The Shield of Faith

Above all, [take] the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. —Ephesians 6:16 KJV

I would like to talk in greater depth about the “shield of faith,” which Paul admonishes us to take up “above all.” The phrase “above all” denotes priority. The question is, What is faith, and why is it so important?

We find the answer in the book of Hebrews:

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.… But without faith it is impossible to please him [God]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:1, 6)

The word “faith” in this passage is derived from the Greek word pistis, which means “conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God)”; “assurance, belief,…fidelity.” In other words, the writer of Hebrews is saying, faith is the firm persuasion and confidence that God’s Word is true.

Faith is one of the most important dimensions of the Christian life. It is “the substance of things hoped for.” This phrase is summed up in the Greek word hupostasis, which means “assurance.” In other words, faith is the “title deed” to every promise in the kingdom of God.

What does this have to do with spiritual warfare? Without confidence in God’s Word, we have no defense against the attacks of the evil one.

Faith is the supernatural key to releasing the promises and power of God in your life.

Why does Paul refer to faith as a shield? In ancient Rome, legionnaires (Roman soldiers) were equipped with large shields to protect themselves from head to toe in battle. Usually, these shields were made of leather or animal hide. They were extremely durable and nearly impenetrable, just as our faith ought to be as we enter into spiritual battle.

The Bible says that with the shield of faith, “ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” This is an allusion to the infamous “fiery darts” used during the time of the Roman Empire. A fiery dart was a spear soaked in a flammable liquid and launched into the formation of the enemy during battle. The Roman army was so advanced that they would saturate their shields in water, so that every time the flaming spears of their enemy were thrown, the wet shields would extinguish the flame.

Your faith acts as a supernatural shield, guarding your soul and protecting your spiritual life from penetration by the enemy. This is why a proper understanding of faith is so critical when it comes to spiritual warfare. The authority that God has given us to resist the evil one operates by faith in the Word of God. You must trust what God says about you! You must believe in your heart that greater is the One who lives in you than all the forces of darkness that surround you. Every time you confess God’s Word in faith, you put out yet another flaming dart from the enemy’s camp.

We hope this plan has encouraged you.