I am thinking about the Shield of Faith today…

Ephesians 6:16 reads

Above all, lift up the protective shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t have to physically dodge flaming arrows in my day to day life so holding up a shield seems cumbersome.

However, the above-mentioned evil one does toss his weapons my way on a regular basis. What is used against me looks like

Doubt

Fear

Anxiety

Depression

Feelings of lack of value

Uncertainty of my ability

Loneliness

Insecurity

Need I go on?

The “attacks” can come from multiple sides all at once some days…or can be endless barrage of artillery hammering at me…it can go on and on with no reprieve….or it can resume where it left off once I’ve relaxed from the strain if it lifted temporarily.

Any of that sound familiar??

There is a saying that’s says “kicked while still down”… and I’ve had those days for sure.

HAVE HOPE!

This is where picking up the shield of faith comes in!

Hebrews 11:1 tells us that FAITH is the confident assurance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen {the conviction of their reality; faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses}.

So this shield of faith we are to pick up means we hold tightly for protection what we confidently believe in…what we have assurance of…what we comprehend as fact based on things that we cannot see.

We stand behind this protection to shield us from those fiery arrows of doubt, fear, despair, etc…

If I believe through faith that the Joy of the Lord is my strength…then I will be strengthened.

If I believe through faith that I can do all things through Christ…then I can accomplish immeasurably more than I can imagine because of Christ in me.

If I believe through faith that Jesus will never leave me and has given me His great Comforter-the Holy Spirit…then I am not alone in my suffering.

If I believe through faith that the truth has set me free…then I am no longer condemned nor am I in bondage to those chains of anxiety and depression any longer.

If I believe through faith that I am a new creation in Christ…then my shame and regret can no longer define me.

If I believe through faith that I am more than a conqueror… then I will overcome my addictions, hurts, and habits.

If I believe through faith that I am made in the image of God and that my Savior died for me while I was still in sin…then I know I am loved, forgiven, and valued.

If I believe through faith that God has a plan for my life…then I can live with purpose.

THAT is our shield of faith we hold up in defense.

THAT is the protection our shield of faith offers against weapons used to damage us, wound us, paralyze us.

Pick it up.

Strap it on tightly.

Link it with other believer’s faith to bolster both you and them.

Stand behind it with confidence.

Stay firmly rooted as your faith shelters you through life’s storms.