“What is the shield of faith (Ephesians 6:16)?”……The shield of faith is part of thearmor of Goddescribed inEphesians 6:10├ö├ç├┤17. After summarizing the gospel and giving the Ephesians various instructions, Paul concludes his epistle to them saying, in part,from verse10├ö├ç├┤1110 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.…About the shield, Paul writes,(verse 16)."16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. (Greek the evil one)"

…The Roman shield of the time was called ascutum. This type of shield was as large as a door and would cover the warrior entirely. Such a shield was not just defensive but could also be used to push opponents.

When fighting as a group, a phalanx of soldiers (especially in ancient Greece, a group of soldiers that attacked in close formation, protected by their overlapping shields and projecting spears)these soldiers could position their shields so as to form an enclosure around themselves, called atestudo("tortoise"). This was especially helpful to protect against arrows launched from the walls of cities they were attacking. Shields, often made of wood and then covered in hide, when wet, could extinguish flaming arrows.……Clearly, a shield is vitally important to a soldier. It provides a blanket of protection. It is meant to be taken up in all circumstances. It is the first barrier against the enemy's attack. Often, shields were painted with identifying marks; a Christian who takes up the shield of faith identifies himself as a foot soldier who serves the Commander of the Lord's army …Like Joshua who was totally dedicated to the Lords Army…Joshua 5:14…14 "I am the commander of the Lord's army."At this, Joshua fell with his face to the ground in reverence. "I am at your command," Joshua said. "What do you want your servant to do?"

Satan's attacks can sometimes cause us to doubt God. …And Hebrews 11:6 stresses the importance of faith: "Without faith it is impossible to please God."……Faith prompts us to believe God. We give in to temptation when we believe what it has to offer is better than what God has promised. Faith reminds us that, though fulfillment of God's promise may not be readily visible to us, God is true to His Word. …When Satan attempts to plague us with doubt or entice us with instant gratification, faith recognizes the deceptiveness of his tactics and quickly extinguishes the arrows. …When Satan accuses us, faith chooses to believe that Jesus has redeemed us and that there is no more condemnation …Romans 8:1,34…So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.…Revelation 12:10├ö├ç├┤12…34 Who then will condemn us? No one-for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God's right hand, pleading for us.…Faith is one of the greatest gifts …1 Corinthians 13:13…13 Three things will last forever-faith, hope, and love-and the greatest of these is love.…Faith is the means by which we receive grace and come into right relationship with God …Ephesians 2:8├ö├ç├┤9…8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God.9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.…It is because we have beenjustified through faiththat we belong to God and have peace with Him …Romans 5:1…Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace[a] with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us..…Faith is the doorway to hope in God …Romans 5:2…2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory.…Because we have faith in God, our suffering need not worry us; in fact, we can persevere under it …Romans 5:3├ö├ç├┤5…3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.…The things Satan attempts to use to discourage us can actually become tools in the hands of God.…All believers have this promise: …1 John 5:4…4 For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.…Faith is a protective barrier between us and the schemes of Satan. When we believe God and take Him at His word, we remain grounded in truth, the lies of the enemy lose their power, because of our faith. …In that way, faith is our shield.…

The Definition of Faith

Hebrews 11:1 “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.“

In the marvelous and amazing “faith chapter,“. Hebrews 11 faith is defined not as somethingvaguethat you have to wish for, but as “substance” and “evidence.”

Let us look closely.

Hebrews 11:3 By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God's command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.

Faith is defined, not by what it is, but by what it does!

The man of faith comes to God with“a more excellent sacrifice,” like that of Abel typifying the sacrifice of Christ.

Hebrews 11:4 It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. Abel's offering gave evidence that he was a righteous man, and God showed his approval of his gifts. Although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us by his example of faith.

The man of faith lives to please God like Enoch,

Hebrews 11:5It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying-"he disappeared, because God took him."[a] For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God.

The man of faith does whatever is necessary out of obedience to God, like Noah prepare an Ark “to the saving of his house”

Hebrews 11: 7It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith.

The man of True faith will, go where God leads, like Abraham “ without knowing where he was going ” even “dwelling in tabernacles” (literally “tents”)

Hebrews 11: 8-9It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going.9 And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith-for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise.

Looking for that city with sure “foundations, “

Hebrews 11: 10Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.

Such faith that would sacrifice to God the greatest love and joy of his life, like Abraham knowing that God will keep His Word

Hebrews 11: 17-19 It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God's promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, even though God had told him, "Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted."(Gen 21:12). Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead.

The man of genuine faith will choose to suffer affliction Like Moses,

Hebrews 11: 25 He chose to share the oppression of God's people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin.

Faith is even willing to die, for the promises of God

Hebrews 11: 37 Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated.

Hebrews 11:39 All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised.

We are saved by grace through faith, not of works

Ephesians 2:8-9God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God.9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

We are created in Christ Jesus to do good things

Ephesians 2:10 For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Our faith should motivate us to action.

James 2:24So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone.

“What is the spiritual gift of faith?”…1 Corinthians 12:9.

9 The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing.

It says that some people are given the gift of faith, but the gift is not specifically explained.

All believers have been given "saving faith"by God as the only means of salvation

Ephesians 2:8-9

8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God.9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.…

“What are some of the signs of genuine saving faith?”…This is one of the most important questions in the Christian life. Many believers doubt their salvation because they don't see signs of genuine faith in their lives.

There are those who say we should never doubt our decision to follow Christ, but the Bible encourages us to examine ourselves to see if we are truly "in the faith"

2 Corinthians 13:5

5 Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you[a]; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.……Thankfully, God has given us ample instruction for how we can know for sure that we have eternal life. …The first epistle of John was actually written for that purpose, as it states in1 John 5:13,… “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”……There is a series of tests in 1 John that we can use to examine ourselves and our faith.

As we look at them, remember that no one will perfectly fulfill all of them all the time, but we should consistently reveal those characteristics in our lives as we grow in grace.……1. Do you enjoy having fellowship with Christ and His redeemed people? …1 John 1:3…3 We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

2. Would people say you walk in the light, or walk in the darkness? …

1 John 1:6-7…6 So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. 7 But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.

3. Do you admit and confess your sin? …1 John 1:8…8 If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.

4. Are you obedient to God’s Word? …1 John 2:3-5…3 And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. 4 If someone claims, "I know God," but doesn't obey God's commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. 5 But those who obey God's word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him.…5. Does your life indicate you love God rather than the world?…1 John 2:15…15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.

6. Is your life characterized by “doing what is right”? …1 John 2:29…29 Since we know that Christ is righteous, we also know that all who do what is right are God's children.

7. Do you seek to maintain a pure life?…1 John 3:3…3 And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure.

8. Do you see a decreasing pattern of sin in your life? …1 John 3:5-6…5 And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him. 6 Anyone who continues to live in him will not sin. But anyone who keeps on sinning does not know him or understand who he is.… [Note: this refers to not continuing in sin as a way of life, not a total absence of sin.]…9. Do you demonstrate love for other Christians? …1 John 3:14…14 If we love our brothers and sisters who are believers,[a] it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead.…10. Do you “walk the walk,” versus just “talking the talk”? …1 John 3:18-19…18 Dear children, let's not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. 19 Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God.…11. Do you maintain a clear conscience? …1 John 3:21…21 Dear friends, if we don't feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence.…12. Do you experience victory in your Christian walk?…1 John 5:4…4 For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.…If you are able to truthfully answer “Yes” to these questions …(or a majority of them, and are working on the others), …then your life is bearing the fruit of true salvation.

Jesus said that it is by our fruits that we are known as His disciples …Matthew 7:20…20 Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.

Fruitless branches-professing believers who do not display the fruit of the Spirit …Galatians 5:22-2322 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!…are cut off and thrown into the fire …John 15:7…7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!… A genuine faith is one that not only believes in God , scripture says even the devils themselves do that …James 2:19… 19 You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God.[a] Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.……Remember, we are saved by grace through faith, not by our works …Ephesians 2:8-9…8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God.9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.…Our works should display the reality of our salvation …James 2:17-18…17 So you see, faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.

18 Now someone may argue, "Some people have faith; others have good deeds." But I say, "How can you show me your faith if you don't have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds."…Genuine saving faith will always produce works; a faith that is perpetually without works is no faith at all and saves no one.……In addition to these confirmations, we need to remember God’s promises and the reality of the war we are in. Satan is just as real as Jesus Christ, and he is a formidable enemy of our souls. …When we turn to Christ, Satan will look for every opportunity to deceive and defeat us. …He will try to convince us that we are unworthy failures or that God has given up on us. When we are in Christ, we have the assurance that we are kept by Him. Jesus Himself prayed for us inJohn 17:11…11 Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name[a] now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are.…again in verse 15, He prayed, …15 I'm not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one.…InJohn 10:27-29, Jesus said …27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, 29 for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else.[a] No one can snatch them from the Father's hand.…If you hear and obey the voice of Jesus, then you are one of His sheep, and He will never let you go. Jesus gave a wonderful word picture here of Christians securely held within His loving hands and the Father’s almighty hands wrapping themselves around His, giving us a double assurance of eternal security.……Like all the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the spiritual gift of faith was given for the "common good," which means the edifying of the body of Christ …1 Corinthians 12:7…7 A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.…The gift of faith may be defined as the special gift whereby the Spirit provides Christians with extraordinary confidence in God’s promises, power, and presence so they can take heroic stands for the future of God’s work in the church. The spiritual gift of faith is exhibited by one with a strong and unshakeable confidence in God, His Word, and His promises. …Examples of people with the gift of faith are those listed in Hebrews chapter 11. This chapter, often called “the hall of faith,” describes those whose faith was extraordinary, enabling them to do extraordinary, superhuman things. …Here we see Noah spending 120 years building a huge boat when, up to that time, rain was non-existent and …Abraham believing he would father a child when his natural ability to do so had ended. Without the special anointing of faith as a gift from God, such things would have been impossible.……As with all spiritual gifts, the gift of faith is given to some Christians who then use it to edify others in the body of Christ. Those with the gift of faith are an inspiration to their fellow believers, exhibiting a simple confidence in God that shows in all they say and do. …Extraordinarily faithful people show a humble godliness and reliance on God's promises, often so much so that they are known to be quietly fearless and zealous. …They are so convinced that all obstacles to the gospel and to God's purposes will be overcome and so confident that God will secure the advancement of His cause, that they will often do infinitely more in the promotion of His kingdom than the most talented and erudite preachers and teachers.……So to sum it up, God gives all Christians saving faith. The spiritual gift of faith is given to some, who exhibit extraordinary amounts of faith in their Christian walk and who, by their faith, are a joy and an encouragement to others.……Just remember that you are not alone, ……This is why you should bear in mind that if you belong to God as His child you have such an advantage over this world, but you will not have it if you don't take it. …Before He was taken away to be crucified Jesus prayed this beautiful prayer for us as Christians ……The Prayer of Jesus John 17:1- 25…After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you. 2 For you have given him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one you have given him. 3 And this is the way to have eternal life-to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.

4 I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5 Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began.6 "I have revealed you (Greek have revealed your name) to the ones you gave me from this world. They were always yours. You gave them to me, and they have kept your word.7 Now they know that everything I have is a gift from you, 8 for I have passed on to them the message you gave me.

They accepted it and know that I came from you, and they believe you sent me.9 "My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you. 10 All who are mine belong to you, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory. 11 Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; (Some manuscripts read you have given me these [disciples].) now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are.

12 During my time here, I protected them by the power of the name you gave me. (Some manuscripts read I protected those you gave me, by the power of your name.) I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold.13 "Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy. 14 I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. 15 I'm not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one.16 They do not belong to this world any more than I do. 17 Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. 18 Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. 19 And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth.20 "I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. 21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one-as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.22 "I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. 23 I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. 24 Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began!25 "O righteous Father, the world doesn't know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me. 26 I have revealed you to them, and I will continue to do so. Then your love for me will be in them, and I will be in them."……What a beautiful passionate prayer that Jesus prayed for those of us who are to remain in this sinful world.

But He said as well that is not going to be easy John 16:33…33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world."……And then He said in Luke 12: 22-32 that we should not worry about our lives because He knows what we need……22 Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, "That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life-whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. 23 For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing. 24 Look at the ravens. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! 25 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? 26 And if worry can't accomplish a little thing like that, what's the use of worrying over bigger things?

27 "Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 28 And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

29 "And don't be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don't worry about such things. 30 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. 31 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.

32 "So don't be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.

33 "Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. 34 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

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