Written by: Sister Patricia Smith
The Shield of Faith is part of the Armor of God described in Ephesians 6:10-17. After summarizing the gospel and giving the Ephesians various instructions, Paul concludes his message by saying, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes” (Ephesians 6:10-11). But about the shield of faith, Paul writes, “In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. The ESV translation puts it this way: “In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one.”
Back in the day, the Roman shield was as large as a door and could cover the warrior entirely. Such a shield was not just defensive but could also be used to push opponents. When fighting as a group, soldiers could position their shields so as to form an enclosure around themselves, that resembled a turtle shell. This was helpful to protect against arrows launched from the walls of cities under attack. Shields made of wood and then covered in hide, when wet, could extinguish flaming arrows. I believe our Savior covers and protects the Grandmothers of Hope prayer warrior ministry, today, when we assemble and pray together for protection, salvation and healing of others.
A shield was vitally important to a soldier. It provides a blanket of protection and is meant to be taken up in all circumstances. It is the first barrier against the enemy’s attack. In Roman times, shields were painted with identifying marks, so I believe as Christians, we are set apart when we take up the shield of faith, because we can identify ourselves as foot soldiers who serve the Commander of the Lord’s army (Joshua 5:15). Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Verse 6 stresses the importance of faith: “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” Faith comes by hearing, reading and believing the Word of God! The enemy’s attacks can sometimes cause us to doubt God. Faith prompts us to believe God. We give in to temptation when we believe what the enemy has to offer is better than what God has promised. Faith reminds us that, though fulfillment of God’s promise may not be readily visible to us, God is true to His Word. When satan attempts to fire arrows of doubt or to entice us with instant gratification, faith recognizes his deceptive tactics and quickly extinguishes the arrows. When satan accuses us, faith chooses to believe that Jesus has already redeemed us at the cross, and that there is no more condemnation (Romans 8:1, 34). Hallelujah! I believe faith is one of the greatest weapons (1 Corinthians 13:13) in our armor and the means by which we receive grace and come into right relationship with our Father, God (Ephesians 2:8-9).
It is because we have been justified through faith that we belong to God and have peace with Him (Romans 5:1). Faith is the doorway to hope in God (Romans 5:2). And because we have faith in God, our suffering need not faze us; in fact, we can persevere under it (Romans 5:3-5). The things satan attempts to use to discourage us can actually become tools in the hands of God because all things work together for good for those who love and trust in the Lord. As believers, we also have this promise: “Everyone born of God overcomes the world.
This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4). Faith is a protective barrier between us and the tricks of the devil. When we believe God and take Him at His Word, we remain grounded in truth, the lies of the enemy lose their power, and we become overcomers. In this way, faith is our shield that protects us from the fiery arrows of the enemy.
REFERENCES
The Holy Bible (scripture references included in text)
Inspired by the Holy Spirit and written by Sister Patricia Smith