the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall
be able to quench all the fiery darts
of the wicked. And take the helmet of
salvation, and the sword of the Spirit,
which is the word of God” (Ephesians
6: 10-17).
I am going to suggest that in these
verses;Paul;is;telling;us;how;his;previous
commands;can;be;obeyed,;that;without
this;“armor;of;God,”;it;is;literally;impos-
sible;to;have;true;victory;in;the;spiritual
battle;for;the;souls;of;our;children.;Paul
is;revealing;to;fathers;(as;well;as;wives,
husbands,;children,;masters,;and;slaves,
who;he;was;addressing;in;this;part;of;his
letter),;the;secret;as;to;how;to;accomplish
the;Lord’s;will;for;the;Christian;family.;In
essence,;he;is;saying,;“you;will;never;have
victory;unless;you;understand;the;nature
of;the;warfare.”
In;this;passage,;God;is;clearly;telling
Christian;parents;that;unless;you;feed,
nourish,;educate,;train;up,;reproof,;coun-
sel,;and;instruct;your;child;as;He;com-
mands,;you;will;not;have;victory;as;a
parent,;and;your;child;will;not;have;suc-
cess;in;life.;Dads,;the;Lord;is;telling;you,
without;question,;that;the;world;in;which
your;child;lives;is;a;world;replete;with
principalities;and;powers,;a;world;ruled
by;a;host;of;dark;and;wicked;spiritual
forces.;God;is;saying;that;the;only;way
your;child;will;withstand;in;the;evil;day
is;by;putting;on;the;whole;armor;of;God,
namely,;truth,;righteousness,;peace,;faith,
salvation, and the sword of the Spirit,
which;is;the;Word;of;God.;This;is;the;only
way;your;child;will;be;able;to;survive;the
fiery;darts;of;the;wicked;one.;Remember
the;admonition;from;1;Peter;5: 8,;“Be so-
ber, be vigilant; because your adversary
the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about,
seeking whom he may devour.”
If;you;have;a;child;in;the;public;schools,
I;have;an;admonition;of;my;own;;obey
God;today,;and;take;your;child;out;of;the
failing, dangerous, and ungodly public
school.;Don’t;wait;another;day.;Listen;to
the;prophet;Joel:;“Multitudes, multitudes
in the valley of decision: for the day of the
Lord is near in the valley of decision” (Joel
3: 14). Do not linger another moment;
make;up;your;mind;to;teach;your;own
children,;to;train;them;up;in;the;nur-ture;and;admonition;of;the;Lord,;and;to
teach;them;to;obey;all;things;which;Jesus
has;commanded;us,;which;is;the;great-est;commission;our;Savior;has;given;us
as;parents.
What is keeping you from obeying
God;today?;Is;it;money?;“But seek ye first
the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added
unto you” (Matthew 6:33). Don’t think
you’re;qualified?;“The foolishness of God
is wiser than men, and the weakness of
God is stronger than men” ( 1 Corinthians
1: 25).;Don’t;have;time?;“See then that ye
walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as
wise, redeeming the time, because the days
are evil” (Ephesians 5: 15-16). You;believe
your;child;is;being;‘salt;and;light’;in;his
school?;“The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as
his master” (Luke 6: 40). If;you;just;don’t
think;you;have;it;in;you;to;do;this;right,
I;want;to;encourage;you;to;humble;your-self;before;the;living;God,;and;ask;Him
for;help.;Don’t;forget;that;“God resisteth
the proud, and giveth grace to the humble”
( 1 Peter 5: 5).
According;to;Exodus;4: 10-12,;Moses
didn’t;think;he;was;equipped;to;accom-
plish;what;God;commanded;him;to;do
either.;“And Moses said unto the Lord, O
my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither here-
tofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy
servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a
slow tongue. And the Lord said unto him,
who hath made man’s mouth? Or who ma-
keth the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the
blind? Have not I the Lord? Now therefore
go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach
thee what thou shalt say.”
God;has;spoken;to;you;today.;The;time
to;obey;Him;is;now.
Joaquin Fernandez is a veteran producer
of documentaries, television commercials,
and educational and marketing videos. He
has worked all over the U. S., the Caribbean,
Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. His
most recent project is the award-winning
documentary film IndoctriNation:;Public
Schools;and;the;Decline;of;Christianity
in;America, and the book by the same
name, which the Lord is using to grow
home education worldwide. Joaquin is a
media consultant for The Exodus Mandate Project, president of The Lighthouse
Video and Graphics, and founder of Great
Commission Films, a ministry dedicated
to producing kingdom-building Christian
documentary films and mentoring the
next generation of Christian filmmakers.
He also teaches filmmaking at the New
Geneva Christian Leadership Academy.
Joaquin lives in Wake Forest, North Carolina, with his wife and four children.
If;you;don’t;think;you
have;it;in;you;to;do;this
right,;I;want;to;encourage
you;to;humble;yourself
before;the;living;God,
and;ask;Him;for;help.
