Ephesians 6 | The Shield of Faith
In today's blog Thursday post, we will be looking closer at the “Shield of Faith” that is mentioned in Ephesians 6:16.
Background
The most common shield used around the time Paul wrote Ephesians was called a "scutum." The main purpose of the shield in battle was to protect yourself from the sword strikes during hand-to-hand combat, but it also served another purpose: visual identification. By just looking at a soldier's shield, you could identify which century, legion, and cohort the soldier belonged to. The shield was a defensive tool that stopped the “flaming arrows” from injuring the soldiers; it was intended to.
Biblical application
It is our individual faith in Christ's love, power, and righteousness that builds a foundation that the enemy cannot shake as much as he tries to. Therefore, if our foundation as believers is built based on our faith rather than what we see (2 Corinthians 5:7), everything that is built on that foundation, like our jobs, education, relationships, and friendships, is durable and shielded from the lies of Satan. What we must remember as believers is that faith doesn’t stop the flaming arrows of the evil one because we live in a fallen world, but it allows you to have joy in pain, peace in the midst of chaos, and love when surrounded by hate. Your faith, especially in trying and difficult circumstances, is what identifies you as a disciple of Christ. Hebrews 11:1 describes faith as “confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." It is your and mine's belief in a God whom we have not seen that will make unsaved people question their own unbelief. It is this belief and practice of this belief that makes us identifiable to all—to God, to unbelievers and believers alike, and even to Satan. Yes, although our faith is a defensive tool, as it shields us from the devil's schemes, that doesn’t make our faith in Jesus any less offensive to Satan.
Advice for when we struggle with our faith
I know as a fellow Christian that sometimes, especially in hard circumstances, we may struggle with our faith and may even doubt God's plan for our lives. When this does happen, I want you to remember 2 things.
The first is in Mark 9:24, when a father cries, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief"—talk to God. This father was so honest, and I believe it was his honesty regarding his faith that resulted in his son being delivered. God would rather you and I be honest with Him about our faith rather than say nothing at all because, just like honesty is important in any other relationship, it is also just as important in our relationship with God, if not more.
The second thing to remember is found in John 20:29, when Jesus said to Thomas, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe." May you find rest in the fact that God sees your struggles, for He is El-Roi, the God who sees you, and knows how much hope it takes to place your faith in Him despite the fact you have not seen him. But remember, whether you are in a hard season or an “easy” season, you are blessed. And you’re struggle with faith as a believer does not take away the blessing God has freely and abundantly bestowed upon you.