Ephesians 6 describes what Satan attacks us with: ‘fiery arrows’! He knows that if he can light fires of worry and anxiety within us, he can immobilise and defeat us. And notice what God has given us to protect ourselves: ‘the shield of faith’. But we have a part to play too: ‘Hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.’ A shield won’t help a soldier while it’s on the ground, or even at their side. They must lift it up to so it becomes a cover from attack. The same goes for us. When the devil attacks us with unpleasant circumstances and thoughts that cause us to worry and be afraid, we must immediately lift up the shield of faith. And it isn;t faith in ourselves, but faith in the faithfulness of God! At times our faith in God may waver, but His love and care for us will never waver. ‘Faithful is He Who is calling you [to Himself] and utterly trustworthy’ (1 Thessalonians 5:24 AMPC). We can lift up our shields of faith by praying, ‘Father, I trust You in this situation!’ Jesus talked back to Satan in the wilderness by saying, ‘It is written,’ and we must learn to talk back to Satan too. God’s Word is a protective shield that the devil’s arrows can’t pierce. When we hold it up like a shield, it’s effective against anything he tries to do in our lives. Satan’s fiery arrows can come from any direction, from friends as well as enemies. So today, lift up the shield of faith!
