Putting on the Full Armor of God: The Shield of Faith

by David Chadwick

The full armor of God is to be put on by every believer to protect us from Satan’s attacks during perilous times. The next piece is the shield of faith.

The only definition of faith in the Bible is found in Hebrews 11:1. “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:6 goes on to say that without faith, it is impossible to please God.

The shield for a Roman soldier actually covered his entire body. It was thick with leather and metal so that when the enemy’s fiery arrows would hit the shield, they would immediately be extinguished.

We, too, have an enemy. When he daily fires his arrows of lies, accusations, and threats, we hold up the shield of faith – a shield that says our God is in control.

Jesus was raised from the dead and rules over all. Nothing is impossible for him. We belong to Jesus! We are his. Therefore, nothing can harm us.

I want you to take note of something else. In Roman culture, not only were these shields able to cover the entire body, they were also able to interlock with other soldiers. When God said to pick up the shield of faith in Ephesians 6, it was to represent the full body protection that comes from walking in faith. It was also to stress the powerful connectivity that takes place when those in the bride of Christ operate in faith together. We are connected to Jesus by faith.

Please note how we need the church! The body! The bride of Christ! It is essential in our culture. And when we stand alongside other believers with our shields held high, we stand interlocked with a unity of faith and a protection that frustrates and thwarts the enemy’s plans.

Pick up the shield of faith. Faith is the rarified air of heaven. We need to breathe it with every breath. When we do, the enemy cannot get to us. Our air of faith will choke out his tactics.

And always remember, because of Jesus, we win!