Jesus, You are the same yesterday and today and forever (Heb 13:8). As I struggle with getting my prayers answered, help me always keep this in mind. Help me realize that there is something that needs to change in me.

You, LORD, do not change so that I am not destroyed (Mal 3:6). Even when I can’t do those things that would help my prayers be answered positively, You stay faithful to me. You watch over me and make sure that my life doesn’t become too much for me to handle. Help me yield to Your training and protection; help me keep good, loving attitudes toward You.

Jesus, teach me and help me believe that every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, Who does not change like shifting shadows (James 1:17). If my prayer doesn’t get answered the way I want it to, help me always know that, that is still a good and perfect gift from above.

Jesus, my shield of faith is made out of total trust in God and His character; it protects me from ever doubting God and His character. Teach me how this is done through working in conjunction with Your Word. Teach me that faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through Your word (Rom 10:17). Teach me how to use the shield of faith together with Your Word. Help me become skilled in using them to win in life and in spiritual accomplishments.

Jesus, as you teach me the relationship of faith with the Word, help it tie my sword of the Spirit with the shield of faith. In watching old movies about how soldiers fought with shields and swords, I saw this type of correlation. I saw them blocking the opponent’s sword strike with the shield and then countering with their own sword. The shield was mostly used for defense and the sword was mostly used for offense. Teach me how to do this in the spirit realm.

Teach me that the shield of faith, as defense, has some of the same characteristics as the sword of the Spirit. Since both are mobile, You have to be the guiding force as to where they should be during various situations. Show me that this mobility requires them being “used.” Reveal to me that this type of mobility requires You teaching me the skills of USING them. Since the immobile pieces of armor are “worn,” I just have to learn how to get them on and keep them on. USING the shield of faith means I am going to have to exhibit skill. Teach me through Your example how to use skill to defend against Satan’s attacks.

Jesus, when the tempter came to You and said, “If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” I see how You answered, “It is written: ’Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Help me get this skill with my shield and sword. Then when the devil took You to the holy city he had You stand on the highest point of the temple. “If You are the Son of God,” he said, “throw Yourself down. I can see how Satan tries to use Scripture to attack You: For it is written: ‘He will command His angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’" Then You answered him, with the Bible: “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Teach me how to use my shield of faith and sword of the Spirit with such skill.

Jesus, then again, the devil took You to a very high mountain and showed You all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. And then he said to You: “All this I will give You,” he said, “if You will bow down and worship me.” Then You said to him, “Away from Me, Satan! Then, once again, You used the Bible. For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’” Then the devil left Him, and angels came and attended Him (Mat 4:3-11). Be my Master trainer and empower me to have this kind of skill as I learn how to take advantage of the mobility of the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit.

Jesus, now I am a child of God; the tempter will be coming to me and challenging me. Help me to be ready to resist him with the same power and skill You have. This is the kind of attack I am and will be experiencing. A flaming arrow of the devil is shot out at me. Help me always consider God as my source. I am to seek the things of God; then God will take care of the food, clothing, and housing I need. When Satan was trying to get You to use the power of the Father for Your own benefit, You didn’t fall for his tricks. Your faith was in the existence and rewards of the Father. Help my shield of faith to be constructed and used based on the same things.

Jesus, You answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” I can see You using the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit in one continuous action. Block/strike. You used them as a unit; that is great spiritual skill. Like You, Jesus, I need bread to continue living as a human on this planet. Help me see that You aren’t saying that I don’t need bread. Teach me that You are saying that it has to come through the supply of God. Show me that getting bread as a single act of pursuit is leaving God out of the loop.

Help me not worry, saying, ‘What shall I eat?’ or ‘What shall I drink?’ or ‘What shall I wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and my heavenly Father knows that I need them. But help me to seek first Your kingdom and Your righteousness, and all these things will be given to me as well (Mat 6:31-33). Help me get my source straight and my priorities straight.

Teach me which comes first, the bread or the source of the bread. Make it clear to me that God, the source of the bread, is pursued first; then the bread comes through Him. I must not go after the bread first and then ask God to bless it.

Jesus, take me through a quick look at what it is going to take to have a fully functioning shield of faith.

Teach me that this is the way to have a shield of faith that helps me have a victorious Christian life:

• MATERIALS: Empower me to use the right materials to develop it; help me use God’s existence and His rewards.
• SIZE: Help me let God and His Word build my faith into a larger shield that covers all of my life.
• CONSISTENCY: Help me take up the shield of faith and keep it ready for use; help me not stop believing.
• POSITION: Help me learn how to use it against the proper things; help me let You tell me how to use it.
• SKILL: Help me learn to get better at using it more skillfully; help me practice, practice, practice.