Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength
of his might. Put on the full armor of God so
that you will be able to stand firm against the
schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not
against flesh and blood, but against the rulers,
against the powers, against the world forces
of this darkness, against the spiritual forces
of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore,
take up the full armor of God so that you will
be able to resist in the evil day and having
done everything to stand firm. Stand firm, therefore,
having girded your loins with truth and having
put on the breastplate of righteousness and having
shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel
of peace. 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. And take
the helmet of salvation and the sword of the
Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer
and petition, pray at all times in the Spirit,
and with this in view, be on the alert. with
all perseverance and petition for all the saints.
And pray on my behalf that utterance may be given
to me in the opening of my mouth to make known
with boldness the mystery of the gospel. Let's
go to the Lord in prayer. Father, we come to
you this Lord's Day evening. Father, we ask tonight
that you would... Be in our midst that you would
bless the ministry of your word. Lord, that you
would use your truth to work in our hearts and
our minds. Lord, we ask that you would strengthen
our faith. Lord, we thank you for the life, death,
and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The glorious gospel of God. Lord, we ask that
you would... Remind us again of the great value
and blessing of the gospel for believers. We
ask these things in Christ's name. Amen. We are
picking up in our series on spiritual warfare.
the church at Ephesus, and he finishes with this
great imagery of the Christian life as a battle,
as warfare, as fighting. And the enemy in this
battle is not men, it's not flesh and blood,
but it is demonic in nature. It is spiritual.
in nature. He says, put on the full armor of
God so that you will be able to stand against
the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is
not against flesh and blood, but against the
rulers, against the powers, against the world
forces of this darkness, against the heavenly,
the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly
places. Now, naturally, if we are going to fight
in a spiritual we have to fight in a way that
is effective. We have to do battle in accord
with the nature and character of the battle itself.
It's one thing to fight flesh and blood. There's
physical ways to fight men. There are physical
ways to defend and oppose. Men in the flesh.
But how do you fight in a spiritual fashion?
In a spiritual manner? This is what Paul is concerned
with. And he teaches us that God has vested his
power for successful Christian living in these
virtues or these means, this armor, of God, and
that if a Christian is to stand firm and do battle,
they must fight in God's way, and that is with
God's armor. We've considered everything up to
verse 16 so far. In verse 16, we come to the
shield of faith. We read this, 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. Tonight, we have to consider
the shield of faith. We'll do this first by considering
the distinction of faith among the armor of God.
Notice in verse 16 that this is different than
everything else Paul has said about the other
pieces of armor so far. He adds more nuance.
He expands. He increases the size and the space
that he gives to this. He even gives the purpose
and the ability of the shield. He says this.
Taking up the shield of faith with which you
will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows
of the evil one. He expands on it. So there's
something different about the shield of faith
from all the others. Now it's also important
that we recognize there are various translations
of the first part of the verse. When we read
this at the very beginning of verse 16, it says
this, In addition to all. Now, that's translated
in a bunch of different ways. Some translations
say, Above all. Some translations say, In addition
to all. Some translations say, In all circumstances.
In the Greek, what it says is this. In all. That's
it. Nothing else. So the translator has to determine
what it is talking about or what it is referencing.
So is it referencing the other pieces of armor?
Or is it referencing the circumstances? I think
the best translation is from the NET, the New
English Translation. It says this, in all these,
or in all these things, referring to the previous
armor that has been discussed. I believe that
faith is being put forward as something that
is distinct. Largely because it is vital and
essential to the rest of the armor that Paul
has already elaborated on up to this point. So
that means that the shield of faith has reference
to the gospel shoes of peace and preparation.
That means that faith has reference to or it
relates to the righteousness of Christ. That
means that faith relates to the helmet of salvation
that will be spoken of later. That means that
faith relates to the truth that is to be wrapped
around your waist as a belt that you're supposed
to gird your loins with. That means that faith
relates and is essential and integral. to the
sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God
that's spoken of later. I believe that Paul is
talking about the essential nature and character
of faith to all the armor. Meaning you can't
put on the belt of truth if you don't believe
the truth. You can't appropriate the righteousness
of Christ in your life. if you don't believe
in the righteousness of Christ in your life by
faith. That means that you cannot be prepared
in the Gospel if you don't believe the realities
of the Gospel. That means that you can't wield
the sword of faith, which is the sword of the
Spirit, which is the Word of God, if it is not
by faith. If you take faith out, nothing else
works. I think that is what Paul is putting forward
here. There are so many Christians, truly, genuine,
born -again believers, who are living unhappy,
sad, despairing lives with no joy. With no peace.
There are so many Christians who are living their
lives in a sense in misery. Being overwhelmed
and dominated and controlled by so many various
things. And it's not always for lack of knowledge.
It's not always because of ignorance. Sometimes
and many times I believe it's due to lack. of
faith. They aren't believing what the Word of
God says regarding the forgiveness of sins. They
aren't believing what the Word of God says with
regards to who they are in Christ, that they
are a new creature in Christ Jesus. They don't
believe. And they aren't believing actively.
That God Himself indwells them. That sovereignty
dwells within them by the Spirit of God. That
He is changing them and transforming them. That
the same power that raised Christ from the dead
is at the disposal, in a sense, of the believer.
They don't believe that. They don't believe that
the Christian life can rightly be lived. That
holiness or godliness is actually feasible or
possible because of the strength and power of
corruption and sin. They're not believing the
gospel in a sense. Lack of faith, which the Lord
Jesus himself rebuked many, many times throughout
his ministry. Remember, the Lord Jesus said often,
ye of little faith. And he was rebuking his disciples
oftentimes. Lack of faith leads to all kinds
of spiritual maladies, brothers and sisters.
It opens the door for all kinds of spiritual
attacks. and spiritual influence by the devil,
by the enemy, by the spiritual forces in the
heavenly places, wicked and evil powers, dark
forces. Not believing the gospel opens the door
to many, many spiritual maladies and sicknesses
and diseases. And problems. And all sorts of
negative things that ought not to be. In the
life of the Christian. Stunted sanctification.
You don't grow as you ought to grow in the Christian
life. You don't ever seem to make any progress.
Or to make good big leaps. There doesn't seem
to be. Strong impressions of God's grace and
God's glory and the power of God in your life.
Stunted sanctification. There's no vital power
in your heart and life. There's a dullness. Almost
an indifference. A neutrality with regards to
spiritual things. Yeah, we default to moral uprightness
because that's how most of us have been raised.
But there's a lack or the absence of spiritual
zealousness in the Christian life, in your life,
in my life. There's spiritual stagnancy and superficiality.
is more prevalent than we'd like to admit. That
dominates us at times. There's backsliding. The
absence of warmth and delight in the things of
God. We all know these experiences. And some
of us know them more familiarly than others,
sadly, brothers and sisters. And oftentimes those
things are the result of lack of faith and spiritual
influence from the devil and his hordes in your
life and mine. Faith is essential and vital for
this warfare. If you are to live the Christian
life as you ought, one that is full of life and
full of power and full of grace and mercy and
progress and strength to strength, faith to faith,
brothers and sisters, then we must live by faith.
Faith is essential. So this leads us to another
thing, the nature of faith. As a protective shield.
This is why faith is so essential. Because faith
offers protection for your heart and your mind
and your soul and your spiritual life. And that's
what we find in this text. The image that Paul
uses is that of a Roman military shield. Now,
there is multiple kinds. The most common. was
a small shield that was circular that could be
used for hand -to -hand combat. That is not what
Paul is referring to here. But there was another
shield that was much larger. It covered the soldier's
body basically from his knees all the way up
to his shoulders or his head. It was very thick.
It would... be covered in water -soaked leather
just prior to battle. Sometimes it was carried
by an armor -bearer so that the military man
himself would be freed up to fight as he needed.
It was likely rounded. So you can imagine it's
big enough and it rounds. That it actually offers
some protection, not just from the front, but
it actually offers protection from the sides
as well. That a person could almost hide behind
this shield. Now, when all the soldiers had these,
they could almost barricade themselves. So they
could fortify themselves so that it was an impenetrable
force. Or space where the enemy couldn't get
inside. They could break open. They could spear.
They could use their swords as they needed. But
it was impenetrable in a very real way when they
locked arms and they came together like that.
So this is the image that Paul is using. A military
Roman shield. It's big. And it offers a lot of
protection and defensiveness with regards to
the enemy's attacks. Especially flaming arrows
or other devices that would be used. They would
either go off to the side or they would pierce
the leather and the fiery dart would be put out.
It would be extinguished. It would be deemed
useless with regards to the fight. So what is
the meaning of this image that Paul wants us
to understand? He wants us to recognize that
faith is a defense and protection against the
various demonic attacks in a Christian's life.
Faith itself is the shield. we talk about faith
in this context, in this instance, when Paul
uses this word, the shield of faith. What is
he referring to with regards to faith? Is he
referring to the faith, once for all, handed
down to the saints, the objective faith in this
case? No, I don't believe that he is. He's referring
to subjective, active trust. and confidence in
God and His Word. I believe that that is what
he's referring to in this instance. Paul actually
uses the word faith throughout the book of Ephesians
many times, and he references it on several occasions.
In Ephesians 1 and 2, we really see that faith
is the means of... In verse 13 of chapter 1,
we read this. In him you also, after listening
to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation,
having also believed, you are sealed in him with
the Holy Spirit of promise. So he's talking about
faith. Trusting in the promise. Trusting in the
message. Of the gospel. We read in chapter 2.
That faith is given. We read this in chapter
2 verse 8. For by grace you have been saved.
Through faith. And that not of yourselves. It
is the gift of God. Faith is something that is
God given. It is a grace. And it is something
that God gives that man exercises and possesses
once God gives it. It's the result of regeneration
and the new birth. In a sense, it's the sovereign
working of the spirit in the life of the believer.
So he's talking about faith that God has given
to believers. But we also see that Paul refers
to faith as... Union with Christ in a sense in
chapter 3. We read this starting in verse 16.
We'll start reading in verse 14 of chapter 3.
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,
from whom every family in heaven and on earth
derives its name, that he would grant you, according
to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened
with power, through His Spirit, in the inner
man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts
through faith, and that you, being rooted and
grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with
all the saints what is the breadth and the length
and the height and the depth, and to know the
love of Christ, which surpasses knowledge, that
you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
In this text, Paul is talking about something
experiential and subjective in the life of the
believer. In chapter 1 and 2, we already see
these objective, glorious realities that are
true objectively of believers. In chapter 3,
he teaches us that it is by faith that we actually
enjoy the... presence of Christ in our lives
experientially, that we grow in assurance and
maturity, that we grow in strength. Chapter 3,
he's writing to Ephesians, to the Christians,
brothers and sisters. He wants Christ to dwell
in their hearts, but doesn't Christ already dwell
in their hearts? Yes, but he wants them to know
the presence. Of Christ in their life. In greater
measure. In greater ways. In greater degrees.
And how does that take place? By faith. We also
see. That faith. Is our means of access. To God.
In verse 12. Of chapter 3. In whom we have boldness.
And confident access. Through faith in him. Now
notice in this text. That Paul is using this
idea of boldness. And confidence. And it is through
faith. That we have access to the father. That
is something that is active. That is something
that is not passive. Believing. is something
that is very, very active in the life of the
believer, especially as Paul talks about it in
Ephesians chapter 6. Now, the Old Testament talks
about trusting in the Lord a great deal. The
New Testament talks about trusting in the Lord
Jesus and trusting in God a great deal. Trusting
in the Word of God a great deal. We could think
about Proverbs chapter 3. Trust in the Lord.
We could think about many of the other Psalms.
We could think about Jeremiah chapter 17, verses
7 and 8. All of these picture something that
is active. The exertion of the will, the mind,
and the affections to rest in God and His Word.
In theology, scholars and theologians throughout
the century have referred to faith in two ways.
They talk about the habit of faith. In Latin,
it would be habitus fide, so the habit of faith.
But they've also talked about the... The act
of faith. Or in Latin. Actus fide. So there's
the habit. And there's the act of faith. One
we would say is the principle of faith. Something
that God gives. It creates the potentiality and
the possibility. For the exertion. or the exercise
of faith in a person's life. But it's not the
same as actively believing. That's the act of
faith. We can almost think about it in the sense
of a seed and something that has fruit. There's
a big difference. The text in Ephesians 6 where
it talks about taking up the shield. is referring
to the act of faith. Exercising one's faith.
It's not enough to merely possess or have the
principle of faith in one's life, but a person
must exercise the faith that God has given them.
They must consciously Exert their mind to believe
what God has said. The act of faith. That's what
Paul is speaking of when he talks about taking
up the shield of faith. So we learn from this
text that faith is protective and defensive in
the life of the believer. The protective and
defensive faith that we so long for and we so
need must be active faith. We must believe actively
the promises and the realities of the gospel.
But, if you do this, this text Promises us something.
Listen to what Paul says. He says this. Taking
up the shield of faith with which you will be
able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of
the evil. He doesn't say you may or you might
or you could. No, you will. It's referring to
the efficacy of picking up the shield. It refers
to the efficacy that follows picking up the shield
by faith, we could say. There's absolute certainty
that if you take up the shield, you will extinguish
all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Faith.
is comprehensive and effective at stopping the
attacks of the devil in your life with regards
to these flaming arrows that Paul talks about.
So what are these attacks which faith defends
against? Well, we know a little bit about how
the devil works generally. We've touched on this
several times as we've considered this. Pastor
Josh touched on this in catechism this morning.
The devil is referred to and given the title
and the name of the liar, the accuser, and the
tempter throughout the Bible. We read in Ephesians
chapter 6 that his methods are called schemes.
Tactics. Deceitful, subtle strategies that are
planned out. That have intention and purpose
behind them. They oftentimes don't, they aren't
what they appear to be. Because the Bible teaches
that he comes as an angel of light. That he is
not what he appears to be. And the same is true
with his tactics and his wiles and his methods.
But here in this text, specifically, they are
referred to as the flaming arrows of the evil
one. We might think that arrows would be enough.
If someone is shooting a bow at another person
attempting to kill them, trying to end their
life with malice and a forethought. An arrow
is one way of doing it, right? And the arrow
is the weapon. But that's not all that's present
in this case. It's not just a deadly arrow that
can pierce through a man's heart, but it's a
flaming deadly arrow that can pierce through
a man's heart. And kill them. There is malice.
There is hatred. It's meant to burn. Brothers
and sisters. He doesn't just want the piercing.
He wants the pain. And the consequences that
come with it. There's malice and a forethought.
And I have to think that Paul. Wants us to know
that the attack. corresponds to the nature of
the defense. So what are these flaming arrows
that are spoken of? Well, if faith is the shield,
then what would the attack be? Doubt. Lack of
faith. Lack of assurance. Uncertainty. Shame.
And guilt. You see, the devil doesn't just work
in clear, overt ways, brothers and sisters. He
can harm a person long -term for years. He can
harm a church long -term for years if he can
get unforgiveness and guilt and shame in a person's
heart and wrap it all up in a pretty box called
pride. He can do a great deal of damage in a
person's life by getting them to constantly question,
am I really forgiven? Is this all really worth
it? Is God really good? Will he carry through?
Are his promises real and true? Doubt, fear,
anxiety, worry. How many Christians have been
completely sidelined as a result of being consumed
with fearfulness and worry in their lives, overcome
by guilt and shame in their lives? Or discouragement
and despair and being downcast. Temptation. If
the devil can convince a young person or an old
person that this is what I really need right
now, that this is what is really good for me
in this moment, not... holiness, not godliness,
not Christ, not the presence of God, but this.
Whatever it might be. That's what I really need.
Then brothers and sisters, we have to ask whether
or not we are believing what God has said regarding
the gospel. Here you are. What Christ has done.
Who you are in Christ and what is true of us
because of Christ. The work of Christ and his
active and his passive obedience. His life, his
death and his resurrection. The devil wants you
to question and to distort your understanding
of reality, God, the gospel. the promises, and
the nature and character of God's truth. He wants
to distort all of that in your thinking. He wants
to pervert all of that in your heart so that
you don't clearly think about those realities.
So that you don't apply those realities in your
life. So that you do doubt. So that you do fear.
So that you are overwhelmed with anxiety and
worry and stress and dread. So that you are overcome
with guilt and shame and discouragement and despair.
So that you do cave to temptation. Or that trials
make you bitter instead of holy. And make you
more near to Christ. All kinds of things, brothers
and sisters. The devil works woe into our life.
any number of ways. But faith is the Christian's
response. We must respond with the shield. Hiding
behind the shield. Standing behind the shield.
Faith protects and defends. Against all the attacks
of the devil. Faith in God and his word. And
the promises of the gospel. They are the remedy
brothers and sisters. For all those spiritual
maladies in your heart. The remedy. For every
spiritual malady of the soul which the devil
incites, induces, or encourages or inflicts,
what's the remedy? Believing the truth of the
gospel concerning Jesus Christ. That's the remedy.
Believing the work of the gospel. The truth concerning
who Christ is and what He has done. The reason
the shield is impenetrable, brothers and sisters,
is because the promises contain an impeccable
Savior. The reason the shield is impenetrable
is because they contain promises concerning an
impeccable Savior, Jesus Christ. His impeccable
life. His impeccable death. Everything about
him is perfect and complete and done. It's because
faith lays hold of these promises that the truth
presents to the believer. So, what does that
mean? How do we? Believe the gospel when the
devil shoots these arrowy darts and arrows at
us. Well, brothers and sisters, when you start
to doubt, believe justification by faith. When
you start to ask, am I really forgiven in Christ?
Is my sin covered? Brothers and sisters, remember
the passive obedience of Jesus Christ on the
cross. Was his sacrifice sufficient? When you
start to have issues in your Christian life and
wonder, is there really adequate resources in
heaven for me? To be changed and transformed?
For me to persevere unto the end? For me to get
to glory? For me to be glorified? For me to be
brought into heaven with God in Christ? Is there
sufficient and adequate power for that? Then
look at the resurrection of Jesus Christ and
the perfect holy life of Jesus Christ. Christ
the remedy for all of these issues. Just believe
it, brothers and sisters. When fear and anxiety
and worry set in in your life, remember who God
is. What God is like. Remember that the cross
happened according to the predetermined plan.
of God, that he's sovereign over redemption,
that he's sovereignly superintended and accomplished
the gospel, and that all of these things, whether
they be temptation, trial, fear, anxiety, worry,
doubt, lack, all of those things, every single
last one of them, because God is sovereign, uses
them and works them for my good as a believer.
Every single one. The gospel is very much like
a diamond. You pick it up and it reflects light.
You turn it a little bit and the light reflects
differently. When the devil comes in with whatever
it is, when warfare takes place in your life,
You hold up that diamond, brothers and sisters,
the gospel of Christ. His life, death, His work,
His person. And you turn it until you find the
remedy. And let that light shine on you. You
just have to find it. You look at the gospel.
And you look at the malady in your heart. How
can Christ? His life, His death, His resurrection,
the work of the Spirit. How do these things act
as balm for my soul? So, when the devil attacks,
the believer responds in faith with God's Word.
That, brothers and sisters, is what it means
to take up the shield of faith.