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Hey everyone! I am so sorry we missed last week’s link-up, we had a power outage take us by surprise that last 17.5 hours and we were without WIFI/ internet for over 30. Usually when something like that happens, I can got to a restaurant or coffee shop for wifi , food and warmth. However due to COVID restrictions in my state, all of those things are closed, so I was unable to get this blog post out last week. With there is one thing I have been learning in this season, it is to not lose my peace, trust God in the process and let all the other stuff go.
Praying you have a wonderful Thursday. Thank you for your faithfulness to be here each week to link up as we share and learn from one another.
Blessings!
Debbie
The Armor of God ~The Shield of Faith
In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.(Ephesians 6:16)
The Shield of Faith is an important element in our spiritual armor, just as a physical shield is for a soldier. A Roman soldier had at minimum two shields. One for taking into battle and one for parades or public ceremonies to look impressive.
The “parade” shield was ornate and possible was made of metal with intricate designs of a famous battle or victory etched or engraved on it. This shield was considerably smaller than the shield a soldier would use for battle. In fact, the shield that a Roman Soldier took into battle was like a door. It was tall and wide. Some of my research said it early shields where over five feet tall… but most commentators believe the ones Paul would have been using as a reference would be 37”-42” tall and 24”-33” wide. Definitely large enough to protect a soldier’s entire being, except for the feet and lower legs. After learning last week about the peace of feet, we know that the feet and lower legs would not have been exposed, the leg and shoe armor were a shield and protection in and of themselves.
This rather large “door “of a shield was made from wood and animal skin. The shield frame was first formed from at least three layers of wood glued together. Then, many layers of animal skin stretch tight across the frame. One particular commentator said it could have had up to six layers of animal skin to make it nearly impenetrable. The more layers, the stronger and tougher the shield would have been as long as it was properly taken care of.
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The shield not only protects us from direct attack from our enemy, it offers added layers of protection to some of our most vital and vulnerable organs such as our heart and lungs. When we are under attack from the enemy, we realize that our faith is stronger than we might have thought.
Caring for the Shield
A soldier has a daily task of caring for his armor and maintaining the condition of his equipment. The same would be true of the shield. In fact, being that it protected such vital organs, it was imperative that proper care and attention be taken for the shield. Remember, the more layers, of leather/animal skin, the stronger and tougher the shield would have been as long as it was properly taken care of. If the leather was not properly cared for it would become stiff and breakable over time. This would not have been a good thing and could have led to a soldiers death.
To care for a shield, oil would have been used daily to condition the leather or animal skin. This would keep the leather soft and pliable allowing it to withstand powerful blows. However, if it became brittle and ray, it would crumble under the pressure of the blows sustain in battle.
So how do we care for our Spiritual Shield of Faith? We make sure we allow the oil of the Holy Spirit to saturate every area of our lives. Not just on an occasional basis, but daily. We need a fresh daily saturation of being in God’s Word, spending time with Him and allowing the Spirit to soften the dry hardened areas of our lives.
Another reason a soldier used animal skin or leather over their shield, was to help put out the flaming arrows an enemy would send their way. How exactly could a shield made of animal skin douse flaming arrows? Simple. The shield would be completely immersed and saturate in water. Essentially, the shield was placed in a tub of water and left to soak up all the water so that in battle when the flaming arrow hit the shield, the water soaked surface would extinguish the flames immediately.
Just as our faith needs to be saturated by a daily fresh dose of oil from the Spirit, so does our faith need a fresh and complete washing in and by the word of God. This needs to be done daily. We must be saturated daily with the word(water) and the Spirit (oil).
Flaming Arrows
The enemy loves to send his flaming arrows of doubt, unbelief, accusations, hopelessness, discouragement, and more. When the enemy unleashes his bombardment of arrows in our direction, we know they have been effective when we find ourselves operating or having: anger, rage, anxiety, worry and unbelief. But not to worry, if we are daily being saturated in the Word and filled with the oil of The Holy Spirit our shield of faith, will put them out!
When your faith is maintained and cared for, you can confidently trust it to do the job it is made for. When we put the shield of faith in front of us, we can be sure that the fiery, flaming darts of the enemy will be extinguished !
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony” (Hebrews 11:1-2).
If you will recall, the Shield of Faith is attached to the Belt of Truth. In true Roman battle attire, you may recall that many of the items a soldier goes into battle with are somehow attached to the belt. The shield would have similarly been attached so that a soldier couldn’t lose or drop his shield, but rather it would have been connected to his belt. The shield being connected to the belt of truth is oh, so important. Truth and Faith go together, in fact, I believe when you know the truth, it can and does raise the level of your faith.
No matter where you find your faith today, I urge you: Pick up your shield of faith. Care for it daily and securely anchor it to TRUTH. It is the only way to deflect the fiery arrows. We keep our faith strong by allowing the Holy Spirit to move upon our hearts and the power of God’s Word to penetrate and saturate every area of your life.
Welcome and Thank you for joining me for #TuneInThursday it is an honor to have you here!
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Now let’s get this party started, feel free to link 1-3 posts:
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My NEW Symbolism Reference Guide and Dream Journal just released. You can now purchase your copy straight from Amazon
– Click here to purchase
Great News for those wanting to watch/listen to the dream workshop training but were unable to attend. It is now available for purchase and instant download from my store. You can access them by clicking on the links below.
Video Download
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All Access Bundle ~ includes …
Cost: The ALL Access package Cost is:$129.99 (a $211.99 value).
You will get: Direct Access to a video teaching of the Dream Workshop ($29), a signed copy of the, Symbolism Reference Guide & Dream Journal ($12.99 + $5 shipping/handling cost**), plus a private 1:1 ~ 20-minute mini Coaching/Mentoring Session ($30) with Debbie to get hands on interpretation of your personal dream. Debbie will spend time prior to your coaching session praying over your dream (approx. 1.5 of pre-work time $135). During the session you will work together to proper label significant items and then discuss interpretation. You will be able to record the session and refer back to it as needed. You will also receive an email with a scanned copy of your dream worksheet/labels.
**shipping to USA only – outside the USA you will be emailed a pdf file of the book.
Episode #94 God’s Plan ~ Guest JR Reynolds
JR Reynolds is a multi-award winning playwright, author, minister of music and found of Eagle Vision Productions.
I first met JR on the set of Atlanta live when we were both guests. JR was the musical guest for the evening and I was there to talk about the message of The Gift of Prophetic Encouragement. JR sang his single “God’s Plan.” JR also has a stage play by the same name with a powerful timely and timeless message. We must trust that God has a plan. Trust Him. Believe Him. Hold on and believe that God has a plan for you!
You can connect with JR here: https://linktr.ee/jrreynoldsmusic
The app he mentioned where you can download to find his Eagle Visions Productions channel is: Kingdom On Demand APP
Listen at your favorite podcast provider, click here for options. OR watch it On Youtube by clicking here.
Check out the newest #Podcast from @Dare2Hear Episode 94: God's Plan with JR Reynolds Share on X
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For those who like to watch and not just listen, I will also be posting new episodes on my YouTube Channel. You can find it by clicking here.
New episodes will be released every Wednesday.
Can I ask a HUGE Favor?
Would you Please Listen & LEAVE A REVIEW ON iTunes…
It know it may seem like a lot to ask, because it takes time. However, if you can leave an honest review after listening, it would really be a HUGE blessing. Each review helps the podcast rank higher and get more eyes. If you’re interested, here’s how you do it:
- Go to the iTunes podcast page for my show – CLICK HERE
- Click on the blue button that says “View in iTunes.” (If you are prompted to launch iTunes, you’ll need to do so)
- Listen to Episode 1 How to Hear the Voice of God
- Click on the “Subscribe” button
- Click on “Ratings & Reviews” tab (if on your computer) or “Reviews” (on your phone)
- Under the title “Customer Reviews” click “Write a Review”
- Leave a simple and honest review then click “Submit” and you’re done!
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With Much love and Appreciation,
Debbie
Debbie Kitterman is a natural born encourager who is on fire for God. She is passionate about equipping individuals, so they can go deeper in the relationship with God, reach their God-potential and claim their Kingdom inheritance. Debbie is a wife, mother, author, pastor, speaker and the founder of “Dare 2 Hear,” a ministry that trains individuals to hear the voice of God. She travels to churches internationally and is the founder and teacher of d2htraining.com, an online course designed to equip the believer in releasing God’s heart. Her writing and teachings inspire faith and build bridges for people to believe and expect the impossible. She is also an ordained Foursquare pastor, currently serving with her husband, John, as senior pastor of Restoration Church in Lacey, Washington. Learn more at: www.debbiekitterman.com
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YouVersion 7-Day Devotional
This is a 7-day Devotional you can get on the YouVersion Bible App
I am blessed and honored to have a 7-day devotional on the YouVersion Bible App. YAY!!! It is a great way to kick start the 7- days before my on-line Bible Study starts next week. I would be so blessed if you would check it out and share it with your friends. You can find it here: Be The Gift Someone Needs Today!
Have you had the opportunity to read my new book “The Gift of Prophetic Encouragement: Hearing the Words of God for others.” ? This book is about learning to hear the voice of God in our own life so we can respond to those God bumps and little nudges He gives us on a daily basis. God is calling us to be agents of encouragement and to be the gift the worlds needs today.
We live in a time, where those around us are in desperate need of a real encounter with Jesus and in need of encouragement. We are called to encourage one another daily (Hebrews 3:13), and to build each other up (1 Thessalonians 5:11). My book will teach you how to step out and do just that.
To order your copy today: You can find it at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, OR your favorite online retailer, Plus, newly added, you can now get a signed copy from me. Click Here to order yours today!
We all have the opportunity to #BeTheGift of encouragement others need today.
A practical guide to what it looks like and how to live a lifestyle of prophetic encouragement.
Are you Ready to #BeTheGift Someone Needs today?
Words have power.
To encourage. To comfort. To strengthen. To heal.
Especially when they come from God.
The Gift of Prophetic Encouragement Bible Study: Living a Lifestyle of Encouragement shows us how to follow Jesus by loving on and building up His church … one person, and one God-centered word, at a time. Diving deeply into Scripture, Pastor Debbie Kitterman beautifully unpacks the Biblical precedent of prophetic encouragement and teaches you how to hear from God. By doing so, you’ll bravely step into your calling to #BeTheGift others need.
In this stunning six-week study, you will:
- Examine the model of encouragement Jesus established for us.
Define the simple (and Biblical) concept of prophetic encouragement.
Learn to identify and test the voice of God in your life.
Explore activation exercises which strengthen your hearing muscles.
And gain confidence in your calling to build others up
Are you ready for six weeks that will change your life, deepen your relationship with God, and create ripples of encouragement that spread through those around you?
You can visit my store here on the website to order a signed copy.
To Purchase Amazon, click here.
Do you wonder if God still speaks today? Do you wonder if He would ever speak to you personally? Do you long to hear the voice of God in your life?
Have your read other books on hearing from God, but long for hands on practical application? or are you looking for ways to move you forward hearing from God?
If you answered YES to any of those questions, then I have exactly what you need. I now have an online e-course designed to equip you in understanding that God still speaks today, and He longs to speak directly to you, through His word, and others. He longs to encourage you, strengthen you and comfort you. The training on this site, is fully based on Scripture, and taken from my training manual Releasing God’s heart through Hearing His Voice.
God is speaking, Can you Hear Him?
d2htrainging.com membership site is open, I invite you to check it out today, and develop a deeper relationship with the Lord, as you learn to hear Him speak to your heart.
Looking for other Great Inspirational Parties. Click Here to see where I Link-Up weekly.
Sorry about your power outage last week! Ugh…
Thanks so much for persevering here!
Thank you Michele. Sometimes we just have to let go of the things we can’t control and it helps in the persevering. Blessings
We missed you!
Love this teaching on the shield of faith. I have a friend whose faith is wavering. I’m afraid she is not oiling and watering it. I’m praying for her.
Thank you Jerralea! I am saying a prayer for your friend right now. May her shield be made supernaturally strong at this time and may she look to the Lord for how to care for it to continue its strengthening.
Missed you last week, Debbie! But so glad to have you back this week! I’m grateful for your post today. It was very much so needed! Thank you so much for sharing and thank you so much for hosting! Blessings!
Thanks Tai. I am so happy to be back this week, thanks for being here this week. I am happy to hear that my post was a blessing and encouragement to you.
Glad your outage was short lived.
thank you Lauren, me too. Although it didn’t feel short lived, even though compared to others it was. LOL
What great thoughts on the shield of faith. Thank you!