“…in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” ~ Eph. 6:16
As we continue thinking about ways that Satan can attack the children of God, we come to the instruction found at the end of Ephesians regarding the armor of God.
Paul tells the Ephesian church to ‘take up the shield of faith’ to extinguish the flaming arrows that Satan shoots at us.
The Arrows
Battle in the ancient world included archers. Arrows were often soaking in pitch and then lit on fire and shot into opposition ranks. The arrows would not only injure or kill the soldier, but would light his clothing on fire, thereby rendering him completely helpless.
The question, of course, is what are the ‘flaming arrows’ that Satan is throwing at God’s people?
There are a number of possible solutions to this question, but the text doesn’t give us an answer. Instead, Paul simply tells us what to do to quench these flaming arrows.
The Shield
The word used here for the shield of faith comes from the Greek word for ‘door’. The shield being described was the height of a man, with double-thick wooden planks, covered with cow hide.
The shields were soaked in water prior to battle, and used as defensive protection when volleys of arrows were fired.
Faith and Doubt
Paul’s instruction to believers is to have faith—their own personal trust in God and His promises—as the means of extinguishing the arrows shot at them by Satan.
If faith extinguishes the arrows, they must be associated in some way with doubt—doubt about God, about His character, and about His love.
What might these arrows be?
Is God really good?
Does God love me?
Is God with me in this trial?
Etc.
But faith in God and His love for us extinguishes these doubts quickly. And the water that puts out the flames of doubt is the certainty that if God sent His Son to die for our sins, certainly He will care for us in every other way!
So, take up the shield of faith. Remind yourself that God loves you in spite of the difficulties you’re facing. Refuse to give into doubt. And go back to the cross where your sins - past, present and future - were paid in full!
