God’s Word for us today is Ephesians 6:12-16.
“For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places… take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” -Ephesians 6:12, 16
It doesn’t take a big flame to start a deadly fire. You can only imagine the damage that flaming arrows could do to someone! God provides us with a shield to protect us from those arrows, but how do we pick it up? We’ll see today.
The Armor of God – The Shield of Faith (Ephesians 6:16)
1. If you tuned in to the Holy Spirit’s activity around you last week, what did you notice?
2. This week Pastor Steve not only described, but showed us a picture of what a shield looks like in Roman battle armor. It covers from head to toe. Although it is a defensive piece designed to “quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one,” our use of it is not to passively hide behind it and wait for incoming artillery to stop. The NASB version of Ephesians 6:16 says, “…taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one.” What are some ways we would take up our shield of faith?
3. We’ve talked about our belt of truth, our breastplate of righteousness, and our good news shoes, plus the power of the Holy Spirit. In taking up our shield of faith, what strengths do our belt, breastplate, shoes and Holy Spirit bring to our ability to take up our shield of faith?
4. Our minds are the enemy’s primary battleground. We want to be in control, but we rarely are, and our imaginations create negative scenarios that discourage us or fill us with fear. I sometimes think the enemy knows what to whisper into my ear to set my imagination off on a tangent of distress. A powerful passage to commit to memory is 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 for those times when our minds are racing faster than we can remember to say “WHOA!” Look up those verses. How do they fit in with taking up our shield of faith?
5. There’s ability to take up our shields; and then there’s willingness to take it up. What’s a good strategy if our willingness has been pummeled by battle fatigue?
6. As we raise our shield of faith, are we demonstrating we have faith in faith, or faith in “the One who”? What’s the difference between the two?
7. As we raise our shield of faith, we create a dwelling place. Review the incredible promises in Psalm 91.
8. My favorite version of 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 is, “For the weapons of our warfare are not made of flesh; but they are mighty in God’s power to the tearing down of strongholds – casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” This week, as we take up our shield of faith, let’s consciously cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. Catch ourselves imagining; and catch the enemy exalting his lies against the knowledge of God. Shields up!