FATHOM CHURCH - The Armor of God Series - "The Shield of Faith" - Ephesians 6:10-18

Pastor Nathan Deisem
Fathom Church 8/30/20
Armor of God – The Shield of Faith
Ephesians 6: 10-18; Hebrews 11: 1,6; James 2: 14,17; Galatians 2: 20

• BELT OF TRUTH – Holds it all together and is the foundation of our defense (Absolute Truth)
• BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS – Both Christ Righteousness imputed on us & lived out!
• SHOES OF THE GOSPEL – Good News: Forgiveness, Justification, Salvation that brings peace!

Ephesians 6: 10-18: The Armor of God
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up THE SHIELD OF FAITH, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

I. Armor of God – Why Armor? The battle is Spiritual!
A. A battle is being waged and we are a part of it whether we like it or not.
1. 1 Peter 5: 8 “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
2. Satan has a variety of strategies to attack you and he is looking for openings
a. “Flaming Arrows”
b. Dipped in pitch and lit on fire.
c. Used to destroy defenses before killing the enemy!

II. Armor of God – Why a Shield?
A. Roman Scutum – This is the device designed to take the most damage!
1. Very Large Rectangular Shield (Like the size of a door)
a. Slightly Curved
b. Offering Protection to the whole body
2. Wrapped in Leather and Soaked in Water
a. The water can extinguish the flaming arrows
b. The shields can form a phalanx
i. AND A TESTUDO (“TORTOISE”)
ii. Effective in groups and for the individual!

III. Armor of God – What is Faith? Contend for the Faith (Jude 3, 1 Peter 3: 15)
A. Hebrews 11: 1
1. 1 “Now FAITH is the ASSURANCE of things hoped for, the CONVICTION of things not seen.”
B. Hebrews 11: 6a
1. 6 “And without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”
C. James 2: 14,17
1. 14 “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?” (The Answer is NO! but…)
2. 17 “So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”
D. Galatians 2: 20
1. 20 “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

IV. Armor of God – How do I “Take it up”?
A. #1 TRUST and #2 OBEY
1. The Christian Faith has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and not tried. G. K. Chesterton *** Lets Pray!

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