Pearls of Great Value

A sound of tumult on the mountains, Like that of many people! A sound of the uproar of the kingdoms, Of nations gathered together! The LORD of hosts is mustering an army for battle.”   Isaiah‬ ‭13:4‬ ‭AMP‬‬

 Reading this verse reminds me that God has an army. And it’s not just a army of mighty angels, but also of believers. As soldiers in this army, I believe we need to be reminded that an army is not prepared for times of peace but for times of duress, times of peril and instability. Right now, the Lord of hosts is appointing and giving charge to His army. Put on the whole, complete, full armor of God! Don’t stop with the helmet of salvation, but continue on to the breastplate of righteousness [breastplate protects the heart] and to the belt of truth. The belt holds the whole armor together. If you go into battle without truth [Jesus is the truth], without the Word, your whole armor will fall apart. You’ll be be fighting a losing battle. 

 

How about your feet? Which kind of soldier fights the battle on bare feet?  I love how the amplified bible puts it in Eph 6, “Strap on your feet the gospel of peace in preparation [ to face the enemy with firm-footed stability and the readiness produced by the good news].” The good news of the gospel of Christ Jesus, not only gives us stability but awareness of the times we live in. It guides our feet on level ground and gives discernment to our hearts. Notice it’s a gospel of peace. We are to promote peace in all areas, in all ways. Don’t go into battle without strapping on these boots!

 

Next the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit. The sword is the only offensive weapon we need, it’s the Word of God and it is powerful. It slays. Implant it into your heart and learn to wield it wisely. 

 

The shield. What’s the purpose of the shield? To stop the flaming arrows of the evil one. Satan is the evil one and he is out to destroy you. Hate to say it, but if you’re the opposition, he’s going to do his best to take you out of the game. If you don’t believe that, you’re already in trouble. A good friend of mine once said this, and it’s stuck with me: “Know your enemy! It’s better to know the strategy of your enemy before the battle, it’s too late when you’re on the ground gasping for air.” Get to know how the enemy tries to trip you up and what techniques he uses, so you can counter-attack. How do you counter-attack? With the sword, the Word of God.

 

What are the flaming arrows? It’s the schemes, the temptations, and the lies that Satan uses to try to bring us down. Anything and everything that can be used against you is fair game. He’ll use the areas you are weak in and hit you at your weakest moment. He’ll try to sneak by your guard in subtle ways. In distracting you from reading the Word, in getting you too caught up in work so you won’t build a relationship with God. He’ll set the traps of pride and selfishness, the seduction of wealth and fame, and the desires of other things. If those don’t work, he’ll get out doubt and despair, he’ll whisper fear into your heart. He’ll tell you you’re not good enough. These are all flaming arrows that can do a lot of damage if they hit your heart. The good news though, is this: None of them can get past the shield of faith!  I thank my God that Faith is incredibly powerful and competent when it comes to flaming arrows. 

 

The Word says, Above all, in every situation, take the shield of faith. Above all- tells us it’s important. As long as the soldier stays behind this shield, he is protected from every arrow. Have faith in God and in His word! As you keep in the Word and implant it in your heart, it builds a shield around you. It’s like this: If your foundation is the Word (you stand on the Word) and the enemy brings a temptation against you, Holy Spirit will immediately bring up the Word on the inside of you as a shield. You take ahold of that Word and trust that God is faithful to that which He has spoken. That is when temptation hits the your shield and fizzles out. 

 

It takes exercise and strengthening to build up faith. It’s not a given. You have to take up the shield of faith. That’s an action. Take up: you have to take Gods word and receive it into your heart, nurture it and strive to retain it. Romans 10:17 says, Faith comes from hearing,and hearing through the Word of Christ. So,hear the Word. Hear it again. And again and again. Faith is born out of you receiving the Word into your heart. 

 

“In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [draw your strength from Him and be empowered through your union with Him] and in the power of His [boundless] might. Put on the full armor of God [for His precepts are like the splendid armor of a heavily-armed soldier], so that you may be able to [successfully] stand up against all the schemes and the strategies and the deceits of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places. Therefore, put on the complete armor of God, so that you will be able to [successfully] resist and stand your ground in the evil day [of danger], and having done everything [that the crisis demands], to stand firm [in your place, fully prepared, immovable, victorious].”. Ephesians‬ ‭6:10-13‬ ‭AMP‬‬

 

“Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.”  ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6:13-18‬ ‭MSG‬‬