WEBVTT 00:00:10.029 --> 00:00:13.490 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength 00:00:13.490 --> 00:00:17.829 of his might. Put on the full armor of God so 00:00:17.829 --> 00:00:20.250 that you will be able to stand firm against the 00:00:20.250 --> 00:00:24.550 schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not 00:00:24.550 --> 00:00:27.949 against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, 00:00:28.170 --> 00:00:31.070 against the powers, against the world forces 00:00:31.070 --> 00:00:35.030 of this darkness, against the spiritual forces 00:00:35.030 --> 00:00:40.450 of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, 00:00:40.509 --> 00:00:43.990 take up the full armor of God so that you will 00:00:43.990 --> 00:00:47.590 be able to resist in the evil day and having 00:00:47.590 --> 00:00:53.210 done everything to stand firm. Stand firm, therefore, 00:00:53.229 --> 00:00:57.369 having girded your loins with truth and having 00:00:57.369 --> 00:01:00.530 put on the breastplate of righteousness and having 00:01:00.530 --> 00:01:03.469 shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel 00:01:03.469 --> 00:01:09.599 of peace. In addition to all, taking up the shield 00:01:09.599 --> 00:01:14.180 of faith, with which you will be able to extinguish 00:01:14.180 --> 00:01:19.760 all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take 00:01:19.760 --> 00:01:22.739 the helmet of salvation and the sword of the 00:01:22.739 --> 00:01:27.340 Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer 00:01:27.340 --> 00:01:31.200 and petition, pray at all times in the Spirit, 00:01:31.319 --> 00:01:35.549 and with this in view, be on the alert. with 00:01:35.549 --> 00:01:39.510 all perseverance and petition for all the saints. 00:01:39.930 --> 00:01:43.430 And pray on my behalf that utterance may be given 00:01:43.430 --> 00:01:46.670 to me in the opening of my mouth to make known 00:01:46.670 --> 00:01:51.170 with boldness the mystery of the gospel. Let's 00:01:51.170 --> 00:01:55.250 go to the Lord in prayer. Father, we come to 00:01:55.250 --> 00:02:00.709 you this Lord's Day evening. Father, we ask tonight 00:02:00.709 --> 00:02:03.900 that you would... Be in our midst that you would 00:02:03.900 --> 00:02:06.859 bless the ministry of your word. Lord, that you 00:02:06.859 --> 00:02:09.419 would use your truth to work in our hearts and 00:02:09.419 --> 00:02:14.300 our minds. Lord, we ask that you would strengthen 00:02:14.300 --> 00:02:19.180 our faith. Lord, we thank you for the life, death, 00:02:19.419 --> 00:02:22.699 and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:02:23.520 --> 00:02:28.080 The glorious gospel of God. Lord, we ask that 00:02:28.080 --> 00:02:32.699 you would... Remind us again of the great value 00:02:32.699 --> 00:02:37.379 and blessing of the gospel for believers. We 00:02:37.379 --> 00:02:43.780 ask these things in Christ's name. Amen. We are 00:02:43.780 --> 00:02:48.979 picking up in our series on spiritual warfare. 00:02:59.129 --> 00:03:04.629 the church at Ephesus, and he finishes with this 00:03:04.629 --> 00:03:09.449 great imagery of the Christian life as a battle, 00:03:09.569 --> 00:03:16.229 as warfare, as fighting. And the enemy in this 00:03:16.229 --> 00:03:21.050 battle is not men, it's not flesh and blood, 00:03:21.250 --> 00:03:27.069 but it is demonic in nature. It is spiritual. 00:03:28.009 --> 00:03:31.430 in nature. He says, put on the full armor of 00:03:31.430 --> 00:03:33.490 God so that you will be able to stand against 00:03:33.490 --> 00:03:37.530 the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is 00:03:37.530 --> 00:03:40.509 not against flesh and blood, but against the 00:03:40.509 --> 00:03:43.449 rulers, against the powers, against the world 00:03:43.449 --> 00:03:46.370 forces of this darkness, against the heavenly, 00:03:46.550 --> 00:03:50.150 the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly 00:03:50.150 --> 00:03:56.030 places. Now, naturally, if we are going to fight 00:03:56.030 --> 00:04:01.479 in a spiritual we have to fight in a way that 00:04:01.479 --> 00:04:06.360 is effective. We have to do battle in accord 00:04:06.360 --> 00:04:11.240 with the nature and character of the battle itself. 00:04:11.919 --> 00:04:17.980 It's one thing to fight flesh and blood. There's 00:04:17.980 --> 00:04:22.740 physical ways to fight men. There are physical 00:04:22.740 --> 00:04:27.779 ways to defend and oppose. Men in the flesh. 00:04:28.100 --> 00:04:33.879 But how do you fight in a spiritual fashion? 00:04:34.279 --> 00:04:40.000 In a spiritual manner? This is what Paul is concerned 00:04:40.000 --> 00:04:45.100 with. And he teaches us that God has vested his 00:04:45.100 --> 00:04:51.339 power for successful Christian living in these 00:04:51.339 --> 00:04:57.720 virtues or these means, this armor, of God, and 00:04:57.720 --> 00:05:03.879 that if a Christian is to stand firm and do battle, 00:05:04.180 --> 00:05:08.019 they must fight in God's way, and that is with 00:05:08.019 --> 00:05:14.959 God's armor. We've considered everything up to 00:05:14.959 --> 00:05:20.660 verse 16 so far. In verse 16, we come to the 00:05:20.660 --> 00:05:25.199 shield of faith. We read this, in addition to 00:05:25.199 --> 00:05:28.980 all, taking up the shield of faith with which 00:05:28.980 --> 00:05:33.480 you will be able to extinguish all the flaming 00:05:33.480 --> 00:05:38.699 arrows of the evil one. Tonight, we have to consider 00:05:38.699 --> 00:05:43.620 the shield of faith. We'll do this first by considering 00:05:43.620 --> 00:05:50.199 the distinction of faith among the armor of God. 00:05:50.959 --> 00:05:56.500 Notice in verse 16 that this is different than 00:05:56.500 --> 00:06:00.019 everything else Paul has said about the other 00:06:00.019 --> 00:06:06.459 pieces of armor so far. He adds more nuance. 00:06:06.459 --> 00:06:10.800 He expands. He increases the size and the space 00:06:10.800 --> 00:06:14.319 that he gives to this. He even gives the purpose 00:06:14.319 --> 00:06:17.980 and the ability of the shield. He says this. 00:06:19.149 --> 00:06:22.129 Taking up the shield of faith with which you 00:06:22.129 --> 00:06:26.750 will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows 00:06:26.750 --> 00:06:31.610 of the evil one. He expands on it. So there's 00:06:31.610 --> 00:06:34.750 something different about the shield of faith 00:06:34.750 --> 00:06:39.110 from all the others. Now it's also important 00:06:39.110 --> 00:06:43.209 that we recognize there are various translations 00:06:43.209 --> 00:06:49.220 of the first part of the verse. When we read 00:06:49.220 --> 00:06:52.139 this at the very beginning of verse 16, it says 00:06:52.139 --> 00:06:58.300 this, In addition to all. Now, that's translated 00:06:58.300 --> 00:07:02.720 in a bunch of different ways. Some translations 00:07:02.720 --> 00:07:11.819 say, Above all. Some translations say, In addition 00:07:11.819 --> 00:07:17.709 to all. Some translations say, In all circumstances. 00:07:18.610 --> 00:07:24.910 In the Greek, what it says is this. In all. That's 00:07:24.910 --> 00:07:31.050 it. Nothing else. So the translator has to determine 00:07:31.050 --> 00:07:35.209 what it is talking about or what it is referencing. 00:07:35.790 --> 00:07:38.910 So is it referencing the other pieces of armor? 00:07:39.730 --> 00:07:44.120 Or is it referencing the circumstances? I think 00:07:44.120 --> 00:07:47.199 the best translation is from the NET, the New 00:07:47.199 --> 00:07:51.779 English Translation. It says this, in all these, 00:07:51.980 --> 00:07:57.860 or in all these things, referring to the previous 00:07:57.860 --> 00:08:04.060 armor that has been discussed. I believe that 00:08:04.060 --> 00:08:06.519 faith is being put forward as something that 00:08:06.519 --> 00:08:11.990 is distinct. Largely because it is vital and 00:08:11.990 --> 00:08:18.930 essential to the rest of the armor that Paul 00:08:18.930 --> 00:08:25.970 has already elaborated on up to this point. So 00:08:25.970 --> 00:08:29.790 that means that the shield of faith has reference 00:08:29.790 --> 00:08:33.789 to the gospel shoes of peace and preparation. 00:08:34.269 --> 00:08:40.129 That means that faith has reference to or it 00:08:40.129 --> 00:08:44.590 relates to the righteousness of Christ. That 00:08:44.590 --> 00:08:48.490 means that faith relates to the helmet of salvation 00:08:48.490 --> 00:08:52.230 that will be spoken of later. That means that 00:08:52.230 --> 00:08:57.370 faith relates to the truth that is to be wrapped 00:08:57.370 --> 00:09:00.529 around your waist as a belt that you're supposed 00:09:00.529 --> 00:09:03.250 to gird your loins with. That means that faith 00:09:03.250 --> 00:09:07.389 relates and is essential and integral. to the 00:09:07.389 --> 00:09:09.970 sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God 00:09:09.970 --> 00:09:14.929 that's spoken of later. I believe that Paul is 00:09:14.929 --> 00:09:18.570 talking about the essential nature and character 00:09:18.570 --> 00:09:24.610 of faith to all the armor. Meaning you can't 00:09:24.610 --> 00:09:28.570 put on the belt of truth if you don't believe 00:09:28.570 --> 00:09:33.429 the truth. You can't appropriate the righteousness 00:09:33.429 --> 00:09:36.379 of Christ in your life. if you don't believe 00:09:36.379 --> 00:09:41.960 in the righteousness of Christ in your life by 00:09:41.960 --> 00:09:46.059 faith. That means that you cannot be prepared 00:09:46.059 --> 00:09:50.159 in the Gospel if you don't believe the realities 00:09:50.159 --> 00:09:53.580 of the Gospel. That means that you can't wield 00:09:53.580 --> 00:09:59.019 the sword of faith, which is the sword of the 00:09:59.019 --> 00:10:01.679 Spirit, which is the Word of God, if it is not 00:10:01.679 --> 00:10:08.080 by faith. If you take faith out, nothing else 00:10:08.080 --> 00:10:14.639 works. I think that is what Paul is putting forward 00:10:14.639 --> 00:10:19.940 here. There are so many Christians, truly, genuine, 00:10:20.379 --> 00:10:25.700 born -again believers, who are living unhappy, 00:10:26.279 --> 00:10:36.340 sad, despairing lives with no joy. With no peace. 00:10:37.379 --> 00:10:42.620 There are so many Christians who are living their 00:10:42.620 --> 00:10:46.100 lives in a sense in misery. Being overwhelmed 00:10:46.100 --> 00:10:50.220 and dominated and controlled by so many various 00:10:50.220 --> 00:10:55.080 things. And it's not always for lack of knowledge. 00:10:56.539 --> 00:11:01.059 It's not always because of ignorance. Sometimes 00:11:01.059 --> 00:11:05.740 and many times I believe it's due to lack. of 00:11:05.740 --> 00:11:12.940 faith. They aren't believing what the Word of 00:11:12.940 --> 00:11:18.120 God says regarding the forgiveness of sins. They 00:11:18.120 --> 00:11:21.019 aren't believing what the Word of God says with 00:11:21.019 --> 00:11:24.179 regards to who they are in Christ, that they 00:11:24.179 --> 00:11:28.820 are a new creature in Christ Jesus. They don't 00:11:28.820 --> 00:11:32.340 believe. And they aren't believing actively. 00:11:33.679 --> 00:11:37.940 That God Himself indwells them. That sovereignty 00:11:37.940 --> 00:11:41.240 dwells within them by the Spirit of God. That 00:11:41.240 --> 00:11:45.860 He is changing them and transforming them. That 00:11:45.860 --> 00:11:48.840 the same power that raised Christ from the dead 00:11:48.840 --> 00:11:54.080 is at the disposal, in a sense, of the believer. 00:11:54.120 --> 00:11:59.039 They don't believe that. They don't believe that 00:11:59.039 --> 00:12:04.120 the Christian life can rightly be lived. That 00:12:04.120 --> 00:12:07.960 holiness or godliness is actually feasible or 00:12:07.960 --> 00:12:11.980 possible because of the strength and power of 00:12:11.980 --> 00:12:17.019 corruption and sin. They're not believing the 00:12:17.019 --> 00:12:23.000 gospel in a sense. Lack of faith, which the Lord 00:12:23.000 --> 00:12:30.039 Jesus himself rebuked many, many times throughout 00:12:30.039 --> 00:12:33.659 his ministry. Remember, the Lord Jesus said often, 00:12:33.820 --> 00:12:41.179 ye of little faith. And he was rebuking his disciples 00:12:41.179 --> 00:12:47.340 oftentimes. Lack of faith leads to all kinds 00:12:47.340 --> 00:12:51.960 of spiritual maladies, brothers and sisters. 00:12:52.299 --> 00:12:57.460 It opens the door for all kinds of spiritual 00:12:57.460 --> 00:13:04.250 attacks. and spiritual influence by the devil, 00:13:04.370 --> 00:13:10.750 by the enemy, by the spiritual forces in the 00:13:10.750 --> 00:13:15.210 heavenly places, wicked and evil powers, dark 00:13:15.210 --> 00:13:21.809 forces. Not believing the gospel opens the door 00:13:21.809 --> 00:13:28.230 to many, many spiritual maladies and sicknesses 00:13:28.230 --> 00:13:33.759 and diseases. And problems. And all sorts of 00:13:33.759 --> 00:13:38.279 negative things that ought not to be. In the 00:13:38.279 --> 00:13:42.960 life of the Christian. Stunted sanctification. 00:13:46.059 --> 00:13:50.440 You don't grow as you ought to grow in the Christian 00:13:50.440 --> 00:13:53.340 life. You don't ever seem to make any progress. 00:13:54.940 --> 00:13:59.000 Or to make good big leaps. There doesn't seem 00:13:59.000 --> 00:14:03.610 to be. Strong impressions of God's grace and 00:14:03.610 --> 00:14:07.049 God's glory and the power of God in your life. 00:14:09.549 --> 00:14:15.429 Stunted sanctification. There's no vital power 00:14:15.429 --> 00:14:21.629 in your heart and life. There's a dullness. Almost 00:14:21.629 --> 00:14:26.450 an indifference. A neutrality with regards to 00:14:26.450 --> 00:14:32.450 spiritual things. Yeah, we default to moral uprightness 00:14:32.450 --> 00:14:34.669 because that's how most of us have been raised. 00:14:36.029 --> 00:14:39.049 But there's a lack or the absence of spiritual 00:14:39.049 --> 00:14:44.470 zealousness in the Christian life, in your life, 00:14:44.549 --> 00:14:52.129 in my life. There's spiritual stagnancy and superficiality. 00:14:54.639 --> 00:14:59.539 is more prevalent than we'd like to admit. That 00:14:59.539 --> 00:15:04.559 dominates us at times. There's backsliding. The 00:15:04.559 --> 00:15:08.399 absence of warmth and delight in the things of 00:15:08.399 --> 00:15:15.139 God. We all know these experiences. And some 00:15:15.139 --> 00:15:18.799 of us know them more familiarly than others, 00:15:18.879 --> 00:15:24.320 sadly, brothers and sisters. And oftentimes those 00:15:24.320 --> 00:15:31.539 things are the result of lack of faith and spiritual 00:15:31.539 --> 00:15:40.700 influence from the devil and his hordes in your 00:15:40.700 --> 00:15:49.159 life and mine. Faith is essential and vital for 00:15:49.159 --> 00:15:53.580 this warfare. If you are to live the Christian 00:15:53.580 --> 00:15:59.980 life as you ought, one that is full of life and 00:15:59.980 --> 00:16:04.100 full of power and full of grace and mercy and 00:16:04.100 --> 00:16:08.259 progress and strength to strength, faith to faith, 00:16:08.480 --> 00:16:13.120 brothers and sisters, then we must live by faith. 00:16:14.080 --> 00:16:18.620 Faith is essential. So this leads us to another 00:16:18.620 --> 00:16:23.570 thing, the nature of faith. As a protective shield. 00:16:24.429 --> 00:16:28.929 This is why faith is so essential. Because faith 00:16:28.929 --> 00:16:34.350 offers protection for your heart and your mind 00:16:34.350 --> 00:16:38.529 and your soul and your spiritual life. And that's 00:16:38.529 --> 00:16:43.049 what we find in this text. The image that Paul 00:16:43.049 --> 00:16:47.649 uses is that of a Roman military shield. Now, 00:16:47.669 --> 00:16:52.860 there is multiple kinds. The most common. was 00:16:52.860 --> 00:16:56.779 a small shield that was circular that could be 00:16:56.779 --> 00:17:00.419 used for hand -to -hand combat. That is not what 00:17:00.419 --> 00:17:04.180 Paul is referring to here. But there was another 00:17:04.180 --> 00:17:08.619 shield that was much larger. It covered the soldier's 00:17:08.619 --> 00:17:12.220 body basically from his knees all the way up 00:17:12.220 --> 00:17:17.400 to his shoulders or his head. It was very thick. 00:17:18.240 --> 00:17:23.660 It would... be covered in water -soaked leather 00:17:23.660 --> 00:17:28.859 just prior to battle. Sometimes it was carried 00:17:28.859 --> 00:17:34.720 by an armor -bearer so that the military man 00:17:34.720 --> 00:17:38.079 himself would be freed up to fight as he needed. 00:17:38.460 --> 00:17:44.200 It was likely rounded. So you can imagine it's 00:17:44.200 --> 00:17:49.789 big enough and it rounds. That it actually offers 00:17:49.789 --> 00:17:53.170 some protection, not just from the front, but 00:17:53.170 --> 00:17:56.109 it actually offers protection from the sides 00:17:56.109 --> 00:17:59.970 as well. That a person could almost hide behind 00:17:59.970 --> 00:18:05.250 this shield. Now, when all the soldiers had these, 00:18:05.450 --> 00:18:10.970 they could almost barricade themselves. So they 00:18:10.970 --> 00:18:15.170 could fortify themselves so that it was an impenetrable 00:18:15.170 --> 00:18:22.839 force. Or space where the enemy couldn't get 00:18:22.839 --> 00:18:26.279 inside. They could break open. They could spear. 00:18:26.500 --> 00:18:28.819 They could use their swords as they needed. But 00:18:28.819 --> 00:18:34.099 it was impenetrable in a very real way when they 00:18:34.099 --> 00:18:37.900 locked arms and they came together like that. 00:18:38.480 --> 00:18:43.059 So this is the image that Paul is using. A military 00:18:43.059 --> 00:18:49.769 Roman shield. It's big. And it offers a lot of 00:18:49.769 --> 00:18:53.869 protection and defensiveness with regards to 00:18:53.869 --> 00:18:59.269 the enemy's attacks. Especially flaming arrows 00:18:59.269 --> 00:19:03.529 or other devices that would be used. They would 00:19:03.529 --> 00:19:06.670 either go off to the side or they would pierce 00:19:06.670 --> 00:19:10.630 the leather and the fiery dart would be put out. 00:19:10.710 --> 00:19:13.769 It would be extinguished. It would be deemed 00:19:13.769 --> 00:19:17.559 useless with regards to the fight. So what is 00:19:17.559 --> 00:19:20.099 the meaning of this image that Paul wants us 00:19:20.099 --> 00:19:25.160 to understand? He wants us to recognize that 00:19:25.160 --> 00:19:32.720 faith is a defense and protection against the 00:19:32.720 --> 00:19:38.519 various demonic attacks in a Christian's life. 00:19:39.460 --> 00:19:46.029 Faith itself is the shield. we talk about faith 00:19:46.029 --> 00:19:50.230 in this context, in this instance, when Paul 00:19:50.230 --> 00:19:55.210 uses this word, the shield of faith. What is 00:19:55.210 --> 00:19:59.450 he referring to with regards to faith? Is he 00:19:59.450 --> 00:20:03.730 referring to the faith, once for all, handed 00:20:03.730 --> 00:20:06.990 down to the saints, the objective faith in this 00:20:06.990 --> 00:20:10.609 case? No, I don't believe that he is. He's referring 00:20:10.609 --> 00:20:16.589 to subjective, active trust. and confidence in 00:20:16.589 --> 00:20:22.630 God and His Word. I believe that that is what 00:20:22.630 --> 00:20:27.690 he's referring to in this instance. Paul actually 00:20:27.690 --> 00:20:31.430 uses the word faith throughout the book of Ephesians 00:20:31.430 --> 00:20:34.990 many times, and he references it on several occasions. 00:20:35.849 --> 00:20:41.289 In Ephesians 1 and 2, we really see that faith 00:20:41.289 --> 00:20:49.099 is the means of... In verse 13 of chapter 1, 00:20:49.180 --> 00:20:55.160 we read this. In him you also, after listening 00:20:55.160 --> 00:20:58.359 to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation, 00:20:58.660 --> 00:21:03.339 having also believed, you are sealed in him with 00:21:03.339 --> 00:21:07.099 the Holy Spirit of promise. So he's talking about 00:21:07.099 --> 00:21:12.240 faith. Trusting in the promise. Trusting in the 00:21:12.240 --> 00:21:16.500 message. Of the gospel. We read in chapter 2. 00:21:17.920 --> 00:21:22.660 That faith is given. We read this in chapter 00:21:22.660 --> 00:21:26.640 2 verse 8. For by grace you have been saved. 00:21:26.660 --> 00:21:32.359 Through faith. And that not of yourselves. It 00:21:32.359 --> 00:21:36.259 is the gift of God. Faith is something that is 00:21:36.259 --> 00:21:41.519 God given. It is a grace. And it is something 00:21:41.519 --> 00:21:46.940 that God gives that man exercises and possesses 00:21:46.940 --> 00:21:50.200 once God gives it. It's the result of regeneration 00:21:50.200 --> 00:21:53.460 and the new birth. In a sense, it's the sovereign 00:21:53.460 --> 00:21:58.119 working of the spirit in the life of the believer. 00:21:59.279 --> 00:22:04.019 So he's talking about faith that God has given 00:22:04.019 --> 00:22:08.359 to believers. But we also see that Paul refers 00:22:08.359 --> 00:22:12.240 to faith as... Union with Christ in a sense in 00:22:12.240 --> 00:22:16.359 chapter 3. We read this starting in verse 16. 00:22:18.319 --> 00:22:21.960 We'll start reading in verse 14 of chapter 3. 00:22:22.299 --> 00:22:25.420 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 00:22:25.640 --> 00:22:29.539 from whom every family in heaven and on earth 00:22:29.539 --> 00:22:33.680 derives its name, that he would grant you, according 00:22:33.680 --> 00:22:37.900 to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened 00:22:37.900 --> 00:22:42.440 with power, through His Spirit, in the inner 00:22:42.440 --> 00:22:47.339 man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts 00:22:47.339 --> 00:22:50.940 through faith, and that you, being rooted and 00:22:50.940 --> 00:22:54.059 grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with 00:22:54.059 --> 00:22:56.819 all the saints what is the breadth and the length 00:22:56.819 --> 00:22:59.440 and the height and the depth, and to know the 00:22:59.440 --> 00:23:03.500 love of Christ, which surpasses knowledge, that 00:23:03.500 --> 00:23:07.180 you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. 00:23:08.359 --> 00:23:12.480 In this text, Paul is talking about something 00:23:12.480 --> 00:23:17.140 experiential and subjective in the life of the 00:23:17.140 --> 00:23:21.380 believer. In chapter 1 and 2, we already see 00:23:21.380 --> 00:23:24.660 these objective, glorious realities that are 00:23:24.660 --> 00:23:29.799 true objectively of believers. In chapter 3, 00:23:30.180 --> 00:23:35.799 he teaches us that it is by faith that we actually 00:23:35.799 --> 00:23:41.099 enjoy the... presence of Christ in our lives 00:23:41.099 --> 00:23:44.619 experientially, that we grow in assurance and 00:23:44.619 --> 00:23:49.559 maturity, that we grow in strength. Chapter 3, 00:23:49.759 --> 00:23:54.119 he's writing to Ephesians, to the Christians, 00:23:54.180 --> 00:23:57.200 brothers and sisters. He wants Christ to dwell 00:23:57.200 --> 00:24:00.339 in their hearts, but doesn't Christ already dwell 00:24:00.339 --> 00:24:04.539 in their hearts? Yes, but he wants them to know 00:24:04.539 --> 00:24:09.119 the presence. Of Christ in their life. In greater 00:24:09.119 --> 00:24:13.079 measure. In greater ways. In greater degrees. 00:24:13.220 --> 00:24:19.259 And how does that take place? By faith. We also 00:24:19.259 --> 00:24:26.279 see. That faith. Is our means of access. To God. 00:24:26.420 --> 00:24:32.539 In verse 12. Of chapter 3. In whom we have boldness. 00:24:32.859 --> 00:24:39.079 And confident access. Through faith in him. Now 00:24:39.079 --> 00:24:43.779 notice in this text. That Paul is using this 00:24:43.779 --> 00:24:49.640 idea of boldness. And confidence. And it is through 00:24:49.640 --> 00:24:55.680 faith. That we have access to the father. That 00:24:55.680 --> 00:24:59.720 is something that is active. That is something 00:24:59.720 --> 00:25:05.119 that is not passive. Believing. is something 00:25:05.119 --> 00:25:10.839 that is very, very active in the life of the 00:25:10.839 --> 00:25:15.359 believer, especially as Paul talks about it in 00:25:15.359 --> 00:25:19.559 Ephesians chapter 6. Now, the Old Testament talks 00:25:19.559 --> 00:25:24.660 about trusting in the Lord a great deal. The 00:25:24.660 --> 00:25:27.000 New Testament talks about trusting in the Lord 00:25:27.000 --> 00:25:31.019 Jesus and trusting in God a great deal. Trusting 00:25:31.019 --> 00:25:34.579 in the Word of God a great deal. We could think 00:25:34.579 --> 00:25:37.539 about Proverbs chapter 3. Trust in the Lord. 00:25:38.279 --> 00:25:41.299 We could think about many of the other Psalms. 00:25:41.319 --> 00:25:45.519 We could think about Jeremiah chapter 17, verses 00:25:45.519 --> 00:25:49.279 7 and 8. All of these picture something that 00:25:49.279 --> 00:25:55.940 is active. The exertion of the will, the mind, 00:25:55.940 --> 00:26:02.920 and the affections to rest in God and His Word. 00:26:04.750 --> 00:26:12.269 In theology, scholars and theologians throughout 00:26:12.269 --> 00:26:15.210 the century have referred to faith in two ways. 00:26:16.069 --> 00:26:23.769 They talk about the habit of faith. In Latin, 00:26:23.829 --> 00:26:29.049 it would be habitus fide, so the habit of faith. 00:26:30.029 --> 00:26:34.329 But they've also talked about the... The act 00:26:34.329 --> 00:26:42.289 of faith. Or in Latin. Actus fide. So there's 00:26:42.289 --> 00:26:46.990 the habit. And there's the act of faith. One 00:26:46.990 --> 00:26:51.769 we would say is the principle of faith. Something 00:26:51.769 --> 00:26:58.250 that God gives. It creates the potentiality and 00:26:58.250 --> 00:27:04.299 the possibility. For the exertion. or the exercise 00:27:04.299 --> 00:27:09.079 of faith in a person's life. But it's not the 00:27:09.079 --> 00:27:15.880 same as actively believing. That's the act of 00:27:15.880 --> 00:27:18.619 faith. We can almost think about it in the sense 00:27:18.619 --> 00:27:24.039 of a seed and something that has fruit. There's 00:27:24.039 --> 00:27:29.259 a big difference. The text in Ephesians 6 where 00:27:29.259 --> 00:27:33.809 it talks about taking up the shield. is referring 00:27:33.809 --> 00:27:40.289 to the act of faith. Exercising one's faith. 00:27:40.650 --> 00:27:47.369 It's not enough to merely possess or have the 00:27:47.369 --> 00:27:52.450 principle of faith in one's life, but a person 00:27:52.450 --> 00:27:56.529 must exercise the faith that God has given them. 00:27:57.490 --> 00:28:04.579 They must consciously Exert their mind to believe 00:28:04.579 --> 00:28:14.019 what God has said. The act of faith. That's what 00:28:14.019 --> 00:28:17.220 Paul is speaking of when he talks about taking 00:28:17.220 --> 00:28:22.440 up the shield of faith. So we learn from this 00:28:22.440 --> 00:28:28.019 text that faith is protective and defensive in 00:28:28.019 --> 00:28:31.740 the life of the believer. The protective and 00:28:31.740 --> 00:28:35.539 defensive faith that we so long for and we so 00:28:35.539 --> 00:28:44.660 need must be active faith. We must believe actively 00:28:44.660 --> 00:28:51.240 the promises and the realities of the gospel. 00:28:51.440 --> 00:29:00.619 But, if you do this, this text Promises us something. 00:29:01.559 --> 00:29:08.660 Listen to what Paul says. He says this. Taking 00:29:08.660 --> 00:29:13.240 up the shield of faith with which you will be 00:29:13.240 --> 00:29:17.980 able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of 00:29:17.980 --> 00:29:22.480 the evil. He doesn't say you may or you might 00:29:22.480 --> 00:29:28.950 or you could. No, you will. It's referring to 00:29:28.950 --> 00:29:34.069 the efficacy of picking up the shield. It refers 00:29:34.069 --> 00:29:37.549 to the efficacy that follows picking up the shield 00:29:37.549 --> 00:29:42.309 by faith, we could say. There's absolute certainty 00:29:42.309 --> 00:29:50.869 that if you take up the shield, you will extinguish 00:29:50.869 --> 00:29:55.730 all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Faith. 00:29:56.839 --> 00:30:04.680 is comprehensive and effective at stopping the 00:30:04.680 --> 00:30:08.960 attacks of the devil in your life with regards 00:30:08.960 --> 00:30:13.359 to these flaming arrows that Paul talks about. 00:30:14.000 --> 00:30:18.519 So what are these attacks which faith defends 00:30:18.519 --> 00:30:22.460 against? Well, we know a little bit about how 00:30:22.460 --> 00:30:26.609 the devil works generally. We've touched on this 00:30:26.609 --> 00:30:29.349 several times as we've considered this. Pastor 00:30:29.349 --> 00:30:32.670 Josh touched on this in catechism this morning. 00:30:34.650 --> 00:30:37.690 The devil is referred to and given the title 00:30:37.690 --> 00:30:43.349 and the name of the liar, the accuser, and the 00:30:43.349 --> 00:30:49.009 tempter throughout the Bible. We read in Ephesians 00:30:49.009 --> 00:30:54.089 chapter 6 that his methods are called schemes. 00:30:58.779 --> 00:31:04.140 Tactics. Deceitful, subtle strategies that are 00:31:04.140 --> 00:31:08.240 planned out. That have intention and purpose 00:31:08.240 --> 00:31:15.400 behind them. They oftentimes don't, they aren't 00:31:15.400 --> 00:31:19.339 what they appear to be. Because the Bible teaches 00:31:19.339 --> 00:31:23.599 that he comes as an angel of light. That he is 00:31:23.599 --> 00:31:27.259 not what he appears to be. And the same is true 00:31:27.259 --> 00:31:30.720 with his tactics and his wiles and his methods. 00:31:31.380 --> 00:31:37.539 But here in this text, specifically, they are 00:31:37.539 --> 00:31:41.980 referred to as the flaming arrows of the evil 00:31:41.980 --> 00:31:46.319 one. We might think that arrows would be enough. 00:31:48.160 --> 00:31:52.880 If someone is shooting a bow at another person 00:31:52.880 --> 00:31:58.329 attempting to kill them, trying to end their 00:31:58.329 --> 00:32:05.950 life with malice and a forethought. An arrow 00:32:05.950 --> 00:32:10.930 is one way of doing it, right? And the arrow 00:32:10.930 --> 00:32:15.109 is the weapon. But that's not all that's present 00:32:15.109 --> 00:32:19.710 in this case. It's not just a deadly arrow that 00:32:19.710 --> 00:32:21.950 can pierce through a man's heart, but it's a 00:32:21.950 --> 00:32:25.309 flaming deadly arrow that can pierce through 00:32:25.309 --> 00:32:29.259 a man's heart. And kill them. There is malice. 00:32:30.099 --> 00:32:34.720 There is hatred. It's meant to burn. Brothers 00:32:34.720 --> 00:32:37.380 and sisters. He doesn't just want the piercing. 00:32:39.140 --> 00:32:44.000 He wants the pain. And the consequences that 00:32:44.000 --> 00:32:48.160 come with it. There's malice and a forethought. 00:32:48.279 --> 00:32:54.099 And I have to think that Paul. Wants us to know 00:32:54.099 --> 00:32:59.009 that the attack. corresponds to the nature of 00:32:59.009 --> 00:33:03.750 the defense. So what are these flaming arrows 00:33:03.750 --> 00:33:08.670 that are spoken of? Well, if faith is the shield, 00:33:08.890 --> 00:33:14.210 then what would the attack be? Doubt. Lack of 00:33:14.210 --> 00:33:20.750 faith. Lack of assurance. Uncertainty. Shame. 00:33:21.210 --> 00:33:26.309 And guilt. You see, the devil doesn't just work 00:33:26.309 --> 00:33:33.730 in clear, overt ways, brothers and sisters. He 00:33:33.730 --> 00:33:37.589 can harm a person long -term for years. He can 00:33:37.589 --> 00:33:41.670 harm a church long -term for years if he can 00:33:41.670 --> 00:33:47.089 get unforgiveness and guilt and shame in a person's 00:33:47.089 --> 00:33:49.950 heart and wrap it all up in a pretty box called 00:33:49.950 --> 00:33:55.119 pride. He can do a great deal of damage in a 00:33:55.119 --> 00:33:59.859 person's life by getting them to constantly question, 00:34:00.059 --> 00:34:08.300 am I really forgiven? Is this all really worth 00:34:08.300 --> 00:34:16.800 it? Is God really good? Will he carry through? 00:34:17.340 --> 00:34:28.039 Are his promises real and true? Doubt, fear, 00:34:28.300 --> 00:34:33.739 anxiety, worry. How many Christians have been 00:34:33.739 --> 00:34:40.019 completely sidelined as a result of being consumed 00:34:40.019 --> 00:34:46.599 with fearfulness and worry in their lives, overcome 00:34:46.599 --> 00:34:53.840 by guilt and shame in their lives? Or discouragement 00:34:53.840 --> 00:35:02.219 and despair and being downcast. Temptation. If 00:35:02.219 --> 00:35:05.659 the devil can convince a young person or an old 00:35:05.659 --> 00:35:10.719 person that this is what I really need right 00:35:10.719 --> 00:35:15.460 now, that this is what is really good for me 00:35:15.460 --> 00:35:19.760 in this moment, not... holiness, not godliness, 00:35:19.820 --> 00:35:24.659 not Christ, not the presence of God, but this. 00:35:25.099 --> 00:35:30.280 Whatever it might be. That's what I really need. 00:35:31.820 --> 00:35:37.079 Then brothers and sisters, we have to ask whether 00:35:37.079 --> 00:35:42.480 or not we are believing what God has said regarding 00:35:42.480 --> 00:35:49.250 the gospel. Here you are. What Christ has done. 00:35:51.210 --> 00:35:54.809 Who you are in Christ and what is true of us 00:35:54.809 --> 00:35:58.730 because of Christ. The work of Christ and his 00:35:58.730 --> 00:36:02.969 active and his passive obedience. His life, his 00:36:02.969 --> 00:36:07.650 death and his resurrection. The devil wants you 00:36:07.650 --> 00:36:12.550 to question and to distort your understanding 00:36:12.550 --> 00:36:18.159 of reality, God, the gospel. the promises, and 00:36:18.159 --> 00:36:23.079 the nature and character of God's truth. He wants 00:36:23.079 --> 00:36:27.559 to distort all of that in your thinking. He wants 00:36:27.559 --> 00:36:31.900 to pervert all of that in your heart so that 00:36:31.900 --> 00:36:34.539 you don't clearly think about those realities. 00:36:35.820 --> 00:36:40.320 So that you don't apply those realities in your 00:36:40.320 --> 00:36:45.639 life. So that you do doubt. So that you do fear. 00:36:46.699 --> 00:36:49.179 So that you are overwhelmed with anxiety and 00:36:49.179 --> 00:36:53.579 worry and stress and dread. So that you are overcome 00:36:53.579 --> 00:36:57.039 with guilt and shame and discouragement and despair. 00:36:57.159 --> 00:37:02.880 So that you do cave to temptation. Or that trials 00:37:02.880 --> 00:37:07.579 make you bitter instead of holy. And make you 00:37:07.579 --> 00:37:11.239 more near to Christ. All kinds of things, brothers 00:37:11.239 --> 00:37:16.320 and sisters. The devil works woe into our life. 00:37:16.639 --> 00:37:28.219 any number of ways. But faith is the Christian's 00:37:28.219 --> 00:37:35.800 response. We must respond with the shield. Hiding 00:37:35.800 --> 00:37:41.199 behind the shield. Standing behind the shield. 00:37:42.059 --> 00:37:52.179 Faith protects and defends. Against all the attacks 00:37:52.179 --> 00:38:00.780 of the devil. Faith in God and his word. And 00:38:00.780 --> 00:38:05.320 the promises of the gospel. They are the remedy 00:38:05.320 --> 00:38:08.699 brothers and sisters. For all those spiritual 00:38:08.699 --> 00:38:16.460 maladies in your heart. The remedy. For every 00:38:16.460 --> 00:38:20.960 spiritual malady of the soul which the devil 00:38:20.960 --> 00:38:27.960 incites, induces, or encourages or inflicts, 00:38:27.960 --> 00:38:33.340 what's the remedy? Believing the truth of the 00:38:33.340 --> 00:38:39.039 gospel concerning Jesus Christ. That's the remedy. 00:38:40.420 --> 00:38:46.409 Believing the work of the gospel. The truth concerning 00:38:46.409 --> 00:38:51.130 who Christ is and what He has done. The reason 00:38:51.130 --> 00:38:54.489 the shield is impenetrable, brothers and sisters, 00:38:54.670 --> 00:38:58.730 is because the promises contain an impeccable 00:38:58.730 --> 00:39:05.989 Savior. The reason the shield is impenetrable 00:39:05.989 --> 00:39:10.230 is because they contain promises concerning an 00:39:10.230 --> 00:39:13.969 impeccable Savior, Jesus Christ. His impeccable 00:39:13.969 --> 00:39:20.409 life. His impeccable death. Everything about 00:39:20.409 --> 00:39:25.750 him is perfect and complete and done. It's because 00:39:25.750 --> 00:39:32.309 faith lays hold of these promises that the truth 00:39:32.309 --> 00:39:39.250 presents to the believer. So, what does that 00:39:39.250 --> 00:39:45.000 mean? How do we? Believe the gospel when the 00:39:45.000 --> 00:39:51.960 devil shoots these arrowy darts and arrows at 00:39:51.960 --> 00:39:55.800 us. Well, brothers and sisters, when you start 00:39:55.800 --> 00:40:03.900 to doubt, believe justification by faith. When 00:40:03.900 --> 00:40:09.880 you start to ask, am I really forgiven in Christ? 00:40:11.920 --> 00:40:16.500 Is my sin covered? Brothers and sisters, remember 00:40:16.500 --> 00:40:20.199 the passive obedience of Jesus Christ on the 00:40:20.199 --> 00:40:26.920 cross. Was his sacrifice sufficient? When you 00:40:26.920 --> 00:40:31.139 start to have issues in your Christian life and 00:40:31.139 --> 00:40:36.840 wonder, is there really adequate resources in 00:40:36.840 --> 00:40:41.300 heaven for me? To be changed and transformed? 00:40:41.480 --> 00:40:46.199 For me to persevere unto the end? For me to get 00:40:46.199 --> 00:40:50.440 to glory? For me to be glorified? For me to be 00:40:50.440 --> 00:40:54.980 brought into heaven with God in Christ? Is there 00:40:54.980 --> 00:40:57.739 sufficient and adequate power for that? Then 00:40:57.739 --> 00:41:00.599 look at the resurrection of Jesus Christ and 00:41:00.599 --> 00:41:06.300 the perfect holy life of Jesus Christ. Christ 00:41:08.269 --> 00:41:12.630 the remedy for all of these issues. Just believe 00:41:12.630 --> 00:41:19.510 it, brothers and sisters. When fear and anxiety 00:41:19.510 --> 00:41:26.170 and worry set in in your life, remember who God 00:41:26.170 --> 00:41:33.150 is. What God is like. Remember that the cross 00:41:33.150 --> 00:41:36.949 happened according to the predetermined plan. 00:41:37.579 --> 00:41:41.519 of God, that he's sovereign over redemption, 00:41:41.900 --> 00:41:45.860 that he's sovereignly superintended and accomplished 00:41:45.860 --> 00:41:50.920 the gospel, and that all of these things, whether 00:41:50.920 --> 00:41:54.320 they be temptation, trial, fear, anxiety, worry, 00:41:54.599 --> 00:41:58.739 doubt, lack, all of those things, every single 00:41:58.739 --> 00:42:03.099 last one of them, because God is sovereign, uses 00:42:03.099 --> 00:42:07.820 them and works them for my good as a believer. 00:42:09.340 --> 00:42:16.519 Every single one. The gospel is very much like 00:42:16.519 --> 00:42:21.119 a diamond. You pick it up and it reflects light. 00:42:21.260 --> 00:42:23.679 You turn it a little bit and the light reflects 00:42:23.679 --> 00:42:28.239 differently. When the devil comes in with whatever 00:42:28.239 --> 00:42:32.639 it is, when warfare takes place in your life, 00:42:32.960 --> 00:42:35.420 You hold up that diamond, brothers and sisters, 00:42:35.440 --> 00:42:39.599 the gospel of Christ. His life, death, His work, 00:42:39.639 --> 00:42:44.599 His person. And you turn it until you find the 00:42:44.599 --> 00:42:51.920 remedy. And let that light shine on you. You 00:42:51.920 --> 00:42:55.360 just have to find it. You look at the gospel. 00:42:56.440 --> 00:43:01.260 And you look at the malady in your heart. How 00:43:01.260 --> 00:43:04.869 can Christ? His life, His death, His resurrection, 00:43:04.949 --> 00:43:09.309 the work of the Spirit. How do these things act 00:43:09.309 --> 00:43:16.309 as balm for my soul? So, when the devil attacks, 00:43:16.829 --> 00:43:22.710 the believer responds in faith with God's Word. 00:43:24.349 --> 00:43:27.070 That, brothers and sisters, is what it means 00:43:27.070 --> 00:43:31.190 to take up the shield of faith.