Ephesians 6:16 - Christian Armor; Taking Up Faith.
Ephesians 6:16: Christian Armor; Taking Up Faith.
Ephesians 6:16 (NKJV) above all, taking the shield of faith with
which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked
one.
INTRODUCTION
The Shield is Faith which is our complete reliance on God.
Faith means total dependence on God and willingness to do his will. It
is not something we put on for a show for others. It means
believing in his promises even though we don't see those promises
materializing yet. God gives faith to protect the believer (Eph 2:8). (See
James 1:31 and Peter 1:7 for more on faith as the key to victory.)
When the enemy, the ruler of this world (John 12:31), sends
his flaming arrows of temptation, doubt, wrath, lust, despair,
vengeance, problems, and trials into our lives, we can hold up our shields
and quench them. We are assured that "whatever is born of God
conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our
faith" (1 John 5:4 NRSV). We must take hold of God's full resources.
Faith gives us the strength to stand against Satan with firm courage,
even when he uses his most fearsome weapons. (Life Application
Commentary)
COMMENTARY
We start our day by dressing appropriately for the weather or an
activity. But many believers leave the house unprepared - they fail to arm
themselves for spiritual warfare. Our FIRST PRAYER BEFORE RISING should
include step-by-step application of God's armor. [Life Principles SB By
Charles Stanley]
The Christian soldiers consciousness of Gods presence is
so great that GODS PRESENCE ITSELF BECOMES HIS SHIELD and
defender (Genesis 15:1). As Scripture says, God is his help and shield
(Psalm 33:20; Psalm 84:9), his sun and shield (Psalm 84:11).
[Preachers Outline & Sermon Bible]
God who is able to do immeasurably more than all we can ask
or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us
(3:20). If we KEEP OUR EYES ON THIS GOD, all Satans fiery darts will
be extinguished. [The 365-Day Devotional Commentary]
In Ephesians 6:16, Paul refers to "the shield of faith."
Prayerfully, we must ask ourselves this question: How does faith act as a
protective shield? First of all, we must understand what faith is and how
the word is being used here by Paul.
A little boy, when asked to give a definition of faith, said:
"Faith is believing something you know isn't true. Well, that is
precisely what faith is not! Faith is believing what you know to be true!
But it is even more than that - it is acting on what you know to be
true.
Some people see faith as something vague and mysterious, but
faith is one of the Christian's most practical commodities. Take this
verse, for example: "faith without works is dead" (Jms 2:26). THERE IS
ALWAYS THE ELEMENT OF ACTIVITY IN FAITH; it prompts us to action. "Now
faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not
seen" (Heb 11:1).
Taking the shield of faith, then, is responding to the things
the Devil hurls at us by the quick application of what we believe
about God and His Word, the Bible. When Satan sends his "flaming
arrows" in our direction, we can either stand and lament the fact that
we are being attacked, or quickly raise the shield of faith and
remind ourselves that the Devil is a liar from the very beginning. We
affirm that because we are redeemed by the blood of Christ, the Devil
has no legal or moral right to taunt us. But believing this is not
enough; it must be acted on - and acted on quickly.
Father, I see that when Satan throws his "flaming arrows" at
me, I must act and act quickly. Help my faith to be so strong that
it will not need a "jump start" to get it going. This I ask in
Jesus' name. Amen. [Every Day With Jesus Bible with Selwyn Hughes
devotional re Rom. 10:17]
ILLUSTRATION
I Am Your Shield"
Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as
righteousness. Gen. 15:6
It is no good saying you believe God is stronger than the
Devil if you do not act on that belief. Faith not only believes this
but acts on it by quickly standing up to the Devil and saying
something similar to what David said when he stood before Goliath: You
come against me with a dagger, spear, and sword, but I come against
you in the name of Yahweh of Hosts (1 Sam. 17:45). You must never
forget that God is much more powerful than the Devil. Hold on to that,
and quickly raise your shield whenever you experience an attack of
Satans fiery darts.
The passage that introduces this devotion focuses on an
incident in Abrahams life that took place when he was exhausted after
making a great stand. Doubtless, Satan would have attacked him with
thoughts like: What is the point of all this action of God on your
behalf and all these promises when you do not have an heir to carry on
your line? God doesn't seem to have as much power as it would
appear.
Abraham was fearful at this point until the Lord came to him
and gave him these glorious words: Do not be afraid, Abram. I am
your shield; your reward will be very great (Gen. 15:1)
I am your shield. Hold on to that great truth, my
friend, and when under attack, quickly lift it up and remind the Devil
that you belong to One whose power is endless and eternal. His
promises are ever sure. THAT IS WHAT IT MEANS TO HOLDUP THE SHIELD OF
FAITH.
O God, how grateful I am for the sureness and certainty of
Your Word. Once again I feel it entering into the core of my being.
Help me to put these truths into practice the very moment I come
under satanic attack. In Jesus name I pray. Amen. [Every Day With
Jesus Bible with Selwyn Hughes devotionals re Gen. 15:6]
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
Spending time alone with Me is essential for your well-being. It
is not a luxury or an option; it is a necessity. Therefore, do not
feel guilty about taking time to be with Me. Remember that Satan is
the accuser of believers. He delights in heaping guilt feelings upon
you, especially when you are enjoying My Presence. When you feel
Satan's arrows of accusation, you are probably on the right track. Use
your shield of faith to protect yourself from him. Talk with Me about
what you are experiencing, and ask Me to show you the way forward.
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to Me, and I
will come near to you. (Rev. 12:10; Eph. 6:16; Jam. 4:7, 8) [Jesus
Calling by Sarah Young]
Bring Me all your feelings, even the ones you wish you didn't
have. Fear and anxiety still plague you. Feelings per se are not
sinful, but they can be temptations to sin. Blazing missiles of fear fly
at you day and night; these attacks from the evil one come at you
relentlessly. Use your shield of faith to extinguish those flaming arrows.
Affirm your trust in Me, regardless of how you feel. If you persist,
your feelings will eventually fall in line with your faith.
Do not hide from your fear or pretend it isn't there. Anxiety
that you hide in the recesses of your heart will give birth to fear
of fear: a monstrous mutation. Bring your anxieties out into the
Light of My Presence, where we can deal with them together.
Concentrate on trusting Me. and fearfulness will gradually lose its foothold
within you. (Eph. 6:16; 1Jo. 1:5-7; Isa. 12:2) [Jesus Calling by Sarah
Young]
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Seeking God Made Real: http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
Musical Devotional On Christian Living:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcotY5K7T0c
Medical Seminar on Healthful Living by David DeRose, MD, MPH:
https://www.smartlifestyletv.com/lifestart
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Discover Bible Studies: http://studies.itiswritten.com/discover/
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies: http://www.bibleresearch.info/
ABible.com: http://www.aBible.com
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
The Last Day of Prophecy by Pastor Doug Batchelor:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmGvdtMCf1aJTiC59-lPtuUMEq_uEn0BK
Restoring The Power by John Bradshaw:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRogO1SxoZN15Boa7BMon4BouVMdteVaq
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
