Exercise our Spirit of Faith to take the Shield of Faith and the Helmet of Salvation

As believers in Christ and members of the Body of Christ, we need to put on Christ as the constituents of God’s armour; in particular we need to take up the shield of faith with which we’re able to quench all the flaming darts of the evil one, and we need to receive the helmet of salvation. Amen!

On the one hand, Christ Himself is the reality of every item in God’s armour, which the church, as the corporate warrior, needs to put on.

On the other hand, we need to exercise our spirit and pray over the portion in Ephesians 6:10-20 so that we may apply by faith all the items of God’s armour, that is, experience Christ as the constituents of God’s armour in our daily life and in the church life.

Satan is our enemy and God’s enemy; he seeks to devour whomever is deceived and tricked by him to partake of the wrong tree and to indulge in the flesh, the things in the world, and anything of rebellion and sin.

Whenever we are in our flesh, Satan has a way in our being. When our mind is not set on our spirit, we are in death and darkness, and Satan as God’s enemy, has a way to operate in us.

By default, we are not in our spirit; this is why we need to exercise to contact the Lord and maintain our fellowship with Him. We need to exercise our spirit of faith day by day.

When we sense we have doubts, either concerning God or concerning the church or God’s salvation, we need to realise that doubts are in our mind, but faith and life are in our spirit. We live in the wrong realm, in the realm of our wandering mind, which is Satan’s minefield to destroy us and usurp us.

Oh, may we daily choose to turn to our spirit and take Christ as the constituents of God’s armour so that we may be covered and protected against Satan’s attacks and stand away from his stratagems!

May we choose not to remain in our mind with its wandering thoughts, our emotions with oscillating feelings, or in our will with its decisions or indecisions. May we learn to turn to our spirit.

The reality of all that God is to us, the reality of all that Christ has done and accomplished for us, it is all in our mingled spirit.

When we turn to our spirit, we enjoy and experience Christ, and we also express Christ.

Especially as we look to the Lord to enlighten us concerning the matter of the shield of faith, which we need to take up in order to be able to quench all the enemy’s flaming darts, we need to exercise our spirit of faith. Amen!

Take up the Shield of Faith by having Faith in God and His Word to Quench All the Flaming Darts of the Evil one

Ephesians 6:16 says, Besides all these, having taken up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming darts of the evil one.

On the one hand, we need to gird our loins with truth, take Christ as our righteousness to cover our conscience as a breastplate, and take Christ as peace to be the standing for our feet. On the other hand, besides all these, we need to take up the shield of faith to cover our entire being and protect us from Satan’s fiery darts.

Satan attacks us with many flaming darts; sometimes you just feel a thought that inflames you or a certain feeling that causes you to burn and be upset with someone or even with the Lord. Oh Lord!

The flaming darts from the enemy are Satan’s temptations, proposals, doubts, questions, lies, and attacks. Satan attacks us with many doubts; he is the source of any doubts toward God, God’s salvation, the church, and the Bible.

Satan is the father of lies, and any lies come from him. We need to take up the shield of faith to quench the flaming darts of the enemy.

We believers in Christ need to exercise our spirit of faith (2 Cor. 4:13); we believe into God and we exercise our spirit of faith to speak the truth in God’s word.

No matter what happens around us or even in us, we exercise to look away unto Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith (Heb. 12:2). He is the source of our faith; faith doesn’t originate from us but from Him, and as we look away unto Him, He infuses us with Himself as our faith! Amen!

May we exercise our spirit of faith with our subdued and resurrected will to believe that the Lord’s manifestation is to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8; Matt. 16:22-23; Luke 4:39-41; Matt. 12:28; Luke 10:17, 19).

Christ came to destroy the works of the devil, and He will do it in us as we exercise our spirit of faith.

We can tell the Lord, Lord, undo the works of the devil in me; everything that the devil has done to damage me, undo those works!

The Lord awaits our consent for Him to do this in us; we need to take up the shield of faith by telling the Lord to destroy the works of the devil in us.

We need to exercise our spirit of faith to believe that the Lord’s death has destroyed Satan (Heb. 2:14; Gen. 2:17; 3:15; Gal. 2:20; Rom. 6:3-6; 1 Cor. 15:54-58).

Christ has destroyed the devil through His death on the cross; we believe this and stand on this fact, exercising our spirit of faith.

We apply this by faith today; we take up the shield of faith and declare Christ’s victory, believing it and declaring it to Satan and to the whole universe! Hallelujah, through death Christ has destroyed Satan, who has the might of death!

We need to exercise our spirit of faith to believe that the Lord’s resurrection has put Satan to shame (Col. 2:12-15, 20; 3:1; John 14:30; Phil. 3:10; Isa. 61:10; Zech. 3:4-5).

Not only was Satan destroyed on the cross; he was also put to shame in Christ’s resurrection, and his kingdom has been shattered by the resurrection of Christ.

We need to exercise our spirit of faith to believe that the ascension of the Lord Jesus is far above Satan’s power (Eph. 1:19-23; 2:6; 6:11, 13).

Hallelujah, Christ is now in His ascension, and He is far above Satan’s power; even more, we are one with Him in His ascension, seated with Him in the heavenlies, and we are above Satan’s power.

Christ’s power and authority are far above Satan’s power; though the enemy attacks us with his flaming darts, we can exercise our spirit of faith to stand one with the Lord in ascension and defeat the enemy!

It is good to pray this to the Lord, exercising our spirit of faith, and telling both the Lord and the enemy,

Lord Jesus, we exercise our spirit of faith to take up the shield of faith today! Amen, Lord, we look away unto Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith; we look away unto You to be infused with You as our faith! Oh Lord, we take up the shield of faith today to withstand Satan’s temptations, proposals, doubts, questions, lies, and attacks! We exercise our spirit of faith with our subdued and resurrected will to believe that the Lord’s manifestation is to destroy the works of the devil! Amen, Lord, destroy the works of the devil in us! We open to You, Lord: undo everything that the enemy has done in us, and destroy his works in our being, in our life, in our family life and in the church life! We exercise our spirit of faith to believe that the Lord’s death has destroyed Satan! Amen, Christ has destroyed the devil on the cross, and we believe into the Lord and are one with Him! Hallelujah, Christ’s resurrection has put the enemy to shame, and Christ is now in His ascension, far above Satan’s power! Praise the Lord, we are seated with Christ in the heavenlies, and the enemy cannot touch us! Praise the Lord!

Exercise our Spirit of Faith to have Faith in God, in God’s Heart, in God’s Faithfulness, in God’s Ability, in God’s Word, in God’s Will, and in God’s Sovereignty

On the one hand, we take up the shield of faith by exercising our spirit of faith to believe in everything that Christ has accomplished and has done through His incarnation, death, resurrection, and ascension. On the other hand, we need to exercise our spirit of faith in our daily living to have faith in God in many different ways and in all our situations.

We need to have faith in God, who is real, living, present, and available (Mark 11:22; Rev. 1:18). Amen, we exercise our spirit to believe in God, for He is real and present. No matter what kind of suffering we may experience, we trust in God, for He is with us wherever we are.

We must have faith in God’s heart; we need to exercise our spirit to have faith in God’s heart, for His heart is always good to us (Rom. 8:28-39).

God has no intention to punish us, to injure us, or to cause us to suffer loss; rather, the enemy wants to do this, while God’s heart is always good toward us.

When we are in suffering and loss, we need to believe in the goodness of God’s heart, for He works out all things for the good of those who love Him.

Satan’s full-time job is to accuse us before God and to accuse God before us; he accuses God before us that God wants to cause us harm, punish us, and cause us to suffer loss. But we need to have faith in God’s heart, which is always good toward us.

If God is for us, who can be against us? He loves us, He cares for us, and His heart is always good toward us.

May we exercise our spirit of faith to have faith in God’s faithfulness; God cannot lie but is always faithful to His word (1 Cor. 1:9; 1 John 1:9; Titus 1:2).

We may change and may waver, but God never changes; He is always faithful to us in His word (James 1:17). God cannot lie; we lie and do not speak the truth, but God cannot lie but rather, He is faithful to His word.

We need to have faith in God’s ability (Eph. 3:20); faithful is He who called us, who is also able to do it. We can’t do it; we can’t make it; but God can do it in us, for He is able.

We must have faith in God’s word; God is bound to fulfil all that He has spoken (see 1 Thes. 5:24; Eph. 6:17-18).

We need to stand on His promises and prayerfully consider and muse on His word, even take God at His word. God has spoken; His written word is in our hands, and He is bound to fulfil His word.

We need to read and pray the promises of God and His whole word back to Him, for He will do it in us; He only needs our prayerful cooperation. Praise God for His faithful word!

What a wonderful change in our living is wrought when we say Amen to His word!

We need to exercise our spirit of faith to have faith in God’s will (Eph. 1:5, 8, 11). He is a God of purpose, and He has an eternal will. God’s will with respect to us, His people, is always positive.

No matter what befalls us, may we never doubt God’s will, and at the same time, may we care for His will more than we care for our happiness or our environment.

We may want to have a good environment and a good situation, but God may allow things to happen which seem to mess things up; we need to have faith in God’s will and His heart for us.

Though our environment may change, God’s will never changes.

We must have faith in God’s sovereignty; under His sovereignty, even our mistakes work for good (Rom. 9:19-29).

We may make mistakes and then repent; however, God uses even our mistakes to work for good for us.

This doesn’t mean that we should deliberately make mistakes; rather, as we repent to the Lord for our mistakes and trespasses, there’s no need to regret or beat ourselves about it, but rather, trust in God’s sovereignty.

Our mistakes humble us and bring us low, and God has a way to give grace to the humble.

After we repent for a mistake, a sin, or a shortcoming, we should exercise faith in God’s sovereignty; we could not have made that mistake if He had not sovereignly allowed us to do so.

Oh, may we exercise our spirit of faith to believe in God and have faith in Him and in all that He does and is!

Lord Jesus, we exercise our spirit of faith to have faith in God, for He is real, living, present, and available! Amen, Lord, we love You and we love Your presence! We exercise to have faith in God’s heart, for His heart toward us is always good. Hallelujah, God has NO intention to punish us, injure us, or cause us to suffer loss. Rather, He works out all things for good for those who love Him! Amen, Lord, we exercise our spirit of faith to have faith in God’s faithfulness, for God cannot lie – He is always faithful to His word! We exercise to have faith in God’s ability, for God is able to do in us what He has already begun! Lord, we exercise our spirit of faith to have faith in God’s word, for God is bound to fulfill all that He has spoken! We exercise to have faith in God’s will, which is always positive toward us. Amen, Lord, we have faith in Your sovereignty, for under Your sovereignty even our mistakes work for good. Oh Lord, we exercise our spirit of faith today, thus taking up the shield of faith!

We receive the Helmet of Salvation to Cover our Mind against Satan’s Negative thoughts

Ephesians 6:17a says, Receive the helmet of salvation. We need to exercise our spirit to receive the helmet of salvation to be covered in our mind, our mentality, against any negative thoughts shot in by the evil one.

The enemy attacks us in many ways, and one of the main ways he attacks the people of God is by injecting evil thoughts into their mind.

On the one hand, we are fallen, and we have thoughts that are unrenewed and belonging to the old creation. However, on the other hand, Satan is actively working to use all kinds of things, matters, situations, and environments in order for him to inject his evil thoughts into us.

Whenever we have negative thoughts or doubts toward God, God’s heart, God’s word, God’s people, and even toward other people, we need to realise that Satan is attacking us with his negative thoughts.

At this time, we need to receive the helmet of salvation. We need a helmet to cover our mind; we need a covering, which is God’s salvation.

Satan actively works to inject threats, worries, anxieties, and other weakening thoughts into our mind. Oh Lord!

We all have experienced to a lesser or greater extent such attacks, for the enemy attacks us all. But God’s salvation is the covering that we take up against all these.

Our salvation is the saving Christ whom we experience in our daily life (John 16:33).

In Him, we have peace; though we may have affliction in the world, in the Lord we have peace, for He has overcome the world.

May we exercise our spirit of faith to receive the helmet of salvation so that our mind may be covered against Satan’s negative thoughts.

When we have negative thoughts, doubts, worries and anxieties, we need to exercise to turn to our spirit and trust in God for His salvation.

Paul testified that, even in that situation he was in – being in prison for an unknown period of time, with much opposition and persecution – will turn out to salvation through the saints’ petition and the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:19).

We believers in Christ have all things working out for good for us, for our salvation, for the Lord is working in us to save us to the uttermost; He works in us to save us in His life (Rom. 5:10).

May we receive the helmet of salvation today, realising that the Lord is rich toward us who call on His name, for as we call on Him, we are saved (Rom. 10:12-13).

God’s salvation is the covering that we take against all the worries and evil thoughts of the enemy!

Lord Jesus, we exercise our spirit to receive the helmet of salvation today! Amen, Lord, we receive the helmet of salvation to cover our mind, our mentality, against the negative thoughts shot in by the evil one. We exercise our spirit today, Lord, whenever we sense that we have any negative thoughts or worries injected into us by the enemy. We have faith in You and in Your salvation, and we believe that all things will turn out to our salvation today! Oh Lord, even though Satan works to inject worries, threats, anxieties, fear, and other weakening thoughts into our mind, we receive the helmet of salvation! Hallelujah, God’s salvation is the covering against the enemy with his attacks! Praise the Lord, we can experience the saving Christ in our daily life! We call on Your name, dear Lord, to be saved in Your life and to enjoy all Your riches! Hallelujah, the helmet of salvation covers our mind against the negative thoughts of the enemy!

References and Hymns on this Topic

• Inspiration for this article/sharing comes from the Word of God, the enjoyment in the ministry, a sharing by brother Ed Marks in the message for this week, and portions from, The Conclusion of the New Testament, pp. 3464-3466, by Witness Lee, as quoted in the Holy Word for Morning Revival on, Experiencing, Enjoying, and Expressing Christ (2) (2024 December Training), week 24 (msg. 12), The Giver of Gifts and the Constituents of God’s Armor.
• Similar articles on this topic:
  – The whole armor of God – the shield of faith, a portion from, Life-Study of Ephesians, Chapter 65.
  – Ephesians (Program #57) – The Whole Armor of God (2), via, Bible study radio.
  – The battle between Satan and God being in our mind, a portion from, Practical Lessons on the Experience of Life, Chapter 12, by Witness Lee.
  – The spiritual warfare and protection of the Body with Christ as the whole armor of God, article by Ed Marks in, Affirmation and Critique.
  – What is it to Exercise Our Spirit? More via, The Hearing of Faith.
  – Are You Working Out Your Salvation? More via, Holding to Truth in Love.
  – Exercising our spirit by prayer, a portion from, The Centrality and Universality of Christ, Chapter 3, by Witness Lee.
  – Quenching the Flaming Darts of the Enemy, via, Shepherding Words.
  – Experiencing Christ by exercising our spirit, a portion from, The Ground of the Church and the Meetings of the Church, Chapter 3, by Witness Lee.
  – How do we deal with the flaming darts of the evil one? More via, Living to Him.
  – The two spirits in Ephesians 6, a portion from, Life Messages, Vol. 2 (#42-75), Chapter 16, by Witness Lee.
  – How Can We Be Strengthened in Our Faith? More via, Bibles for America blog.
  – Faith and Love unto New Jerusalem (2), via, New Jerusalem blog.
• Hymns on this topic:
  – What a wonderful change in my living is wrought / By saying Amen to God’s Word. / More of Christ into me at each instance is brought / By saying Amen to His Word. / By saying Amen to His Word, / By saying Amen to His Word, / Thus the Lord takes my heart, and transforms every part, / By saying Amen to His Word. (Hymns #1219 stanza 1 and chorus)
  – We rest on Thee, our Shield and our Defender; / We go not forth alone against the foe; / Strong in Thy strength, safe in Thy keeping tender. / We rest on Thee, and in Thy Name we go. (Hymns #881 stanza 1)
  – Feed on His faithfulness, my soul, / Who chose thee for His own, / Who bears thy name in Love’s pure flame / Before the heav’nly throne; / Lay at His feet thy fear, / Thy burdens, thy distress, / Prostrate embrace thy Fount of Grace— / Feed on His faithfulness. (Hymns #655 stanza 1)