Spiritual Warfare

Ephesians 6:10-18

The Shield of Faith
 


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

What is Faith?

1) conviction of the truth of anything, belief; in the NT of a conviction or belief respecting man's relationship to God and divine things, generally with the included idea of trust and
holy fervour born of faith and joined with it
1a) relating to God
1a1) the conviction that God exists and is the creator and
ruler of all things, the provider and bestower of eternal
salvation through Christ
1b) relating to Christ
1b1) a strong and welcome conviction or belief that Jesus is
the Messiah, through whom we obtain eternal salvation in
the kingdom of God
1c) the religious beliefs of Christians
1d) belief with the predominate idea of trust (or confidence)
whether in God or in Christ, springing from faith in the same
2) fidelity, faithfulness
2a) the character of one who can be relied on

Basically it is believing that God will do what he says He will do, without doubt. We must trust completely that His word is true and that he will stand by it. Let’s take some scriptures and see what he says regarding us

TPT
16 In every battle, take faith as your wrap-around shield, for it is able to extinguish the blazing arrows coming at you from the evil one

Who is our Shield?

Psalm 3:3
The Help of God
But in the depths of my heart I truly know that you, Yahweh, have become my Shield; You take me and surround me with yourself. Your glory covers me continually. You lift high my head.

Psalm 7:10
God, your wraparound presence is my shield. You bring victory to all who are pure in heart.

Psalm 28:7
My Strength
Yahweh is my strength and my wraparound shield. When I fully trust in you, help is on the way. I jump for joy and burst forth with ecstatic, passionate praise! I will sing songs of what you mean to me!

Psalm 91:4-5
His massive arms are wrapped around you, protecting you. You can run under his covering of majesty and hide. His arms of faithfulness are a shield keeping you from harm. 5 You will never worry about an attack of demonic forces at night nor have to fear a spirit of darkness coming against you.

V4 91:4 Or “wings.” Also found in the next sentence, “under his wings,” which speaks not of God having wings, but of the wings of the cherubim resting on the mercy seat. The implication is that we can always come to the mercy seat and rest without fear.

9-10 When we live our lives within the shadow of God Most High, our secret hiding place, we will always be shielded from harm. How then could evil prevail against us or disease infect us?

Psalm 115:9
So trust in the Lord, all his people. For he is the only true hero, the wraparound God who is our shield!

The Shield does the same as the Breastplate...It protects us

Proverbs 13:6a
Righteousness is like a shield of protection, guarding those who keep their integrity

What is Faith?
1) conviction of the truth of anything, belief; in the NT of a conviction or belief respecting man's relationship to God and divine things, generally with the included idea of trust and holy fervour born of faith and joined with it

Basically it is believing that God will do what he says He will do, without doubt. We must trust completely that His word is true and that he will stand by it. Let’s take some scriptures and see what he says regarding us

Peter 2:24
24 He himself carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we would be dead to sin and live for righteousness. Our instant healing flowed from his wounding.

Mark 11:22-24
22 Jesus replied, “Let the faith of God be in you! 23 Listen to the truth I speak to you: Whoever says to this mountain with great faith and does not doubt, ‘Mountain, be lifted up and thrown into the midst of the sea,’ and believes that what he says will happen, it will be done. 24 This is the reason I urge you to boldly believe for whatever you ask for in prayer—be convinced that you have received it and it will be yours.

Philippians 4:19
19 I am convinced that my God will fully satisfy every need you have, for I have seen the abundant riches of glory revealed to me through Jesus Christ!

2 Timothy 1:7
For God will never give you the spirit of fear, but the Holy Spirit who gives you mighty power, love, and self-control.

I have to believe that scriptures like these and all scriptures are true and that God will stand behind His word and bring them to pass. Otherwise what can I believe? I have to take every scripture and believe and have faith that it is for me and that God will make it happen in my life.

Hebrews 11:1
The Power of Bold Faith
11 Now faith brings our hopes into reality and becomes the foundation needed to acquire the things we long for. It is all the evidence required to prove what is still unseen.

Hebrews 11:6
6 And without faith living within us it would be impossible to please God. For we come to God in faith knowing that he is real and that he rewards the faith of those who passionately seek him.

So we see that we must have "Faith" that God will do what He says He will do. So when the enemy comes in and sends his fiery darts that say you are sick and not going to get well.. Then we can say

No!...1 Peter 2:24 says I am healed...down falls that fiery dart.

If he tries to say, you will never get past this problem, you will never move it. That is just too big for you to overcome...you say

No!....Mark 11:22-24 says I can move mountains

If he tries to say, you will never have enough money to meet your needs and you are going under...you say

No!....Philippians 4:19 says My God supplies all my needs

And if he tries to say, you are going crazy, you have no power or love....you say

No!...2 Timothy 1:7 says that God has given me power, love and a sound mind.
or
1 Corinthians 2:15-16
15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. 16 For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

You have just quenched all those fiery darts. They cannot harm you if you believe in God and have Faith that His word is true and that he will do it.
God will always back His Word!

Jeremiah 1:12
12 Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am ready to perform My word.

Isaiah 55:11
So also will be the word that I speak; it does not return to me unfulfilled. My word performs my purpose and fulfills the mission I sent it out to accomplish.”

God will not allow His words to be empty. They are sent with a purpose and will do what they say...but only we only believe!

A shield was made of the best material there was. It was strong and made to withstand heavy blows and arrows.

So Faith is made of the best substance, it is made of the things hoped for, that are based on the Word of God! We can stand on it. It is strong and made to withstand against blows and fiery darts and arrows. But we need to hold it up no matter what. It will do us no good at our side or laying somewhere in the tent. It has to go before us.. for protection and strength. As long as we have Faith in God...we will never fail.

I have just quoted a few scriptures that you can stand on. Search for yourself and find what you need in God’s word. Don’t let the devil’s fiery darts get you. Quench them with Faith in God. His only weapon against us is deception. If he can make you believe that he has you, he will. The battle is in the mind. Don’t let him win it. Stand against him and trust God for the rest.

God loves us so much that he has provided whatever we need to stand against the enemy of our soul.

Isaiah 59:19
So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west,
And His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.

TPT
Isaiah 59:19
From the west to the lands of the rising sun, the glory and the name of Yahweh will be held in highest reverence, for he will break in as a flooding, rushing river driven on by the breath of Yahweh!

What is a "standard"? To put to flight, to drive hastily, to cause to disappear, hide

He will cause him to RUN!! When the warriors would take over a city they would raise up the flag of their nation for all to see that this was conquered territory. And the enemy would know that there had been victory won that day and would be afraid. Well let’s make the devil afraid of us! He is defeated!! Hallelujah!!

So combining the Shield and Faith we are well protected against the enemy. But he is always attacking, so we cannot let our shield down...we must always have it protecting us and that will only happen if we obey God and His Word...our lives depend on it...both physically and Spiritually.


 

Spiritual Warfare 6 


 

 

By Judy Warren

Spiritual Warfare~Lesson 1


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