Author Archives: Nannette

About Nannette

Wife to The Sweetheart, Mom to the Fantastic Six, Nana to six of the cutest littles on the planet, Author, The Daniel Fast, A Devotional. UPCI ministers.

When Ye Fast: Shield of Faith

When Ye Fast: Shield of Faith. How is your faith today? It takes faith to fast. There has to be a reason for you to go without food, or go without certain foods, maybe even social media. Sometimes people find it much more difficult to go without Facebook for a full day than to fast three meals in a row! Today we are looking at the shield of faith. You can read all the other posts here, here, here and here.

We fast because of our faith. Learning to trust God, we believe in Him and His ways. We want to be more like Him and draw closer to the God of our salvation.

We also fast to increase our faith. When we are denying ourselves certain things that we love, or even think we can’t live without, we are telling God that He is more important to us than these things. Fasting clears our minds and hearts so there is more room for the things of God and His Word. When we begin to empty our lives of things that get in the way of our spiritual walk and replace them with the spiritual, it can’t help but increase our faith! Fasting strengthens us.

Ephesians 6:16 “…above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. ” 

The Apostle Paul wrote the letter to the Ephesians from prison. He knew the Roman soldier well and he knew their armor well. The Roman shield, also known as the scutum, had a big metal knob in the middle called a boss. This shield was about three and a half feet tall and approximately three feet wide! They could thwart an attack and protect themselves from the fiery arrows that were being catapulted their way.

When we take up our shield of faith, and allow our faith to be active, then that faith will become our defense to the attacks of the enemy. A sure fire way to increase your faith is through prayer and fasting. Fasting will draw you closer to your God and you will be able to see things you didn’t see before. He will give you wisdom that only comes from spending time with Him; strongholds will be broken and you will be strengthened. But…

We don’t fast to get things.

We don’t fast to manipulate God.

We don’t fast to be seen or look spiritual.

Sometimes, when under attack, then they would close ranks and form a rectangle; their testudo, this was known as a tortoise formation. The soldiers on the outside would make a wall and those in the middle would lift their shields over their heads and keep them from getting pummeled from the air. Working together, they were unstoppable; they were protected and strengthened for the battle!

If your church is participating in a corporate fast, what a blessing! To fast with others who believe and desire to know the Lord better will increase your faith. There is strength in numbers and when an entire church fasts and prays, then you will see a difference; it might even encourage you to fast on a regular basis!

Take up that shield of faith today, know you are protected from the attacks of the enemy. Be encouraged knowing that you have a host of brothers and sisters that are doing the same. Together you can see walls come down!

Do you have your copy of my easy-to-read Fasting Devotional? Don’t let the title fool you! It is a 21 day devotion for ANY FAST. Each day is an example of someone in the Bible who fasted, some for the wrong reason as well, and what we can glean from them. Inside the book, you will also find Daniel Fast recipes! Available at Amazon.com



When Ye Fast Compilation 2019

Here you can access all of the posts for our fasting series, 2019. Be blessed!

31 Days of Devotions for your Fast

Putting on the Armor

Tighten that Belt!

Anoint your Head

Just Keep Doing Good

Is There Power in Fasting?

Fasting and Working for Answered Prayers

Protect Your Heart

Shod your Feet!

No Meats, No Sweets, No Treats, Oh My!

Our Eyes are on You

Shield of Faith

In All Circumstances

Stay in the Ship!

Angels Were Loosed!

The Dust I Can’t See

Pick it up!

When fasting turns ugly

When others intercede

Pulling down strongholds

What if my prayer isn’t answered?

He will deliver you!

Never Give Up!

Keeping mercy for thousands

When Ye Fast: Shod your Feet!

Moving right along with our month of fasting. You can read previous posts here! Today’s post seems most necessary after the events of yesterday. We need to share the Gospel of Peace! Now more than ever, we as The Body, The Church, must be the peacemakers that the world so desperately needs.

Continuing with the Armor of God, today we are looking at the feet in Ephesians 6. Yes, feet!
“And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace…”

Studying for this piece of armor, I found in Elliott’s Commentary that the sandals of the Roman soldiers, the caligoe, were extremely heavy and were studded with hobnails; this helped the soldier to get a grip or a foothold and stand his ground.

We, too, must be steadfast and unmovable in this walk and the way to do that is by putting on the WHOLE Armor of God! We must be constant and prepared, having our faith in this Gospel of Peace, continually contending for it, unmovable!

Prayer and fasting helps us to be strengthened for any battle that we may face. Fasting clears our minds, our thoughts and helps us to think on the things of God. Our wishes and desires become more of the heavenly realm: salvation of others, assisting those in need, lifting the hands of the feeble and weak.

The enemy will scatter traps along the way, hoping you will trip up or be injured and fall by the wayside. But by putting on the armor of God every day, we are promised we will be able to stand. God will stand alongside of us, He fights for us!

This most necessary piece of armor, the shoes, helps us to share the Gospel of Peace. This is our job! The last command from our Lord was for us to go, teach and make disciples. Let us not become distracted with all that is happening around us. Pray to be focused on what God is doing in the hearts of men and women!

As you fast this month, and every fast from here on, be sure you are taking time to pray and equip yourself with each piece of armor that you may be able to stand against the attacks of the enemy and that God will put someone in your path who is hungry for this most wonderful Gospel of Peace.

If you don’t have a copy of The Daniel Fast Devotional you can get it here