Block Every Demonic Attack! Activate Your Shield of Faith Now
Excerpted by My Victory-Filled Day.
Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked (Ephesians 6:16).
Many people wrongly assume that the shield of faith is the most important part of their spiritual weaponry because Paul said, “Above all, taking the shield of faith…” (Ephesians 6:16).
But if you think about it for a moment, you see that the shield of faith can’t be more important than the “loinbelt of truth” — the Word of God — because faith comes from God’s Word (Romans 10:17).
So just what did Paul mean when he said, “Above all….”? The phrase “above all” is taken from the Greek phrase epi pasin. The word epi means over. The word pasin means all or everything. So rather than stating that the shield of faith is more important than the other pieces of armor, the phrase epi pasin describes the position faith should have over the other pieces of armor. It could be better translated, “Out in front of all….” or “Covering all….”
Therefore, the phrase “above all” emphatically tells you that your “shield of faith” is never meant to be held next to your side or timidly held behind your back. Faith is supposed to be out front where it can completely cover you and protect you from harm — especially when you are marching forward to take new ground for the Kingdom of God!
Just as Roman soldiers kept their shields out in front of them to defend them from deadly attacks and blows from their enemies, God wants you to tightly grip your shield of faith while keeping it out in front where it can protect and defend you. When your shield of faith is kept in this out-front and covering position, it can do what God intended for it to do! This is why Paul continues to say, “…wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.”
But it is also very important for you to notice that Paul says, “…Taking the shield of faith….” The word “taking” is from the word analambano, which is a compound of the Greek words ana and lambano. The word ana means up, back, or again; the word lambano means to take up or to take in hand. When compounded together, it means to take something up in hand or to pick something back up again. This plainly means your shield of faith can be either picked up or laid down. It places the responsibility on you as to whether you will use your shield of faith or allow yourself to go through life unprotected.
If you want to employ the use of your faith, you must make the choice to take it in hand and to place it in front of you. It will not assume its defensive position over your life by accident. Your faith will only operate in your life the way it was meant to do when you choose to pick it up and put it where it belongs — out in front.
If you ever go into battle without your shield of faith, you are making a mis- take you will seriously regret. Keeping your shield of faith in position is not an option if you intend to overcome the enemy and win the battles that are before you.
Therefore, I urge you not to go into battle without this all-important piece of your spiritual armor. If you fail to keep that protective shield in front of you, you leave yourself exposed to the deadly strikes of your adversary, the devil.
On the other hand, as you choose to daily take up your shield of faith, holding it out in front of you so that it completely covers every part of your life, you put yourself in position to thwart every single attack that the enemy throws your way!
My Prayer for Today
Lord, I thank You for giving me a shield of faith that completely covers me from head to toe. I don’t have to constantly succumb to the devil’s attacks. By holding my shield of faith above all and out in front so that it covers me completely as You intended it to do, I can be protected from the attacks that the enemy would like to wage against me. Forgive me for the times I’ve let my shield lay at my side while I stayed busy complaining about the devil giving me fits. I realize now that it’s up to me to pick up my shield of faith and put it where it belongs. So with Your help, Lord, I am reaching out right now to pick it up, to hold it out front, and to do my part to make sure the enemy has no access to me! I pray this in Jesus’ name!
My Confession for Today
I confess that God has given me a shield of faith that protects me against the works of the enemy. If I will hold my faith out front — and today I commit myself to doing just that — God’s Word guarantees that this mighty shield will thwart the fiery darts that the enemy wants so desperately to throw at me. My shield will cause those darts to bounce off, thereby protecting me from being struck. I will walk with my shield of faith out in front so that it covers me as God intended for it to do. As long as I do that, I can be confident that I will move forward in life without the enemy winning any full-scale attack against me! I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!
Questions for You to Consider
Can you say that your faith is alive and active and out in front of you as God intended for it to be, or have you allowed your faith to become inactive so that it lags behind?
Please answer these questions honestly, for a truthful answer may prevent future disaster in your life: Did you once walk in faith more consistently than you do today? Have you allowed your shield of faith to drop to your side instead of maintaining it in the forward position that allows it to defend you from the enemy’s attacks?
What steps are you going to take to reignite your faith and return it to its position as the mighty shield of protection that God intended for it to be? What kind of plan are you going to follow to see your faith recharged, reenergized, and repositioned out in front of your life?
Are You Wearing Your Killer Shoes?
Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace (Ephesians 6:14,15).
If you had seen the shoes of a Roman soldier, you’d have wanted to make sure you didn’t fall in front of him or get in his way where he might accidentally step on you.
Those weren’t normal shoes — they were killer shoes!
Paul refers to these killer shoes in Ephesians 6:15 as he talks about the spiritual weapons God has given to the Church. Just as God has given each believer a sword, He has also clothed every believer with the shoes of peace.
Now, I realize that these shoes may sound like a passive, peaceful part of our spiritual armor. However, these are actually killer shoes, such as those worn by a Roman soldier.
The shoes of a Roman soldier were vicious weapons. They began at the top of the legs near the knees and extended down to the feet. The portions that covered the knees to the feet were called the “greaves.” They were made of metal and were specially shaped to wrap around the calves of a soldier’s legs. The greaves were uncomfortable but essential for the safekeeping of a soldier’s legs.
The shoe itself was made of heavy pieces of leather or metal, tied together with leather straps that were intermingled with bits of metal. The bottoms were manufactured of heavy leather or pieces of metal. The bottom of the shoes were affixed with sharp, dangerous, protruding spikes. These spikes had several purposes, which we will get to in just a moment. In addition, two sharply pointed spikes extended beyond the front of each shoe.
Let me explain to you the reasons for all this gear on a soldier’s legs and feet. First, the greaves — the metal that covered the Roman soldier’s legs from his knees to the top of his feet — were designed to protect the soldier’s calves when he was required to march through rocky and thorny terrain. If he’d had no protection on his legs, he would have surely been gashed and cut by the environment.
Thus, the greaves gave the soldier protection so he could keep walking, regard- less of the obstacles he encountered. The metal barriers also gave him defensive protection in those moments when an adversary kicked him in the shins, trying to break his legs. Because the soldier’s calves were covered with these greaves, his legs could not be broken and the enemy’s attacks were in vain.
Now let’s talk about the spikes on the bottom of the soldier’s shoes. These were intended to hold him “in place” when in battle. His opponent might try to push him around, but the spikes on the bottom of his shoes helped keep him in his place, making the soldier virtually immovable. Additionally, those spikes on the bottom and front of the shoes served as weapons of brutality and murder. One good kick with those shoes, and an enemy would be dead. Just a few seconds of stomping on a fallen adversary would have eradicated that foe forever!
When Paul writes about these shoes in Ephesians 6:15, he says, “...And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.” Notice that he connects peace with these killer weapons! In just a moment, you’ll understand why.
The word “shod” is derived from the word hupodeomai — a compound of the words hupo and deo. The word hupo means under, and deo means to bind. Taken together as one word, it conveys the idea of binding something very tightly on the bottom of one’s feet. Therefore, this is not the picture of a loosely fitting shoe but of a shoe that has been tied onto the bottom of the foot extremely tightly.
Just as the greaves of a Roman soldier protected him from the environment and from the blows of his enemy, the peace of God — when it is operating in your life — protects and defends you from the hassles and assaults of the devil. The enemy may try to disrupt you, distract you, and steal your attention by causing negative events to whirl all around you, but his attempts will fail because the peace of God, like a protective greave, stops you from being hurt and enables you to keep marching forward!
Just as those spikes held a Roman soldier securely in place when his enemy tried to push him around, the peace of God will hold you in place when the devil tries to push you around! And as the soldier used those spikes to kick and to kill his opponent, there is no need for you to ever stop moving ahead just because the devil tries to block your path. If he is foolish enough to try to get in front of you, just keep walking! Stomp all along the way! By the time you’re finished using your shoes of peace, you won’t have much of a devil problem to deal with anymore!
Paul uses this illustration to tell us that we must firmly tie God’s peace onto our lives. If we only give peace a loosely fitting position in our lives, it won’t be long before the affairs of life knock our peace out of place. Hence, we must bind peace onto our minds and emotions in the same way Roman soldiers made sure to bind their shoes very tightly onto their feet.
But wait — there’s one more important point. Paul continued, “And your feet shod with the preparation….” The word “preparation” is the Greek word etoimasin, and it presents the idea of readiness or preparation. When used in connection with Roman soldiers, the word etoimasin portrayed men of war who had their shoes tied on very tightly to ensure a firm footing. Once they had the assurance that their shoes were going to stay in place, they were ready to march out onto the battlefield and confront the enemy.
When peace is in place in your life, it gives you the assurance you need to step out in faith and make the moves God is leading you to make. But before you take those steps, you need to be sure His peace is operating in your life. This mighty and powerful piece of your spiritual weaponry is essential because, without it, the devil can try to kick, punch, pull, and distract you. But with that conquering peace firmly tied to your mind and emotions, you will be empowered to keep marching ahead, impervious to the devil’s attempts to take you down!
My Prayer for Today
Lord, I thank You for the peace You have placed in my life. This powerful spiritual weapon protects me from the assaults of life, enabling me to stand fixed, even in the face of the occasional storms that try to blow into my life, my family, my church, my friendships, and my business. How can I ever express how much I need this peace or how grateful I am to You for covering me with this protective shield that fortifies me and makes me strong? When adverse situations arise against me, help me remember to immediately release this divine force to safeguard my life. I pray this in Jesus’ name!
My Confession for Today
I confess that God’s peace rules my mind and emotions, protecting me from the ups and downs of life. When storms are trying to rage against me and situations are hostile toward me, God’s peace covers and safeguards me from all harm. Because divine peace is operating in me, I am not easily moved, quickly shaken, or terrified by any events that occur around about me. This mighty and powerful piece of spiritual weaponry is mine to use day and night. Therefore, although the devil may try to kick, punch, pull, and distract me, that conquering peace empowers me to keep marching ahead, oblivious to the devil’s attempts to take me down! I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!
Questions for You to Consider
Have there been some very difficult times in your life when the peace of God protected you from the turmoil that was happening around you?
Do you recall how you felt when you were enveloped in this supernatural peace? Think about it.
If the devil is trying to shove you around emotionally right now, what can you do to stay in the peace of God?
