One of the most famous German army officers during WWII was Erwin Rommel, the “Desert Fox.” During the war an Allied military commander wrote the following order to his subordinates:
“There exists a real danger that our friend Rommel is becoming a king or magician or boogeyman to our troops, who are talking far too much about him. He is by no means a superman, although he is undoubtedly very energetic and able. Even if he were a superman, it would still be highly undesirable that our men should credit him with supernatural powers.
“I wish to dispel by all possible means the idea that Rommel represents something more than the ordinary. The more important thing now is to see that we do not always talk of Rommel when we mean the enemy in Libya. We must refer to ‘the Germans’ or ‘the Axis powers’ or ‘the enemy’ and not always be harping.
“Please ensure that this order is put into immediate effect, and impress upon all commanders that, from a psychological point of view, it is a matter of the highest importance.”
Applying this to our struggle with the “prince of darkness,” we’ve got to put and keep things in perspective: “Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.”
Our focus, our preoccupation, must be the greatness of Christ and the joy of serving Him. Before James ever says “Resist the devil” he says “Submit to God!” (James 4:7) When we are challenged or opposed by the evil one, we need to respond and not retreat. We’re learning how to do this from Paul’s instructions in Ephesians 6.
Using the analogy of a Roman soldier’s armor, Paul talks about the armor of God — defensive and offensive equipment designed for effective use against the devil.
We have said the belt of truth (v.14) is growing knowledge and understanding of the Scriptures and how they apply to life. The breastplate of righteousness (v.14) is knowing who we are in Christ and resisting Satan with that truth when he attacks our identity in Christ. The gospel of peace (v.15) is overcoming worry with the promises of God (Isaiah 26:3).
Today’s study concerns the shield of faith: “In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” (v. 16)
A Roman soldier’s shield was about four feet long and two feet wide, made of wood, and covered with tough leather. Holding it before him, the soldier was protected from spears, arrows, and “flaming arrows.”
These “flaming arrows” were arrows dipped in a flammable substance, ignited, and then shot directly at the enemy.
Notice that Paul says “take up” (lit. lift up; get into position) the shield of faith.” What is faith? It’s an attitude; a mindset; a resolution that “God is not going to let me down; I don’t care how big, how relentless the enemy/problem is, God will get me through it! I’m going to make it!” With that attitude, we’re acting on the promises and believing in the power of God — “Shields up!”
The gospel of peace is anchoring our spiritual feet in God’s promises; the shield of faith is deflecting specific assaults of the devil, what Paul calls “flaming arrows.” With shields up, we’re staying in the fight!
You can see that the “gospel of peace” and the “shield of faith” are therefore interrelated. In fact, every piece of armor is a different aspect of the Word of God! What’s the promise to those who have the shield of faith in position? Every flaming arrow of the evil one will be extinguished. I’m convinced the “shield of faith” is simply
Believing that God is faithful in every circumstance
What about these flaming arrows? What are they? They are spiritual arrows, shot at us by the devil, with names on them:
• Fear
• Doomed to fail
• Doubt
• Worry
• Shame
• Panic
• Lust
• Guilt
• Superstition
• Temptation
It is Satan’s hope these arrows will hit their target (the heart/mind), light a fire within, and consume us. With the shield of faith in place, we can quench these arrows, one by one.
Again, the shield of faith is an attitude, a resolution. It says “I don’t have to think these thoughts. They’re not of God. He has said…”
It’s identifying the lie we’re hearing then deflecting it before it hits its mark. With our shield up we’re saying “Sure this problem is big, but God is bigger! I’m going to make it!”
An unusual evergreen is the lodgepole pine that grows prolifically in some of our National Parks — such as Yellowstone National Park. The cones of this pine often hang for years and years on the trees yet never open. Even when they fall to the ground they remain closed. These cones can only be opened when they come in contact with intense heat.
This, of course, is God’s deliberate design: When a forest fire rages through our parks and forests all the trees are destroyed. At the same time, however, the heat of the fire opens the cones of the lodgepole pine; and these pines are often the first tree to grow in an area that has been burned out by the fire.
What’s your “fiery trial”? What flaming arrows has Satan been launching at you? God has His reasons for allowing such intense heat. One of them is to help you see the condition of your faith and provide an opportunity for it to grow as you hold up your shield, stand your ground, and eventually see God’s redemption.
The “shield of faith” is believing that God is faithful in every circumstance. This will prove to be true in your situation — but you’ll need to lift up and keep in position the shield of faith, persevering until the fire passes.
James 4:7
STANDING FIRM — GROWING STRONG, PART II
An important leader of the Allied march across France and into Germany was General George S. Patton — nicknamed “Old Blood And Guts.” Patton had many “colorful” expressions — one of them (slightly edited!) being: “You don’t win wars by dying for your country. You win by making the other guy die for his country!”
The apostle James says, “…Resist [stand firm against; withstand] the devil and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7) You see, we’re not to fear the devil nor are we to go looking for him (he knows where we live!). James simply says we’re to “resist” him; we’re to stand firm when he comes around. He is a creation of God, subject to us through Jesus Christ. The question is “How do we take a stand against this formidable foe?” In Ephesians 6:10-18, the Apostle Paul tells us how! Paul says we are strong in Jesus as we don the full spiritual armor of God. Paul then presents this armor, piece by piece, in verses 14-18.
PAUL’S CONCLUSION: Verse 13 is Paul’s conclusion (based on what he’s written in verses 10-12): “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes (the day of severe trial; those critical moments in our lives when temptation, trial, or trouble presses in), you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”
PAUL’S COURSE OF ACTION: Beginning with verse 14 Paul lays out a course of action for us, beginning with the belt of truth: “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist…”
“Stand firm”: This means we are to stand still; stand our ground. We’re not to back away nor turn our backs on the forces of evil. The application is simply this: We’re to seek the kingdom of God.
When Satan shows up we deal with him — then move on.
“Belt of truth”: Here Paul begins to delineate the armor of God, piece by piece, using the analogy of a Roman soldier’s armor — an illustration of the spiritual armor God has for us to use against Satan.
The first piece on Paul’s list is the “belt.” It was 6-8 inches wide and went completely around the waist. It was one of the most important pieces of equipment because other parts of the armor were attached to it!
What is the “belt of truth”? Paul doesn’t come right out and tell us. There are various possibilities, a likely one being the Word of God (as presented in both the Old and New Testament Scriptures). I encourage you to take a few moments to look up the following verses of Scripture to see how critically important the Word of God is, how foundational it is for every Christian:
• Psalm 119: 30, 43, 89, 105, 138, 16
• Matthew 24:35
• John 17:17
• Colossians 1:5
• II Timothy 3:16-17
The Bible alone shows us the way to God and the walk with God. It is therefore easy to see why God’s Word is the foundational piece in our suit of armor — why Paul would liken it to the belt of a Roman soldier’s armor. I, therefore, believe the “belt of truth” is God’s Word, the Bible — or more precisely:
“A growing knowledge and understanding of the Scriptures and how they apply to life.”
Without the Bible as our foundation — and without maturing in our understanding and application of it — we are defenseless against our spiritual enemies. Other books were given to us for information; the Bible was given for our transformation!
Satan works overtime at keeping us out of the Book; he works diligently at lulling many a believer into a moderate — or even non-existent study and application of the Word. He does this
• Because he knows the Bible helps us detect his presence.
• Because the Scriptures give us a second sense, an ability to discern, a faculty of seeing which enables us to recognize that what’s happening is part of his plan to trip us up and thereby hinder God’s work both in and through us.
Keeping us out of the Book is a top priority for him because Jesus said “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). For us, that truth is found in God’s Word.
Someone has said that if all the neglected Bibles in this country were dusted off at the same time we’d suffer the worst dust storm in history! To this, I would add the “consoling” words of Charles Haddon Spurgeon: “There is dust enough on some of your Bibles to write ‘damnation’ with your fingers.”
We’d be wise to heed God’s advice to Joshua:
“Do not let this book of the Law [God’s Word] depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” Joshua 1:8
Is your belt on this day?