Hal Chaffee Ministries

Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. – Ephesians 6:16

(Watch the corresponding sermon here: https://www.youtube.com/live/qm-NqJaxlAc?si=NvZkRDpZrJ1SE146)

A shield was an imperative piece of equipment to the ancient soldier. It provided both defensive and offensive means for overcoming the enemy. Unlike the helmet and the breastplate, the shield was designed for regular use in combat. Each soldier hoped not to have to use the helmet and breastplate, as they were secondary methods of defense. The shield, however, was primary and would be carried in the hand in front of the soldier. It would be the first to take action in battle, deflecting both arrows and swords. A well-used shield would endure blow after blow. The longer the battle, and the more victories mounted, the greater the damage to the shield. But shields were designed to take a beating. As long as they were well cared for they provided the means for continual victory over the adversary.

Just as proper use of a shield brings victory, so faith brings victory in our lives. The Bible says that we are world overcomers and that the victory that overcomes the world is our faith:

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world–our faith – 1 John 5:4

Hebrews chapter eleven famously displays the lives of those known for overcoming through faith. Their exceptional lives are predicated by their faith, their deeds being preceded by the phrase, “By faith…”

“By faith Abel…, by faith Enoch…, by faith Noah…, by faith Abraham,” etc.

In other words, it was faith that brought them great victories or endurance through great trials. This is summed well in Hebrews 11:33-39

Though faith [they] subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouth of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to live again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskin and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented–of whom the world is not worthy. They wandered in deserts, in dens and caves of the earth. And these, having obtained a good testimony through faith… – Hebrews 11:33-39

Notice that it was by faith that they were able to obtain the victory. It wasn’t by righteousness or salvation. There are many good people, righteous people, who are saved and love the Lord, but they are not living in victory. This is because victory does not come simply by being saved, nor does it come through righteous living, as important as that is. It comes through faith.

Samson is a good example of this. He wasn’t much of a righteous man. He did many questionable things, but he had a strong faith in God and God used him to bring great victories. He is the one who is referred to in the book of Hebrews when it reads, “out of weakness were made strong.” It was by faith that he received strength once more to bring one final victory.

I am not supposing that we should follow the example of Samson’s personal life. For those things were his downfall. But I simply want to show that faith is what brings the victory.

I used to believe that righteousness and holiness brought victory, but I was wrong. I thought that if I could be righteous and holy enough I would be fruitful in the kingdom of God. But this is simply not true. Righteousness and holiness are extremely important and should be pursued for other reasons, but we must never conclude that our righteousness will bring us victory over the world in this life. It is faith. Faith is the victory that overcomes the world.

What is Faith?

Faith is belief. That is what the word literally means. ‘Belief’ and ‘faith’ are the same word in the Greek New Testament: pistis. It is the same kind of faith that we all naturally use every day. Sometimes I encounter atheists who assert that they are not people of faith, but people of facts. But this is simply not true. Everyone exercises faith all the time every day. For example, did you test your food this morning before you ate it? How do you know that your wife didn’t poison your breakfast? And how do you know that your breaks won’t fail on the way home? Did you examine them before you left? And did you check the chair you are sitting in for structural integrity before you sat in it? Probably not. Almost everything we do in life is by faith. It’s not blind faith. I’m not advocating for that. It is evidence-based faith. Our relationships and life experiences give us confidence in the things that we do, even though we don’t absolutely know for sure that the results will be happy. I don’t know for sure that my wife won’t poison me this evening during dinner. But I know my wife pretty well; the best evidence is that she won’t. This is an easy faith, but other times we must exercise a more difficult faith. For example, sometimes we must put faith in a doctor who needs to cut us open for surgery, and sometimes a soldier must put his faith in a commanding officer, etc. There are many instances like this where using faith is necessary, yet much more difficult.

Faith in God is very similar to this line of reasoning. We don’t put our faith in God in opposition to reason and logic but in accordance with it. Just as it is reasonable and logical to have faith in my wife, so it is with God. In fact, it would be unreasonable and illogical to not have faith in my wife, especially since she has proven herself faithful time and again. The same is true with God.

God does not expect you to believe without evidence. Not at all. He does, however, expect you to believe in the midst of difficult and contrary circumstances. For example, Thomas would not believe that Christ had risen, as his closest friends had told him:

The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” – J0hn 20:25

Thomas was greatly disappointed and disheartened by the death of his Lord, for he had put great faith in Him as the Savior of Israel. His hopes had been so high and dashed so low that he refused to believe. Notice what he said, “I will not believe.” But was this the logical and reasonable thing for Thomas to do? I don’t think so. First of all, he witnessed firsthand the mighty works of Jesus when He healed the sick, cast out demons, calmed the storm, fed the multitude, and, on several occasions, raised the dead. Second, Jesus told his disciples on multiple occasions that He would suffer and die and be raised from the dead. Third, was it reasonable to think that his closest friends were lying to him about something like this? Thomas’s disbelief was irrational and illogical. If he had put away his emotion and embraced reason and logic, he would have believed.

The same is true for us today. It is very rational to believe in God and in the God of the Bible. It is irrational to think that the beauty and complexity of the natural world came about by pure chance. However, it is rational and logical to believe that design came from a Designer, that order came from an Orderer, and that beauty came from a grand Artist. Every person on the planet can make this logical and rational deduction. And the Bible teaches that whoever fears God and works righteousness is accepted by Him:

In every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. – Acts 10:35

This means that anyone, no matter where they are born or what religious atmosphere they may find themselves in, can honor the God they know by natural theology. If they serve Him and live righteously, the best they know how, they are accepted by Him. Those who do so will be led by the Father to Jesus:

“It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me. – John 6:45

If we allow Him, the Holy Spirit will impress the truth of Christ upon our hearts. His testimony, along with the testimony of the prophets and the apostles, makes faith in Christ and His Word the most reasonable thing in the world.

Using Faith as a Shield

The Bible instructs us to use faith as a shield. It is to be taking ‘above all.’ This would better be translated as ‘over all’ as in a covering over everything else. Faith touches every aspect of our spiritual life. Without it, we cannot please God (Hebrews 11:6).

But how is faith like a shield? Faith is like a shield because by it we can ‘quench the fiery darts of the wicked one.’ Satan launches many various attacks upon believers that can be likened to fiery darts or arrows. They are like darts because they can be piercing attacks that go deep into our souls. They are fiery because they can ignite and spread to all parts of our lives and the lives of those around us.

Satan is a liar, an accuser, and a tempter. He’ll lie to you in every imaginal way. He’ll tell you that you are something special above everyone else, God’s gift to the world, in order to lift you up in pride, or he’ll tell you that you’re a worthless piece of garbage in order to drive you to give up. He’ll bring up your past sins, saying that God hasn’t really forgiven you, saying that you’ve messed up too many times. Or he’ll tempt you with an attractive man or woman, or with a website or game, or with money or power. With all of these things, we must learn to lift our shield of faith to parry his attacks.

When I’m feeling good and think I’m doing well and the devil tries to tell me that I’m something special, I lift up my shield and say, “I know your tactics devil. I am an unprofitable servant, only doing my duty” (Luke 17:10).

When I’m feeling low and depressed the devil says, “Look at you, you’ve failed so many times. You are incapable of doing any good for the kingdom of God. Give up! I say to him, “No Satan, I am well able to do what God has called me to do. Just as Joshua and Caleb had a different spirit, trusting in God against the giants of the land, so I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (See Numbers 13-14, Philippians 4:13).

When the devil brings up my past sins and says, “Your sins are too much. The ghosts of your past will surely arise.” I say to him, “The blood of Christ has washed me white as snow. God has forgotten my sins and I refuse to entertain them either. Besides, my sins are in my past, but judgment is your future.”

And when the devil tempts me with the pleasures of this world, I say to him, “Vanity! All is vanity! (Ecclesiastes 1:2). Your promises of pleasure and power are overrated and unfulfilling. No one has ever received lasting joy, happiness, and fulfillment by chasing worldly pleasures. Yet those who drink from the waters of Christ will never thirst again (John 4:13-14).”

Repelling the attacks of Satan requires faith. Will you believe the words of God when the world, the flesh, and the devil are telling you something very different? When it seems that happiness can only come by yielding to some temptation, will you believe God instead? Will you stand firm with your shield of faith in front of you, even when the enemy continues blow after blow?

And don’t think for a moment that you cannot endure. God is your strength and has promised to allow no temptation that you cannot overcome:

No temptation has overtaken you except such is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. – 1 Corinthians 10:13

If you resist the devil, he will flee (James 4:7). God promises that He will provide you with the means to resist as long as is needed. Don’t give in, nor believe that the temptation will be forever. It will not. When he sees your tenacity, he will go looking for easier targets.

Conclusion

We must remember that faith is the victory that overcomes the world. If we are to be the triumphant people that God has called us to be, we must be people of strong faith, who choose to believe the Word of God over whatever the present circumstances may be or whatever lies are spoken. We need to make this a daily practice, for it is easy to fall back on trusting what our eyes see or our mind feels. But the Word of God is trustworthy. It is wise and logical to trust in a God that cannot fail. Often the difficult circumstances we find ourselves in are nothing more than an opportunity to exercise faith and glorify God. So let us do just that.