The Shield of Faith | Ephesians 6:16

“In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:16 NLT)

 

Keep in mind that as the apostle Paul was writing his letter to the Christians at Ephesus, he was chained to a Roman guard. He had plenty of time to observe Roman armor, including the shield. The Roman shield was made of wood—rectangular in shape and about four feet high and two feet wide.

The shield was especially useful in long-range warfare. Prior to an actual hand-to-hand engagement with the enemy, a Roman soldier often would encounter a barrage of flaming arrows coming from all directions. The primary purpose of this barrage was to demoralize and confuse the soldier. To protect themselves from the onslaught of fiery arrows, Roman soldiers would put their shields together, creating a protective barrier for all of them. Their shields provided protection above and beyond what their breastplates could provide.

The shield of faith provides similar protection in our spiritual battles. 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’s during these times that you 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’s then that you learn to use the shield of faith.

One way to use your shield is to remind yourself that every fiery arrow the devil launches can be extinguished. The apostle Paul wrote, “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure” (1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT). When you sense that you’re being fired upon, double down on your faith in God. Spend time in His Word. Ask Him to show you the way out of the line of fire.

In Roman warfare, the shield was used most effectively in conjunction with fellow soldiers. By holding their shields together, they gave one another more protective coverage. The same principle applies to spiritual warfare. We may be able to protect ourselves alone, but we get more protective coverage when we unite with fellow believers.

When we spend time with other believers, in worship and in fellowship, our unity gives us greater protection in our spiritual battles. Our fellow believers can pray for us, come alongside us, encourage us, and hold us accountable. Together, our shields of faith can withstand anything our enemy fires at us.

 

Reflection question: What are some of the fiery arrows the devil shoots at you? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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