Applying the Written Word

But the righteousness of faith speaks . . . But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach).

Romans 10:6, 8

Let me show you examples of how you can use the written Word to come against the attacks of the enemy.

Let’s say that while driving to work one morning, you hear some professor saying over the radio, “One in every five women will develop this disease by the age of forty.” That’s the time you must say, “It is written—‘Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence’” (Ps. 91:3).

If you do this, you are putting up a shield of faith and you are releasing power as you declare that regardless of what the reports of the world say, your God shall deliver you from every deadly disease!

Here’s another example of when and how you can quote the written Word. Suppose for some reason, you are crippled by vivid images in your mind of yourself dying young and leaving your spouse and little ones to fend for themselves. Again, this is the time to speak the Word of God against those fears. Declare, “It is written—‘With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation’” (Ps. 91:16).

Maybe you might know of an acquaintance who was killed in a fatal accident. Now, you are fearful that the same thing might happen to you. My friend, the enemy has just shot you with a fiery dart. We do not know what the other person believed. We can only be responsible for our own beliefs and lives.

Perhaps your relatives or family members have died from the same illness and the enemy is now attacking you with thoughts that you will also develop diabetes like your father and uncle did, or die from the same heart condition they had.

My friend, if you have been entertaining thoughts like these, NOW is the time to rise up and make this declaration: “A thousand may fall at my side and ten thousand at my right hand, but it shall NOT come near me” (Ps. 91:7)!

For something to happen at your right hand means that it has to be really close to you. This means that even if something unfortunate happens to someone close to you, do not allow fear to hold you in its paralyzing grip. Speak forth the written Word of God!

This devotional is taken from the book The Prayer of Protection Devotional—Daily Strategies for Living Fearlessly in Dangerous Times.