Shield

There was a time in the seventh grade that I had an "enemy." She would have her older 8th grade friends wait for me almost on a daily basis threatening to beat me up as I walked from the cafeteria back into the school after lunch. I remember being so scared and nervous about what they might do to me. Fortunately, I had a great group of friends who would form a circle around me and walk me back to school unharmed. That group formed a SHIELD....Now, we all weren't the "strongest" group and probably would have been beaten pretty badly if a fight would have happened, but I felt SAFE and those bullies never laid a hand on me.

You know, David went up against an enemy just like me. If you read 1 Samuel 17 (I strongly advise you to do that), you will see that David went up against a giant! David knew he had a shield protecting him. In verse 37 he states, "The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." WHAT FAITH HE HAD IN GOD! David went on the field not armored with warrior's weapons but with 5 small stones and a slingshot. Is that all David took with him? NO! He knew that God would provide a shield for him. Did he? YES!

Verses 49-51: Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth. Sop David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David. Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, ,and cut off his head with it. And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.

WOW! Is God your shield? Everyday we are faced with temptation. I recently read in a book that the devil has over 27 names in the New Testament. Does that not scare you? That sure doesn't sit well with me. We are up against an enemy who is always lurking over our shoulder. Jesus even calls him the wicked one (Matthew 13:19), the enemy (Matthew 13:39), Beelzebub (Mark 3:22), strong one Luke 11:22), murderer (John 8:44), father of lies (John 8:44), and prince of this world (John 12:31).

You might find Satan in:

• A movie or television show you are watching. If it has inappropriate scenes turn it off or leave! I strongly recommend you "researching" a movie before going to it. There are websites out there that tell you what all is in a movie in theaters. Check it out and protect yourself!


• A conversation with your friends! Paul warns us to not have "foolish talking or course jesting" in Ephesians 5:4. Once a conversation goes down the wrong path such as gossiping or using inappropriate language or jokes, it is really hard to bring it back to the straight and narrow.

Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:18 to take the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. How do you do that? Study! Spend time in His Word! PRAY!

I want to challenge you to read Ephesians 6:10-20 (Putting on the Whole Armor of God) everyday this week. What great scriptures we can put in our heart as we face our enemy every second of every day. Let God be your SHIED!