A shield is a defensive plate made from metal or another suitable material and used as a protection from arrows, missiles, blows etc. Paul once again admonished the Ephesian church to take up their shield of faith with which they can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. The church is specifically reminded that in addition to all the weapons (other versions use ‘above all’), they should take up the shield of faith. In other words, the shield of faith is an important defensive armoury that should not be forgotten. The believer’s shield from the ‘fiery darts’ or the ‘flaming arrows’ of the enemy, is the shield of faith. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one (Ephesians 6:16). Like the other armoury we have considered, the shield of faith is a defensive armoury and as such it saves the believer from the arrows of the enemy. The devil is so skillful in making us lose faith in what we truly believe. This he does by throwing unto us darts of confusion, stress, anxiety, pain, guilt, shame, temptations etc. This faith is patience and endures all the different tactics to the enemy. The fact that these arrows from the enemy are flaming arrows implies the pain and the hurt that these can cause. These arrows, if entertained, can burn and diminish the faith of the believer. Imagine everything crashing down on you in just a twinkle of the eye. Your family, your business, your faith etc. could be under the fiery arrows of the enemy. Therefore, the shield of faith is needed each and every day and at every hour. We should not drop it for anything. The shield of faith prevents all the tricks and temptations of the enemy from getting closer to us. We are shielded by God Himself. Our faith comes from the fact that we are hidden in Christ and Christ is in God. We are shielded from the fiery arrows of the devil. In Genesis, the Lord told Abraham, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward” (Genesis 15:1). The Psalmist said that “the Lord is my strength and my shield (Psalms 28:7a), “we wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield (Psalms 33:20). The basis of our shield of faith is God. Is God the basis for your shield of faith?
top of page
bottom of page
Comments