Shield of Faith by Annette Capps
http://65583.stablerack.com/apps/articles/default.asp?blogid=0&view=post&articleid=246289&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0
By Annette Capps
When most people think of a Biblical "shield of faith," they picture the shield from Roman times which is what the Apostle Paul would have been thinking of when he admonished the church at Ephesus to put on the whole armor of God. The shield, sword, and helmet of Ephesians 6:10-18 are indicating a march into battle. When using this image of me holding the shield in front of me, I ran into a problem at night when I was asleep. How can I hold a shield of faith for protection when I am asleep???
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When most people think of a Biblical "shield of faith," they picture the shield from Roman times which is what the Apostle Paul would have been thinking of when he admonished the church at Ephesus to put on the whole armor of God. The shield, sword, and helmet of Ephesians 6:10-18 are indicating a march into battle. When using this image of me holding the shield in front of me, I ran into a problem at night when I was asleep. How can I hold a shield of faith for protection when I am asleep???
Sometimes the enemy tries to take advantage of the nighttime to bring forth thoughts of fear, anxiety, and worry. These thoughts can be addressed in the daytime hours by resisting them, refusing to think upon them, and speaking God's Word. Even soldiers must sleep, so how did David sleep soundly when Saul was out to kill him?
At night, I open my Bible to the page showing Psalm chapters 3,4,5. Underlined is Psalm 3:5 "I lay down and sleep; I awake again for the Lord sustains me." Psalm 4:8, "In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for You Lord, alone make me dwell in safety..."
Psalm 5:11-12 AMPC says, "...let them sing and shout for joy, because You make a covering over them and defend them.....as with a shield You will surround him with good will (pleasure and favor)."
I see myself surrounded by a mighty shield generated by the power of God, activated by my faith in His promises and my speaking what He said. A few years ago, I began confessing and meditating on these scriptures. Then I went to Psalm 91 and declared, "I dwell in the secret place of the Most High and I abide under the shadow of the Almighty whose power no foe can withstand. A thousand may fall at my side and ten thousand at my right hand, but it will not come near me. His angels bear me up in their hands lest I dash my foot on a stone. I am surrounded by God's presence above me, around me on all sides and from below. He hovers over me, covers me, and defends me!"
This is truly engulfed in God's protection. You can go even further with Psalm 91. Moses says in verse 4 that he covers you with His feathers and under His wings you trust. Have you ever seen a chicken with her chicks hidden safely beneath her wings? These are the sort of images we need to live with and go to sleep with!
What images are playing in your mind? How can you envision the shield of faith in your life? Strengthen those images based on the images created by the scriptures and God's peace will rule your life!
Annette Capps
http://65583.stablerack.com/apps/articles/default.asp?blogid=0&url=10&view=post&articleid=Strongholds-of-Safety-by-Annette-Capps-&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0
When we talk about strongholds, we usually think about the "pulling down of strongholds" as Paul described in 2 Corinthians 10:4. But there are two different areas of strongholds. The strongholds of the enemy keep people bound, but the stronghold of the Lord keeps people safe and secure. There is a stronghold of safety and protection in the secret place of the Most High. We all know about the stronghold of the enemy and have personally experienced his assault on our minds, our bodies, our homes, and our finances.
http://65583.stablerack.com/apps/articles/default.asp?blogid=0&url=10&view=post&articleid=Wounded-Spirits-Cause-Physical-Sickness-by-Annette-Capps-&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0
Emotional wounds strike at the very heart of a person. Even strong and confident people who experience emotional upheaval can find themselves depressed and down in spirit. If you are like most people, you have had a "broken heart" at some time because of grief from the death of a loved one, loss of a pet, or divorce. Betrayal also can attempt to crush and break your spirit. Long before medical science discovered that stress, trauma, and emotional pain affect the physical body, the Bible revealed the connection between the spirit or what we call the "heart" of a person. "A sound heart is the life of the flesh; but envy the rottenness of the bones." (Proverbs 14:30)
http://65583.stablerack.com/apps/articles/default.asp?blogid=0&url=10&view=post&articleid=Agents-of-Two-Kingdoms-by-Annette-Capps-&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0
The word "agent" is defined as "a person who acts on behalf of another person or group" and "a person or thing that takes an active role or produces a specified effect" (such as an agent of change). There are agents representing two different kingdoms at work in this world. Whether we realize it or not, there is constant conflict between the kingdom of God and Satan's kingdom, and we are caught in the middle. We may not see the actual spiritual forces battling and competing for the lives of people, but we can see the results. And it is becoming more and more apparent that the forces of evil are controlling more and more people who are yielding to darkness.
