By Jenniffer Mann

Last week we looked at the bible verse, 1 Peter 5:8: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” And we also considered how being ‘of’ the world, rather than ‘in’ the world prevents our prayers from being heard and renders them powerless. In short, we cannot lead a life of defilement and expect to be consecrated! Satan, wants to ensure that we are blinded to the source of our strength and power as shown in the following verse:

In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

2 Corinthians 4:4 

If Satan keeps our lives and minds occupied with with the things of the world, when he comes to seek, kill and destroy, our spiritual energy bank will be empty when we try to make a withdrawal because we haven’t deposited anything in it! We can only hope to defeat our enemy when we know our enemy, and the spirit we are being guided by, determines the effectiveness of our defence! The war is being fought in the spiritual realm. 

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

Ephesians 6:12

Therefore, if our warfare is spiritual then it makes sense that the weapons we deploy in time of need, are also spiritual.

“The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.”

2 Corinthians 10:4

There is revelation and power in the Word of God but Satan tries to blind us to the fact that the, “effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” (James 5:16) 

Why? Because we remove the legal right from Satan with our words of prayer and praise by manifesting the power of Jesus in consecrated lives of obedience. Our power and praise shields us from the enemy, proving “what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12:2)

Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

Proverbs 30:5

When your house is a house of intimacy with God, when you are praying, renouncing and breaking curses, proclaiming God’s word, singing His praises, you are shielded. Your prayer becomes a red flag to the enemy to bypass your house because he cannot penetrate your defence! Use God’s word to strengthen your prayers, praise Him for what He has done in the past and what He will do in the future. There are an abundance of texts we can claim the remind us that God is our shield against the war raging on in the spiritual realm. 

We read in the book of Psalms:

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

Psalm 91:1-2

Thou art my hiding place;thou shalt preserve me from trouble;thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance.

Psalm 32:7

Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation:and thy right hand hath holden me up,and thy gentleness hath made me great.Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.

Psalm 18:35-36

And when you’re feeling under attack the Lord reminds that:

The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

Exodus 14.14

Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.

Psalm 119:114

As for God, his way is perfect:the word of the Lord is tried:he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.

Psalm 18:30

But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning:for thou hast been my defenceand refuge in the day of my trouble.

Psalm 59:16

But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me;my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.

Psalm 3:3

When the enemy is brazen enough to try and penetrate your armour call on the promises of these verses:

Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?

Matthew 26:53

The name of the Lord is a strong tower:the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.

Proverbs 18:10

For who is God, save the Lord? And who is a rock, save our God?

2 Samuel 22:32

Now we are in communion with the God and can pour from a cup which overflows!

Let’s Pray: The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower (Psalm 18:2).