In Ephesians 6 we are told about the spiritual armor of the Christian. Paul lists out the different items, but he emphasizes one above the others- the shield of faith. Why are we to take this one above all?
If you aren't saved then you aren't even in the battle. But, after salvation it is still important for us to have faith. Things aren't going to go wonderfully all the time. Things in this world are going to get worse. We need to have faith that God is doing what is best for us through these troubles.
In Luke 18, Christ asks if He will find faith on the earth when He comes. God gets pleasure out of us having faith in him, and it is something that's very hard to find now-a-days. The centurion in Matthew 8 got Christ's attention because of his faith- not his position or his humility.
God is pleased by faith. No matter how else you fail Him, you can always please Him when you have faith in Him. Faith gives us understanding. Faith gives us strength. Faith enables us to continue on when all else give up. Faith puts a smile on God's face.
It's not historical. It's not a belief in facts. It's not something that you can view with your eyes. It's something that we can access at any time, in any place, through belief in our hearts.
Faith clings to Scripture. It's hoping in God while trusting in the Scriptures. It's believing despite the circumstances. It's looking past reason to accept what God has said.
Abraham believed God, and God viewed him as His friend. Why? Because, Abraham had faith to believe the impossible. God said it, and even though there was no physical proof, Abraham believed Him.
You are going to need a defensive weapon against the rationality of this world. We need faith to overcome the thoughts that the devil puts in our head that says God is not real, or God is a liar. Faith is needed to believe what God says even when we haven't seen the proof yet.
Faith is saying that God does all things well when our flesh says that He made a mistake. God sees more than we see, and it takes faith to acknowledge that He is going to work it out for your good. Without the shield of faith, we couldn't quench the fiery darts that the devil throws at us. Those fiery darts don't make any sense if we don't have faith to believe that He can be trusted.
Faith causes action. It will spur you to do something. You won't die by faith if you can't live by it. Faith gives you the desire to accomplish something for Him, to work for Him. Faith allows you to see that your actions have eternal consequences.
Faith drives you past the comfortable. It takes you beyond the reasonable. It helps you endure the impossible. It encourages the spirit to overcome the flesh.
And, Faith will get you through the temptations. It takes the eye of faith to realize that what the world offers is not what you're actually getting. The world offers carrot after carrot and it's only through faith that you see those carrots aren't the wonderful things the world makes them out to be.
God won't suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able. God will always show you a way out, but you'll only see that exit through faith. You may give in to the sin, but you don't have to. You can look past the temporary pleasure through faith.
Faith can lift a fallen saint. Faith can heal a broken heart. Faith can guide the blinded eyes. Faith can strengthen the feeble hands. Faith can give you the ability to take just one more step to please your Heavenly Father.
Above all, take the shield of faith.
