Stopping Fiery Arrows
"A final word: Be strong with the Lord's mighty power. Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm again all strategies and tricks of the Devil. For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms.
Use every piece of God's armor to resist the enemy in the time of evil, so that after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the sturdy belt of truth and the body armor of God's righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News, so that you will be full prepared. In every battle you will need faith as your shield to stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all Christians everywhere." Ephesians 6: 10-18 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. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are." 1 Peter 5:8-9 NLT
I am very familiar with this passage in Ephesians, as perhaps most of us are. I have attended studies on it. I have played dress up with my children and told them about each piece of armor and the representation to God. I have read it multiple times. And yet I find myself struggling with thoughts of inadequacy, thoughts of doubt, thoughts of not being able to measure up. I found I had friends who shared with this struggle. It kept us not stepping out and it kept us quiet. However, I didn't identify that the struggle is in direct relation to this Ephesians passage.
Right before I felt God calling me to something more, I started having second thoughts. Who do I think I am anyways to be doing all that? I must have not heard right? What do I have to offer? What if I "step out in faith" and I wasn't really supposed to do it and it's a big flop? When these thoughts come at me I stop frozen in fear. Time would pass and eventually I would gather up the courage or the Lord's push become louder and I would obey. But sometimes I didn't, and the opportunity would pass by, because maybe that wasn't God. Maybe I'll totally screw up. Maybe.... In talking with some friends I realized that I wasn't the only one who had times of doubt. But I had dear friends pointing me back to the truth. Truth that the enemy wants to stop you from doing something big for God. The enemy wants to put those seeds in your mind that your not good enough. The enemy wants you to doubt God's call. The enemy wants you to believe you are not worthy.
I felt compelled to dig back into Ephesians 6. Oh my friend, the enemy works in many different ways. He comes "like a roaring lion" after all (1 Peter 5:8). It made me think back through the armor of God, which piece am I not equipping myself with that I am letting the enemy penetrate. For me it is the 'Shield of Faith'. My faith in God; my faith that God could do it through me. You see if God is going to implant it in us, He wants to do it through us! The call or gifting isn't just there to be dormant. So, my friend, I am picking up that shield. That shield that stops the fiery arrows of the devil. Those fiery arrows that bring all this doubt. Those fiery arrows of being insufficient, insecure, and not chosen. I pick up my shield that is made out of Jesus Christ Himself. He protects me. He is my strength and my shield (Psalm 28:7). He is a shield around me (Psalm 3:3). And just like the beginning of the passage in Ephesians I stand strong in the Lord and I stand because He has the mighty power (6:10).
So put up that Shield of Faith friend. Put up Jesus. Identify those fiery arrows that the devil is throwing at you and take a stand behind Jesus Christ our Lord.
