What is faith?
In the New Testament, faith is an act by which the individual avails himself of the gifts of God, submits himself in obedience to God’s commands, and abandons all thought of self, trusting only in God. The Layman’s Bible Encyclopedia
Healthy Christians live to please the Lord, and have confidence in God, and his power.
Faith pleases God.
The converse is also true. We cannot please God without faith.
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Hebrews 11:6
Faith is vital if we are to withstand the attacks of the enemy. Thankfully, God has equipped us with effective armour to use in the spiritual battles of life.
In Ephesians 6:16, the apostle Paul encourages us to take up the shield of faith.
Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
Roman soldiers in Paul’s era often used shields that were as large as doors.
The frame was constructed out of iron with thick leather stretched over it to cover the shield. For extra reinforcement some shields had metal attached on the front.
A Roman soldier could get down behind his shield and be protected from a frontal assault.
This shield was rectangular and some were semi-cylindrical. With sides that sloped away, arrows and spears would glance off at an angle. This would reduce the force of impact that would be felt by the soldier defending himself behind his shield.
Advanced offensive weapons during this period of history included arrows and spear tips that were dipped in pitch.
These were then set alight and directed at enemy forces. Some tips were hollow and packed with combustible material so when they struck they would splatter and burn on impact.
How would a shield with a covering of outstretched leather be able to quench a fiery dart?
Wouldn’t the leather catch alight and go up in flames?
Paul wasn’t wrong in his description. He would’ve observed Roman soldiers soaking their shields in water. Dampened leather could extinguish flaming arrows upon impact.
For added protection, foot soldiers would engage in well-structured battle formations.
In the tortoise formation, soldiers would huddle and align their shields both in the front and on the top to form a shell. This interlocking of shields protected the soldiers from arrows launched from above as well as those fired directly in front of them.
What are the fiery darts of the wicked mentioned in Ephesians 6?
These are Satan’s darts which are targeted at our first barrier of defense—our faith.
From the beginning, Satan has attempted to undermine our confidence in God and in what God has said.
With our first parents, Adam and Eve, God told them that they were free to eat from every tree of the garden, but one—the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
For in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. Gen 2:17b
Satan blatantly opposed God’s declaration. He launched a fiery arrow aimed squarely at God’s own words.
And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die. Gen 3:4
Satan distorted God’s original message and turned the truth into a lie, because Satan is the father of lies.
We can resist Satan by putting up our shield of faith.
Our faith can grow by taking God at his word.
The only way to do that is to know his word. Which is why we must continually study the scriptures for greater understanding.
Then we’ll be able to discern truth from lies. We’ll know when God’s word has been twisted or manipulated, so that we’re not duped or led astray.
Solid Bible intake will also increase our trust in the Lord and his promises.
Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17
Another way to increase our faith in the Lord is to recall how he worked with his people in the past.
By faith, Noah built the ark, an enormous floating zoo. He preached for a hundred years, warning people of God’s impending judgement for their wickedness.
Noah had never seen a global flood before, but he constructed the ark according to God’s blueprints anyway.
Every time Noah drove nails into the timbers he acted with complete confidence and trust in the Lord.
God did the rest. Noah’s family and all the creatures on the ark survived the catastrophic flood just as God promised.
By faith, Moses and the children of Israel passed safely through an immense body of water to freedom. For the Lord promised them deliverance from Pharaoh and the Egyptians.
With an east wind that blew throughout one entire night, the Red Sea split into two great walls of water on the right and on the left.
God’s chosen people enjoyed safe passage as they waltzed right down the middle without a single sandal getting wet.
Pharaoh’s horsemen and chariots thundered down in hot pursuit, but the Lord never left his eyes from them. Like a scene from Funniest Home Videos, God caused the wheels of the chariots to fall off.
Boooiiinggg!!!
Instantly, they were run into the ground. (I can imagine Pharaoh’s men cursing the guy who was in charge of securing the lug nuts on the wheels. “You had one job!”)
Then God instructed Moses to stretch his hand over the sea. The Red sea returned to its strength and the walls of water came crashing down upon Pharaoh’s horsemen and chariots.
Egypt’s elite army were sent to a watery grave.
God is always true to his word.
In the Old Testament, God is described as our shield—he is our protector. It’s a recurring theme.
Proverbs 30:5
Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
Psalm 28:7
The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.
When we trust in our strength and abilities, it’s easy to let down our guard. We expose ourselves to full frontal assaults from the enemy. It only takes one flaming arrow to spiritual wound a vulnerable soldier.
We need to keep placing our faith in God.
With the Lord as our shield, fiery darts don’t stand a chance.
Bibliography
‘Ancient Roman Shields Imperial Scutum Part 1’, Ancient-Rome info. Retrieved 14 November 2020 from
https://ancient-rome.info/ancient-roman-shields-imperial-scutum-part1/
Land, G. 2018, ‘Three kinds of Ancient Roman Shields.’, History Hit. Retrieved 14 November 2020 from
Martin, C. 1964, The Layman’s Bible Encyclopedia, Southwestern Company, Nashville.
Meyers, J. ‘Ephesians 6:16 The shield of faith’, Redeeming God. Retrieved 14 November 2020 from
Stanley, C. 1996, Charles Stanley’s Handbook for Christian Living, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville.
