EPISODE 471 – THE FIERY DARTS OF THE WICKED 2 — PUT ON THE SHIELD OF FAITH 7

THE FIERY DARTS OF THE WICKED 2 —

PUT ON THE SHIELD OF FAITH 7

“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 schemes of the adversary are his weapons designed to shipwreck the faith of the saints. His schemes are mainly to exploit the weaknesses or the inconsistencies of the brethren. He also takes advantage of the voice of every individual’s flesh to manipulate their thoughts and actions.

As I have already mentioned, the fiery darts of the enemy include unforgiveness, bitterness, offences, displeasure, disappointment, fear, lies, mistakes, failures, absence of testimonies, self-esteem, jealousy, etc.

These flammable arrows may be subtle and may start as harmless thoughts or through a harmless incidence, but when they are not intentionally or promptly and explosively extinguished, they will gradually creep into your heart and cause an emotional breakdown.

Sometimes things you will laugh about in the heat of a moment will later become the reason you feel hurt and offended.

How does it happen?

The adversary subtly begins to whisper and induce a perspective you didn’t consider. Suddenly, you begin to feel angry and offended over something you initially laughed over. He draws your attention and causes the new negative perspective to become your meditation. The more you meditate on it, the more you become offended and bitter.

You may think you are doing the right thing by giving a forensic look at the situation. But that is not what is really happening. The adversary is attacking your heart using the situation.

Such attacks from the adversary are poisonous and can even crush your bones physically.

Sometimes you may think it is your right not to forgive. You may even say “I have forgiven” but you know deep within you haven’t forgiven. Or will even tell yourself, “How many times should I forgive?; Am I the only one to forgive?”.

Unforgiveness or holding on to an offence is a destructive weapon of the enemy.

Look at what Paul the apostle had to say to the Church in Corinth:

“So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him. To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.”
2 Corinthians 2:9-11 (KJV)

From the above verses, we see Paul asking the brethren to forgive a fellow who had done some wrong. He then explained the reason for forgiving:

One of the devices of Satan is to use or take advantage of unforgiveness.

Read the verse 11 from the Living Bible:

“A further reason for forgiveness is to keep from being outsmarted by Satan, for we know what he is trying to do.”(2 Corinthians 2:11).

When you are unforgiving, the adversary will outsmart you with his devices. He finds an opportunity to attack the saints when they are offended, bitter and unforgiving.

Don’t see any of these reactions or emotional trouble you keep having as natural consequences. They are arrows of the adversary shot at you.

Make it your priority to walk in love as Jesus loved all men. Even when He hanged naked on the cross, before His death (while the soldiers gambled for His clothes); He said, “Father forgive them…” (Luke 23:34)

Faith works through love (Galatians 5:6)

As you forgive others as Christ has forgiven you, you learn to SHIELD UP BY FAITH against the arrows of bitterness, offences, anger and sorrow.

SHIELD UP!

Selah