The Shield of Faith
Spiritual Warfare • Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 9 viewsNotes
Transcript
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
Ephesians 6:11
Spiritual Warfare Series Recurring Theme Here.
Recurring Theme of the Sermon Series:
Satan is terrified of Jesus Christ. We can only have complete Spiritual Victory when Jesus has complete presence and rule in our hearts.
Image of the Enemies of the Faith
While Satan rules the world and is the one who influences the flesh through our sinful nature and is the one who is the ruler of the world, in fighting the flesh and the world the Christian is not in a direct confrontation with him.
Non-Direct Confrontation with Satan Image.
An American comedian made famous the lines, the Devil made me do it.. your participation by walking into and falling to his temptation.
For example, we studied about strongholds in a person’s mind..
IMage of the Battleground of the mind here..
These strongholds exist in cooperation with the Christian who does not make any effort to pull down these strongholds.
Image of pulling down strongholds mind map.
16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
Now, the uncrucified thought process and Unforgiveness are symptoms of a life that is not totally surrendered to the Lordship of Christ.
Psalm 51:
Now, the uncrucified thought process and Unforgiveness are symptoms of a life that is not totally surrendered to the Lordship of Christ.
Fear and Defeat on the other hand, are symptoms of a Christian’s lack of trust.
The Keys to Pulling Down Strongholds.
Repentance.
Surrendered Life.
Life of Faith in God.
What about the enemy of the world system? Once a Christian has been freed from the lure, influence and entanglement of the world system? He becomes a good soldier of Jesus.
3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.
4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.
This is when the Christian now will face a direct confrontation with Satan.
Now what happens when the Christian finally gets delivered from these strongholds and finally surrenders His life to Christ and lives a life of faith in God.
Now what happens when the Christian finally gets delivered from these strongholds and finally surrenders His life to Christ
This is when the Christian now will face a direct confrontation with Satan.
Image of Direct Confrontation with the Devil.
Satan unleashes the weapons in his arsenal against you.
I said last time that as you the Christian advance in God’s army, we are told to put on the whole armor of God.
Last time we talked about..
The belt of truth Image here...
The breastplate of righteousness
Shoes of Peace...
This morning we are going to place our focus on the shield of faith.
The Shield of Faith Image here.
Ephesians 6
16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
What is the Shield of Faith?
Notice that the apostle Paul started this verse by saying “Above All”, in other translations he said “In all circumstances”.
There is a sense of priority (above all) and importance (in all circumstances) to taking up the shield of faith.
Then he talks about the Power of the shield of faith
The he talks about the Potential of the shield of faith, With which you will be able to quench (some?) ALL the darts of the wicked one.
But you have to take up the shield of faith,.
But you have to take up the shield of faith,.
In ancient warfare, especially the time of the Roman Empire, fire bearing arrows, shields soak in water extinguish the fire in these arrows.
Photo of a Roman soldier Shield here..
Why the Shield of Faith?
Faith is simply trust, therefore Faith is only as good as the Person to which the trust is given.
Our faith is made strong by the God Whom we trust.
Satan is no match against God.
Since He cannot attack God, Satan will aim at weakening your faith in God.
When you lower the shield of faith, you lower your guard against the arrows of Satan.
That is why faith is a shield to the Christian.
How does the Christian get this shield of faith.
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
What is the word of God?
The Bible, however the original Greek word for Rhema here is not the word that refers to the Bible in its totality as the inspired Word - logos.
Word image of logos here.
Word Image of Rhema here.
Word Image of Rhema here.
Specific word of God with a direct application to your situation.
Example:
You are in a difficult financial situation. You need faith, so you turn to the Bible
When you turn to your word and see the verse:
“God owns the cattle on a thousand hills” - it is a general truth that says God is the richest.. that is the logos word.
But when God gives you a personal word for your financial situation..
“But My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” and the Holy Spirit plants it deep in your heart that is God’s Rhema word that acts as a shield.
When Satan attacks, he always goes after the word of God that has been given to you. Jesus told of the parable where he either steals the seed of the word, or chokes it so it won’t grow.
One way he does this is by lying against the word that the Lord has given to you.
That’s exactly what he did to Eve?
God told Adam and Eve that they eat or even touch the fruit of the tree, they will surely die.
The devil said “Nah, you will not surely die (He is trying to make God’s word a lie), then he lies against God’s good purpose in your life he told Eve “God know that when you eat of the fruit, you eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.
The Devil will attack God’s word in you so you will lose your faith in God. He’ll lie to you, “You are a nobody to God”, “God is not able to deliver you”,.”God does not really love you”
G
Be grounded on the word of God.
Or just like the Roman soldiers did with their shields in soaking those in water.. likewise..
SOAK YOUR FAITH IN GOD’S WORD!
By doing so you are taking up the shield of faith.
Satan a fiery dart that says:
“You are nothing to God”
16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
Romans 8:
We are children of God and since we are children we are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.
2. God is not able to deliver you.
The rhema word from Isaiah..
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
3. God does not love you.
3 the Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.
Jeremiah 31
10 For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.
Take up the Shield of Faith soaked in God’s word and you will quench ALL of the darts of the evil one.
17 no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.”
My testimony...
Take up the shield of faith today, be grounded in God’s word.
Last application of the shield of faith.
Image of Roman Tortoise 1.
Image of ROman Tortoise 2.
Ancient ROman soldiers would form columns with their shields interlocking side by side so they can advance against the enemy totally protected from the missiles and arrows of the enemy.
We are more protected from the enemy when we advance in unity as an army of God here in Crosswind by joining our shields together. THERE’S STRENGTH IN OUR UNITY.
One way that you can be grounded in God’s word is through the encouragement and instruction from fellow believers in the context of the church.
Practical steps you can take to take up your shield of faith.
1. Read the Bible daily and meditate on the word of God.
2. Pray to the Lord that He gives you a “Rhema” revelation from His word.
3. Be part of an army of believers.
Next week, we will study how to use the word of God as our only offensive weapon against the enemy.
While holding fast to the promises of God in His Rhema word is taking up the shield of faith. We can use God’s declarations in His Rhema word to stab the enemy.
Recurring Theme of the Sermon Series:
Satan is terrified of Jesus Christ. We can only have complete Spiritual Victory when Jesus has complete presence and rule in our hearts.