Praying and Singing the Promises of God

On Sunday (1/26/25) we talked about the Shield of Faith as part of the Armor Of God Series.

Ephesians 6:16-  In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;

The Apostle Paul is using the illustration of a Roman Legionnaire Scutum.  It is 4 feet tall, and about 2.5 feet wide.  It is made of wood, cloth, leather, and metal. These things are heavy-duty, and can take a direct blow from a sword or a spear, and stop arrows. They soaked them in fluid to extinguish arrows that had been dipped in pitch and set on fire.

These shields don’t just protect you, they protect the people around you.  The Romans were known for what they called the testudo or tortoise formation.  The linked shields and protected everyone in the formation.

The reason we need the Shield of Faith is because Satan is like an archer, shooting all kings of arrows at you to see what will stick. Satan I looking for a place in your heart, mind, and soul to exploit. 

His arrows consist of things like Temptation, Accusation, Destructive Thoughts. His goal is to cause division between you and God, you and yourself (being double-minded), and you and others.

What Paul reminds us is that the Shield of Faith is Jesus. The Shield of Faith is the  confidence that God is who He says He is, and had has done, and will do everything that he has promises. The strength of this shield is not our faith, rather is it is the object of our Faith, the risen Jesus. Here is the thing, Paul tells us Jesus can and will extinguish the flaming arrows/darts of the enemies.

James, the half brother of Jesus, says it this way in James 4:7:8: Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 

One of the strategies we can use to take up the Shield of Faith is Praying and Singing the Promises of God!

Pray:

When Satan sends Temptation, Accusation, and Destructive Thoughts your way, find a Promise of God in scripture that speaks to that. Then pray something like this:

“Father, help me understand this promise. Right now I feel/ think ____________. Help me trust that you are using this to bring me the greatest good of your nearness, love, and glory, as you promised in 2 Corinthians 4:17–18, 1 Peter 1:6–7, and 1 Peter 5:10. Please, Father, give me that greatest good now. Satisfy me so fully in yourself that my _______________________  is comforted and I am rejoicing in you.”

As you pray God’s word, He will drawn near to you and help you. He will strengthen your faith, while helping you see and feel the glory of Christ, and change your heart, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Sing:

There is incredible spiritual power in the people of God singing the promises of God.

Music is powerful. It is directly connected to our memory and engages our heart, mind, and soul in powerful ways. That is why you sing things you want to teach and remember. That is why we sing the ABC’s to children, or learn Conjunction Junction What’s Your Function in English class. That is why marketing uses music, cause everyone run the Chicagoland Area knows - 1-800-588-2300 (EMPIRE).

Consider Ephesians 5:18-20 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart,20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

There is power in singing to the Lord and to one another. Make a playlist of songs that speak to the Temptation, Accusation, and Destructive Thoughts Your Spiritual Enemy is firing at you. Pray the scripture, and sing the promise to you, and the people around you!

Don’t Forget, Jesus can and will extinguish the flaming darts of the evil one!

Take Up Your Shield!