For the Christian, every day is a spiritual battle. As the book of Ephesians tells us, this struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, authorities, and powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Eph. 6:12). Whether we recognize it or not, we are all caught up in the midst of cosmic spiritual warfare, and taking up the shield of faith is a vital part of God’s provided defense.
Fortunately, God has not left us unprepared for this conflict. In Ephesians 6, we find that He has armed us in specific ways. Some scholars suggest that Paul, writing from a jail cell, observed a fully outfitted Roman soldier and likened that armor to our spiritual defenses: the offensive weapon of Scripture, the breastplate of righteousness, and the sandals of the gospel of peace. While these are all crucial, we must also recognize the biblical view of the spiritual powers at play in our world.
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The belt of truth serves as the foundation of this spiritual armor, securing our identity in Christ and preparing us to stand firm against deception.
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The breastplate of righteousness
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Feet fitted with the gospel of peace
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The helmet of salvation
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The sword of the Spirit
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The shield of faith
These are the tools God has placed at our disposal; they are the elements available to any Christian to help them fight in this battle, and when it’s all done, to remain standing. So the armor is there; it’s ready to be used. The question is how do we actually put it on?
Several ways really. First of all, you become aware of the fight you’re in. After all, there’s no use for armor during peacetime. Then you put it on through prayer and readying your mind for the battle that is to come. But perhaps there is one other, more surprising way you put on the armor of God. In particular, a somewhat surprising way to take up the shield of faith.
If you look back at Ephesians 6, you see that the shield of faith is a bit unique in Paul’s list because he not only mentions the shield; he mentions specifically what to do with it:
“In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one” (Eph. 6:16).
We can expect that day in and day out we will be pummeled the flaming arrows of the great enemy of God and man, the Devil. These flaming arrows might take many forms, but surely at least one of them is in the form of accusation.
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“You call yourself a Christian? With the thoughts you have?”
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“Who are you to be standing in this battle?”
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“You are but a weak sinner who fails in your pursuit of God every day.”
These are some of the accusations we will hear echoing in our minds in the midst of the battle. And, like little darts of fire, they wear us down. This is why we must have the shield of faith up and ready, but again we come to the question:
How do you take it up?
Martin Luther helps us here:
“So when the Devil throws your sins in your face and declares that you deserve death and hell, tell him this: I admit that I deserve death and hell, what of it? For I know One who suffered and made satisfaction on my behalf. His name is Jesus Christ, Son of God, and where he is there I shall be also!”
How do you take up the shield of faith when you are being assailed by the fiery darts of accusation? You take it up by remembering the truth. And that truth has two parts:
1. Yes, we are great sinners. But the second truth is even better:
2. Though we are great sinners, we have a greater Savior.
This is the shield of faith in action—it is fending off the accusatory darts of the evil one, not by disagreeing with him, but by remembering who Jesus is and what he has done on our behalf.
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This article originally appeared on thinke.org and is reposted here by permission.