Fiery Darts Of Memories

Ephesians 6:16 says, "Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." (KJV).

One fiery or flaming dart the Enemy hurls at us is sinful or painful memories.

When we confess and repent of our sins God forgives and forgets our transgressions. Out of His mercy and sovereignty He chooses to forget. It says, "I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins." (Isaiah 43:25, KJV).

While God forgets, our fallen human condition can't help but recall failures, sins and offenses. Especially when some of us had cultivated a life of living in our heads - we feed our imagination with sensual imagery, we plotted schemes and plans to get what we want at any expense, or we are haunted by traumatic events - all that locked us in a mental prison. Rather than taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, we are in bondage to our troubling thoughts.

Beloved, we are take up the shield of faith that will quench the fiery darts of the Enemy. Why faith? Until we can truly trust in God's power to forget our sins - that He will not use it against us - to know it's under His blood, we will find a flaming dart embedded in our minds that will set us on fire. The Enemy wants us to believe we are still filthy and long for the things that brought us into darkness, pain and separation from God. If he can scorch or sear your thinking that the past was not as bad as you first thought, his arsenal has accomplished it's wicked intent.

When Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, He often used the words, "It is written." When we raise the mighty shield of faith we essence say to our thoughts and spiritual powers present, "It is written". It is written that we will think on things that lovely, pure and holy. It is written that God has given us a sound mind. It is written that God has forgotten our sins.

Beloved, let me encourage you that any time the Enemy hurls a fiery dart of a memory take it to the Lord. Don't be afraid to be honest with Him that the thought tempts you and old feelings began to rise. The Lord will use this as an opportunity to go deeper in the heart to uproot anything that is still attached to the memory. Over time the fiery dart is quenched even before it reaches you because it will have no effect on you - indeed this is our shield - "Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him." (Proverbs 30:5, KJV). Trust Him with your memories.