Waging War: Shield of Faith

Faith: the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]—-Hebrews 11:1 [AMP]


So…faith? What is it all about? Do you have faith? Faith is something every one possesses. For example, getting in an airplane requires faith in the pilot and the plane, trusting that both will do their job in bringing you safely to your destination. Driving is an act of faith by itself…it requires faith in your abilities as a driver and the drivers around you. The question is not whether one has faith or not…the real question is where or who one places that faith (in). Faith in faith alone will disappoint…but faith in the unchanging, ever-present, All-Powerful God will never disappoint. In this day and age, it seems like our faith is being continually tested and it is important to know if our faith is in God and the power of His might, or in something/someone else. It is also important to understand that in waging war against the enemy, faith is one of the most important weapons we need in our arsenal.

In Ephesians 6:11-16, the Apostle Paul encourages us to “be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might…put on the whole armor of God…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…stand therefore and above all, hold up the shield of faith  with which you will be able to quench the fiery darts of the wicked one” (emphasis mine). When the Apostle Paul talks about armor, he is giving us a picture of the ancient Roman soldiers and what they wore to battle, the shield being one weapon that was of great importance. The shield “is a type of personal armor meant to intercept attacks either by stopping projectiles such as arrows or by glancing a blow to the side of the shield-user” (Wikipedia). Likewise, the Christian’s shield offers protection against all the “fiery darts” of the enemy. Thus, in waging war again the enemy of our souls, our faith in Christ and His promises is of utmost importance.

In this Christian walk, I am continually convinced that everything in the Kingdom of God operates by faith! Faith causes us to believe the “impossible”. We cannot even begin this Christian walk without believing in the work that Jesus did at the cross of Calvary because “it is by faith you have been saved through grace” (Ephesians 2:8). Faith is the channel that allows God’s work of salvation to flow through. The Word of God mentions continually that “the just shall live by faith (Habakkuk 2:4; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38). While Jesus was on the earth, He was able to perform miracles because of the faith of the people. In Matthew 8, Jesus marvels at the Centurion who had such faith in His ability to heal, that He says, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith…” (Vs 10). The woman with the issue of blood had such faith in Jesus’ ability to heal that she was able to draw out His healing power with just a touch, and was immediately healed (Mark 5:25-34). In Matthew 10, two blind men cry out to Jesus to heal them and Jesus says, “Do you believe that I am able to do this (heal)? They say an emphatic YES, Lord! Then He touches their eyes and says, “According to your faith let it be to you”, and their eyes were opened. (vs 28-30, emphasis mine).  Furthermore, Hebrews 11 gives an account of all that was accomplished through faith! Through faith, Abraham and Sarah believed God for the impossible and Sarah received strength to conceive seed, and bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised (vs 8-12). By faith, Noah had the guts and perseverance to build the ark God instructed him to do, without even having seen the flood God revealed to him, thus saving him and his family from the deluge (vs 7). All these patriarchs had crazy faith….faith that seemed foolish, almost suicidal…an unshakable faith in God. 

Notice though, that in Ephesians 6:16, the Apostle Paul mentions that above all, we should HOLD UP our shield of faith. As Christians, we have all been given a measure of faith (Romans 12:3). While it is important to have faith, it is equally important to “hold up” that shield of faith by by exercising it in our daily lives so that when the enemy launches fiery darts, we are able to stand ready, holding up our shield of faith by declaring the promises of God over our lives and circumstances. When the fiery dart of condemnation is launched, stand and declare according to Rom 8:1, “there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit…”. When the fiery dart of fear is launched, hold up that shield of faith by declaring, “I have not been given a spirit of fear, but one of power and of love and of a sound mind!” (2 Timothy 1:7). You get my drift? Exercising our faith in this manner causes exponential growth in our faith and will make us more effective in waging war against the enemy of our souls.

We know that without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6) but thank God for His grace, that when we are faithless, He remains faithful. It is certainly okay to start small because even faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains (Matthew 17:20), but as we continue on in this walk of faith, our faith should reflect our growth in Christ. The Bible mentions that Faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17) thus, spending time and abiding in the Word is something else that helps our faith to grow. Flaming arrows could not penetrate the fireproof shield of the ancient Roman soldier, nor can the assaults of Satan penetrate to the believer who places his or her faith in God (NKJV commentary). The war is on, saints, and it’s time for the Body of Christ to rise up in faith. Begin speaking faith! Begin walking in faith and trust that even if you make a wrong turn, God is pleased with your step of faith and will direct you back on the right path; then like the Apostle Paul, we’ll be able to declare at the end of our lives, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith”! (2 Timothy 4:7).  Faith, Faith, and more FAITH! Hold up your shield of faith!!!