"Lord, increase my faith." How many of you have prayed this prayer? I know I have. As a matter of fact, I have prayed this prayer more than once. A very interesting thought occurred to me regarding this thought. Do I really need to increase my faith or simply exercise the faith I have? What do I mean by that? It is guaranteed that God is going to provide me with opportunities to test my faith. And my responses will usually help to determine the outcome of the situation. I sat and thought about those times I work up and actively put on my shield of faith. The shield that covers me for every event that I am going to have to face in life. It is not about me measuring my level of faith against someone else's. I believe that God has given me all the faith that I need. Romans 12:3 tells me that. "...God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith." At the same time I thought about those times that I actively put on my shield I also thought about the times that I neglected to put on my shield. These time coincided with the times I neglected my relationship with God. My focus was on other things. As a result when I was faced with tests and trials I was not able to withstand the pressure.
When you use your faith you take a stand to claim the results God promised in His Word. The shield of faith stops all of those fiery darts that the enemy throws your way. What are some of those fiery darts? It could be an impure thought. It could be a thought of despair. A thought of hatred. These darts are swift and silent. You won't receive any advance notice. That is why faith should be a mindset knowing that all things are going to work out for your good. Truth be told, the rest of the armor will not function without faith. Without faith, the Word of God is nothing more than words on a page. You must believe. Why do you think the Apostle Paul began Ephesians 6:16 with "Above all..." You cannot afford to let your guard down. Satan's primary goal is to distract you, steer you away from what you believe. Keep you out of the Word of God. But you must keep pressing. Stay in the Word. Stand firm and speak life into your situation. When you are under attack you must stand firm on His Word. You must know it in your heart. You cannot afford to be easily swayed. That is why when times are good you can't afford to neglect your relationship with God. I learned this the hard way. Today I want to encourage you not to make the same mistake I did. Read the Word daily. Pray. Ask for wisdom. Seek the Lord. He stands ready, willing and able to guide you into all truth.
Most Gracious Heavenly Father,
I thank You for the shield of faith. Help me to keep it oiled through prayer and reading Your Word. I want to be able to stand against the fiery darts of the devil. In Jesus' Wonderful Name I pray Amen.
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