The shield of Faith

Notes from a sermon heard on Sunday morning 20 January 2013

Luke 8 verses 22 – 25 and Ephesians 6 verses 10 – 18

The Armour of God  - “above all taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.”

The Lord told his disciples to get into the boat and they would go to the other side.  It was a definite instruction.  Half way across the storm arose “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world and this is the victory that overcometh the world you’re your faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God” (1 John 5 verses 4 and 5 The disciples ran to Jesus and said “Master we perish.”  The Lord said “where is your faith?”  “Above all” – yes Paul talks about all the other things but this is a tremendous protection for the child of God.  The Roman soldier’s shield was the size of a door carved around him.  He would move it around his body to protect every aspect of his body even his head when the arrows came down.  You and I as we go into the workplace, the school or the university need the shield of faith.  The disciples forgot about when in the midst of the storm.  They faltered.  The Roman soldier going into the battle would take the shield which would have a two fold usage.  One was a defence but it was also a stretcher, to be used to carry off the injured from the battle. Our faith takes us through many difficult days.  Luke 8 “where is your faith?”  Jesus said to the disciples and he still says it to us today!  He didn’t challenge them about their inability or strength or of their fear.  He spoke to them because of their faith.  As a child of God how often we falter at that very point.

The source of this storm.  Many of the Bible scholars and commentators agree that at its origin is the very powers of darkness.  The Lord arose out of his sleep and he rebuked the winds and waves therefore he rebuked the enemy.  We must see this as the work of the prince of the air, the devil himself.  The devil has tremendous power and authority today.  Today it seems as if the devil has been placed on a shelf, it is a figment of the imagination but no – there is an enemy for the child of God.  Are you in the boat with God today?  Maybe you are going through a storm today?  God is with you – have you allowed him to take over today?  Where is your faith?  Is there something that hinders and prevents you carrying out what Jesus would have you to do?  If the Lord Jesus has burdened you to do something for himself help is on its way.  Once we get into the boat with the Lord, follow his footsteps it will not be long until the enemy comes to hinder you.  In Thessalonica Paul wrote to a people who had accepted the Lord as Saviour and were waiting for his return.  Paul had to leave Thessalonica because of a riot and he wanted to get back there time and again.  He wrote to this church in chapter 1 verse 18 “Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again but Satan hindered us.”  That is what will happen if you hear the call of God.  The source of this storm was the devil himself.  Whatever you do for the Lord the devil will hinder you.  Chapter 6 – where are these fiery darts coming from – the wicked one, Satan himself.  Sometimes we fail to see them, fail to put up the shield of faith.

The suddenness of the storm – verse 23.  As Jesus fell asleep there came down a storm.  As the disciples got into the boat the sun was bright, the sky was blue and there was no sign of a storm at all.  When they got half way across the storm blew up.  How often that happens in our daily lives.  Something happens that just knocks us for 6.  Paul was arrested in the streets and cast into prison.  That is what sometimes happens – the enemy does it suddenly and without warning, when our guard is down.  We need to take the shield of faith with us.  The enemy can attack us so quickly.  An accusation is thrown quickly against us.  Never see it coming from any quarter.  The soldier had to be ready with his shield to turn it around again.  Sometimes accusations can be made, a word spoken that hurts us, brings us down.  A wrong thought comes into the mind.  Maybe there is a hasty word spoken.  We need to be careful.  The enemy comes suddenly.  The disciples were in the place Jesus would have them to be when the enemy struck.  Maybe you are in the right place at this moment in time.  God has been leading you and instructing you.  You know you are in the centre of God’s will yet there is a tremendous storm brewing in your life.  You could understand it happening in Jonah’s life – after all he heard God’s word yet ran in the opposite direction.  You could understand that of the young man who said he would go and work in the vineyard but didn’t but I am trying to do my best – to do as God has asked yet there is a tremendous storm.  James said “my brethren count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations.” (chapter 1 verse 2)  In other words rejoice in that storm because God is doing something mighty in your life.  Always take care of the half way – many give up at that stage.  You might feel your work is very laborious and haven’t seen much blessing as a result – keep at it.  Remember the story of a young man who was conducting a mission in a village in England.  He preached night after night to himself for 3 solid weeks.  Not one person turned up to hear him but he continued on.  Eight months later he was back in the village and stepped into the local shop.  A little woman came into the shop and said “oh you are the man who came here 8 months ago and preached every night in that hall at the bottom of my street and yet no-one came to hear you.  Well I want you to know that on the last night of your mission I got down on my knees and accepted the Lord as Saviour.  I thought there must be something in what you were doing when you continued on night after night.”  The enemy strikes when you least expect it.  The shield of faith will be able to quench every fiery dart of the wicked one.  Remember Elijah on the mountain top.  He called the people to the Lord yet immediately Jezebel sent word that she was going to kill him and he had to run for his life.

The severity of the storm.  The disciples panicked.  The severity made them fear for their lives.  There was something different about this storm.  We go through many difficulties at times that are nothing to do with the devil but here was one where the devil himself had sent and the disciples panicked.  In the spiritual sense we face storms with fear.  We can never get above them.  Remember when Job got up out of his bed one day.  There was an unseen battle going on in the unseen realms of heaven.  The devil was trying to bring Job down.  The first messenger came and told him the Sabeans had stolen his herds.  Then another messenger came to say the fire of God had fallen and consumed the flocks.  The third messenger came with news that the Chaldeans had carried away the camels.  The fourth messenger told him that his sons and daughters were partying when there was a great wind causing the house to fall on them.  Everything was taken away from Job on that day.  Then a great sickness came on Job himself which took him to his knees.  His wife told him everything is taken from you now will you not curse God and die.  His 3 friends came and sat with him for 7 days never saying a word.  They did not offer any comforting word but rather said Job must have done something wrong, God wouldn’t allow this to happen to you otherwise.  In Job 28 Job lifts the shield of faith and says “he knoweth the way that I take I am happy to leave my life in his hands.  Someone once said of Abraham: he lived his life for God, he left all with God, he found all in God and he yielded all to God.

The settling of the storm.  The Lord Jesus rose up and he rebuked the winds and the seas and all was calm.  For the child of God who is coming through difficult times God will be there, yes it is difficult and there is much darkness but the Lord will one of these days stand and say ‘enough’.  God told the devil “you can do whatever you like to Job but don’t take his life” - a distance was set.  Delivery is on its way.  If your faith is not in Christ take heed today – trust Christ as Saviour.  If you are a child of God take the shield of faith with you today.