Fiery Darts

Fiery Darts

Patricia Ann, Originally posted on Sunday, June 22, 2014

Imagine that you are walking along a path in the woods.  You are minding your own business strolling leisurely along, lost in thought when Bam! you are hit by a fiery dart.  Ouch!  It hurts!  It burns! And just when you start to get settled a bit, Bam!  Another fiery dart hits you. You try ducking and dodging the darts.  Here comes another and another fiery dart.  Darts are being hurled at you one after the other.  Ouch!  It hurts!  You aren't prepared for this!  Why is this happening?  Who is doing this?  Why? What is going on?

You run and hide; seeking shelter of any sort.  And how do you fight back?  You were just out for a walk and you find yourself in a battle dodging the fiery darts of an unknown enemy. 

You try to think, but can't. Rational thoughts don't come, no matter how hard you try.  What do you do?  Where can you go to find safety in this battle.

Yes, it is a battle! 
You are the target in a fierce war that is going on.  You thought everything was going along fine, but one day you started living your life  for God and you became a target for the enemy. 

Scripture tells us about putting on the full armor of God in Ephesians 6:10-18  (NKJV)
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
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. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;  

The fiery darts of the evil one come in all shapes and sizes. 

The enemy sits back laughing at God's children, as words are used to cut into our soul; creating within us a feeling of unworthiness, inability to be loved or a feeling of self destruction.
 
We find ourselves living in fear, misunderstanding people, our surroundings and our very lives. 
We often find ourselves in painful situations we never dreamed could happen to us. 
We become physically or emotionally sick, or we become financially broken or even homeless. 

Eventually, we become grief stricken and we cry out to our Father in Heaven,  "Help me!  Help me Father!" 

And knowing our exact situation and need, our God bends down to pick us up above the fiery darts, out of their reach and He provides for us a time of healing, a rest in His great love.
Scripture tells us that God sends His angels to intercede on our behalf, but many times He uses us, His children, to lift up one another in His love during a time of need. We put on the full armor of
God and help our brothers and sisters in battle.
 
Sometimes it is our family or friends which are called to help us.   
Sometimes it is our church family that lifts us up.
But, sometimes we encounter a complete stranger who is called by our Father in Haven to lift us up in prayer.

Let us remember that we are never alone in the battle.
God knows our need and He sends to us the resources to fight the battle and Win! We are winners of the battle

good vs. evil.

As we seek to know the reasons for being pulled into battle, rest in the knowledge that it is our relationship with our Father in Heaven that makes us the enemy's target. 
 
The enemy does not want us working for our Lord, bringing lost souls to Christ.  

However, the only alternative we have to stop the attacks is to become docile in our Christianity, relaxing our beliefs and becoming lukewarm to the Works and Word of God.
Imagine what that would be like! 
I believe living a life, lukewarm and docile, so as to not ever experience an attack form the enemy, would be a dull and boring life; a life without the true joy of knowing our Creator at an intimate level.
You see, God created us in His great image.  He desires for us to Praise His name, stand up for Him and be warriors for His word.  He desires for us to stand, wearing the full armor of His protection and to do His good works. 
Our Father in Heaven desires for each of us, as His children, to fight the battle of winning souls to Christ.  And in the end, we will be blessed by our Lord. 
My prayer for today is that every morning, we put on the full armor of God, prepared to go into battle and win! 
Rejoice in the knowledge that the fiery darts of the enemy bounce off of the protective armor of our relationship with our Father in Heaven.
 
Let us all stand and Praise our Lord, secure in the knowledge that the battle has already been won!
Blessings to all in Jesus precious name, Amen.