Quick Summary
There is a phrase that is repeated over and over in the Old Testament which says, " During the Spring of the year, when kings go to war." The Spring season was the time when God's people got attacked. In the case of David, it was also the time when he would attack and God give him victory after victory. God has promised to be a shield to those who trust in him. When we learn to trust in him he becomes a shield that protects us and blinds the enemy.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I pray for all of those reading, watching, or listening to this along with their families, friends, and those connected to them and our church and governmental leaders.
Thank you for releasing us from darkness and transferring us into the light, into the kingdom of your dear son. Thank you for your purpose and grace given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.
I ask that you the father of glory would give us the spirit of wisdom and revelation so we would know you better. That the eyes of our hearts would be enlightened to know the hope to which you have called us, and the riches of your glorious inheritance that is in us, and the immeasurable greatness of your power to us who believe. The same power that you exercised in Christ when you raised him from the dead, and seated him at your right hand in heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion,and every name that is named. Not only in this age but also in the one to come. And you put all things under his feet and made him to be the head of all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
Heavenly Father, bless us and make your face shine upon us. Let us find grace and favor in your eyes.Expand our borders and our territory. Expand our capacity to receive your purpose and grace, and all that you want to do in our lives, and to let it flow through us so that we do good and are a blessing to people all over the world. Keep your hand on us and help us do TODAY what is right and best in your eyes. And to do it with peace and joy, and confidence in you. And as we do stretch out your hand to heal and do signs and wonders. And keep us from evil and pain.
Through the mighty name of Jesus. Amen
In Genesis 15:1 God promises Abraham that he is his shield and very great reward. Last week in our live training in the Abundant Life Blueprint we discussed the Hebrew word for great reward, which is sakar. This word sakar means hire, wages, compensation, or in service. God is in our service and he is continually working for our good. Jesus was among the people as one who served. He is still living and still serving. Jesus also said that if we have seen him then we have seen the Father. God is doing the same, he is among us as one who serves.
It is a gift of grace that God has given us everything he has in Christ and he is continually working for our good. God wants us to get to the place where we trust in him so that we finally let go and let him work. Christian people often talk about binding and loosing and it usually refers to binding the devil, but I have learned the greatest thing we can bind or loose is God working for our good. He needs our trust in him for us to really let him serve us. We must learn to stop binding God and to loose him to work in our lives, but this takes trust that he is your shield and very great reward. That he is in your service.
When we trust in him we stop toiling in our minds and trying to figure everything out and we learn to finally rest and trust that God has got everything. God wants us to trust him, so that we rest and give him all of our worries, which frees us up to serve others as well.
God also promised Abraham that he would be his shield. One of my daughters is at the age where things people say were starting to bother her. The other day some circumstances came up that were stealing her peace and joy and put her in a bad mood. I was trying to cheer her up but it wasn't working so I prayed asking God what to say and the answer I received was to talk about "the mentality shield."
I had once read a story about a man name Trevor Blake who grew up very poor but went on to build several very successful businesses. In the story he said one of the most important things he learned was what he called The Mentality Shield. When he was younger other kids were doing hurtful things so he would imagine a clear shield surrounding him that deflected all of their mean words and actions. He said he developed the ability to not let things on the outside of him dictate his mood and mentality.
Then about an hour later I was doing my normal Bible reading and in Psalms 3:3 David says God is his shield. There is a connection between God being a shield and trusting in him.
Proverbs 30:5 and Psalm 18:30 both say God is a shield
to those who put their trust in him.
When we finally learn to let go and trust in God he becomes a shield for us. The Spring is the time of year when kings go to battle. If you every feel like you are under attack or negative things are happening the first step is to put up your mentality shield so that things don't steal your peace and joy. Then give these things to God. Let him have them and keep your eyes focused on him. Trust that he can protect you better than you can yourself.
Psalm 33:20 says we wait in hope for the Lord, he is our help and shield.
Psalm 119:114 says God(you) are my refuge and my shield, I put my hope in your word.
David would often go out to battle in the Spring and he won every battle. This may be a time when you experience some victories in battles. Putting our hope in God and his word leads to him being our shield. The dictionary definition of hope is "the feeling of trust." Hope is the emotion or feeling we experience when we trust. Hope is about the future. When we have hope it is because we are trusting in God being our shield, protector, and security. The Amplified Bible defines hope as "the confident expectation of good."
For those that have the confident expectation that God is working for their good he will be a shield for them. I like to think of confidence as one of the highest expressions of trust. When we walk out our days with our mentality being that God is with me, protecting me, and working for my good it can lead to a beautiful place.
In Biblical times they would also anoint shields. Isaiah 21:5 says to anoint the shields. In those times shields were made from wood and animal skins. The shields would be anointed or rubbed with oil to keep them supple. The anointing also served another purpose, reflecting light. When a shield had been anointed soldiers would hold their shields up and the oil would reflect the sunlight and possibly blind their enemies. I read multiple stories about this. It reminded me of 2 Kings 6 when Elisha is surrounded by a great army. Elisha's servant is scared but Elisha prays and asks God to open his eyes and suddenly he sees that they are surrounded by more angels than enemies. Then Elisha prays and asks God to blind the enemy. Once they are blinded the enemies are peacefully led away and then it says that they stopped raiding and attacking God's people.
God is protecting you with a shield of light, which blinds the enemy, and makes them not want to attack anymore.
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