Raise your shield of faith!
"At all
times carry faith as a shield; for with it you will be able to
put out all the burning arrows shot by the Evil One. "(Eph
6:16)
The word 'arrows' correctly
could have been translated as 'missiles' or 'darts'. A missile is
any kind of weapon that is projected to a distance by the hand,
such as a javelin or spear; or by a bow, as an arrow; or by a
sling, such as a stone. Some think that poisoned arrows may be
referred to, which are called fiery from the burning heat produced
in the bodies of those who were wounded by them.
Burning arrows
It is
likely that the arrows that the apostle referred to were those that
had
heads of lead, in or about which some combustible materials were
placed.
These used to be shot by
enemies into houses or ships, in order to burn them. Theses arrows
were designed to stick to the shields and set them on fire. The
soldier carrying the shield was then forced to cast it away, and
thus became defenseless.
The
temptations of the wicked one, Satan, are like these burning
arrows.
The burning arrows of the
wicked are evil thoughts, strongly injected into the mind. They may
be compared to arrows because they come suddenly and swiftly; thick
and fast. These arrows are very numerous, and where they stick they
can be very troublesome, causing pain and grief. They are called
burning because they serve to inflame the passions into acts
of transgression such as lust, anger and revenge and to
excite the soul into
sinning. If theses thoughts are not repelled, they would bring
everlasting burning in hell.
Satan
wants to destroy everything in you that reminds him of
Jesus!
-
Your right standing with
God.
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Your hope of salvation through
faith.
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Your knowledge of the
Truth.
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Your confession of the faith in
Word of God.
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Your proclamation of the Good
News of peace.
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The shield of faith
The
shield of faith is here compared to the great oblong shield, called
a scutum,
which covered and protected the whole body. The shield of faith
thus also covers all the other pieces of the armor of God,
providing double protection.
To quench or
extinguish burning missiles, the shields that were ordinarily made
from skins or hides of animals were either soaked in water or
covered with metal on the outside, thus preventing the fire from
catching hold on the shield. The shields were used not only to
repel the enemy's weapons, but also to attack the enemy by hitting
him with it or pushing him aside.
Faith is
like a precious golden shield.
Just like the soldier's
shield covered his other pieces of armor, the shield of faith is
the grace by which all other pieces of the armor of God are
preserved and rendered active. Like the shields of the mighty men,
by which mighty things are done, the believer uses faith to repel
and conquer the enemy.
Faith is the evidence of
things unseen. Every genuine believer has the assurance that
God has blotted out his sins and that he can call God his Father.
The shield of faith is used to quench the fiery darts of Satan's
temptations; so that they may not have the malignant influence they
are designed for.
This is usually done on the grounds of the blood of
Christ.
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"No one can please God
without faith, for whoever comes to God must have faith that God
exists and rewards those who seek him." (Heb 11:6)
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God is our shield of faith, through faith in
Christ
God
himself is our shield. The love and favor of God encompass the
saints as a shield.
Christ, His blood, His
righteousness and His sacrifice is the saints' protection. He
offers security from the wrath of God, divine justice, and eternal
death. The Christian who fights the fight of faith and who walks so
as to feel the witness of God’s Spirit that he is His child, will
hate all evil thoughts.
An appropriating faith such
as this will quench any dart of the devil. Though they pass through
his mind, they will never fix in his passions. They are caught on
this shield of faith, blunted and extinguished. The Word of God is
a shield against false doctrines, and the schemes of
Satan.
"God keeps every promise he
makes. He is like a shield for all who
seek his protection." (Pro 30:5)
"But you, GOD, shield me on all sides; You ground my feet, you
lift my head high." (Psa 3:3 MSG)
"The LORD is my protector; he
is my strong fortress. My God is my protection, and with him I am
safe. He protects me like a shield; he
defends me and keeps me safe." (Psa 18:2)
The shield
of faith makes the difference.
"When you pray and ask for
something, believe that you have received it,
and you will be given whatever you ask for." (Mar
11:24)
"Every child of God is
able to defeat the world.
And we win the victory over the world by means of our faith." (1Jo
5:4)
"Anything that is not based
on faith is sin." (Rom 14:23)
The beginning and the end of our faith is Christ
himself.
He is the armor of God, therefore He is also the shield of
faith.
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