If you've not read part 1 or part 2 , feel free to check out the links.
We'll be looking at Ephesians 6, verses 16-18 for this final part. I've taken this portion from the KJV, and I'll explain why later.
"Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;"
We'll jump straight in to verse 16: The Shield of Faith
Faith is a shield, a defensive stratagem in our armour. The bible is quite plain when it says there will be things heading our way - it describes them as "fiery darts". The Greek, belē is the word for darts and means missile or arrow and comes from a root which also means javelin. Darts or javelins can be aimed at their target. Interestingly though, on a whim, I looked up "fiery" which means flaming, on fire, burning in the Greek concordance. Thayer, however, interestingly links this word with the heat of passions such as anger, being incensed or or being aflame with sexual desire. It's interesting that sometimes a simple action from someone can lead to some "fiery" thinking: sometimes we become inexplicably infuriated with something or someone. It's these little "missiles" that are actually quite dangerous. "Why did they do that? Don't they care? You aren't important to them....and after all you've done for them!" Or even, "Your God doesn't answer your prayers. He's not bothered with you - look how you behaved this morning...call yourself a Christian??" It's these little darts of wrong thinking that are actually very dangerous. They set in and fester. We need to be using our shield of faith. "No! That person is a child of God, and I'm sure they didn't realise they hurt my feelings. I will choose to pray for them and show them extra love today." And "My God supplies all my needs, I am a child of God, a joint heir with Christ. I am His beloved."
This is how we use our shield of faith. We align our thinking with the Word, and stop the fiery darts dead in their tracks. Sometimes the missile will be our finances, or emotions, our health.....just use your shield of faith over all. Over all means over everything. Every time you deflect a missile with your faith shield, I reckon it bounces off and hits the enemy square in the head! Confessing, "By His stripes I am healed" and boom! he gets a whack in the head. (That's not scriptural by the way, that's just my own thoughts, but I love the idea and I hope it's true!)
You may say, My shield must be tiny though as I don't have much faith. Well I have fantastic news....it's God's armour and not yours so the shield is HUGE because God doesn't lack faith. He had so much faith He said Light Be and light was! He raised Jesus from the dead. So don't sweat if your own faith levels feel a bit low. You only need a tiny mustard seed of faith to move a mountain so it's always good news with God. And to prove that your shield is huge: the Greek word thyreon is the word for shield here in this verse and it's worth a mention as it means "gate or door" and is large enough to provide full protection as it's door-sized! Wow. A whole door for a shield. That means you don't have to keep moving your shield around your body - the shield completely covers you. This isn't the only word for shield in Greek, there is another word for shield which is a small circular shield, but that isn't used here. I just love how every single word in the Bible is completely God-ordained.
v17 - The helmet of salvation
Just when you thought you couldn't glean any more from a few verses in the Bible, the little nuggets just continue. Helmet in Greek is perikephalaian and means encirclement of the head. It's comprised of two words - peri means around, all over, through and kephale means head. The head part of the word means the "seat of the intellect which has been enlightened by the holy Spirit to comprehend all aspects of salvation." WOW.
Salvation is from a root word sozo in Greek which means, save, deliver, protect, make whole, heal, be whole, preserve, do well. All of that is encompassed in our salvation - deliverance, protection, healing, being whole and doing well. What a beautiful word. Many attacks come via the mind. It's a battleground and God has given us a helmet that goes all around, all over and through our head showing us that there isn't any area that He is leaving vulnerable, and that helmet is Salvation. We must know we are saved. We must know what that means. Sozo, is so much more than just having accepted Jesus and knowing our final destination is heaven. As wonderful as that is, we have more than just a spiritual salvation, but salvation on this earth in the form of protection, healing, wholeness, preservation and doing well. That's what God desires for you. But we must know it is ours or we'll be easily defeated.
I'm astounded when I hear people say that sickness is from God. No! That's a lie. If God's will is to make people sick, or to teach a lesson through sickness and illness then Jesus did not do the will of God on the earth as He healed ALL who came to Him. ALL. Sinners got healed. Everyone. I hear that people say that those who die early or young are because 'He needs them in heaven'.....NO. It just isn't so. Psalm 91 says "With long life will I satisfy him and show him My salvation." That's God talking. He satisfies us with long life and not only that, but salvation too. To live victoriously we must believe what God says.
We may need to 'unlearn' some things that we've been taught. But the Bible is our authority. See what it says about who you are in Christ. It will bless your socks off to find out that you are a joint heir with Christ, that means that what He has, you have. Life, health, blessing, joy, victory, peace, wholeness. Get that helmet on, and when someone says something contrary to the Word of God about you, you will not be affected because you will know that you have SOZO!!
v 17 The Sword of the Spirit
This is explained for us: it is the Word of God. There are a number of references in the bible to the Word being a sword. This is our weapon. You might think a soldier needs more than one weapon, but this is a super-weapon. There's power in the Word of God. We need to use the Word of God - speak it, meditate on it, know it. Meditate means chew. Chew it over. Feed on it. Take it in, savour it. Don't rush through it.
The Greek for word is rhema, and it means spoken word. We are told to read our Bible, but seldom are we told to speak it out. It is powerful when it is spoken. God's words produce life. He spoke the universe into being. He speaks and it happens. Yet, we are made in His likeness and we also have the authority to use our words to change our surroundings. "Speak to the mountain" Jesus said. He spoke to the storm and it was calmed. Words are much more powerful than we realise, in fact the Bible says death and life are in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18 v 21). It's so important that we speak good words, and the right words because words can build up, or tear down. Be careful with your casual conversations. Today's vernacular is changing all the time, and we use words with little thought or respect. Things are hated in everyday speech (I hate marmite); we speak words of anti-faith all the time (I'm afraid I can't do that / I was scared to death / I'm sick of this). All these are so easily said, not really meant in a literal sense, but nevertheless those words are out there. Be watchful of what you speak over yourself and your children (He's a stupid boy/ she never learns / he's dead funny).
You may say that I'm being over the top, taking it too far, but that's not what the Bible says.In fact it has plenty to say about our speech.
It's not easy to change your speech as everyone says these sorts of phrases and they are "normal". We don't want to come across as weird, but a simple adjustment by consciously choosing your wording will soon become your own norm. Just think how our lives would see a transformation if we started speaking life and good things into them instead of negative, fear-filled words! It's a challenge, but something to aim for and work on.
We need the Word of God. We need to be speaking God's word over our lives. Revelation 19 v 15 says "Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations". The sword here is the Word of God and the passage is talking of Jesus. Jesus uses the word of God and again, it is described as a sword. If it's good enough for Jesus, it's certainly good enough for me.
Now, in my preferred translation of the Bible, The Amplified, there's a full stop at the end of verse 17. However, in the KJV, the sentence continues into verse 18. I think the KJV is more accurately conveying the original as in the Greek, the linking-word dia is used which means "by" and the literal translation would be "by all prayer and supplication praying in every season in the Spirit and unto this very thing watching with all perseverance and with all supplication for the saints." Prayer is linked with the Word. We should be using the word and prayer in conjunction with each other.
In every season means always. So whatever season you're in - a good time, when all is good, finances are ok, health is good, family is doing well - pray. When times are tough, money is a bit tight, relationships are strained, got a niggly pain in your back - pray. When times are dire - everything's falling apart - pray. Pray pray pray. Just pray whenever and wherever. Pray for the saints, God's people. Pray for the church, far and wide. Pray.
Prayer wouldn't be here, linked in with the armour of God if it wasn't significant. It's vital, it's not an afterthought. The full defences and armour of God include prayer and watchfulness. We must be praying for each other. In every one of Paul's epistles, he encourages the church to pray whether it be a request to pray for him, pray for other churches, pray for each other. He always mentions that he has been praying for them, as an example of what we should be doing. We are all in this together, like a platoon of soldiers. We need to be looking out for and watching over each other. We're the body of Christ.
So let's sum up as it's been a mammouth study:
We need the WHOLE armour of God
It is God's armour - provided for us, by Him. We need it on
The Belt of truth - know the truth, know what God says. Let the truth hold everything in place
Breastplate of Righteousness - seek first God's righteousness and know in your heart that you are the righteousness of God in Christ
Shod your feet - Be ready to go where God tells you to go, walk in the good news of the gospel everyday, knowing that wherever you step, you are the difference in that environment. You don't let the atmosphere control you or contaminate you, you are cleansed and blessed wherever you go, sharing the gospel with everyone you meet
Shield of faith - use your faith, exercise your faith, believe God, and walk boldly knowing that the shield of faith goes with you, covering you like a huge door
Helmet of salvation - let your Saviour and defender encircle your thoughts. Your head is protected around and throughout. You have salvation - and that encompasses not just spiritual life, but protection, health, wholenesss. You are a victor in Christ
The Sword - don't let your sword dangle idly by your side. Use the Word of God in all circumstances. This is our weapon, the word will change our circumstances if we speak it out.
Pray - whether things are good, bad or indifferent....PRAY. At all times. Pray for yourself, your family, and for your fellow believers. Pray for the lost. Just pray.
I hope you've enjoyed this little study. The Word of God is alive, and studying it is so rewarding. It never gets old, or boring. I give thanks and praise to Jesus for giving us the Holy Spirit.
Be blessed x