STUDY TEXT: Psalm 91:5
Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
A.
INTRODUCTION:
-
An arrow is an injurious weapon that has capacity to cause a damage or death on
a living object.
-
Spiritual arrows are invisible attacks from the kingdom of darkness to specific
or unspecified targets. Specific targets are those that the enemy intended to
harm with their arrows, while the unspecified are those that were not intended
by the enemy but the arrow got to them by accident or by coincident.
-
Whether you are a specified target or unspecified, if you are washed by the
Blood of Jesus, you have a promised to be protected from flying arrows.
B.
TYPES OF FLYING ARROWS:
1.
ARROW OF DEATH:
- An arrow of death is one sent
to kill people before time. 2 Kings
4:18-22: And when the child was
grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers. And he
said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a lad, Carry him to his
mother. And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her
knees till noon, and then died. And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the
man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out. And she called unto her
husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the
asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again.
- The boy here had no symptoms of
any sickness or infirmity, but suddenly he cried out because a flying arrow
attacked his head, and in no time, the boy died. That is an arrow of death, we
may not know the source or the reason behind it, but it got to the boy and
killed him.
2.
ARROW OF AFFLICTION:
- When an arrow of affliction is
sent to a target, it will result in various afflictions and oppressions, most
of which will not respond to any physical means of solving the problem, unless
when they are properly diagnosed spiritually and tackled with fervent prayer
under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Luke
8:43-48: And a woman having an issue
of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither
could be healed of any, Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment:
and immediately her issue of blood stanched. And Jesus said, Who touched me?
When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude
throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? And Jesus said,
Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me. And
when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down
before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had
touched him and how she was healed immediately.
3.
ARROW OF CONFUSION AND DIVISION:
- This arrow is capable of
separating chief friends.
Acts 15:36-41:
And some days after Paul said unto
Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have
preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do. And Barnabas determined to
take with them John, whose surname was Mark. But Paul thought not good to take
him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to
the work. And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed
asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus;
And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the
grace of God. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.
- This type of arrow can also
cause division in marriages. Husband and wife that have been enjoying their
lives together according to the plan of God will suddenly begin to work against
each other due to hatred and bitterness caused by the arrow of division.
Whenever contentions become so sharp in the home of a believer, this arrow
should be recognized and sent back to the sender, before leading to breakages
of homes.
4.
ARROW OF CHARACTER-DISORDER:
- This arrow is making people to
misbehave when there is no reason for it or where they should not have
misbehaved.
John 13:2: And supper being ended, the
devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray
him;
John 13:26-27: Jesus answered, He it is,
to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the
sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. And after the sop Satan
entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.
- This arrow was shot against
Judas, and he made a move of betraying his master for monetary gain. Under
normal circumstances, Judas would not have thought of doing that. But under the
influence of this satanic arrow he did it and forfeit the kingdom of God. Many
people have lost great opportunity and blessings due to the influence of this
arrow.
- We can also see the case of
Vashti, who lost the kingdom due to misbehavior.
Esther 1:10-12: On the
seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded
Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven
chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king, To bring Vashti
the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the
princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on. But the queen Vashti refused
to come at the king's commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king
very wroth, and his anger burned in him.
5.
ARROW OF DEVOURER:
- This kind of arrow is sent to
attack somebody’s wealth and properties. It can come as a result of sudden
mishap resulting in great loses, or a collapse of business with great shortage.
Job 1:13-19: And there was a day when
his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest
brother's house: And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were
plowing, and the asses feeding beside them: And the Sabeans fell upon them, and
took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword;
and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. While he was yet speaking, there came
also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned
up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone
to tell thee. While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The
Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them
away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am
escaped alone to tell thee. While he was yet speaking, there came also another,
and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their
eldest brother's house: And, behold, there came a great wind from the
wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young
men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
- This arrow entered into Job’s
life and all he had labored for over several years were ruined within a shot
period of time.
- Other manifestations of this
type of arrow is for somebody to be making money, but unable to have good
accountability for the money, or whenever somebody who has been saving money
for something good and an unexpected bad thing happen that will warrant the
diversion of his savings.
- One way God promised to rebuke
devourer for our sake is through our faithfulness in paying tithes and offerings.
Malachi 3:8-12: Will a man rob God? Yet ye
have robbed me. But ye say, wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and
offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole
nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in
mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not
open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall
not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes,
and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine
cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. And all
nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the
LORD of hosts.
6.
ARROW OF GENERATIONAL STRONGHOLD
AND CURSES:
ü This kind of arrow is known for
causing a cycle of evil within the family.
ü It can be a particular kind of
sickness or diseases that is common within a family, or people dying young
within a family, having delay in marriage or childbearing, or difficulty in
having breakthroughs within the family.
ü It may be as a result of a curse
pronounced upon the family or the generation at a particular time. For instance
when Elisha pronounced a curse on Gehazi, the curse was also to include the
seeds of Gehazi forever.
2 Kings 5:20-6:1: But Gehazi, the servant of
Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian,
in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the LORD liveth, I
will run after him, and take somewhat of him. So Gehazi followed after Naaman.
And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to
meet him, and said, Is all well? And he said, All is well. My master hath sent
me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young
men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver,
and two changes of garments. And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And
he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of
garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before
him. And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, and bestowed
them in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed. But he went in,
and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, whence comest thou,
Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither. And he said unto him, Went
not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet
thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards,
and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants? The
leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever.
And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.
7.
ARROW OF DESTINY MANIPULATION:
- This kind of arrow is arranged
to alter the divine course of life. Certain wicked people are able to see a
bright glory ahead of the person and they can do something to exchange, or
prevent the glory from showing forth, and if they are not confronted by the
power of the Holy Spirit after experiencing a new birth in Christ, they may
cause a permanent damage. The brothers of Joseph were afraid of his dreams
because they understood he was going to have a brighter future than them, so
they attempted to kill him and eventually sold him to a strange land. If not
for God, the divine course of Joseph’s life could have been altered, but God
moved through the situations to fulfill His purpose in his life. You too can experience
a lasting victory over destiny manipulators by completely surrendering your
life to Christ, and praying under Holy Spirit anointing to recover your destiny
from the hands of the manipulators.
- Sometimes this kind of arrow
will make somebody to experience terrible failures and setbacks in various
aspects of lives. There can also be oppositions both in the physical and in the
spiritual against somebody’s success and breakthroughs, when under the
influence of this kind of arrow.
B. CRITERIA FOR ATTACKS BY FLYING ARROWS
1.
UNSHIELDED OR UNPROTECTED LIFE:
Ø Certain conditions make somebody
to become unshielded and such people can not enjoy divine protection against
the arrow of the enemy. This include when a man is not genuinely born again and
washed by the blood of Jesus, or when somebody born again is living in one or
more un-confessed or un-repented sins. The only way out is to confess your sins
and repent from them all, then to receive Jesus as your Lord and personal
saviour.
2.
LUKEWARMNESS AND PRAYERLESSNESS:
Ø When a believer is not consistent
in serving the Lord fervently, not regular in church attendance and healthy
fellowship with other Christians, he will be exposed to attacks by the arrows
of the devil. Moreover, carelessness in the area of prayer will make one to be
weak spiritually and liable to attacks by satanic arrows.
3.
NOT PUTTING ON THE WHOLE ARMOUR:
Ø Ephesians 6:10-13: Finally, my brethren, be
strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of
God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle
not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against
the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high
places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God that ye may be able to
withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Ø God, who understands the nature
of our battle, and our inability to fight this battle with our own power, has
made available unto us suitable armour, and He is encouraging us to put on the
whole armour at all times. Failure to put this armour on or putting on
alternative armour would result in defeat and total downfall.
4.
IGNORANCE OF SATANIC DEVICES AND
OF SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY.
- Another area we could be
ignorant is in the area of spiritual authority God has given us over the devil
and all his agents.
Luke 10:18-19: And he said unto them, I beheld
Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on
serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall
by any means hurt you.
- Jesus has given us power to
challenge and overcome the devil and all his agents; we should therefore be
bold to use the power we have to destroy all the works of the enemy in our
lives and against our lives.
5.
UN-CLEARED LEGAL GROUNDS
Ø Sometimes the devil claims a
legal ground and basses to carry out his evil plans against us. This is because
certain areas where we cooperate with him or give him a chance either
consciously or unconsciously make us to loose divine protection and liable to
his attack. The Bible says who so ever breaks a hedge, the serpent shall bite
him. These legal grounds can come as a result of possession of satanic
properties knowingly or unknowingly, which we buy, borrows, or receives as a
gift from someone. For instance, there was a case of a lady who receives a
satanic ring as a gift, and as a result, she could not be totally delivered
from a serious demonic oppression, not until the ring was removed and
destroyed.
6.
UNFORGIVEN SPIRIT, ROOT OF
BITTERNESS AND MALICE.
- Colossians 3:9-13: Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have
put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is
renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Where there is
neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian,
bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. Put on therefore, as the elect of
God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind,
meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if
any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
- God gave us instruction in His
words not to allow bitterness, anger and unforgiveness. Any time we allow these
in our lives show our disobedience to God and the devil can take advantage of
those periods to send an arrow against our lives.