Bow and arrow (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In the days when arrows were the prime weapon of armies I’m sure there were warriors who could recognize the sound of a launch before the arrow got to them.  They would walk into battle listening for that special sound.  Then they had trained themselves to duck or dodge left or right before they had time to think about it.  It was a learned skill that kept them alive through many encounters.  And it must have frustrated the Bowman to watch his target avoid his attack.

This is a skill that can be mastered by the Christian.  It is quite possible to “hear” the launch of attacks from the evil one long before they reach us.  But we must learn to “listen” with all our might.  We must pay attention to what is happening NOW.  And we must learn to retreat into the power of the Holy Spirit quickly, even automatically.