Day3
Week2
2 Samuel
”O mountains of Gilboa, may there be no rain or dew upon you or your bountiful fields; for there the shield of the mighty was defiled! The shield of Saul is no longer anointed with oil.“
2 Samuel 1:21 MEV
Cross references
1 Samuel 31:1;
Isaiah 21:5
Your Shield
Preparation is vital in battle and in life, right?
Part of preparing for battle involves taking care of your weapons and armor or in this case, shield.
The leather shield was to be rubbed down with oil after battle as maintenance and David was lamenting the fact that Saul’s shield, which was left on the battlefield, would no longer be maintained.
What about your shield?
Ephesians 6 tells us that we have a shield of faith that when well maintained and used properly will extinguish all the fiery arrows of the enemy.
How do we keep our shield well oiled and ready for battle?
”Now my beloved ones, I have saved these most important truths for last: Be supernaturally infused with strength through your life-union with the Lord Jesus. Stand victorious with the force of his explosive power flowing in and through you.“
Ephesians 6:10 TPT
What does that look like?
1. Take Time Aside with God
Oiling a shield was done aside, away from the battlefront. It was done in the place of preparation.
Preparation means separation. Hear Jesus say, ‘Come away with Me!’ It’s time to come aside to spend time in the secret place, with God and His Word.
2. Meditate on The Power of Jesus’ Shed Blood
‘Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.’ (Psalm 5:12 NIV)
God has a shield of protection for us that completely surrounds us! It is the favor of God. Favor and faith go together. But we will never experience this grace as long as we are trying to earn it. We must simply receive it.
‘And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.’ (Rev 12:11)
When you confess and declare what the blood of Jesus has done for you, your faith is anointed. It becomes unshakeable.
3. Be Intentional About Strengthening Your Faith
The Apostle Paul wrote
‘…above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.’ (Eph 6:16, NKJV)
The Roman soldiers of Paul’s time knew how to care for their shields. They knew how to look after them, how to bear their weight, and how to hold them for maximum protection.
Paul reminds us that faith has to be ‘taken’ in order to be used. The Greek word is analambano (Strongs G353) and means to take up, to raise up in order to use.
~Fear is when we listen to the enemy’s intended outcome for us
~Faith is when we declare to the enemy God’s intended outcome for him!
Remember that David spoke to Goliath or rather declared God’s Word to Goliath before he slung his weapon.
Action Step
How is your shield today?
Implement the above steps to begin your preparation.
Click the link below for a review of P.R.A.Y. Prayer is preparation!
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