God's Shield Of Faith Series

God’s shield of faith

Ephesians chapter 6:10-6:2-

Introduction-

Good morning to those listening online. Please turn to Ephesians 6

We have been studying Ephesians chapter 6 for several weeks and in a series of “When the enemy attacks.”

We have looked at the importance of Paul’s words of doing all that we know to do and then stand firm. When we have done all we know to do and prepared ourselves to do what the Lord has shown us, there are times we need to just stand firm and let the Lord handle in us and through us those things we have no control over.

We have put on the belt of truth. We know there are absolutes in God’s word for our lives. Truths that do not change because we don’t or society don’t agree with them.

Breastplate of righteousness that covers our heart and all of our vital organs. Guarding our hearts and making good deposits into the things of God.

The last one we looked at was putting on the battle shoes- “being fitted with the gospel of peace.”

We went over what it meant to put on the gospel of peace

As a Christian, it is really to be ready to proclaim the gospel.

To tell others what Christ has done for us, and what Christ means to us?

The other side of God’s peace was being able to get through the hard times.

Those times you are standing firm.

Those times that you do not know what else to do and God gives you a peace that only He could give us.

“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts.”

The devil can distract you, and he can even cause you to stumble, but he cannot steal the promises of God unless you let him.

Ephesians chapter 6:10-6:18

Key in on verse 16 this morning- “in addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.”

Notice here-

We have put on the belt of truth.

We have put on the breastplate of righteousness

We have been fitted for the gospel of peace.

But concerning our faith- we are to take it up!

Soldiers prepare.

They are trained.

They become physically fit.

They are taught disciplines, and then they are fundamentally combat ready.

The problem with that is you never know when you are ready and prepared until you go

into battle.

That is both scary and life-changing! Think about it!

If you do not prepare like a soldier, you will lose every battle that you are in.

If you do prepare as a soldier, yet never face a battle, you will never get any victories.

You will never realize what the instructor has taught you.

Don’t believe me?

Why do we have 20 and 30 year Christians unprepared for battle and acting like a new recruit?

Because they have never prepared themselves using the armor that God has provided all believers.

Why do we have Christians getting attacked and they never seem to be able to get victory. They go from one battle to another and live defeated.

Because they do not exercise their faith.

They do not give God an opportunity to work through their faith.

Let’s go back to the shield of faith that Apostle Paul is talking about.

Remember 2000 + years ago

There are no bombs. There are no guns that shot miles away.

There was flaming arrows- arrows soaked in pitch and lit up before firing. Not even the speed of the arrow put this arrow out.

It was the weapon of choice.

It was a flaming missile.

It got the job done.

Even if the soldier blocked it, it could embed itself in the shield and begin to burn. If a soldier would throw down his shield of protection, it left him unprotected by other arrows and spheres.

The best defense of that attack was in the preparation of his shield.

The shield was made up of layers of wood, with linen sandwiched in between. On the outer layer was leather and or animal hide. There was a bronze strip of metal that wrapped up and held everything together. The soldier soaked the leather in water so that any arrow or sphere would not be able to ignite.

The best way of defending yourself is to know who is attacking you and protect yourself from their weapons.

As believers in the army of God, we need to pull our heads out of the sand and realize a few things.

Maybe you want to write some of this down.

Things Satan does not want you to know

He does not want you to know that you are in a spiritual battle

If he can get you to believe it is just something you are going through- you will not be prepared and take steps to get a victory.