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Text: Ephesians 6:16
Priority
- Above all means this is the outermost protection and the first line of defense.
- Because these darts will come suddenly.
- Because these darts will come from unknown places.
- With gospel shoes you’re not encountering the world accidentally. The impact isn’t coming from an unknown place.
- But with the shield, you may have to hold it high, low, behind you, in front of you, etc.
Power
- Ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked
- The fiery dart is so appropriate. It’s a part of our vocabulary, at least the thought is very much a part of the language.
- Relational fire
- “old flame”
- “they’re hot”
- Romans 1:27
- You and I are fuel, at least a large part of us is. Here burning isn’t bad in the right context or marriage. But without God’s word giving context to that desire it is just a consuming perversion that ends up hating God and anything of God.
- The burning here wouldn’t be bad in the right context. Look, kerosine is not evil. A flame is not evil. And those two together in the right context are good.
- Emotional fire
- You could also say they’re “hot” meaning angry, enraged.
- Esther 1:12
- 2 Corinthians 11:29
- Nebuchadnezzar was offended when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego wouldn’t bow down. He was enraged and consumed by violence. Then his pride hit head on with the God of gods.
- But you may be the type that is easily offended. It doesn’t take much and you boil over inside.
- The devil knows where the fuel is for you. And he’ll make sure you see the thing in the context he needs you to see it in so the product will be a fire that consumes you.
- Vocal fire
- James 3:6
- You just needed a piece of information and now you can’t stop your mouth from talking about it, asking about it, .
- You and I are fuel for the devil’s fire. Your body is dead. And if any of those fiery darts get to the fuel, the dead stuff, the fire will ignite and consume.
Protection
- Taking the shield of faith…
- Faith is THE defense. Faith is the shield. People think faith makes them vulnerable, but it doesn’t. When it comes to living the Christian life, faith is THE defense.
- To the world faith looks like a liability, a vulnerability, and a weakness.
- But if you understand that there is a great big part of you and me that is simply fuel for the devil’s fires.
- And what you thought was passion and love is now a chain and bondage and slavery.
- And what you thought was “making things right” was just protecting your pride and now you can’t go a day without finding fault and offenses in other people.
- And what you thought was “getting it off your chest” or a perverted curiosity about information you don’t have any business knowing has become an addiction to other people’s business. And the devil has turned you into a busybody that bears no fruit, but will use your mouth for everything except telling others about Jesus Christ and glorifying God.
- Jesus answers, It is written…
- The shield of my good intentions? Good intentions or not, when the match hits the fuel there is fire.
- The shield of my feelings about it? How you feel about it doesn’t change that when the match hits the fuel there is fire.
- The shield of my maturity? Your maturity doesn’t change that when the match hits the fuel there is fire.
- The shield of my tradition? Your tradition doesn’t change that when the match hits the fuel there is fire.
- Faith is the shield and faith comes by hearing the word of God
- So let’s take our three darts and see if faith gives a context to these things and will prevent the uncontrollable spread of fire.
- Relational – 1 Corinthians 7:8-9
- Emotional – Ephesians 4:26-27
- Uncontrolled emotions and the devil will burn that house down
- It becomes all consuming
- You do what you can to nurse that feeling. How about anger in this case? Justify revenge. Payback consumes your thoughts.
- Uncontrolled emotions affect physical health
- Uncontrolled emotions affect social reputation. Proverbs 21:19 It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman. Someone who constantly throws a fit, it gets old to be around them. Someone who doesn’t just wear a chip on their shoulder, but the whole tortilla. About the time you get to know them you start avoiding them. Get tired of the emotional whiplash that comes out of nowhere.
- Emotion → Passion → Addiction. No protection – Proverbs 29:22
- Put some walls on your emotions – Let not the sun go down upon your wrath…Proverbs 14:17 He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated.
- How do I get control? I can’t stop feeling this way. You don’t have to stop feeling anything. You get control by ignoring your feelings and doing what’s right. Now, you’re in control of your emotions. How many of you have ever done something you didn’t like? OK. So you were in control of your feelings there.
- Devil resides in uncontrolled emotion – Neither give place unto the devil.
- Vocal fire – Does the Bible say anything about how your mouth is to be used and not to be used? James 3
