Eld Chew Chong Kiat

Ephesians 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

1. Introduction

Every child of God desires to be victorious in spiritual battles, but they cannot do so without adorning and employing the armour provided by God. The belt of truth tops the list described by Paul, reminding us that we must all sincerely want to be soldiers of the Lord. We then adorn the breastplate of righteousness by ensuring that we stand before God with the perfect righteousness of God imputed by faith and be righteous. The shoes remind us that we must constantly experience peace with God through the gospel so that we have the courage and zeal to fight with the conviction “If God be for us, who can be against us.” (Romans 8:31).

The shield, which represents faith, is the fourth piece of armour. The Apostle switches from using the verb “having” (v14) to the verb “taking” (v16) to emphasize permanency in the former, that we are to adorn it to be ready always. The latter verb indicates that we are to have the shield close at hand for use when needed. The Roman soldiers would always be wearing their belts, breastplates and shoes, and would take the shield, sword and helmet at a moment’s notice before the battle began.

2. The Use

“Above all” means over all. The soldier would hold the shield to defend all parts of the body.  It is not the smaller buckler carried on the non-master arm to parry off blows from the enemy’s sword. The shield was rectangular and large (about 4.5 by 2.5 feet) so the soldier could hide behind it. It was usually made of thick wood covered with several hides of leather or metal and treated with a fire retardent to quench the fiery arrows.

3. The Meaning

The shield represents faith to trust completely and unconditionally in God and His Word as if all depends on Him. True faith takes God at His word without question. God says it, that settles it, and we believe it. Faith asks no questions and seeks no explanation for what God offers.

Faith gives us evidence of that which we have not seen and enables us to hope in it (Hebrews 11:1). Many saints “died in faith not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” (Hebrews 11:13) Their lives and conduct were a result of their conviction in God’s promises alone. Faith gave them the conviction of those things that they had not seen. “Jesus saith unto ...Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” (John 20:29) We worship and serve God, whom our eyes cannot see, and yet we relate to Him as a real Person, in prayer and service.

The reality and evidence of our faith is obedience. Consider the mission to conquer Jericho. No rational person would be convinced by the strategy that God commanded. The city walls were so thick that the space between them was ideal for residence and sufficient for two chariots to run side by side. The soldiers of Jericho were trained and armed, whilst this was Israel’s maiden battle. God said they were to compass the city seven days and the walls would crumble with just a shout by them. Every day was a test of faith as they compassed the wall in silence. They believed God and obeyed, and “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.” (Hebrews 11:30)

The fiery darts refer to burning suggestions and excitements to sin which the devil will throw into believers’ minds - lusts of the flesh and mind, and the pride of life, unbelief, doubts, guilt and torments of a wounded conscience.  They, like arrows, can come suddenly and unexpectedly to pierce and wound the soul, and being set on fire, they will burn and cause significant damage. How many Christians have fallen because they did not exercise faith. Peter doubted and sank when he walked on the water. Elijah fled for his life because he feared Jezebel who demanded his life. Before that he trusted in God to send fire to consume the drenched offering. The moment we stop believing, we will be standing without protection against the fiery arrows.

The shield offers protection to the Christian soldier and makes him feel secure. By confidence in God, and relying on His gracious promises and aid, the Christian will be saved from fiery trials that may come from every quarter. He will be able to stand in every spiritual battle.

4. The Application

Consider how Adam and Eve fell in the Garden of Eden. The fiery darts of Satan slayed them both when doubts were cast at what God said. Satan will fire his temptations in the form of the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life. Satan casts doubts at what God says, and tempts and lures us to the easy and pleasurable way. He wants us to believe that his ways are more fulfilling and satisfying than what God promises. He is a liar from the beginning.

Believe in God and in what He says. Take up the shield of faith. Proverbs 30:5-6 “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.” What God says is true, add not to it. When you believe God, your shield is up; when you believe the Devil, your shield is down. God’s children will win by trusting in God. Consider how Jesus quenched every fiery dart thrown at him by the devil in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-9). Jesus did it by hiding behind the Word of God. We cannot do anything less.  Amen.