A New Wardrobe Part 4 - Shield of Faith
I'm going to take just a second to breathe and reflect.
If nothing else, this study has taught me that being a Christian is work! It takes thought, preparation, and continual assessment. Even if we followed only the instructions given in Ephesians 6:10-18, our lives and minds would be full of thoughts about God, Christ, salvation, the Holy Spirit, and others. So I guess when we're consumed with those things, we're right on :)
Also, did you catch that I pointed out that Ephesians 6 gives instructions? Paul can't be accused of being passive/aggressive. He's just straight up bossy! (And that's good. We need bossy every now and then.) But look at what he says: "be strengthened," "put on," "take up," "stand," "take," (HCSB). As followers of Christ, these aren't suggestions. They are straightforward instructions of how to really live as Christians. He didn't make us to be timid, but powerful (2 Timothy 1:7).
So we pick up in verse 16:
"In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one," (NIV).
That first phrase, "in addition to all this," reminds us to look back at what we should already be wearing: the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, feet shod with the gospel of peace. Perhaps it's Paul's reminder that we can't just put on one of the pieces of battle gear and think we'll be fine; we need it all. But it might also mean that those pieces go on in order: we first need to know the Truth of the Word and let it take hold. Through that, we learn what real righteousness is, which protects our heart. We take that Truth into the world when we share the Gospel. And when we do, we can take up our shield of faith.
There is definitely a connection between sharing Jesus with others and strengthening our faith. In Philemon 1:6, Paul writes, "I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ," (ESV). We actually become more aware of what Christ has to offer us as we make our faith public. It's no surprise, then, that the "feet fitted with the readiness of the gospel of peace" is followed by "the shield of faith."
So surely by now you've pictured a shield: a large, flat piece of metal or wood held on the arm of a brave, mighty warrior. (Quick pause: I'm so glad we're in a spiritual battle instead of a physical one. I have NO upper body strength!) But did you know that sometimes shields would be covered with leather that had been soaked with water so that if their enemy fired fiery arrows they would be able to extinguish them with their shields*? No joke. So we, like warriors, have a shield covered with faith that has been soaked in God's Word, ready for the fiery arrows that Satan hurls our way.
This may seem a little dramatic, right? I mean, when was the last time you felt like you were under siege?
1 Peter 5:8 says, "Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour," (NLT). And Satan comes at us girls differently that he might attack our brothers: He often focuses on shattering our emotions, our feelings, relationships, hopes, and dreams**. (And I fully believe he also uses hormones for his purposes, if we let him!)
But luckily, our shield is maneuverable. When we are alert, we're watching for his lies, his tricks, his deceit. We know where we're most vulnerable and we've got our shield up and ready when we're in that frame of mind, that heated situation, or that time of the month. We know where he's come at us successfully before (in our words, our temptations, or certain relationships) and we're using that shield of faith boldly.
Because we learn in 1 John 5:4 that "everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith" (NIV, underlining mine). We overcome the world--temptation, sin, defeat--through our faith, which is our shield.
The Greek word for faith, pistis, can be translated, belief or trust, with an implication that actions based on that trust may follow***. Want to overcome the world? Want to extinguish Satan's flaming arrows? Then live out your faith. Do what you say you believe. Lip service just doesn't work.
If you want to know what faith-lived-out looks like, dig into Hebrews 11, often called the "Faith Hall of Fame." It's full of examples of men and women whose faith defined them. It describes heroes of Scripture "who through faith conquered kingdoms,...quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword..." (verse 33-34, NIV). Faith quenches the fires of the enemy. Always has.
It takes faith to please God (Hebrews 11:6). It takes faith to glorify God, live for Him, and be the light we were called to be. And every time we choose to live that faith, we hear the sizzle of another flaming arrow losing its fire.
Thanks for reading! Please subscribe with your email address at the top right corner!
Or, even better, notebook with me! myleslienotebook@gmail.com
*Copyright 2002 Zondervan NIV Study Bible text notes for Ephesians 6:16
**Lynn Cowell just wrote an awesome blog on the topic of Satan's attacks on teenage girls. It's a practical must-read! You can find it here:
http://us2.campaign-archive2.com/?u=f63562b3be485ea0ae33acf18&id=701ec66047&e=ab029e9465
*** Copyright 1990 Zondervan NIV Exhaustive Concordance, pistis
If nothing else, this study has taught me that being a Christian is work! It takes thought, preparation, and continual assessment. Even if we followed only the instructions given in Ephesians 6:10-18, our lives and minds would be full of thoughts about God, Christ, salvation, the Holy Spirit, and others. So I guess when we're consumed with those things, we're right on :)
Also, did you catch that I pointed out that Ephesians 6 gives instructions? Paul can't be accused of being passive/aggressive. He's just straight up bossy! (And that's good. We need bossy every now and then.) But look at what he says: "be strengthened," "put on," "take up," "stand," "take," (HCSB). As followers of Christ, these aren't suggestions. They are straightforward instructions of how to really live as Christians. He didn't make us to be timid, but powerful (2 Timothy 1:7).
So we pick up in verse 16:
"In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one," (NIV).
That first phrase, "in addition to all this," reminds us to look back at what we should already be wearing: the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, feet shod with the gospel of peace. Perhaps it's Paul's reminder that we can't just put on one of the pieces of battle gear and think we'll be fine; we need it all. But it might also mean that those pieces go on in order: we first need to know the Truth of the Word and let it take hold. Through that, we learn what real righteousness is, which protects our heart. We take that Truth into the world when we share the Gospel. And when we do, we can take up our shield of faith.
There is definitely a connection between sharing Jesus with others and strengthening our faith. In Philemon 1:6, Paul writes, "I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ," (ESV). We actually become more aware of what Christ has to offer us as we make our faith public. It's no surprise, then, that the "feet fitted with the readiness of the gospel of peace" is followed by "the shield of faith."
So surely by now you've pictured a shield: a large, flat piece of metal or wood held on the arm of a brave, mighty warrior. (Quick pause: I'm so glad we're in a spiritual battle instead of a physical one. I have NO upper body strength!) But did you know that sometimes shields would be covered with leather that had been soaked with water so that if their enemy fired fiery arrows they would be able to extinguish them with their shields*? No joke. So we, like warriors, have a shield covered with faith that has been soaked in God's Word, ready for the fiery arrows that Satan hurls our way.
This may seem a little dramatic, right? I mean, when was the last time you felt like you were under siege?
1 Peter 5:8 says, "Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour," (NLT). And Satan comes at us girls differently that he might attack our brothers: He often focuses on shattering our emotions, our feelings, relationships, hopes, and dreams**. (And I fully believe he also uses hormones for his purposes, if we let him!)
But luckily, our shield is maneuverable. When we are alert, we're watching for his lies, his tricks, his deceit. We know where we're most vulnerable and we've got our shield up and ready when we're in that frame of mind, that heated situation, or that time of the month. We know where he's come at us successfully before (in our words, our temptations, or certain relationships) and we're using that shield of faith boldly.
Because we learn in 1 John 5:4 that "everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith" (NIV, underlining mine). We overcome the world--temptation, sin, defeat--through our faith, which is our shield.
The Greek word for faith, pistis, can be translated, belief or trust, with an implication that actions based on that trust may follow***. Want to overcome the world? Want to extinguish Satan's flaming arrows? Then live out your faith. Do what you say you believe. Lip service just doesn't work.
If you want to know what faith-lived-out looks like, dig into Hebrews 11, often called the "Faith Hall of Fame." It's full of examples of men and women whose faith defined them. It describes heroes of Scripture "who through faith conquered kingdoms,...quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword..." (verse 33-34, NIV). Faith quenches the fires of the enemy. Always has.
It takes faith to please God (Hebrews 11:6). It takes faith to glorify God, live for Him, and be the light we were called to be. And every time we choose to live that faith, we hear the sizzle of another flaming arrow losing its fire.
Thanks for reading! Please subscribe with your email address at the top right corner!
Or, even better, notebook with me! myleslienotebook@gmail.com
*Copyright 2002 Zondervan NIV Study Bible text notes for Ephesians 6:16
**Lynn Cowell just wrote an awesome blog on the topic of Satan's attacks on teenage girls. It's a practical must-read! You can find it here:
http://us2.campaign-archive2.com/?u=f63562b3be485ea0ae33acf18&id=701ec66047&e=ab029e9465
*** Copyright 1990 Zondervan NIV Exhaustive Concordance, pistis
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