| THE SHIELD OF FAITH Derek Prince HIS GLORY REIGNS B. Childress Oct 17 2008 08:00AM In the Greek of the New Testament, there are two different words for shield. One is a small, circular shield, shaped more or less like a large, round, flat wicker basket. The other one is a long rectangular shield and is taken from the word for a door because it is shaped somewhat like a door. This is the kind of shield Paul spoke of when he said "the shield of faith" (Ephesians 6:16). A properly trained Roman legionary could use that shield so that no part of his body could be reached by the missiles of the enemy. It protected him completely. This is the kind of faith Paul was speaking about when he referred to it as a shield. When we go out against Satan, if we begin to cause him any trouble, you can be sure he will counterattack. First, he may counterattack our minds, our hearts, our bodies, or our finances, so we need to have a shield that covers us. He will attack any area he can reach. If he cannot attack us, he will attack those closest to us. If you are a married man, the first thing that Satan will attack is your wife. It is almost to be guaranteed. That is one of the ways he will get back at you. You must have a shield big enough to protect everything for which God has made you responsible, including yourself, your family, and everything God has committed to you. I (Derek Prince) was ministering once to a woman who had a demon of suicide. At a certain point, she received a very definite, dramatic deliverance, and she knew she was free. Together, we praised and thanked God. The next day, she came back to see me and related this remarkable incident. She said that just about the time she received her deliverance, her husband was driving along the highway in his open pickup truck, and their German shepherd dog was standing (as the dog always loved to do) in the back of the truck. For no reason, while the truck was traveling at high speed, the shepherd dog suddenly jumped out and was instantly killed. The moment she told me that, I (Derek Prince) understood that the demon of suicide that had left the woman had gone into the dog. Satan attacked the nearest thing he could reach. I learned a lesson I trust I will never need to learn again. Whenever I minister deliverance to people, I always claim the protection of faith in the blood of Jesus over everything that is connected with them. Nothing like that has ever happened to me again. This taught me the importance of the shield of faith as a great, door-shaped shield that protects everything God has committed to us. Faith is indicated twice in this list of the armor (Ephesians 6:14,16). The breastplate (verse 14) is "faith and love" (I Thessalonians 5:8) and the shield is the "shield of faith" (Ephesians 6:16). Each use of "faith" must be understood slightly differently. The breastplate is faith for our own personal righteousness, but the shield is faith for protection and provision for ourselves and all whom God has committed to us. It is that which covers everything. I (Derek Prince) learned this in a vivid way at the beginning of my radio ministry. When I got launched into this ministry, it was remarkable how many things simultaneously went wrong in the office and in production. Equipment that should have functioned perfectly suddenly ceased to function. Personnel became sick; messages went astray. Confusion broke loose in our usually well-ordered organization. Then I realized I was required to stretch out the shield of faith. Satan was counterattacking, and he could not reach me, personally, so he attacked something that I depended upon - those who supported my ministry. But I held out the shield of faith, rebuked that power of confusion, and peace and order were restored. Once again, I learned a lesson. We must hold out a shield of faith for full protection and provision. Source: Spiritual Warfare, by Derek Prince, Copyright 1987, Whitaker House. |
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