“Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” Ephesians 6:16 (KJV)
The first two words of this passage indicate the importance of faith in the believer’s life. Satan is our adversary and the accuser of the brethren. He takes every available opportunity to cast his ”fiery darts” with every intention of taking us out of the fight. His battleground is our minds. Those incendiary missiles are the thoughts of impending doom and even our demise. Through our thoughts he can impede our progress or even paralyze us if we are not prepared to defend ourselves with the shield of faith. No one is immune to these thoughts; not pastors, teachers, evangelists, prophets, apostles, or lay persons. The question is how do we put out the fire.
No doubt many of you have at one time or another been subjected to thoughts like these. Having been unemployed for eighteen months, I’ve had more than my share. Opportunities for depression, oppression, feelings of inadequacy as a man and provider; and many more, have come; but have not lingered. The reason is because I know God is faithful. He has a great track record with me. There would have been a time that I would have not been able to sleep well worrying about how we were going to make it. It’s too late for that now. I’m connected to an awesome man of God and a great church, where we are equipped for the very thing I am going through now. You see God has already proven himself to me. If he can heal my son, Judah, born 3 months premature and not expected to live, a job is no problem for him. He has covered, protected, and provided for us in so many ways, that all I need do is start counting my blessings, to quench the fiery darts. It’s one thing to believe in God, and quite another to believe God. That’s why no matter what I’m going through, I still can lead praise and worship like the blessing has already manifested. I’ve settled the fact that I trust God. Besides, God deserves my best praise regardless of my circumstances.
Yes, our faith must be developed and growth is a process. Through our relationship with God, our faith in Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit, we are well able to quench “all” the fiery darts of the wicked one. Be encouraged today and hold on to your faith. Remember that the people who know their God shall be strong and do exploits (Daniel 10:32)
© Fredrick F. Nicholson all rights reserved
