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Knowledge of Him truly, helps us discern lies.
Many of us have some old visual of Jesus. We may or may not know Him personally…or well. Over time we should grow closer to Him and come to know Christ well enough, and believe Him deeply enough, that our shield is ready and able, no matter what arrows fly.
Every lie is an arrow, and every arrow carries a lie.
So, how do we, on the pointy side of the arrows, define what lying flaming arrows are? Are we recognizing arrows? “Re-cog-nizing” means remembering. It’s the cognitive action of your heart and mind remembering what “lieing flaming arrow” from the enemy whacked you, and why. When you find yourself at odds with God and His ways, it’s because something flaming has landed in your spiritual flesh, and knocked you back or pushed you sideways.
“My helmet is on, but I’m holding on to a broken shield with all my might!”
We are “not” an army of one. Christ’s desire is that we be one as He and God and the Holy Spirit are One. They (The Trinity) are there for each other, forever! But when we are “not” one, we often get hit with lies that are fired at us from those around us. Yes, satan uses others to fire shots at us. Fellow Christians who miss the mark as we walk with them, and it leads to disillusionment and hurt. I don’t understand why they call it “friendly fire.” It’s anything but friendly. It’s only called that because it is from those who are supposed to be on our side, and by our side. The arrows in this case may not be shot directly at us, but are shot at our behaviors or statements, seen by fellow believers, which may cause them to question everything about their own faith. They get defensive, then they start shooting indiscriminately and hit us.
You don’t just believe truth…you believe HIM!
Can you look the enemy in the eye and say NO?
We need to be shield up to extinguish the flaming arrows of the enemy. We should sense the thud on the other side of the shield.
Can you hear the sizzle of the flaming arrows being extinguished by your belief in the One who saved you? By telling satan NO?
You may be thinking, “This building armor seems like a lot of work. I could move around better without armor on. I’m more agile. I can dodge the arrows. Right?”
So, how is that working for you now?
The size of your “belief list” determines the size of your “faith shield”.
Your “shield of faith” or, your “belief shield” is an imperative piece of armor which you must have built well for you to go into battle, and win. But, as you know, you’re already in the battle. Your shield must grow, and it must be made of the right stuff, the right substance. Which is faith/belief. (the Greek word pistueo is translated as faith when it is a noun, and believe when it is a verb) So, who do you have faith in? Who do you believe in? What do you actually deeply believe about Christ?
The enemy wins every day you don’t go out to Fight.
Gideon said to the angel, “Please, my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’”(Judg. 6:13). Gideon asks a good question. They were fearful. They are doing their work in private. Getting on with life, threshing wheat in a winepress so the enemy won’t find them. That was Gideon before God called him out.
Don’t just stand there getting pummeled…If you’re not fighting, you’re losing ground
You’re two weeks in to this new year. And the enemy is already at it. Working to frustrate your resolutions. But one thing you must resolve and stay at it…putting on the whole armor of God!
Yes, your name is written on a whiteboard in hell, and the enemy has desires to make you fall back, become useless in this Kingdom of Christ you serve as an ambassador. Satan is against anything that looks like Christ.
Your salvation Helmet is not actually yours…
It’s not actually your helmet, its Christ’s helmet…and He gives it to you. He secured your salvation. He scoured your helmet. It’s His initial gift to you.That salvation helmet is not actually your helmet. It is Christ’s helmet. He has purchased it and given it to each of us personally. But you have to do something with that helmet.
The armor became a baby.
As I’ve followed Christ, I’ve seen how He dealt with and still deals with the enemy. I look at the character of Christ and see how He acted. Since He IS the armor, how did He treat the enemy and how did He treat people? I know he came as a baby, grew as a child, then as an adult, He lived His life and had a ministry of reconciliation…but I see very little wrath. The Old Testament has a lot of wrath in it. And yes, in the New Testament there is some righteous indignation when Christ turned over the tables and made the whip to drive out those selling in the temple. But I know He and the Trinity are One and have the same characteristics – but I just see very little wrath in Christ.
I asked God, “Why do I see so little wrath in Christ?”
In my imagination, I sensed Jesus look at God the Father, then look at God the Spirit, then back at me, and say in a very focused tone, “Oh, we’re not done yet. Have you read Revelation?”
We need each other to build armor together!
The closer we are to each other, the more we can share the truth and faith we’ve found in Christ.
…praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. (Ephesians 6:18–20)
We need each other to share shields, and to build armor together.
Not all people have their shield built to the same degree or specifications as others. We are all in process, and the building never stops—because our belief in God can and should grow until we die. Shields are always under construction … and under attack.