Almost every time I hear the word SHIELD, I think of one of two events. The first was when my son and a friend used two water hoses on ‘jet’ power to have a water fight using garbage can lids as their shields. The yard looked like a war zone when they finally tired out, but watching their fun was worth it.
The second time was when I was the passenger with my daughter driving. The car ahead stopped suddenly and so did she, putting out her arm to shield me from lurching forward. My grown child was now protecting me.
In Scripture, a shield is a defensive weapon used in physical battles and as a metaphor for God’s protection. It was a full-body shield that a warrior could hide behind, an important part of battle. God even said it of Himself in Genesis 15:1. “After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: ‘Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.’ ”
Later, Moses’ song praised the Lord using the same metaphor: Deuteronomy 33:29. “Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord, the shield of your help, and the sword of your triumph . . . .”
Later David sang similar words and they are often repeated in the psalms:
2 Samuel 22:31. “This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.”
Psalm 3:1–3. “O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; many are saying of my soul, ‘There is no salvation for him in God.’ Selah But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.”
Psalm 18:2. “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
Psalm 84:11. “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.”
Psalm 119:114. “You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word.”
Psalm 144:2. “He is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me.”
This praise is repeated elsewhere, including Proverbs 30:5: “Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him” connecting the protective power of God to the truth of His Word. This means taking up the Bible to shield me from the destructive lies of Satan.
Last night I had two vivid dreams that distressed me. Both seemed real and even though I knew they were dreams, waking up did not automatically shake their effect. However, when I took up the pages of a few Christian songs and sang the truths in them, and when I thought about same truths in the Bible, the joy of the Lord removed and replaced my angst. This is what it means to take up my shield and even more, put on the whole armor that God provides:
Ephesians 6:13–18. “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints . . . .”
Part of this experience meant identifying the dreams as another one of the enemy’s attacks to stop my prayer advances against him. Those attacks are frequent and varied, sometimes successful, at least for a day or two. However, God uses them too. While I’m protected by the shield of faith in those attacks, God is also using them to show me areas of weakness and how to overcome them by confessing any sin that is exposed, and by trusting Him in that area instead of ‘trying harder’ by relying on my own strength.
No matter what happens, I know this enemy is already a loser, defeated at the Cross by the redeeming work of my Savior and Shield, the Lord Jesus Christ. GAZING INTO HIS GLORY shields my heart from the enemy’s devices and keeps it open to God’s thoughts and promises.
No comments:
Post a Comment