October 30

Many men say they believe; they thank God they are not infidels. But what can your faith do? Can it defend you in battle and cover your soul when Satan's darts fly all around you? Or is it such a sorry shield that it lets every arrow of temptation through to wound your heart?

If Satan tells you to lie or cheat in your business and your passive faith makes no resistance, you are sinning not only against your fellow man but against faith itself. God forbid that you should think your faith is saving faith. Will faith which cannot bring you out of hell ever take you to heaven? Do not venture out in life with such a paper shield. To get faith that keeps you secure and strong, come to him who is the Faith Maker-- God, I mean.

It is not the possession of a shield itself that defends the Christian; we must hold it up and see it in battle against Satan's fiery darts. Do not let him take you when your faith is not ready to hand, as David found Saul unarmed in the cave, with his spear on the ground when it should have been in his hand.

Let you faith ask God to come and defend you against Satan's fiery darts. There are three particular acts of faith which will require God to help-- and we say this with reverence-- because He binds Himself to do so.

Open your case to God in prayer and call in help from heaven, as the commander of a station under fire sends a secret messenger to let his general know the seriousness of his need. The apostle James says, "ye fight and end war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not" (James 4:2). If we have any victory it must draw from heaven-- but it will stay there until believing prayer comes for it. Although God purposed to deliver Israel out of Egypt, there was no sign of His coming until the groans of His people rang in His ears.

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