Dear Friend,

Much is said today of "coverings," particularly of human authorities being spiritual coverings for ministers, ministries, or churches. But David identified his Coverer, and it wasn't any man.

To God David praisefully testified, "Thou hast covered my head in the day of battle (Psalm 140:7). Or, "You are my Helmet, my Head Coverer!" Literally, he meant God's angels had kept him in combat and prevented his adversaries from striking his head and neck - which, to be sure, would have been a fatal blow. David was convinced that in all his military engagements, every time a sword, spear, club, or arrow was aimed at his brow and brain, the blow was deflected or diverted by angels - and David's God-honoring life and fruitful service continued. And David is our example.

We, too, as born-again believers in Jesus Christ, are in mortal conflict with demonic powers and demonically inspired and led human opponents who wish us harm so the light of Christ in us may be quenched and the light of our Christ-honoring lives and ministries halted. The discerning apostle Paul revealed, "We wrestle not against [mere] flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the [demonic] rulers of the darkness of this world . . . spiritual wickedness [wicked spirits] in high places [the heavenlies]" (Ephesians 6:12).

Our battle, like David's, is a battle for the head, or the cerebrum, the seat of our conscious thought. Why? Our minds are the entry points of our souls, the center of our being and spring of our actions. To get to us, the enemy must go through our minds. Thus, like David, we need our head covered, or our minds protected, by God. When Satan hurls thoughts at our minds that are deadly to faith - carnal reasoning, unbelief, fear, hatred, unforgiveness, envy, jealousy, anger, and so forth - our shield must be in place.

We must abide close to Christ and soak daily in His Word. We must pray often and in the Spirit. We must offer God thanks in every circumstance and forgive every offender quickly. We must firmly expel every thought that doesn't meet the standard of the Word of God, "casting down [quickly, firmly rejecting] imaginations [fears, and every thought we do not know to be a fact] and every high thing [proud or rebellious thought] that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bring[ing] into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ['s Word]" (2 Corinthians 10:3-5). Then our God-shield is in place, our head is covered, and our soul secure. But there's more.

God Himself is our Covering! When we stay very near Him, He is very near us, "a very present help in trouble," our impenetrable Refuge (Psalm 46:1). When we linger in His presence daily, His presence lingers with us, and repels many diabolical thought-arrows before they even reach our conscious minds! But, as in every ancient battle, some "arrows" will get through. What then?

We must learn to deal with them. Douse every flaming arrow of fear, anger, lust, discontent, and impatience with God's Word that addresses each. The Word is a "sword of the Spirit," and powerfully and immediately effective, if only we will use it (Ephesians 6:18).

We should furthermore pray for Christ to cover our minds in His blood - the hard evidence He has permanently defeated Satan on our behalf and that we, therefore, already have total spiritual victory over Satan in Christ! But we must ask for this invisible blood covering. The Hebrews were protected from the death angel only if they covered their own doorposts with lamb's blood. And today, no demon or demonic thought - and no sickness or disease or oppression - can stand before our Lamb's blood!

When thus covered, we, too, can rejoice with David, realizing God has covered our heads in all our spiritual battles. We can praise God that He has kept our minds untroubled, alert, productive, Christ-centered, Spirit-filled, growing in the knowledge of God, and occupied in steady service to Him and others, all while Satan busily shot deadly thought-arrows at us day and night.

And, like Joseph, by God's grace we will emerge from our long season of spiritual combat stronger than when we entered it: "The archers have harassed him, and shot at him, and hated him; but his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob" (Genesis 49:23-24). Or, "Archers attacked him savagely; they shot at him and harassed him. But his bow remained taut, and his arms were strengthened by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob" (NLT).

Miraculously, our minds have remained clear, God-confident, and strong despite Satan's repeated efforts to render them confused, afraid, and weak. Best of all, our "archers" have done us a great favor. Now we possess new God-confidence and deeper peace born in our own hard-won experiences to draw from whenever we face future battles. And, like David and Joseph, we are now veterans of spiritual warfare ready to pass on our experiential wisdom, exceptional trust, sure discernment, and intimate understanding of the Holy Spirit's ways to new Christians just joining the fight.

And by the way, no apostle, minister, bishop, senior pastor, mentor, or elder can do this for you. They may provide counsel, but not covering. If you cooperate with their leadership for Christ's sake, as the Bible orders (Hebrews 13:7, 17), Christ will bless you, and if you are stubborn and hard to lead, He will certainly chasten you. But this does not make your human authorities your spiritual covering. No man or board of apostles or ministers, however godly, spiritual, or fruitful, can ever be your spiritual shield against demonic forces. Only the Head Coverer can fulfill that role.

So, stay near Him, follow His ways outlined above, and enjoy His covering. "He who dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty" (Psalm 91:1), and there, "He shall cover thee" and you will be safe (v. 4).

Is He covering your head today? Why not?

Under His covering,

Greg Hinnant
Greg Hinnant Ministries