The Triumphant Churchwouldn't be any match against the devil if you didn't
have right-standing with God. But because of your
redemption in Christ, you do have right-standing with
God, and you are seated as a joint-heir with Christ:
"And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint
heirs with Christ" (Rom. 8:17).
Your feet must be shod with the preparation of the
gospel of peace. To be effective in prayer, you must walk
in the light of God's Word (1 John 1:7). As the psalmist
of old said, "The entrance of THY WORDS giveth
light..." (Ps. 119:130). It's hard to walk when the path
before you is dark. But with the light of God's Word,
you never have to walk in darkness under Satan's
dominion.
As soon as the light of God's Word comes, faith is
there. Feeding and meditating on God's Word brings
light and faith because "... faith cometh by hearing, and
hearing by the word of God" (Rom. 10:17). And faith in
God's Word is your major defense against Satan's
onslaughts against your mind and your life.
Then you must take up the shield of faith. Notice
verse 16 says, "ABOVE ALL, taking the shield of
faith...." Why does the Bible say, "above all"? Read the
rest of that verse: "ABOVE ALL, taking the shield of
faith ... WHEREWITH ye may be able to quench all the
FIERY DARTS of the wicked." Above everything else
take the shield of faith because that's what you use to
quench the enemy's fiery darts that he'll try to assail
against you.
The shield of faith has to be used in your everyday
life and also in your prayer life. While you're praying,
the devil will send every kind of fiery dart to your mind
to get your attention diverted to keep you from staying
in faith. You will have to quench every one of his fiery