Faith Under Fire

From the very beginning, Satan has tried to tempt humanity away from God. He works hard to keep people from knowing the truth about God (2 Corinthians 4:4). Even after a person miraculously comes to faith in Jesus, his battle continues.

You have a spiritual enemy who seeks to discredit and disable you. He aims arrows at you: half-truths and mistruths that discourage and distract, accuse and attack. He whispers accusations about ways you’ve messed up and fallen short. He tells half-truths: things that seem reasonable but sow doubt in God’s promises. He tells us we’re not wanted, not forgiven, and don’t belong. There’s a reason Paul says his darts are “flaming”—they burn.

But just as we first were saved by faith in Jesus, we must continue in that faith by raising up what the apostle Paul calls “the shield of faith.” It means we defend ourselves again and again by choosing to trust in what God says about Himself and ourselves, rather than the lies of the enemy.

Raising up the defensive shield of faith is the best and only defense against the attacks of the evil one. Dart by dart and lie by lie, we name the lies and choose to trust in God’s truth instead.

When the enemy tries to shame you, remember 1 John 1:9 NIV: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive …” 

If he tries to turn your attention towards ambition, pride, or lust, recall Jesus defying him in the wilderness (Matthew 4:4).