As we get prepared for our battle to fight against sin we come to the shield of faith. A shield is something that keeps unwanted things from coming in or penetrating an object. If you have a car, you have a windshield. It protects you from things outside the car from getting in.
Ephesians 6:16 “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.”
If you were in the Roman army, the shield was another part of your armor. It was called a scutum. It was a rectangular shape that was rounded on the bottom corners. Most of the time it was made of two sheets of wood that were glued together. On top of that would be another covering of canvas and leather. Before a battle, the canvas would be doused with water. A soaked shield would protect against the flaming darts. The shield would weigh about 22 pounds and was about 40 inches in height and 32 inches across. It also had a metal piece that ran across the center of the shield. This could be used as a weapon to punch or push forward. The greatest thing about this weapon was that it could be moved. Since you held it with your arm, you could hold it as a defensive weapon covering any part of your body. Wherever the darts were flying, you could position the shield to block the attack.
In this passage we see the apostle Paul giving faith the prominence of a shield. Faith is in relation to a Christian, as the shield is to the armor of the soldier. It protects the whole body by being moveable. It is with our faith that we can secure victory and protection against Satan and his fiery darts. Our faith keeps us grounded and stable because our confidence is not in ourselves but in the one who is the victor over everything.
To show you how vital this weapon is, let us see what faith can do.
By grace and through faith we can be justified. Our faith in God and His grace allows Christ’s righteousness to be imputed to us. When God sees the righteousness of Jesus Christ applied to our lives, he declares us justified – just-as-if-I’d never sinned!
Romans 5:1-2 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”
Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:”
Our Faith allows us to please God.
Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
Our Faith will allow us to overcome evil with good.
Romans 12:21 “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”
We have faith in God as our Father. The one we can call “Abba Father”. The one whose lap we can climb up in for security. Our faith is also in Christ as our Redeemer. He redeemed us from the penalty of sin and from the dominion of sin. We have faith in the Spirit as our Sanctifier and our Strengthener. Our faith secures the promises from God. We are reminded in Revelation 2:7 that through faith the Spirit allows us to overcome.
Satan will always be on the attack until the day he is cast into Hell for all eternity. Because of that, we need to stay ready. Our faith needs to be at its best, and on guard, to shield against anything Satan throws our way.
Are you holding up your shield of faith? Are you seeking to strengthen your faith? Faith comes by hearing the word of God. The more we study and listen to teachers and preachers, the more we will increase our faith. Find out what God likes, and what he dislikes. Seek to know the character of God and the way works in lives throughout the Bible. As you do your faith will increase. This shield of faith will be of great benefit as you grow in your walk with the Lord. When Satan attacks, and he will, you will be prepared.
