I’ve just noticed the date of my last post and I can’t believe it’s been over two months. I guess I need to put my nose to the grindstone and be more faithful in my meditation and commentary on God’s Word. Hopefully you all have had a good summer so far and are learning and growing in the faith. Today we look at Ephesians 6:16

“In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;” (Ephesians 6:16, ESV)

We have now come to the shield. This, of course, is the piece of armor that protects the chest and abdomen where the vital organs are. But, it is a moveable piece of armor. the breastplate is in permanent position, but the shield can be turned one way or another to defend against incoming arrows from many directions.

The Christian’s shield is faith. It is interesting to me that these various pieces of armor must be taken up or put on. A Christian isn’t just automatically equipped and fitted with this armor. It must be consciously and purposely put on or taken up. So in the case of the shield, when is it to be taken up. The Bible says in all circumstances or at all times. We remember that the enemy is constantly on the prowl to defeat the Christian. We must be ready with the shield at all times.

This is the shield of faith. Faith, in its simplest definition, is believing God, believing what He has said. Abraham was “fully convinced that what [God] had promised He was also able to perform” Romans 4:21. God has given us “exceedingly great and precious promises” (2 Peter 1:4), and faith is personalizing and believing those promises. Believing something is true produces response in us. It produces anticipation, hope, assurance, and a number of other feelings. In addition, believing a promise produces action. As James says, “Faith without works is dead.” This is true of all faith whether it is Bible-based faith or simply believing something someone has said. Believing always produces a response.

In our passage, then, taking up the shield of faith means believing what God has said and acting on it. Satan is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44). In every situation, we are to believe God and reject what the devil and his world system are saying. The darts he shoots at us are fiery. They are set aflame by hell itself, and because of there ferocious nature, it’s easy to be intimidated into believing them. Taking up the shield of faith means that in every circumstance, with every lie hurled at us no matter from what direction, we are to claim God’s statement of truth and act on it. This is a purposeful, conscious, intentional action. It is “taking up the shield of faith.”

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 9:38 AM August 22, 2022.