THE SEED
Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. Ephesians 6:16
The “shield of faith” has a vital role in spiritual warfare.. For the soldiers, the shield was a very important part, because with its help, they were blocking the arrows of the enemy. It is not in vain that the devil fights with such fierceness to sneak thoughts into our minds, that would make us doubt God’s love and the promises from His Word. If our faith is wavering, we much more easily become his victims. We are not attacked with toy arrows that are harmless; on the contrary, Paul tells us that by faith we quench the most powerful arrows, which have fiery heads that could destroy us completely. The devil not only uses the sins we have committed since we have become Christians to attack us with condemnation, but also the sins from before we even came to Christ. The “shield of faith” is for extinguishing all the arrows of the enemy, no matter what kind they are and it works in conjunction with the rest of the armor, accomplishing its purposes. We must align the words we speak with what we believe to be in agreement with the truth of the Bible, to have a strong and efficient faith. Our relationship with Jesus must be based upon what God’s Word says and not our emotions or on how much we “feel or not” the presence of the Lord. This is the only way to remain faithful to the Lord and continue to walk with Him. As James said, “… he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind” (James 1:6b). The Bible is the absolute truth that never changes and God cannot lie. The Lord’s promises are true and we can trust them, no matter how we feel or how bad our situation is.
BIBLE READING: EPHESIANS 6
PRAYER: Thank You Lord for the shield of faith. By trusting You, the fiery arrows of the enemy are stopped. Please help me control my emotions, by responding correctly to all bad emotions and attacks, keeping my faith in You and canceling doubt. Lord please help me follow Your guidance instead of what I feel, so that I may truly be Yours in the Name of Jesus, Amen.
APATA IGBAGBỌ́
IRUGBIN NAA
Leke gbogbo rẹ̀, ẹ mu apata igbagbọ́ eyiti ẹnyin o fi le paná gbogbo ọfa ina ti ẹni ibí nì. Efesu 6:16
“Apata igbagbọ” ni ipa pàtàkì nínú ìjà tí ẹ̀mi l’apakan; nitori awọn ọmọ-ogun, apata jẹ apakan pataki, pẹlu iranlọwọ rẹ wọn a máa dènà awọn ọfa awọn ọta. Kì í ṣe lasán ni eṣu fi ń jà pẹ̀lú ìbínú gbígbóná janjan bẹ́ẹ̀; eredi rẹ ni láti fa àwọn ìrònú sínú ọkàn wa, tí yóò jẹ́ kí a ṣiyèméjì ninu ìfẹ́ Ọlọ́run àti àwọn ìlérí láti inú Ọ̀rọ̀ Rẹ̀. Bí ìgbàgbọ́ wa bá ń rẹ̀wẹ̀sì, ó túbọ̀ rọrùn fún wa láti di ẹni tí yóò jìyà rẹ̀. A ko kọlu wa pẹlu awọn ọfa iṣere ti ko lewu; ni ida keji, Pọ́ọ̀lù sọ fún wa pé nípa ìgbàgbọ́ ni a ń pa àwọn ọfà tó lágbára jù lọ, tí wọ́n ní iná lorí tó lè pa wá run pátápátá Èṣù ko lo àwọn ẹ̀ṣẹ̀ ti a ti dá nìkan látì igbà ti a ti di Kristẹni láti fi kọlù wá pẹ̀lú ìdá lẹ́bi, ṣugbọn o tún máa ń lo àwọn ẹ̀ṣẹ̀ tí a ti dá kí a tó dé ọ́dọ̀ Kristi. “Apàta igbagbọ” wà fun piparẹ gbogbo awọn ọfa ọta, laibikita iru tí wọn jẹ, ati pe o ṣiṣẹ ni àpapọ pẹlu iyoku ihamọra. A gbọ́dọ̀ mú àwọn ọ̀rọ̀ tí a ń sọ dọ́gba pẹ̀lú ohun tí a gbà pé ó wà ní ìṣọ̀kan pẹ̀lú òtítọ́ Bibeli, láti ní ìgbàgbọ́ tí ó lágbára ti o sí ye kooro. Àjọṣe wa pẹ̀lú Jésù gbọ́dọ̀ sinmi lórí ohun tí Ọ̀rọ̀ Ọlọ́run sọ, kì í ṣe ìmọ̀lára wa tàbí lórí bí a ṣe “n’ímọ̀lára tàbí bi a kò ṣe ni imọ̀lara” nipa ifarahan Oluwa. Ọnà tí a fi lè dúró ni olotitọ si Oluwa ati lati máà rin ni ọnà Rẹ.Gẹ́gẹ́ bí Jákọ́bù ti sọ, “… ẹni tí ó bá ń ṣiyèméjì dà bí ìgbì òkun tí afẹ́fẹ́ ń gbá, tí a sì ń bì sihin sọ́ hùn.” ( Jákọ́bù 1:6b ) Bíbélì jẹ́ òtítọ́ pátápátá tí kì í yí padà, Ọlọ́run kò sì lè purọ́. Ileri Ọlọrun jẹ otitọ patapata tí a lè fọkàn tán wọn, láìka bí nǹkan ṣe rí fún wa tàbí bí ipò wa ṣe burú tó.
BIBELI KIKA: Efesu 6:16-17
ADURA: Mo dupẹ lọwọ Oluwa fun apata igbagbọ. Nipa gbigbẹ̀kẹ le Ọ, a dá awọn ọfa ina ti awọn ọta duro. Jọwọ ṣe iranlọwọ fun mi lati ṣakoso awọn ẹdun ọkan mi, nipa idahun si gbogbo awọn ìbànújẹ ati awọn ikọlu. Pipa igbagbọ mi mọ ninu Rẹ, mí mú iyemeji kuro. Oluwa jọwọ ran mi lọwọ lati tẹle ìtọ́sọ́nà Rẹ dipo ohun ti mo lero, ki n le jẹ tìrẹ nítòótọ́ lórúkọ Jesu, Amin.