SpiritsWord Daily Devotional

Home

Spend Time With God EVERY Day
Today's Devotional

Arrows of the Enemy

by Simon Whitton

In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Eph 6:16 (NIV)

Exactly what are ‘the flaming arrows of the evil one’? Arrows are sometimes referred to in the Old Testament as wicked words, false testimony or words of deceit:

Their tongue is a deadly arrow; it speaks with deceit
Jer 9:8a (NIV)

These words may come through people, but their source is the evil one. This is what Jesus has told us about the Devil:

He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
John 8:44b (NIV)

Satan has skillfully used this weapon right from the beginning. It was his tongue that caused Adam and Eve to be mortally wounded, and his words continue to be the deadliest weapon in the arsenal of Hell.

The flaming arrows of the evil one are not the bad things that happen to us, the sickness, tragedy, and loss; they are the lies of the enemy. These lies are arrows that he has used countless times before. Here is a sample of some of the more common ones we can expect to find on the battlefield:

- You can’t trust God

- Wealth will solve your problems and make you happy

- Your worth is based on your looks, your achievements

- You should fear cancer, disease, death...

- You control your own destiny

- There’s no purpose in your life or in suffering

- There’s no forgiveness for that sin

- God has rejected or abandoned you

- God does not love you

Imagine the harm even one of these arrows can do if it firmly embeds itself in you. These lies have the potential to cause untold damage, to rob us of peace and spiritual health. A serious wound could affect the whole person and even change the course of their life.

We must take these arrows very seriously and avoid being hit by one. Our original scripture says that we should ‘take up the shield of faith’ as protection from these lies. The good news is that we have been given a shield that has been fashioned by God and is solid and secure.

An arrow can only wound you if you receive it, if you believe the lie. Faith is trusting in God’s promises, believing in His word rather than Satan’s lies. Our thoughts and feelings are caught up in a battle over the truth. But when we refuse to accept the lie of Satan and instead decide to trust in God’s word, we find shelter and peace behind the shield of faith.

It may be that you find some part of you is wounded. Grab hold of God’s truth and hang on to it, then the lie is exposed and pulled out. Time and time again in the gospels, it was faith that brought healing. Even old and deep wounds will heal as you remove the arrow of the enemy and embrace God’s healing word.

Spend some time praying and confess where you have believed the lies of the evil one. Thank God for the truth He has freely given you and for the healing that He offers. Ask the Lord for faith in His word and for the strength to hold onto it.

---