GETTING GOD’S PROTECTION

November is the 11^th month of the year in the modern day Gregorian calendar and its predecessor, the Julian calendar; has 30 days. It was originally the 9^th month of the Roman calendar until 153 BCE. It got its name from the Latin word “novem” which means nine and maintained it with 29days even after King Numa Pompilius reformed and added the months of January and February around 700BCE. During the Julian calendar reform, a day was added to make it 30 days. November is the 3^rd ember month and has often been thought as somber month because it signaled the beginning of winter. Birth flower of the month is Chrysanthemum and birthstones are Topaz and citrine.

Holidays of the Month: Aviation History Month, Child Safety Protection Month, International Drum month, National Adoption Awareness Month, National Caregiver Appreciation Month, National Diabetes Awareness Month, National Epilepsy Month, Good Nutrition Month, Native American Heritage Month, National Stamp Collecting Month, National Model Railroad Month, National Peanut Butter Lover’s Month, National Novel Writing Month, Real Jewelry Month and National Sleep comfort Month.

Few Events of the Month: 1^st – All Saints Day; 2^nd – National plan your Epitaph Day; 6^th– National Saxophone Day; 7^th– US General Election Day; 11^th– Veteran’s Day; 13^th– World Kindness Day; 14^th– World Diabetes Day; 15^th– National Philanthropy Day; 17^th– World Peace Day; 19^th– World Toilet Day; International Men’s Day; 23^rd– National Cashew Day; Thanksgiving ; 24^th– Black Friday; Evolution Day; 28^th-French Toast Day and 29^th– National Square Dance Day.

Discipleship Digest reflects on the topic: Hedge & Shield of Faith – God’s divine Protection. As a follower of Christ, you have fiery darts coming at you in different kinds and directions, on regular basis, creating uncertainties in your life. Satan implants thoughts into your mind: doubts, discouragement, delay, difficulty, depression, self pity and worries, etc.  Apostle Paul gives us the only antidote to these fiery darts: the Shield of Faith. Rick Warren says, Shield of faith is the only protection you have against doubt, discouragement, delay, difficulty and depression as well as self pity. Trust God, no matter what you see, hear or feel about the world around you. You need the certainty of God when you face the uncertainty of Satan’s fiery darts. With the shield of Faith, you have certainty of God’s promises are true even when they don’t appear to be true in your life. You can’t take off the shield of faith. Satan will never stop throwing his fiery darts at you at any time. Little wonder the bible says, “At all times carry faith as a shield; for with it you will be able to put out the burning arrows shot by the evil one” (Eph. 6:16).Faith is more than belief alone. “Thou believes that there is one God; thou doest well; the devils also believe and tremble” (James 2:19).  Faith involves trust and reliance. There are also three “legs” supporting our faith: Prayer; His word and Fellowship.

Getting God’s Protection: God supplies spiritual wall to those who are His beloved children (born again / saved), who seek His way, His providence and His will; God puts a “hedge” on those who obey Him.  We can rebuild our personal wall by seeking a strong relationship with God – God becomes our defense and wall. God puts a wall of protection around His people to keep Satan at bay (Job 1:10). At Christian home: Eph 5:21-25. Husbands and wives break the wall of God’s protection by not living in biblical truth. Wives are to submit, honor and reverence their husbands and husbands are to love, nourish, cherish and lead their wives ((1 Peter 3:1-8). If we reject God, break down the wall or neglect our relationship with Him; when the wall crumbles, Satan struck (Eccl 10:8).  God can tear down our walls because of our sins (Isaiah 5:4-5); when we violate the commands of God’s word, we give Satan access to our lives. God delivers us to Satan for the destruction of our flesh, to enable us repent (1 Cor. 5:5). The surest way to restore the wall is through sincere and deliberate repentance; playing at the repair job, remorse not repentance, can only increase God’s wrath (Ezekiel 13:8-16) – our neglected relationship. Any wall lacking God gives the impression of security but lacks complete protection.  “At all times carry faith as a shield; for with it you will be able to put out all the burning arrows shot by the Evil One.” (Eph.6:16 GNT);

A shield guards and deflects. While a physical shield protects us physically, faith protects our spiritual lives even in the middle of physical trails. Satan is always hurling his fiery darts of fear, doubt and worry in our direction but the only time they can hit us is when we let our shield of faith down – when we stop believing that God is in control; that He is working everything out for our good. A shield is also the first line of defense.   A shield can incapacitate. Christ was tempted by Satan but His faith in the word and command of God repelled Satan for a time and in all things (Matt. 4:10,11; Heb 4:15). The Romans shield of the time was called a “scutum”. It provides a blanket of protection. It is meant to be taken up in all circumstances. The Roman military had an inventive and very effective tactic that made use of their large shield. When the enemies fired arrows and other projections at the army, the soldiers closed ranks into a rectangular array called “tortoise formation” and those on the outside would use their shield to create a wall around the perimeter, while those in the middle would raise their shield over their heads to protect everyone from airborne missile. When they join their shield together, it became an almost unstoppable force. A Christian who takes up the shield identifies himself as a foot soldier who serves the commander of the Lord’s army (Joshua 5:14). If we as a Church join our shields that is, strengthen each other our faith, building up and serving within the body as we are able – we will become an unstoppable force able to take on any challenge.

What can break the “hedge/shield?” A. Sin (Heb. 12:1) –“So we, too should run the race that is before us and never quit. We should remove from our lives anything that would slow us down and the sin that so often makes us fail.” (Psalm 4:4; Ezekiel 18:4; 1 John 1:8-9; Rom 14:23; Heb 7:26; 1John 2:1-2, 15-16). B. Fear – Unbelief – can break or breach (Acts 28:1-6; Daniel 3:17; Luke 10:19). For the thing that I fear comes upon me (Job 3:25); for God gave us Spirit not of fear (2 Tim 1:7). Fear is the opposite of faith. Fear is a spirit not from God. So the fear Job expressed was a spirit not from God. Unbelief (Rom 3:3).

In conclusion, faith is the shield of the Christian soldier, defending him from the fierce attacks of the foe from within and without. The shield of faith is able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. This shield cannot be pierced or destroyed by the fiercest fires of hatred or malice. The arrows of the evil one, though flaming with cruelty, are stopped by the shield and extinguished. Faith is the foundation of all Christian graces. Dr. Arthur Pink says, “The beginning of faith is faith in the beginning.” The Word tells us, “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” Therefore do not fear or be intimidated by wicked folks, as long as you have God, All mighty and all powerful and believe in Him. You are His child and He will shield and protect you from all harm and satisfy you with peace and long life.

I wish you all HAPPY THANKSGIVING.