Living by Faith - Prepared to Prevail - Pt. 5

“Living by Faith”

Prepared to Prevail Series: (The Shield of Faith)

Text: Eph. 6:10-14

SHM – Sept. 5, 2004

B. The Gospel Shoes of Peace - Eph. 6:15

Eastern Culture:

1. They wore loose-fitted sandals for walking.

2. They always walked into the home barefooted.

· Western Culture:

1. To “shod” a horse - to nail the shoe to the hoof so that it became a part of the horse.

* Paul - The gospel should be “a part of”’ every believer.

1. Roman soldiers’ shoes - bound by leather strappings, had nails driven through the bottom to ensure fooring on the battlefield (our moden day cleats)...lost footing - fatal for the soldier.

a. The “Good News” provides the preparation (foundation) that is needed for the battle:

The foolish man builds his house upon the sand…the wise man upon the Rock. Matt.7

2. Distinguish between the Peace of God and Peace with God.

a. Peace with God - happens at the point of salvation.

b. Once you know Christ, you are in a position to enjoy the peace of God each day…even in spiritual warfare.

* Paul - The gospel message should be “a part of”’ every believer.

The reason many Christians are fearful of winning others to Christ is their ignorance of the Word of God. Need to start replacing our FEAR with FAITH.

There are two (2) things that are unconditionally necessary for anyone to become a Christian:

· The Spirit of God (Jn. 6:44 – the Spirit “must draw him.”)

· The Word of God – The primary catalyst that God uses to save mankind:

1. The Preaching of the Word of God.

· Jer. 23:29 – “His Word is like a Fire…like a hammer that breaks…”

· Heb. 4:12 – “it’s quick (alive) and powerful”

· Rom. 1:16 – the gospel… “the power of God unto salvation”

b. Every Christian is commissioned, for every Christian is a missionary. It has been said that

the Gospel is not merely something to come to church to hear but something to go from the

church to tell—and we are all appointed to tell it…” (Why Not Just Be Christians - Vance Havner)

c. Whenever you’re wearing the peace of God like shoes, you can handle whatever satan brings

your way.

II. The Shield of Faith

A. A Roman Soldier’s Shield 4’ x 2 ½’

1. Thureos - name means “the door”.

a. Made of two sheets of wood and overlaid with leather on the outer cover. (New Bible Com.)

1. It was concaved to cause the enemy’s arrows to glance off of it. (New Bible Com.)

2. The leather was soaked in water before a battle so that the fiery arrows would be quickly extinguished if the soldier took a direct hit. (New Bible Com.)

Jn. 7:37-39 “In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive.”[1]
If we allow ourselves to be soaked (“immersed” - baptizo) in The Holy Spirit, we will find that the enemy’s onslaughts will not be so effective against us.
A person that drowns “submits” to the water. Gal. 2:20 – “I am crucified with Christ” - “To the degree that we submit to the control of the Holy Spirit’s influence, we will find the battles in life so much easier.”

3. Movie (Troy) - Lining up in close formation, the shields were made in such a manner as to connect with one another and form a wall in front and a roof overhead as they advanced.

Your shield has not been designed with just you in mind. As we come together in unity, one body, we march toward victory behind an indestructible front, covering one another.

a. The paralytic borne by 4 friends - in Mk. 2 – in v. 5; when Jesus saw “THEIR” faith, He moved supernaturally to heal this man.

B. What is the Christian’s Shield of Faith?

1. It’s firm confidence in the Lord and His Word. (Believer’s Bible Com. - )

2. It’s acting upon the truth that you say you believe.

3. And why do you believe? Because your S.S. Teacher, pastor, mom, dad, or family

member told you that you need to believe? Your faith must move from the point of just

believing to the point of personal conviction.

a. “Taking” the shield of faith = “analambano” - to take up a thing in order to use it

(denotes repetition.)

2. You take up the shield when you take the truth that you “amened” on Sunday and live it

out on Monday.

a. Naaman, the Syrian commander that had leprosy. (2 Kings 5)

1. Obeying God – at times seems foolish / embarrassing. (“Why wash in the Jordan?)

b. Elijah - 1 Kings 18 - after 3 yrs. of drought, was told by God to tell the king that rain

was on the way:

1. There was no rain in sight, no thundering heard in the heavens.

2. vs. 41 - note what he said...“there is a sound of abundance of rain.” - by faith he heard

the unhearable...when no one else was hearing the voice of God, he was hearing Him

plainly.

3. Elijah went to pray...WHY?? The heavenly and the earthly were being aligned so that a

conduit of God’s blessing could be manifested upon the earth.

Town of Pamplico is able and stands ready to send water to your house; but before they can run the line (conduit) on your property, they must have “legal”

permission from you.

a. 1st time, no cloud; 2nd time, nothing; 3rd time still no answer....

b. 7th time...I see a little cloud about the size of a man’s hand coming out of the sea.

c. Joshua (Josh 6) - a man of war; a general that knew the tactics of how to fight.

1. But against Jericho, God’s instructions were for them to march silently while the priests blew their trumpets (6 days).

2. On the 7th day, at the given command, they shouted a victory cry (SP. - The walls

remained in their sight, just as firm as before…until their shout!!!)

3. These tactics were irrational, but Joshua followed them explicitly.

d. Abraham - Genesis 22 - God commanded him to take his only son and sacrifice him.

1. Abraham didn’t mix words - arose early the next day - gathered the wood and fire.

2. “I and the lad go yonder to worship (shachah)...and will come again to you.”

3. He was confident of God’s promise - it was “accounted” unto him for righteousness.

· He wants us to trust Him when it doesn’t make sense to trust Him...pick up the shield and obey.

· This doesn’t mean to “discount” your senses / or rationale; but it does mean to rely (trust, lean, be confident in) more on His revealed Word than we do on how something appears, or how we feel, or what we see.

For we walk by faith and not by sight. 2 Cor. 5:7

C. Flaming Arrows

1. Arrows (falarica); heads of lead coated by a combustible substance that caught fire in the air.

2. Old TV Westerns - wagon train fighting off the Indians as they are in a circle.

a. Several Indians would set fire to their arrows...weren’t aimed at the settlers behind the

wagons…Why set the wagons on fire?

1. First: to distract the settlers...make them fight the fire instead of the Indians.

2. Second: To get rid of the settlers’ protection...nothing to hide behind.

a. satan wants us to make us so preoccupied with become preoccupied in our walk.

b. The early shields made of wood would sometimes catch on fire; in running away, the

soldier was killed.

4. How can we put out Satan’s fires? You can’t...but the shield of faith can.

a. Believe God’s Word and act upon it; then allow God to work in your behalf.

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† A Greek word occurs that is not directly translated in the King James Version.
Greek Strongs: 1161

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[i]The Holy Bible : King James Version.

27 (4:12) Vance Havner, Why Not Just Be Christians, p. 63.