Ephesians 6: 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 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.
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
One thing we must never forget is that we are in a mortal war for our souls, and the agencies enlisted against us are not merely human. There are invisible forces of darkness working behind the scenes, in an effort to sow, trouble, calamity, sickness and death.
Very often we make the mistake of trying to solve spiritual problems with carnal solutions, and as the day of final accounts draws nearer, we will discover that nations and individuals will become more and more frustrated, as such solutions become less and less effective.
A vast number of evil angels are now spread across the globe, and mayhem, disturbances, and sickness of all sorts will be increasing both in frequency, and in severity, and that’s why we are counselled to put on the whole armor of God that we may be able to stand in the evil day, as our first passage states.
Christians should understand that God has given us different ways and means to deal with the varying issues and problems which would arise from time to time. These ways and means are often in very stark contrast to those methods employed by the secular or unbelieving mind and as such we must be careful not to have our minds invaded by secular modes of thought and action.
For instance, the current secular healthcare system is for the most part reactionary, whereas God’s way of dealing with health and well-being is proactive. In many instances man’s method of dealing with the sick is to treat symptoms, but in Christ’s healthcare system the root causes of diseases are ratted out and addressed.
Again, trillions of dollars are spent on remedies and cures, and big pharma will flood the market with a plethora of medicines and synthetic drugs which are often taken to procure temporary relief but in God’s healthcare system the focus is more on prevention, rather than on cure.
If God decides to work a miracle to save a believer, He will do so, according to His discretion, but He much prefers not to, if the disease can be avoided. In other words, His supernatural power isn’t to be summoned lightly, if God-ordained methods, and resources are available to take care of the issue in question.
With the secular mind, human science and logic are made to rule the day, in dictating, and determining what to do in difficult circumstances. The Christian, on the other hand lives by faith, meaning that God’s word reigns supreme, even if, and when it might go contrary to human science and logic, and we would often discover that the two modes of thought are at odds.
So, it is critically important, before we proceed, that we establish from the scriptures the method of faith by which any, and all difficulties and challenges are to be handled. Faith is not merely a theoretical idea that is held aloof from our everyday experience. On the contrary, it is the method for living that must be incorporated and synthesized in every aspect of life.
There’s also a practical side to faith in God, because faith without works is dead. However, the tendency of the secular, unbelieving world is to leave God out of the picture, whereas with the Christian, God is at the front and center of everything, being consulted first before decisions are taken. Let’s read:
Proverbs 3: 4 So shalt thou find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord and depart from evil.
8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
In other words, those who exercise faith in God will incorporate His word, laws, and instructions as the rule and guide of life, to navigate through the maze of complex, and difficult challenges we often face. And even when to all appearances there may seem no need to pray, yet the Christian will invite God to the driver’s seat, where He is permitted to take the lead.
But with some persons, God is relegated to sit in the passenger seat, as a mere observer, or a sort of tag-along, while the accelerator, brake pedal, and GPS are controlled by the human agent. When this is the case, God is held in a subservient role while persons take the lead.
This is not how faith in God works, because genuine faith in God will always bring the human agent into subjection to God, and as such, it will color the very fabric and fiber of our life experiences. That is why we caution against leaving God out of the equation when confronting adversities, for faith in God would move us to seek Him in every situation. Let’s read:
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
1st John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.
Hebrews 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
Romans 14:23 For whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
Ephesians 6: 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
The words “Above all” mean most importantly, more than all the other pieces of armor mentioned in those passages of Ephesians chapter 6. Now the Bible does not say that darts wont be hurled at us, it says that they will be quenched, using the shield of faith, and thus, faith is the method by which we are to confront and survive any adverse situation.
Faith is that universal language of communication between God and man, and God has dispensed it to every inhabitable part of the globe, so that persons can exercise faith, even if they may not have access to the scriptures. In fact, faith was present, and was in active duty long before any scripture was written. Let’s read:
Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
The reason why our faith in God stands out among the rest of the pieces of armor mentioned in our 1st passage, is because our very survival as Christians depends on it, for as the passage clearly states, the shield of faith should be able to quench not some, but every fiery dart that is hurled against Christians.
Then, Paul goes on to show us in real time how it is to be employed, in fending off the fiery darts of the enemy, for there are many different types of darts, which are hurled at us from time to time. There is the dart of disease, the dart of snitching, the dart of discouragement, the dart of doubt, and the dart of existential threats against one’s life.
Then there is the dart of encountering dangerous animals, and there are also financial darts, by which devils often seek to bring persons to ruin. The Bible tells us that we must not be ignorant of his devices, but with the caution comes the system and method by which they must be overcome, and that’s always through faith, always!
Some people view the instructions given by God as mere “suggestions” to be picked and chosen by the human agent as he or she sees fit. Others view His laws and instructions as a Thus saith the Lord, and here is where faith and practice converge. So, let’s expound on faith. Let’s read:
Hebrews 11: 7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
22 By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.
23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.
24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;
27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
28 Through faith he kept the Passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
29 By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.
31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephtha; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:
33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions.
34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight, the armies of the aliens.
It is of great concern that we who are living in the 21st century may be permitting our faith to grow dim at a time when it should be shining radiantly, in the midst of great spiritual darkness. If we are truly a peculiar people, there must be something peculiar about us, and that’s the mode of thought and action that is based upon faith in God.
Of particular concern is one situation in which two blind men petitioned Jesus for healing. The question which Christ then asked them must be studied very closely, because the answer given is the hinge upon which the prospect of healing often hangs. Jesus is ready to do great things for them, but the question is, are they ready? Let’s read:
Matthew 9: 27 And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou son of David, have mercy on us
28 And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord.
29 Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.
That phrase “According to your faith” is the weak link with too many persons, for it teaches us that the possibility for healing from God often rests with the person in question. Little faith yields little returns, but large faith results in great things.
As Christians we are to expect great things from the God whom we serve, for very often we put invisible limits on what we think He can or cannot do. This is what made the difference when David, Saul and the men of Israel were facing a grave, national threat.
It’s worthy of note that faith does not dispense with or minimize the gravity of a given situation; instead, faith rises to meet any emergency, based upon the knowledge that with God, nothing is impossible. Thus, David’s confidence was not presumptuous or boastful; it was built upon literal experiences that he had with God, to the point where the fiery darts of the devil seemed like a piece of cake to him.
When Saul questioned him about his confidence, he reflected on, and rehearsed his varying experiences with God as living examples of how he had formerly quenched fiery darts. Some of us would have to kill some bears and some lions, before we would have the confidence and assurance that’s needed to pass through the time of trouble. This is according to the scriptures. Let’s read:
1st Samuel 17:32 And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.
33 And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.
34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:
35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.
36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.
Thus, the invaluable experiences God has given us throughout our history are to be remembered and greatly treasured, so that whenever a dire situation or dart comes by, we would have the confidence to face and surmount it.
Believers should often take the time to reflect on the lions, and bears God strengthened us to defeat in times past, so that our faith may rest upon a very practical knowledge of God, not merely a hands-off theoretical knowledge of Him. The written word is to lead us to The Living word, for at the end of the day, we are in a relationship A Person, not a book.
Thus, we must ask ourselves a direct and simple question: Is Covid 19 a fiery dart, and if so, can it be quenched using the shield of faith? Diseases of all sorts are the productions of devils in varying forms and to different degrees.
Some diseases are inflicted directly upon the human family while others are the result of disobedience to God’s instructions and laws, but when it boils down to the root cause all roads will ultimately lead to the author of disease and death. Let’s read:
Luke 13:11 And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.
12 And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.
13 And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.
14 And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation;
15 The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite,
16 Ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?
Job 2:7 So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.
8 And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.
Matthew 4:23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
24 And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.
1st John 3:8 For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
From the Mayo clinic: Non-suicidal self-injury, often simply called self-injury, is the act of deliberately harming your own body, such as cutting or burning yourself. It's typically not meant as a suicide attempt. Rather, this type of self-injury is a harmful way to cope with emotional pain, intense anger and frustration.
While self-injury may bring a momentary sense of calm and a release of tension, it's usually followed by guilt and shame and the return of painful emotions. Although life-threatening injuries are usually not intended, with self-injury comes the possibility of more serious and even fatal self-aggressive actions.
There are no medications to specifically treat self-injuring behavior. However, if you're diagnosed with a mental health disorder, such as depression or an anxiety disorder, your doctor may recommend antidepressants or other medications to treat the underlying disorder that's associated with self-injury. Treatment for these disorders may help you feel less compelled to hurt yourself.
Mark 5:1 And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.
2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,
3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:
4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.
5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.
6 But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshiped him,
7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.
8 For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.
9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.
10 And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.
11 Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.
12 And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.
13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.
[The Great Controversy pp 589>590] Satan has control of all whom God does not especially guard. While appearing to the children of men as a great physician who can heal all their maladies, he will bring disease and disaster, until populous cities are reduced to ruin and desolation.
Even now he is at work. In accidents and calamities by sea and by land, in great conflagrations, in fierce tornadoes and terrific hailstorms, in tempests, floods, cyclones, tidal waves, and earthquakes, in every place and in a thousand forms, Satan is exercising his power. He imparts to the air a deadly taint, and thousands perish by the pestilence. These visitations are to become more and more frequent and disastrous. Destruction will be upon both man and beast.
Again, we ask the haunting question: Is Covid 19 a fiery dart, and if so, can it be quenched using the shield of faith? Yes it is, and it can be quenched by using the shield of faith. Here’s how. The following are scriptural instructions to deal with diseases in the Christian, who utilizes the shield of faith, when all known and available God-ordained remedies are exhausted.
James 5:14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he has committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
And for those who have not been infected, it is of critical importance for us to follow the eight laws of health outlined in a previous study, for this is how we can cooperate with God in maintaining a strong immune system. The health message is not a mere suggestion, it’s a “Thus saith The Lord” given for the benefit of all who will survive the terrors of the last days. Let’s read:
[Counsels on diets and foods pp 73] When the third angel's message is received in its fullness, health reform will be given its place in the councils of the conference, in the work of the church, in the home, at the table, and in all the household arrangements. Then the right arm will serve and protect the body.
In closing, it is important for us to remember that it started with food and it will end with food, meaning that whatsoever we ingest into our system will be a savor of life unto life or of death unto death. The first temptation on our planet was on food, the first temptation of Christ was on food, and the very last temptation will involve food, after the 666 dust has settled in.
Therefore, we will end with a favorite psalm which will point our hearts and minds to God, who takes the health of His people seriously, and has given us mighty promises to live by whereby we may quench every fiery dart that is hurled at us. Let’s read:
Psalms 103:2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits;
3 Who forgives all thine iniquities; who heals all thy diseases;
4 Who redeems thy life from destruction; who crowns thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies;
5 Who satisfies thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.
The renewal of our youth is directly tied to what we eat!
God bless!