September 19 Thought for the day...stop every attack

Do you ever get so tired of the devil harassing you?  Do you wish it would just end? The devil attacks everyone, especially those growing and moving in God. Paul tells us about a way to shut him down every time he attacks. Want to know how?

"above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one." Ephesians 6:16

Can you imagine it, every attack of the enemy being defeated by faith! I know you can believe it, but what is the practical application? I'm glad you asked! Let's look at what Paul is saying. The phrase "will be able" is much more powerful than it sounds. It should be translated "dynamic, explosive power" so the phrase should read "the shield of faith by which you have dynamic, explosive power quenches all the fiery darts.

What is the shield of faith? It is believing God at His word. When we know God's word, believe God's word, and live God's word, then we are living by faith, and that faith becomes a shield about us.

To further stress this point, Paul states, with this faith, we can quench (extinguish) the fiery darts of the enemy. The word translated "quench" means to douse or soak with water. In Roman times the Gauls and others would hollow out arrows and fill them with combustible fluid. The tips of the arrows would be set ablaze, and as soon as the arrow hit its target, it would explode, and the fluid would cover the target catching everything on fire. This was Paul's picture of a fiery dart.

How can anyone expect to extinguish this type of arrow? The Bible tells us that our faith is increased by hearing the Word (Romans 10:17). Paul wrote earlier in Ephesians 5:26 that Word of God cleanses like water. He had in mind how the Romans prepared for battle. They knew they would face fiery darts, so they soaked their shields in water, so when the darts/arrows hit the shields, they were put out immediately.

When we know God's word, live it, and believe it we have a dynamic, explosive power that even though the enemy may shoot at us, every dart will be put out! They will not harm us!