#spiritualwarfare – Amy Brock McNew ~Author~

Continuing with our series, The Armor of God, next is the shield of faith.

And today’s post is gonna be a little different.

~Ephesians 6:16: Above all, taking the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.~

Today, I’m not going to throw gems of truth at you that I’ve dug up.

I won’t be setting goals to strive for.

You won’t get some rousing speech to get you all pumped up for battle.

Today, you get my guts on this page, even more so than usual.

With My Shield or On It

Faith is a tricky thing.

You can have a little, or a lot.

It can waver or it can stand strong.

It can ebb and flow, just like the tide.

You have to trust what you cannot see. Reach for what you cannot feel. Listen for what you cannot hear.

~Hebrews 11:1 – Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.~

Faith works much like a physical shield. It can be offensive or defensive. With it, you’re protected from various projectiles. You can use it as a weapon, smashing the enemy over the head or using it as a battering ram of sorts. It can protect you from the elements. It can also help protect your fellow warriors.

It is said that Spartan mothers would hand their sons a shield before battle, and tell them to come back with it or on it. Either dead or alive, they returned a hero. If they returned without their shield, they were branded cowards who had dropped the defenses and run.

Right now, my faith is pretty dinged up. There’s a hole here, a gouge over there, and most days I can’t even seem to get the thing up off the ground, let alone carry it in front of me.

I can believe for the small things, sure. No problem. That’s easy.

I can even have faith for others. Every other person that I pray for, I have no problem envisioning in my mind what God’s gonna do for them as I pray.

But when it comes to myself and something I need? Yeah. That’s where things get jacked sideways.

Case in point: I have a degenerative spine condition. Slowly, painfully, the things I love to do are slipping off my approved activities list. As bad as I would love to be healed, to have that pain go away, most days, it’s hard to believe it’s ever going to happen.

I’ve seen miracles. I’ve experienced miracles. I’ve watched things happen that left no doubt there is a God above and He hears us. He answers us. So why do I have such a hard time having faith for my own healing?

I have no idea.

Maybe it’s because I’ve had this condition for years now. Maybe it’s because I’m in my own way, blocking my healing or rejecting it in some manner that I haven’t figured out yet.

I know my God is bigger. I know God can do anything. I guess if I’m honest, I struggle with, “Why would He do this for me?” And those old thoughts of punishment, retribution, and getting what I deserve come crashing back into my head with shattering glass and twisted metal. Even though I know that’s not how God works.

Now, why would I be telling you all of this? Aren’t I supposed to give some great revelation about faith, how to get it, how to use it? Shouldn’t I be amping you guys up for a fight and sending you out to take the enemy out at the knees?

That’s exactly what I’m doing.

The battle’s not just about you

If you’ve ever seen the show Firefly, you’ll know this quote:

It’s not just about you. And it’s not just about me. Soldiers don’t go out on the battlefield alone, they storm the gates with their fellow warriors. Somebody’s got their six.

You’ve got someone to depend on, who will carry you back home if they have to.

Just like it’s easier for me to have faith for others, sometimes it’s easier for them to have faith for me. This doesn’t mean that I give up. Or that I never try to grow my faith or work on whatever it is that’s holding me back. What it does mean is that I have people surrounding me that have faith for me until I do. I have friends and family that will carry me when I can’t even crawl. Until I can run again.

We all must seek out and surround ourselves with people who not only bolster our own faith, but have faith when we don’t. Those we can trust who have our back, no matter what. We build a circle of faith. That friends, is the strongest shield you will ever find.

Have you ever lost faith, or had difficulty believing for something in your own life that you’d like to share? Or, tell us about your band of soldiers that strengthen one another.

Do you lack a strong squad around you to lift you up and carry you when you need it? Contact me here, at Facebook.com/AmyBrockMcNewauthor, or at AmyMMcNew@att.net.

Cut to the Bone

Armor of God

Sword of the Spirit

It’s Monday! (Don’t all groan at once.) At Guts on the Page, we actually like Mondays.

Mainly, because this month it means a new post on another piece of the Armor of God.

This week: The Sword of the Spirit.

If you know me at all, you know I love and own weapons of all kinds. And, I actually know how to use most of them. (We’re still working on the throwing knives.)

I have to say, though, blades are my favorite. There’s a certain elegant beauty to a well-made sword that is unmatched in any other weapon. Here’s a couple from our collection.

Cutting Edge

Throughout history, blades have been a primary weapon for soldiers from all armies, in all corners of the world.

Here are some beauties from the past.

Even today, though the blade is not generally the primary weapon, most every soldier carries one of some sort.

Modern combat knife. (Ka-bar)

Blades are precise, close combat weapons. They require you to be in extreme proximity to your enemy. Even throwing blades are short range, and necessitate perfect aim. A warrior with a blade as his weapon of choice must close in on their opponent and strike strong and true. Which means they must be highly proficient in wielding said weapon. There is little room for error in face to face combat. Especially if your enemy is swinging a sword with fluid, effective maneuvers guaranteed to result in a kill.

Sword of the Spirit

The Ultimate Weapon

~Ephesians 6:17: …and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

As seen above, Hebrews tells us that the Word is living, it’s active, it’s sharper than any two-edged sword. It slices right to the heart of the matter, flaying it open and revealing the truth.

Walking into battle without a weapon is flat out stupid. No earthly warrior is going to charge against the enemy with nothing in his hands unless he has no other option. If one is forced into this situation, a smart fighter will survey the area, and find something to use. Of course, this makeshift weapon rarely, if ever, proves as useful as the real thing. So either way, the fighter without a proper means of defense and offense is left at a severe disadvantage.

The same holds true in spiritual battles. A weapon is necessary. Period. You go up against the enemy with empty hands and you will be annihilated.

The good news is, we have been given the ultimate weapon. The Word of God. It holds all truth, all power. Nothing and no one can stand against it.

Our enemy is not going to hold back. Satan’s battle plan is nothing but no holds barred, all out slaughter. No exceptions. We must be just as ruthless in the fight. Only in a different way.

So how do we wield this Sword?

That’s easy. You tuck it in your heart. You not only know the words, but feel them down to your bones. Let them become a part of you, just as a good sword master will instruct his students to do with their physical blades.

This can only happen if you spend time IN the Word. Even when you don’t think you have time, make the time. Don’t just read, dig into it. Like with an actual blade, the more you study, the more you practice, the more comfortable you will be in using it. Only then can you wield it properly.

I’ve often laid my weapon down and let the dust gather on it. Other things seemed more important at the time than reading a book. But this isn’t just any book. When I didn’t spend with it, I found myself weak and defenseless. I had nothing readily available to counter the enemy’s attacks. When I make it a point to spend time in the Word, though, I find I am stronger. As attacks blast me, raining down fire and shrapnel, I’m able to fire back and stand my ground because I have a firm foundation.

Make it a priority to keep your sword handy and to be familiar with it. Make it a part of you and use it with precision. Face down the enemy with confidence, no matter how close he gets. You can make your stand with the ultimate Weapon.

It’s do or die and you’ve got Word of Life in your hands. Cut the enemy to the bone and claim your victory.