Let YOUR shield down!
Let YOUR shield down sounds, well, counter intuitive in today’s world, and maybe it is. Everyone needs a shield of some kind for protection, but, the kind of shield you choose makes all the difference in the world, your physical world as well as your spiritual world. So, let YOUR shield down and choose wisely!
Why would I ask you to let YOUR shield down, what is YOUR shield?
YOUR shield is used to protect you from perceived injustice, so you think, and to keep you from getting into tough sticky situations that make you feel uncomfortable and YOUR shield is very good at keeping you from defending God in public and at work, this is not the right time or place you tell yourself. You are very good at utilizing YOUR shield for your benefit, and you somehow think it performs very well.
What is YOUR Shield? YOUR shield is:
- Deceitfulness: Taking paper clips from work, using the company car for personal use.
- Self-preservation: Not honoring a colleague so your career can advance instead of theirs.
- I’m in control: Ignoring thoughts and ideas of others, although good, to ensure things run your way. You got the deal done, it does not really matter how, does it.
- Self-righteousness: Did you see what so and so did from HR, I would never do that. You pulled out in front of ME at that traffic intersection, I don’t think so.
- Furthering ourselves at the expense of others: Not sharing all information with a coworker to make yourself look better. What do you mean my kid is not the star of the show, they have been taking dance lessons for 2 whole weeks”, they deserve to be the star.
- This world is all there is, take what I can get no matter what the cost: Get the deal done no matter what the cost to others, your relationships or to your reputation.
- There is no truth and that’s the truth, well maybe: Claiming accolades for a task you did not perform, taking credit for someone else’s work, being untruthful in a business deal.
YOUR shield does not sound all that great, so, why do you keep insisting on holding onto YOUR shield and using YOUR shield when it is so faulty and weak. YOUR shield is battered protecting your self-righteousness and defending your stuff and your views from others. Some people even clean and polish their shield daily, you never know when you need to use it. You are the center of YOUR shield, but should you be! Is that where you belong?
Consider this: What would have been the outcome of the following Biblical events if the mentioned individuals used THEIR shield during their lives.
(MOSES) Exodus 9:1
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: “Let my people go, so that they may worship me.”
- How would this story have ended if Moses used his shield?
(JOSEPH) Genesis 39:6
6 So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.
- How would this story have ended if Joseph used his shield?
(DAVID) 1 Samuel 16:13 (Not the lion’s den, I didn’t want to think of that outcome)
13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah.
- How would this story have ended if David used his shield?
(ELIJAH) 1 Kings 17:2-6
2 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: 3 “Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. 4 You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there.”
5 So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. 6 The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.
- How would this story have ended if Elijah used his shield?
(NOAH) Genesis 6:11-15
11 Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. 12 God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. 13 So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. 14 So make yourself an ark of cypress[c] wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. 15 This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide and thirty cubits high.
- How would this story have ended if Noah used his shield?
(ABRAHAM) Genesis 22:1-2
Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
2 Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”
- How would this story have ended if Abraham used his shield?
So, let YOUR shield down, it’s not that strong anyway and does not really stand up when things get tough, and honestly, it does not truly represent who God wants you to be, which is Christ in you. I’m sure the outcome of the above events would have ended much differently if the individuals would have relied on THEIR shield. However, you cannot go through life aimlessly, with no shield for protection, so what do you do? What do you rely on?
God weaves an amazing tapestry of phenomenal events when people let THEIR shield down and they choose to pick up the SHIELD OF GOD every day and let Him lead at all times.
So, what is the Armor/Shield of God?
Ephesians 6:13-17 says:
“Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
The SHIELD OF GOD is:
- Belt of Truth: Honor everyone, even if they get promoted before you. Remember, God has a plan for your life, no one can change that or stand in Gods way to prevent it, except you.
- Breastplate of Righteousness: Do everything to the glory of God, even at work, especially at work. Be Christ like even when no one is watching.
- Feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the Gospel of peace: Do not spread rumors at work to benefit your career and make others look bad.
- Shield of faith: Know that in all things, God is in control, no matter how bleak things seem, God has a plan for your life, a perfect plan for you. Pray continually for His revelation in your life.
- Helmet of salvation: Christ has already purchased you, this life is a training ground for your permanent placement in Gods eternal kingdom, do everything for His glory, represent Him well.
- Sword of the Spirit: Speak the truth of Christ into all coworkers and in all business dealings and when shopping at the market and when picking children up from school. Do not be ashamed of Christ in your workplace, live out His word. Speak the word of God openly and always.
God’s Word is power, you need to speak it everywhere you go and to everyone you meet, both in word and in action. God’s word will not return void! God’s word can bring nations to its knees, wow, imagine what it can do within your personal and business life and within your city, if you just live out what you read. The amazing thing is, you do not need to imagine, Christ is willing and able to do those things through you now, to fight your battles and open the doors that need opened. Question is, are you ready?
The above-mentioned individuals are not an exhaustive list, but they paint an amazing picture of what can happen in your life if you put down YOUR shields and take up the SHIELD OF GOD.
You are called to take back the mountains of this world and lead those mountains with excellence. The mountain of “Religion” needs you, the mountain of “Family” needs you, the mountain of “Education” needs you, the mountain of “Government” needs you, the mountain of “Media” needs you, the mountain of “Arts” needs you and the mountain of “Business” needs you. Remember, Moses, Joseph, David, Elijah, Noah and Abraham started out just like you and me. The only difference, they chose to wear the SHIELD OF GOD all the time, which prepared them for the amazing journey God had planned for their life. They were able to achieve the fullness of Christ in them and live to their maximum potential in Christ. This world could be so much different if we, brothers and sisters in Christ, would put on the SHIELD OF GOD every day and say no to OUR shield daily.
Consider this: How would <insert your name here>’s life change, in Business, in Family, in Religion, in Government, in Media, in Arts and in Education if you put down YOUR shield and take up the SHIELD OF GOD. IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES, HE’S WAITING FOR YOU!!!
We are called to take back our mountains, but we cannot do it with tarnished armor, we can only achieve this with the perfect, spotless, untarnished SHIELD OF GOD.
It’s time be the Moses, Abraham, Noah, Joseph, David and Elijah of this day! I know your ready!!!
Don E. Goodlin, Jr.
