“At all times carry faith as a shield; for with it you will be able to put out all the burning arrows shot by the Evil One” (Eph. 6:16 GNB).
What are the burning arrows that are shot at us? The answer to this is wrapped up in the meaning of the word “evil”. This word, ‘πονηρου’ or ‘poneros’, is an adjective (in the masculine and singular) that modifies a noun, the Evil One. It’s exactly the same word that Jesus used in the Lord’s prayer when He said, ‘Deliver us from the Evil One’.
So, Point 1, we have a very real opponent called Satan who fires burning arrows at us. Jesus refers to him as a great dragon, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world (Rev. 12:9).
Point 2, we find the word “evil” is used throughout the New Testament to refer to evil in a physical sense, an ethical sense and a spiritual sense (eg as in an “evil spirit”).
Our conclusion then, is that evil, in the form of moral depravity, spiritual wickedness and physical afflictions all spring from Satan. These are the fiery darts that he uses against us.
I want to keep this simple so you will grasp the import of this. To do that I am going to tell you what happened to me today. I hope this will embolden you to not passively accept the blazing arrows of Satan but to fight him with all the weapons that Ephesians 6 describes.
I woke up with an incessant loud drumming in my left ear. This has never happened to me before so I tried for over an hour to relieve the ear pressure, all to no avail. It suddenly dawned on me that this was demonic so I ordered Satan to get out of my ear in Jesus’ name. Immediately the drumming ceased and never returned.
Later in the day I felt overwhelmed by memories of all the physical and emotional abuse I had endured until just a few years ago. I have previously been prayed for to be healed of this and have been totally healed until today. I got home and tearfully told Pete, my husband, about what was happening. Immediately Pete launched into warfare prayer and all the despair and fear instantly evaporated and didn’t return.
Jesus has offered you life, an abundant life but the thief, or Satan, comes to kill, steal and destroy (John 10:10). Jesus paid a high price for you to be set free from the ties of Satan, his condemnation, sickness and emotional distress, but it will always be your choice which life you choose to have.