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The Lord stood with me and strengthened me . . . So I was rescued from the lion's mouth. -- 2 TIMOTHY 4:17

The main purpose of the Roman shield was to protect soldiers from the fiery darts thrown at them by the enemy. These darts, made either of wood or metal, were covered with inflammable material and set alight immediately before being thrown. Enemies would throw these at each other in great numbers and from all directions so as to produce confusion. When thus attacked, a soldier would hold up the shield in front of him, allowing the fiery darts to land on the fireproof metal surface, from which they would drop away harmlessly.

The apostle says that we Christians need a "shield of faith" -- in order "to extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one." An understanding of what these "flaming arrows" are is essential if we are to stand firm against the adversary. Have you ever gone to bed at night feeling perfectly happy, only to wake in a sad mood? If there was no obvious physical or psychological reason for this, the chances are that you have experienced one of Satan's "flaming arrows."

Sometimes they come as evil thoughts that intrude suddenly into our thinking, often at the most incongruous times. We may be reading the Bible, we may be praying, when all of a sudden some filthy thought flashes into our mind. It is a "flaming arrow" from the Devil. These do not come from inside us but from outside us. They strike us. Some thoughts do arise from within our carnal nature, but these of which I am speaking come from without -- from Satan. And we are foolish if we do not recognize this and deal with them in this light.

O Father, help me to be alert and able to recognize the "flaming arrows" of Satan when they are hurled at me. For I see that it is only when I recognize them that I can deal effectively with them. Give me insight and understanding. In Jesus'name. Amen.