Tuesday, November 11, 2008

The Shield of Faith

In every battle you will need faith as your shield to stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan.
Ephesians 6:16

What is this shield of faith Paul refers to?  Remember, as he was writing this letter to the Christians at Ephesus, he was chained to a Roman guard.  He had plenty of time to observe Roman armor. 

The shield would have been made of wood—a rectangular object about four feet high and two feet wide. 

Prior to an actual face-to-face engagement with the enemy, a soldier often would encounter a barrage of flaming arrows coming from all directions.  The sole purpose of this was to demoralize and confuse. 

Thus, the Roman soldiers would put their shields together to protect themselves from this onslaught of arrows that had been set on fire.  They needed their shields above and beyond what their breastplates could provide for protection.

The same goes for us.  The devil will direct his flaming arrows toward Christians.  They could be arrows of immorality, hatred, pride, envy, covetousness, doubt, worry, or any other kind of sin.  They will be delivered primarily in the realm of our thoughts. 

He will barrage us with his flaming arrows at strategic times, like when we decide to read the Bible or go to church.  Flaming arrows will come our way during times of trial and hardship.

It is during these times that you need to hold up the shield of faith—not the shield of feelings, not the shield of emotions, but the shield of faith.  You base your faith on what God has done for you, not on how you feel at a given moment. 

Emotions come and go.  Sometimes you feel great; and sometimes you don’t feel anything.  It is then that you learn to use the shield of faith.

Copyright © 2008 by Harvest Ministries.  All rights reserved.  Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996.  Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189.  All rights reserved. 

For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to  www.harvest.org. 

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-Greg Laurie

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