The Shield of Faith

Introduction

The Message of Ephesians 3. The Armour of God (Verses 13–20)

Apollyon taunted Christian with the threat, ‘Here will I spill thy soul.’ ‘And with that,’ Bunyan continues, ‘he threw a flaming dart at his breast; but Christian had a shield in his hand, with which be caught it, and so prevented the danger of that.’

[TS] If we work backwards through this verse, we see first that (1) there is an evil one and (2) he shoots flaming arrows at us, but (3) we Christians can extinguish those arrows by taking up the shield of faith.

Let’s talk first about the evil one.

Major Ideas

#1: We must beware the evil one.

Ephesians 6:16 NASB95

16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

[EXP] John Owen wrote that God “created for himself two distinct, rational families, dependent on him, under a moral law, obedience to which would bring glory to him.

“The earth he created for man, which suited human nature in every way, in the purpose of his creation which was to give glory to God.

“Heaven he created for angels, which was suited for them, for the preservation of their existence, and the purpose for which they were created which was also to glorify God.

“The order of thing was ‘exceedingly good’. Both angels and men lived in dependence on God. He was the head of both families. Nothing was communicated to them except what they received directly from God himself. And this union and fellowship among themselves lay in this alone, that they all obeyed God.

“(But) this union between the two families of God was disturbed and dissolved by sin. Part of the heavenly family and the entire earthly family ceased to be dependent on God…”

John Owen is talking about the angelic rebellion against God and the human rebellion against God, but both rebellions were schemed by the same individual—the devil.

Someone once said to me, “I believe what the Bible says, but I think the stuff about the devil is made up,” but the evil one as he is called here in Ephesians 6:16, (i.e., the devil or Satan) is a real, personal being who opposes God and God’s way. He is, however, not equal to God, and he doesn’t threaten God’s power.

In Scripture he is referred to as the ruler of demons, the enemy, the father of lies, the murderer, the ruler of this world, the god of this age, the prince of the powers of the air, the ruler of the darkness of this age.

He is chief of the fallen angels having pridefully orchestrated that angelic rebellion against God desiring to set himself up as a god.

He is the tempter of fallen man having deceitfully orchestrated that human rebellion against God desiring to bring down man who was made in the image of God.

We all once walked Satan’s rebellious way, but God has taken us from “the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son (Jesus), in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins,” (Col. 1:13-14).

But being transferred by grace to the kingdom of Jesus doesn’t mean that this evil one, Satan, will just give up his wicked attacks.

The Apostle Peter warns us to “be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour,” (1 Pet. 5:8).

The Apostle Paul warns that we must “put on the full armor of God, so that (we) can stand firm against the schemes of the devil,” (Eph. 6:11).

[ILLUS] I once had a job reading power meters, which means I spent half my time reading power meters and the other half fending off dogs.

At one particular house, I parked in front, got out of the truck, and went around back to read the power meter.

But when I rounded the corner of the house, I was met by a big white short-haired dog who was mostly blind and more than a little upset at my presence. I started back peddling as the dog barked and growled and started to come my way, but then the dog’s chain caught and suddenly he could advance no further.

Puritan preacher, Cotton Mather, said, “God indeed has the devil on a chain, but has horribly lengthened out the chain.”

He also said that the only people who doubt the existence of the devil are those who are under the influence of the devil.

[APP] The devil is real. He does exist.

He is defeated, but he is not yet fully and finally cast into the abyss.

His power is limited, but he is not powerless.

He accuses. He tempts. He prowls. He devours.

He hunts you.

If you don’t believe this, you will not take up the shield of faith.

If you don’t believe this, you will not put on any of the armor of God.

[TS] The devil takes aim at you. Let’s notice his arrows…

#2: We must beware the flaming arrows of the evil one.

Ephesians 6:16 NASB95

16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

[EXP] In Roman warfare, flaming arrows were sent downrange to do pierce and set aflame their targets. The unlit arrow did its damage in only one place, but the flaming arrow spread its damage all around.

The devil intends to spread the damage all around when he takes aim.

Think back to the first flaming arrow that Satan ever fired at humanity and just how far the damage spread.

Turn with me to Genesis 3.

[ILLUS] In Genesis 3, the devil comes to Eve and takes aim, asking, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden?’” (Gen. 3:1).

Eve responds by saying that she and Adam can eat from any tree in the garden except the tree that is in the middle of the garden. God said, “You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die,” (Gen. 3:3).

But then Satan let his flaming arrow fly…

Genesis 3:4–5 NASB95

4 The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die! 5 “For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

And did the devil’s arrow find its mark? It certainly did.

Genesis 3:6 NASB95

6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.

And the damage from that flaming arrow spread quickly.

Suddenly there was enmity between God and man, enmity between man and creation, and enmity between man and woman.

What did Satan’s arrow burn with that made it so destructive? It burned with doubt in the goodness of God.

After his initial question, Satan caused Eve to doubt God by telling her that God is liar.

God said they would die if they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but Satan told Eve that was a lie.

In fact, Satan told her that God was keeping something from her: Eve could decide right and wrong for herself if she ate from the forbidden tree. That’s what Satan meant when he told her that she would be like God, knowing good and evil. She would be able to decide for herself right and wrong.

But in deciding to believe the devil and doubt God, Eve decided wrongly.

And the damage that resulted proved God true and the devil a liar.

[APP] Turn back with me to Ephesians 6:16 and understand this: the devil takes careful aim with his flaming arrows. He is deliberate in his shot selection, so where might he aim in your life?

Working backwards from the armor of God, which begins in Ephesians 6:10, we find a list of targets.

He aims at our work.

Whether we are employer or employee, we represent Christ, but when we don’t work in a way that represents Christ well, we dishonor the name of Christ.

This is what Satan means for us to do as he takes aim at our work.

He aims at our families.

Whether we are parents or children, we honor or dishonor Christ in how we treat one another. If parents don’t raise their children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord, they dishonor Christ. If children don’t honor their father and mother, they dishonor Christ.

This is what Satan means for us to do as he takes aim at our families.

He aims at our marriages.

Whether we are husbands or wives, we honor or dishonor Christ in how we treat our spouses. If wives do not respectfully submit to their husbands, they dishonor Christ. If husbands do not sacrificially love their wives, they dishonor Christ.

This is what Satan means for us to do as he take aim at our families.

He aims at our walk with Christ.

He aims to make us discontent and unthankful.

He aims for the song in our hearts to be about anyone or anything else other than the Lord.

He aims for our minds to be confused or unconcerned about what the will of the Lord is.

He aims for us to waste our time, time that could be invested to glorify of God.

He aims to make us imitators of the world rather than imitators of God.

He aims to make us grieve the Holy Spirit by making us bitter, angry, loud, and slanderous.

He aims to make us into sluggards or thieves instead of hard workers.

He aims at our church too.

He aims to confuse the parts of the church, twist the truth of the church, and make the whole church unstable.

In Ephesians 4:16, Paul uses the analogy of the body to refer to the churches many parts all working together under the direction of God so that it grows and builds itself up in love.

There are lots of parts to that body, but as Paul writes in Ephesians 4:11, some of those parts are apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers.

The Apostles and Prophets passed away with the early church.

Evangelists are those gifted in bringing others to Jesus.

But focus on pastors and teachers for a moment because I believe the evil one has taken aim here in the Southern Baptist Convention, the convention to which our church belongs.

There should be no confusion on who is qualified to serve as pastor. Our Baptist, Faith, & Message says that the office of pastor is reserved for men as qualified by Scripture.

Even more importantly 1 Timothy 3:1 says, “If any man aspires to the office of overseer (i.e., pastor), it is a fine work he desires to do.”

And in Titus 1:6, it says, “If any man is above reproach, the husband of one wife...” then he might be be appointed as an elder (i.e., a pastor).

There are many other qualifications, but they start with this: the pastor must be a man.

And then if we look at 1 Timothy 2:12, we read this…

1 Timothy 2:12 NASB95

12 But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet.

And listen to why this is so…

1 Timothy 2:13–14 NASB95

13 For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. 14 And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.

There can be no doubt that the office and function of overseer or pastor in the church is reserved for men as qualified by Scripture just as Scripture says, but a little more than a year ago, there was a SBC church that ordained three women as pastors. Other SBC churches have ordained women as pastors as well, and nothing has been done about it.

This not something that these church did secretly; they publicized these events online, and yet these churches have not been removed from our convention for operating their church in violation of God’s word.

Instead, the committee charged with investigating churches that may or may not need to be removed from the SBC recommended that they study the word “pastor” for a year and then they would make a recommendation on this church that has defied God’s Word by ordaining women as pastors.

I think the evil one has hit his mark.

He has aimed at making some women discontent with their part in the body of Christ.

He has aimed at making some men co-conspirators with those women against God.

He has aimed at watering down the truth of God’s word regarding the role of men and women in the body of Christ.

He has aimed at confusing the church, and he has succeeded in confusing a whole convention of churches.

Like Eve in the garden, the devil has convinced us that God is a liar, tjat we can decide right and wrong for ourselves…

…and the fire is spreading.

[TS] So, what do we do?

#3: We must take up the shield of faith.

Ephesians 6:16 NASB95

16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

[EXP] There were two types of shield that a Roman soldier might use. One, a smaller round shield, enabled the Roman soldier to move with the greater ease. The other type of shield, the one likely referred to in Ephesians 6:16, was like a door. It was approximately 4.5 feet long and 2.5 feet wide. It was meant to completely cover the soldier in combat.

It was a wooden shield reinforced with metal and overlaid with oil-treated leather so that it extinguished those flaming arrows from the enemy.

Paul says our faith is like that shield extinguishing all the flaming arrows of Satan.

What does Paul mean by faith?

He doesn’t mean the general content of all that we believe about God.

That piece of armor of was put on with the belt of truth.

He doesn’t even mean the specific content of the Gospel—that Jesus lived perfectly before God as we should have, and died on the cross to pay the price for our sins as we should have, and rose from the dead so that through faith in Him we can have salvation.

That piece of armor covers us as the breastplate of righteousness and we are ready to proclaim with our feet shod in Gospel peace.

The shield of faith is this: believing that God is good and that His way as revealed in His word is good.

One writer said it like this, “Faith is always, in one way or another, a believing response to the ‘word’ of God.”

Another said, “(Faith is) being obedient to God’s view on a matter. Whatever temptations the devil fires at you, you can overcome him by believing God’s Word and acting on it. Acting in faith is like activating a divine fire extinguisher.”

Another writer said, “Faith here is firm confidence in the Lord and in His word. When temptations burn, when circumstances are adverse, when doubts assail, when shipwreck threatens, faith looks up and says, ‘I believe God.’”

[APP] The world fell into sin for lack of faith. Eve did not trust that God was good, that He intended good for her, that the blessing of obeying Him would be greater than the pleasure of rebelling against Him.

When faced with temptation, faith believes that God is good.

When faced with temptation, faith believes that God commands our good in His commands.

When faced with temptation, faith believes that God provides a way of escape so that we can run to His goodness.

When faced with temptation, faith believes the eternal blessing of obedience to God will be greater than the momentary pleasure of sin.

Have you taken up the shield of faith? Do you believe that God is good and His way is for your good?

Have you taken up the shield of faith in your work?

Have you taken up the shield of faith in your marriage?

Have your taken up the shield of faith in your parenting?

How about in your private time? Have you taken up the shield of faith?

Do you believe that God is good and that His way is for your good?

How about in our church? Will we have the faith to believe that God is good and that His way as revealed in His word is for our good?

[TS] …

Conclusion

How could we not trust in the goodness of God?

While we were still sinners God sent His Son Jesus to die for us.

If He did that, how can we refuse to take up the shield of faith? How can refuse to believe that He is good and His way is good?

[PRAYER]