As we continue our study on the spiritual armor, let’s recap what Paul has observed so far. The most impressive parts of the armor were made of brass, the breastplate and the shoes. The breastplate covered the soldier from shoulders to knees, front and back. The shoes were like boots, covering the soldier from knees to the bottom of his feet. Wrapped around the armor was a leather belt, designed to hold the armor together, plus be a resting place for his shield and spear, and also a place to keep his sword at his side.
The breastplate was a defensive weapon designed to protect the soldier in combat. The shoes, with their three inch spikes, were used to establish a firm footing when in combat.
The breastplate was also an offensive weapon. When polished, the sunlight bouncing off the brass would intimidate and blind their opponents. Likewise the shoes were an offensive weapon. The sound of a marching legion of soldiers would be deafening on paved roads and the three inch spikes would be used to crush an opponent who fell.
The leather belt was not actually used in a combat role. However is was extremely important because it held everything together and kept weapons close at hand.
Paul related the breastplate to the righteousness of God. It is a reminder of our right standing with God through the sacrifice of Jesus. It was given to us at our conversion as a gift. It defends us against the attacks of Satan that are both close and far away. It is a reminder that our relationship with God is not based on our actions. Therefore, Satan’s accusations against us can not cause us to doubt our relationship with God.
It is also an offensive weapon when polished with the word of God. It reflects the love, kindness, and acceptance of Jesus into the dark corners of Satan’s domain. He cannot withstand the brightness of God’s righteousness.
Paul related the shoes to the peace of God. We are assured of our firm footing when battling the forces sent against us. Plus we have the promise that we can trample them underneath our feet. It is this assurance that gives peace with God that results in the peace of God. It is that peace which leads us into a spirit of calmness when crisis arises. We have the assurance that God is in control.
Paul related the belt to the Word of God. It is his written word that holds everything together and in place. Although it’s made of leather and not brass, it is the most important part of the armor. Without the written Word of God everything falls apart. Without it nothing stays in place. It is the most important investment we can make in our spiritual armor. If we are not reading the Word of God, our armor is useless.
Next Paul looked at a piece of weaponry that a soldier would carry. It was impressive due to its size. It was his shield. Ephesians 6:16 “In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.”
Paul has observed how impressive the armor is thus far. The protection from shoulder to foot. Even the helmet that protects the head will be discussed later. The soldiers are covered from head to foot. But he recognizes that even this isn’t enough. They need a shield.
Most pictures of Roman soldiers show them with a rather small, round shield. These were parade or public ceremony shields. They were beautifully decorated. We often see them in the movies being used in arenas to fight for entertainment. That would be historically correct. But those small, round shields would be ineffective in an actual battle.
The shield that Paul had in mind was taken from the Greek word meaning oblong. This is another Greek word that is used only once in the Bible. It described a door that was wide in width and long in length. These shields carried into battle were the size of doors. And like a door covers you when you are behind it, so did these shields.
These shields were not made of brass but rather animal hides. They were usually six layers thick. They were tanned and woven together to make them almost as strong as steel. Imagine a leather couch with six layers. You would never have to worry about it being punctured or worn out.
Since it was made of animal hide special care was needed. To keep the outer layer from becoming brittle and breakable it was necessary for the soldier to apply oil to his shield daily. If it became hard, stiff, and brittle, a hard blow could cause it to shatter.
Another tactic was to soak the shield in water before battle. He would leave it in the water until it was completely saturated. It was estimated that these shields would weigh between twenty to forty pounds, depending on the saturation. In order to relive some of this weight from them they would clip it to the belt tied around their waist.
The reason to soak these shields in water was to extinguish arrows that had been set on fire. When these arrows hit the water soaked shields they would be immediately extinguished.
Needless to say, it was important that the soldier kept his shield in front of him when advancing. A shield held to the side was not useful. These shields were designed to completely cover the soldier. No soldier would have gone to war without his well prepared shield. Without them there was nothing between him and his enemy.
No one soldier had the ability to defeat an entire army. It took the corporate efforts of the entire legion. So in battle they would get in line close together with their shields protecting themselves. There were hinges on the sides of the shields that allowed them to attach to their neighbors shield on each side. This would form a wall of doors advancing slowly toward the enemy allowing them to march right up to the enemy lines.
Paul relates this shield to our faith. It is our faith that protects us. It is our faith that lets us win battles against Satan. It is our faith that needs special attention to be sure that it is strong and durable. Without our faith we will be defeated.
So where does faith begin? Romans 10:17 “So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.”
This scripture leads us back to the reality of God’s Word. The belt of truth wrapped around our spiritual armor supports our faith. Without this belt our shield of faith would become extremely heavy. Without the truth of God’s Word, our faith can become burdensome. When tested, it will weigh us down because we have no solid foundation to hang it on. When we try to walk in faith based on our feelings or somebody’s teaching, we open the door to allowing our faith to slip from our hands exposing us to the enemy.
I know of an instance where a group of women prayed for a miraculous overnight healing of a lady’s son. When the healing failed to take place she was told that it was because her faith was not strong enough. She immediately lost what faith she had and deals with the guilt of her son’s infirmity. Her faith was hanging on the words of others and not the truth of God. We must keep our belt of truth tightened to support the weight of our faith.
How do I know if my faith is big enough?
Romans 12:3 “Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.”
Notice the end of this verse, “measuring yourselves by the faith God has given.” God knows exactly how much faith you need.
No Roman soldier that was 6 foot tall would be given a shield for a soldier that was 5 foot tall. The shield would not cover him well enough. Likewise, it would not make sense to give a soldier 6 foot tall a shield for a soldier 7 foot tall. That would be more shield than needed and put an undue burden for the care and carrying of the shield.
Each soldier would be equipped with a shield to fit him. God does the same with faith. Some have the faith of a mustard seed. That’s all that’s needed. Some have the faith to move mountains. That’s all that’s needed.
Faith can be a slippery slope. You may feel prideful because your faith is greater than someone else’s. Or you may feel envious because your faith is not as great as someone else’s. Satan will use those emotions to try to circumvent your faith. If not careful, you can weaken someone else’s faith by exhibiting what great faith should look like. If not careful, you can become bitter and offensive toward others that you perceive as claiming to have greater faith than you.
Whatever measure of faith you have, it is the right portion for right now. God wants your faith to grow but He wants to be the one to spur that growth. Take what faith you have and apply it to what you know. It will be enough to completely cover you like a door from the attacks of Satan.
So how do I take care of this faith?
Ephesians 5:26 “to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.”
First you have to soak it in God’s Word. This word for “washed” meant a soaking cleansing. You must daily soak your faith in the Word of God because Satan is daily firing his flaming arrows at you. His desire is to destroy your faith in God at whatever the cost. If you allow your shield of faith to dry out, those flaming arrows will burn and destroy your faith leaving you vulnerable to his attacks.
I have seen the destruction of people’s lives that have lost their faith in God. They have listened to the lies of the enemy rather than meditating on the truth of God. If the only time you soak your faith in the cleansing water of God’s truth is on the occasions that you come to church, your shield of faith is dry. And people with dry faith give up on God. And God is blamed for the attacks of Satan. Soak you shield of faith daily. Read the Word of God. Listen to it on the radio while traveling to work. Do something to soak it.
Perhaps you shield needs a good application of oil. Let’s read Psalm 92:10 “But you have made me as strong as a wild ox.
You have anointed me with the finest oil.”
When we talk about the anointing of God, a lot of different pictures can develop. We anoint people when they are sick. Or we say that word was anointed. Or that person was anointed. I am scheduled to be ordained and it will be done through the “laying of hands” on me to signify God’s anointment on my ministry. But do we really understand the anointing that is available to us.
The anointing mentioned in the New Testament is a physical anointment. It’s not pouring the oil on someone but rather rubbing or smearing the oil on someone. Like the soldier who would rub his shield with oil, working it into the fabric, God’s desire is to spiritually rub his anointing oil into our very being. His desire is to have a hands-on anointing taking place in our faith. He wants to be actively involved in building our faith.
Without this anointing of the Holy Spirit in our faith, our shield will become brittle, cracked, and worn. We must ask for this anointing daily. We must seek it through prayer. And we have the promise that our faith will be as strong as an ox.
What about those times when my faith feels so weak?
Hebrews 10:25 “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”
It was never meant for a Roman soldier to face an army by himself. Their personal armor would cover them from head to foot but gave them no protection from an on slot. That is why their shields were designed to fasten to each other to create a united front. And that is what the church should do for you.
We should be able to call on each other for prayer support when we are in a spiritual battle. We should be able to link our arms in unity to meet each others needs. My faith attached to your faith and attached to your faith should make it impossible for Satan to get his fiery arrows into our faith. But if you are not walking in unity with a gathering of believers on a regular bases, you are the lone wolf soldier trying to fight a battle that you are destined to lose.
Church is not about salvation. People can get saved on the street corners. Church is not about being your only source for God’s Word. You have your Bible to read. You can lay in bed on Sunday mornings and watch the pastor from the big church preach. Church is not about social gatherings where we meet once a week and go on our merry way till next Sunday. Church is a place for support. It’s a place to prepare to do battle with our enemy. It’s where we encourage one another in our battles. It’s where we make stronger our shield of faith.
God’s promise to us.
1 Peter 1:5 “And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.”
Once again we see the joint effort between us and God. He will protect us by his power not ours. But his protection is based on our faith. Our faith will hinder us in receiving the full protection from God. That is why it is important that our shield is kept anointed with the Holy Spirit and soaked in the word.
God has delivered to us the right amount of faith needed to fight against Satan and win. But it is our responsibility to insure that we have taken proper care of our shield of faith. It is designed by God to cover us fully. Support your shield with the Word of God and your faith will never be a burden. That is God’s promise.
