll give it a try" kind of faith. Have the kind of faith that goes beyond hoping and into believing, no matter what.
How do you know if you are living in real faith? Real faith involves:
1) Finding out God's will regarding your need and then trusting Him to bring it to pass,
2) Stepping out and believing God for what you know to be His will for your life,
3) Believing that God said what He meant and means what He said and then trusting Him to do what He said,
4) Acting like His Word is true and expecting Him to do the same.
Get to the place where you say to yourself, "Either I believe the Bible or I don't." Hope will give up, but faith has tenacity. Real faith digs in its heels and says, "I know what belongs to me, and I'm not going to live without it!" That's how to be a world overcomer--someone with real faith, who knows it, thinks it, speaks it, and walks in it.
I John 5:4 [NLT]
"Every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through faith."
What this has to do with weight loss: Do you know that it's God's will for your body to be healthy, for you to release excess weight? Do you recognize that Satan wants you to experience defeat in this area? Do you know that tenacious faith will give you victory in this area? Meditate on these facts, and be willing to go from hope to overcoming faith.
Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, I desire the kind of faith that defeats the enemy and achieves victory. Often, I just 'hope' that something good will happen, but now I realize that I need to know what Your Word says about it and then stand on it, trusting You to bring it to pass. Help me to learn to live the life of overcoming faith. I pray, in Jesus' Name. Amen."
Go forth today, determined to be a world overcomer, by faith.
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