A man with a poisonous dart gun begins shooting the people around you. These darts cause blurred vision, distorted reasoning, and death. People wander around you in circles mumbling incoherently. He spots you and takes aim. A large shield lays ahead. If you can reach it, you’ll be safe. 

Last time, we saw that the father of lies is a master illusionist who slanders our good Father. How do we shield ourselves from his lies? Jesus is our Shield against Satan’s DARTS.

Why We Need a Shield 

The father of lies has been slandering God since the Garden of Eden. If we doubt God’s wisdom, love, or goodness, then Satan can pull our strings and we become puppets in his hands.

The devil implied to Eve that God was the deceiver who kept her and Adam from reaching their potential. The key to fulfillment lay in God’s only prohibition. By slandering God’s character and mocking His warning, the serpent caused Eve to doubt God’s goodness and her need for God.

“The serpent said to the woman, ‘You surely will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’” (Genesis 3:4-5 NASB 1995)

Once Eve believed the lie, obeying Satan was the natural next step. She ate the fruit, but instead of becoming like God, she fell like Satan. She lost paradise and her relationship with her Creator. 

Today, we don’t have talking serpents hanging from trees, but thoughts daily cast shadows on God’s character. We hear:

• Biblical virtues are outdated. What you do in private won’t hurt anyone. 
• Your child deserves a better start than you can give now. Abort and wait until you’re ready to parent.
• It’s up to you; God can’t help you with this. 

If perfect circumstances couldn’t protect Eve from Satan’s lies, what hope do we, who inhabit a fallen world and decaying bodies, have against his lies?

None—without Jesus. Jesus is the only Savior who can shield us against Satan’s slander. When Satan whispers God is holding out on you, Jesus will be our shield if we run to and abide in Him.

“But You, O Lord, are a shield about me,
My glory, and the One who lifts my head” (Psalm 3:3 NASB 1995)

He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest.
    He is a shield to those who walk with integrity. (Pro. 2:7 NLT)

Shield of Faith

Trusting the truth keeps the devil’s lies from penetrating. What truths do you see in the following scriptures to counter Satan’s DARTS?

• “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:11 NIV)
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• “He Himself has said, ‘I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you.’” (Hebrews 13:5 NASB 1995)
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• “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:31-32 NASB 1995)
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• “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.  …But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:16, 22-23 NASB 1995)
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• “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.” (John 10:27-28 NASB 1995)
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• The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. … He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.” (Psalm 23:1, 3 NIV)

When doubts about God’s goodness or ability pummel us, we must bring those thoughts under the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:3-5). Jesus is the truth. Satan is the liar.

Lies have power only when we believe them. Hold up the shield of faith and pull out the sword of the Spirit. Trust, declare, and live like God’s word is true—because it is! 

Strength Finder

REAP your thoughts.

• Recognize the battle within.
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• Express your doubts and concerns to God. Journal the story playing through your mind. Can you say those thoughts “in Jesus’ name”? For example, “God doesn’t care about my needs, in Jesus’ name.” “I’m such a loser, in Jesus’ name.” You get the idea. If you can’t say it in Jesus’ name, don’t think it.

• Ask the Holy Spirit to show you the truth. Why do these doubts have power in your life? How do they line up with God’s character?
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• Practice what He shows you. Write a new story based on what you know is true. 

Satan daily aims his DARTS at you and me. But our Shield will save us when we run to Him. The better we know Jesus the quicker we recognize Satan’s DARTS. Dedicate yourself to knowing and abiding in Jesus.

“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. …practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:8-9 NASB 1995)

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Blessings,

Resources

• Free PDF on DARTS
• Little Faith, Big God
• Give Yourself a Break

Sometimes I link with these great sites:

#InstaEncouragements, #TellHisStory, #Let’sHaveCoffee, #Grace&Truth