What is the Shield of Faith?
“In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:16-17, ESV)
Have you ever felt the truth of the saying, “When it rains, it pours”?
Sometimes, it seems as though we are stuck in a season of life where one trial follows another, and they all begin to build up until the weight of it all is crushing.
Blindness often brings upon those seasons because it impacts so many distinct aspects of my daily life.
The mental strain and concentration that it takes for me to remember where important items are located, travel from one location to another, and perform other activities of daily living can easily become overwhelming.
When you combine this with the normal frustrations and trials of life, it can feel like too much to manage!
In Ephesians 6:16, Paul refers to the “flaming darts” which are used as weapons by our enemies.
A line stick on fire flying through the air.
Let us think for a second about the consequences of being struck by flaming weaponry.
Sure, the initial blow would be painful, but that is not all we have to worry about. In addition, the flame will spread slowly, causing more damage along the way.
Again, I think of the saying, “When it rains, it pours.”
Aren’t those hardships or trials that build up in your life like flaming darts?
They hit you where you are most weak, and then, before you even know it, the pain, anxiety, or frustration has spread to engulf other parts of your life as well.
This is where the shield of faith comes in because we desperately need protection from the flaming darts of the enemy.
Not only does this powerful piece of armor cover you from those blows, but Ephesians 6 tells us that it will also extinguish the flame that accompanies them.
That is what faith, complete trust in the unseen power of God, can do.
A leather bond Bible sitting in front of a walking path in sunshine.
All that frustration, anxiety, and pain that feels like an uncontrollable flame creating havoc in your life can be calmed through faith.
When we remember that we have an amazing God who can completely cover us with His love, just like a shield, it can give us the courage and strength to fight through those hard seasons in our lives.
So, take up your shield of faith today and trust God’s power instead of giving the enemy the power to multiply your hardships.
One of my favorite ways to “take up” the shield of faith is to simply remember God’s faithfulness.
We all have been blessed by God’s goodness and love and taking the time to remember this can help to renew and strengthen our faith.
I encourage you to make a list of ways that God has worked in your life to keep your shield strong and ready for battle.
Stay tuned to my blog for the next installment of the Armor of God series!
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North Point Baptist Church, located at 1400 Cedar Street in Carrollton, GA, is committed to providing a Biblical, compelling, challenging, and life-changing time of worship to show you the love of God. Every member of your family, from the youngest to the oldest, will be met with a friendly face and an opportunity to grow and learn from the word of God.
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