Ephesians 6.16, "in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one." Paul is writing about a Roman solider dressed for battle. In this case the shield he has in mind is a four foot by two and a half foot rectangular shield. I used to watch Deadliest Warrior, and the Roman Centurion representative said that this shield was the greatest shield ever made. I must disagree, when it comes to shields, I'm a Spartans fan all the way. Though it's not accurate to what Paul has in front of him, it's the one I have in my mind when I envision armor and battle.
The purpose of a shield is to defend from attacks. The text says to take it up so we can extinguish the flaming arrows that Satan hurls at us. Satan will through lies, temptations, and discouragements at us in order to get us to stumble. The shield is crucial because it provides another layer of protection. Arrows could pierce the breastplate of the soldier. An ax or sword could cut off an arm or leg; a mace could crush the skull even with a helmet on it. The shield absorbs these blows, it protects the body, and it's crucial for battle.
Our shield is faith. When Satan throws a fiery dart of a lie at us, our faith in who Jesus is and what He taught protects us. When Satan throws another dart of discouragement our faith in Jesus' view of us and His plan for our life covers us from it. When Satan throws the dart of temptation at us, our faith in Jesus keeps us focused on Him and guards our lives from sinning. Faith is crucial, faith protects us.
When people think of a shield they think defense, and in the case of the Roman shield that's what you get. It's big, it's heavy, and it protects the soldiers. But as I said before, I'm a Spartan at heart. The reason is that the Spartan Shield is much more versatile. It's a big shield, a circle that is three feet across. It covers the Spartan from the knee, where his greaves end, to his neck, until his helmet begins. It covers the carrier and the Spartan next to him when standing, and if need be he can crouch behind it and be fully covered from any attack.
But unlike the Roman shield, the Spartan shield is a great weapon as well. It is versatile and can be used to protect and attack an enemy. On Deadliest Warrior they tested the impact of being hit with this shield and it was at the same level as some car accidents, that's power. Faith is not simply a defensive protection; it allows us to go on the offensive. Our faith can be used as a weapon against Satan. We share our faith in Christ, we live out our faith, and lives can be transformed by it.
The shield is crucial. Faith is crucial. Our faith is strengthened through the peace God gives us through the message of His Gospel. We can receive the peace of God once we have entered into a relationship with Him, and we do that by coming to the truth. Put on the armor, take up your shield, and prepare for battle.
Peace be with you
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