Subject: The Shield of Faith
by Rick Welborne
Ephesians 6:10-16 (NIV)
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
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.
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
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.
--We have looked at the belt of truth (Jesus is the truth), we have looked at the breastplate of righteousness (Jesus is our righteousness and our glory), our feet fitted with the readiness of the gospel of peace (Jesus is our foundation and our peace).
--Tonight we are looking at the fourth piece of armor…the shield of faith.
—The shield of faith was connected to the belt of truth...it is important to note that how we operate in faith is directly related to how we walk in truth.
—As we pointed out in an earlier message...it is imperative that we submit to one another in the fear of the Lord or we forfeit the protection the armor gives...we have no right to it.
--It is important to note that unless we walk in truth our faith will be weak and ineffective!
Rick Renner - There were two kinds of shields that Roman soldiers owned. One was used for public parades and ceremonies and the other was used in battle.
1. Our shield must be a shield for battle.
—The first shield (Greek - aspis) was for parades and ceremonies...it was beautiful and was adorned with etchings from previous battles the soldier had been in. Though beautiful...it was too small for battle.
The second shield that the soldier would use was (Greek - thureos) and this is what is being spoken about in Eph. 6 and was the one used for battle.
Renner - This particular word for shield is the word used by the Greeks for a door that was wide in width and long in length...does that sound familiar to you.
—Sister Browne said God was setting before us a door...God is setting before us the shield of faith to protect us and to shield us from the attacks of the enemy.
J. Vernon McGee's Thru The Bible - "Above all, taking the shield of faith." The shield covered all of the armor. The shield referred to is a large shield the size of a door. It was the shield of the heavy infantry.
A soldier stood behind it and was fully protected. Christ is both the door to salvation and the door that protects the believer from the enemy without. This is the picture in John, chapter 10. Christ is both salvation and security. "Faith" enables us to enter the door.
John 10:9 (NKJV)
9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
—Listen to your pastor...your decorative shield is nice and I am assured that it is adorned with beautiful things from your past but it is a new day and there are new battles.
—You need the shield of faith that has been designed for battle...your pretty little shield will not protect you from this present danger...take up the shield of faith and defend yourself and your family.
—The shield of faith completely covered the man! Because the Holy Spirit was careful to select thureos as the illustration of faith rather than aspis.
-He is telling us that God has given us enough faith to make sure that we are completely covered...just like the shield completely covered a Roman soldier!
Romans 12:1-3 (NKJV)
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
--How much faith has God given you? He has given you enough faith to make sure that you are covered from head to toe!
—Stop worrying that God has given more faith to this one or that one and rest in the assurance that He has given you enough to cover you completely...He loves you!
Renner - In the majority of cases, the Roman's soldiers shield was composed of multiple layers of thick animal hide that had been tightly woven together. Usually six layers of animal hide were specially tanned, and then were woven together so tightly, they became nearly as strong as steel.
2. Our shield must be anointed with oil.
Barnes' Notes on the New Testament - The shield was usually made of light wood, or a rim of brass, and covered with several folds or thicknesses of stout hide, which was preserved by frequent anointing. It was held by the left arm, and was secured by straps, through which the arm passed. The outer surface of the shield was made more or less rounding from the center to the edge, and was polished smooth, or anointed with oil, so that arrows or darts would glance off, or rebound.
—Barnes and Renner say the same thing about the animal hides and both say they were preserved by frequent anointing with oil.
—Though six layers of animal hide was strong and durable...without proper care they would become stiff and breakable over a period of time without proper care.
—The soldiers had a daily regiment (intentional) to keep their shield in good shape...to keep it ready for battle...Each morning when he woke up...he would reach for his shield and for a vial of oil.
—He would saturate a cloth and then rub and rub the shield to keep it in the greatest condition possible...ready for battle! This was done intentionally!!!
—Hear your pastor...if it was not anointed daily it would become brittle and would fall to pieces...it would crack under pressure...the end result was certain death for the soldier!
—The anointing oil represents the Holy Spirit...the daily anointing represents how we must rise in the morning and put on the full armor of God and allow the anointing of the Holy Spirit to come upon us! Let me show you:
Ephesians 6:18 (NKJV)
18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—
18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—
—Without a fresh touch of the Holy Spirit upon your life your faith will become hard, stiff, and brittle...the first sign of adversity or temptation you will crack under pressure and fall to pieces.
—Stop parading yourself around with your decorative shield basting in the glory of days gone by...it can be a deadly mistake...take up your shield of faith today and every day...it has to be intentional!
3. Our shield must be soaked in water.
Renner - Another reason the Roman's soldier's shield was made of animal hide was, before the soldiers went out to war, they took their shields, dipped them in water, and left them soaking in that water until their shields were completely saturated with water. What was the purpose?
—It was to quench the fiery darts (arrows) of the enemy...what does this say to us?
Ephesians 5:25-26 (NIV)
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her
26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,
—In order for the Roman soldiers to keep their shields in top notch condition, it was required that their shields had daily applications of both oil and water.
—In the same way we must keep our shield of faith in top condition and we do it by the daily application of the oil (Holy Spirit) and the water (the Word of God).
—If you want the fiery darts coming at you to fall to the ground...be filled with the Spirit of God and consume the Word of God.
—In the verse we have been looking at... the phrase above all bothered me...l thought the belt of truth was the most important...Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life! John 14:6
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary - Above all rather, "Over all"; so as to cover all that has been put on before.
Barnes' Notes on the New Testament - Above all. Not above all in point of importance or value, but “over all”, covering all, as a soldier holds his shield to defend himself. It constitutes a protection over every part of his body, as it can be turned in every direction. The idea is, that as the shield covered or protected the other parts of the armor, so faith had a similar importance in the Christian virtues.
—Not so much a statement of importance but a statement of position...as we march forward for our Commander and Chief the Lord Jesus Christ...let us hold out in front of us this shield of faith to keep us and our families safe!
—Remember...McGee said that each part of the armor represents Christ:
--The belt of truth - Jesus is the way, the truth..
--The breastplate of righteousness...He is our righteousness and our glory!
--Our feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace...He is our Peace...Who has broken down every wall! He is our shield!
Psalm 18:1-3 (NKJV)
1 I will love You, O LORD, my strength.
2 The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.
1 I will love You, O LORD, my strength.
2 The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.
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