How well does faith factor into how you live, how you compete and how you operate? To be specific, how much godly faith do you bring to the table? Is your faith defending you well when fear and doubt, failure and loss, disappointment and depression, false guilt and shame assail?

Here are some A-B-C’s of faith God wants us to understand, embrace and put into practice:

APPLIES: Faith is not just a word; it's an application. It must factor in everywhere throughout my life. It must be turned loose and allowed to run and roam. Godly faith applies God to any situation and applies any situation to God.

BLOCKS: Faith blocks doubt and fear from getting to us. What a shield it truly is! Faith is not a tiny shield that wards off a little. It's a big one that blocks lots of things – missiles that could destroy us.

COMES: Faith comes from God, from the hearing of God's Word (Romans 10:17). God Himself then becomes the shield (Proverbs 30:5). And like a shield, faith comes between me and my enemies. To get a shield, get before Him. Faith will come.

DUMPS: Faith dumps and douses the devil. Faith makes us flame resistant. Since Satan fires away at us more often and more seductively than we think, we better have a good faith shield. When facing temptation, apply faith liberally.

EXERCISES: Faith is more than a noun. If it is not a verb, it doesn't really count.

Faith is not something you just hold and keep; it's something you exercise. It must have legs or it is no faith at all. It must enter the battle, get to the front lines, engage the enemy. If it does, oh what a valuable defense it becomes. If it doesn't, it has already died (James 2:14-26).

Reflect:

• Is your faith roaming, running free, getting to the battlefront, being applied everywhere? In what new places can it be applied? For what are you trusting God?
• Is your faith blocking bad stuff from getting to you – doubts, fear, temptations? Are you using your shield?
• Are you thanking God for coming to you and bringing the gift of faith? Do you understand how faith comes (memorize Romans 10:17)?

A prayer to consider: LORD, my faith has found a resting place. It's You! Shield and defend me. I'm yours. Help me to trust You with whatever is hard right now. Amen.