Weekly Devotional
Faith Series: "Remain Unmoved" (Volume I Devotional #009)
“Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.”
Ephesians 6.16
I was standing outside on the balcony the other day and this is what I saw and decided to record it. It reminded me of a conversation I had many years ago. A young lady, who worked as a supervisor for a corporation was dealing with office politics. She asked me the question, “How do you get to the point in your life where you just don’t care what people think or say?” I answered her very simply, “They are not more important than God.”
You see, my brothers and sisters in Christ, as believers, we must accept the commands and blessings of Scripture God has written in His Word as the true reality of the world we have chosen to live in Christ and allow that choice to be the basis of the reality of our hopes and beliefs for others in the Church and for this world. The Scripture states, “…if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”1 This is a reality we choose to live for ourselves and is to be what controls our outlook and choices as to how we behave towards one another in the Body and realize the need this world has for Jesus Christ and the Gospel.
You may be asking yourselves, “But that truly is not the reality in which we live and to seek to live my life in the reality of God’s promises, commands, blessings, and principles as representing the true reality of matters in this world is just naive, not to mention, I am not to allow myself to be taken advantage.” Well my brother or sister, I want to remind you, it does not matter what anyone else believes or thinks, it only matters what God says and does.
Watch the video again, my brothers and sisters in Christ (clink the link), see how the hawk is unmoved, no matter how close the crow gets to the hawk, it doesn’t seem to budge one bit. Consider the thought that the crow attacking are like the attacks, the words of doubt, the hatred, unforgiveness, and bitterness this world spews out at you. It doesn’t matter what they say or do to you, because it only matters what God says and does. They are not more important than the Lord Jesus Christ, God the Father, and the Holy Ghost and whatever the world decides to say or do, it has no final say over your soul. When you choose to live your walk with Christ like that and choose to believe this is not only to be true for yourself, but also for all your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, then you will come to realize that the Shield of Faith will be used for whom it is really intended for—attacks from Satan himself.
As we move forward into the next week, lets not choose to get worked up over the things this world spews out at us and/or does to us. We know that “there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy [Ghost]; and these three are one.”2 Therefore, nothing that happens to one of His children is overlooked and “by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word [is] established.”3 Rest in this truth, my brothers and sisters, that God loves you and has a watchful eye over you, I am confident that you can grow to become as that hawk and remain unmoved, and then properly use the Shield of Faith to whom it is intended, the real Enemy, “the wicked one.”4
Prayer: Father in Heaven, there is no one in heaven or on earth that matters more than You. The words You speak are truth and will not fail. No power in the universe has authority over Your Word, Who is Christ. Thank you, Father, for giving us the sacrifice of Your Son, so that we may have fellowship with You. You are a loving and kind God, and we acknowledge all things to be as You say for them to be. Give us the strength and faith we need, Father, to stay faithful in a world full of doubt and hate and may Your children bring forth faith and love in spite of whatever this world does. Deliver us, Father, from the Evil One of this world. Transform our minds and hearts to reflect the character of Your Son Jesus Christ. Forgive us, Lord, where we have fallen short, but more importantly, help us, Father, to forgive others and walk in the love of Christ. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
II Corinthians 5.17, NKJV.
I John 5.7, NKJV.
Read: Matthew 18.15-20.
Ephesians 6.16, NKJV.
This devotional really spoke to my heart because it is such a powerful reminder that our confidence and our peace do not come from what people think about us but from what God has already declared over us. Ephesians 6 : 16 hits so strongly here because the shield of faith is not just protection, it is a mindset that helps us stay steady when the world throws its fiery darts of doubt, fear, rejection, and criticism. I appreciate the story you shared about the young lady asking how to stop caring about what others say, because your answer was simple and true they are not more important than God. That truth alone can set a believer free. Second Corinthians 5 : 17 reminds us that if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation and when we remember that old things have passed away and all things have become new it becomes easier to live from Gods reality instead of the worlds noise. The picture of the hawk remaining unmoved while the crow attacks is such a perfect illustration of spiritual maturity because it shows what it looks like when a believer knows who they belong to and refuses to be shaken. It makes me think of Psalm 16 : 8 where David said I have set the Lord always before me because He is at my right hand I will not be moved. That is the same spirit behind this devotional the calm unshaken confidence that comes from trusting what God says above everything else. And it is true that many times we forget that the attacks and negativity around us are not the real enemy behind the scenes it is the wicked one trying to distract us pull us off the path and weaken our faith. But the Word reminds us in First John 4 : 4 that He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world and that alone gives us strength to stand like that hawk steady focused and unmoved. As we step into a new week your encouragement feels timely because it reminds us not to let the noise of the world steal our peace or our focus. God sees every detail He watches over His children and nothing slips past His eyes. I am thankful for this reminder and praying that we will all learn how to use the shield of faith the way God intended so we can walk forward with confidence and quiet strength in Christ.