Paul gives us valuable tools for the battle against satan. Ephesians 6: 16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. [1]
Shield of Faith
Roman soldiers carried a large shield made of wood, covered with leather. These could be interlocked with other soldiers’ shields to form a wall. When a soldier soaked the shield in water, the wet leather would extinguish the enemy’s flaming arrows.
Faith is our shield. We are not alone in the battle. We can join together with others in the faith to form a protective wall against satan’s attacks. Satan loves to shoot fiery arrows of temptation, doubt, anger, lust, and despair to destroy us. Our shield of faith in God can quench those attacks.
Salvation as Your Helmet
A helmet guards your mind. We must always remember who and whose we are. Through faith we become the children of God, and He loves us. Jesus loved us so much that He willingly paid the price for our sin on the cross. When we accept His gift of salvation, He delivers us from the power of sin and the devil.
As we turn our lives over to God, study the Bible, and pray, He begins to control our minds. When this happens, our salvation acts as a helmet, and satan’s attacks on our minds bounce off.
Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God
This is the only offensive tool in God’s armor. All the other weapons are defensive so that we can stand our ground. Jesus gives us a model of using God’s Word when the devil tempted Him. Each time, Jesus responded with “it is written” to counter the devil’s lies.
The Roman soldiers used their double-edged short swords in close combat. Hebrews 4: 12 For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.[2]
A Roman short sword pierces the body, but the Word of God pierces the heart. Soldiers used their swords to kill, but the sword of the Spirit wounds to give life and heal. The Holy Spirit inspired Scripture. When we use the Word of God in faith, it is as if the Spirit wields a sword against our foe.
Attacked for Being God’s
All believers find themselves under attack from satan because we have left his kingdom and become part of God’s Kingdom. Satan hates losing people to God and so attacks believers. We must use all of God’s tools in the battle to resist satan’s attacks and stand true to God. May you daily put on God’s armor to stand for His Kingdom. To learn more, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/02battle-11-01-26
[1,2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.