Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 1 Peter 5:8 (NKJV)
Ephesians 6:16 (NKJV) warns that we need to use faith to “quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.” But what are these fiery darts Satan is throwing our way?
When Jesus died on the cross and rose again, He defeated Satan. The devil can no longer hurt believers; however, he still tries. Today’s verse says, Satan walks around like a roaring lion to see who he can devour. But the best he can do is try to plant little thoughts in your mind.
The fiery darts spoken of in Ephesians 6:16 are the thoughts of worry and anxiety that the enemy sends your way. He wants these fearful thoughts to hit your heart so you’ll be hampered by fear. The good news is that faith—your confident trust in God and His promises— puts out these little fires quickly. Verse 9 makes it clear that you can easily resist the devil by faith—by what you believe—knowing you’re not the only one that has to resist his pathetic little schemes.
For example, if you receive bad news about your financial situation, you have two choices. You can allow thoughts of fear and worry to consume you. If you do this, you’ve allowed the fiery darts to spread and start a full-out fire in your mind. Or, you can remind yourself of God’s promises. He is the one who gives you the ability to make wealth and He is your provider. Trust that with Him, you’re going to have the best year you’ve ever had. If this is what you do, you’ve put out the little fires before they even had a chance to spread.
You have to make a decision. What you allow yourself to think about either pours fuel or water on the fire. Which will you choose?