Sermon Title- “Spiritual Warfare- The Shield of Faith”
Sermon Subject: “Our Faith in Christ is Our Shield”
Scripture- “Ephesians 6:10-18”
Date- 13 June, 2004, Second Sunday after Pentecost

I hope in the last 5 weeks we have learned at least the following six things:
1. Spiritual warfare is a reality and is fought over our souls or our witness. If we have accepted Jesus and committed our soul to Him so Satan can not take us to hell with him, the battle will be over destroying our witness for Christ.
2. Spiritual warfare is between God and His ancient foe, Satan who is a real being, not a symbol. The angels who followed him when God expelled him from Heaven lead Satan’s army under his direction. Jesus leads God’s army and God expects you and I to be a part of that army.
3. The truth for our belt is from Jesus who said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” We need to not only know His truth from God’s Word and from how He lived His life, but we need to make that truth part of our day to day living so our lives reflect that truth.
4. The righteousness for our breastplate is the righteousness of Jesus that God gives to us by Grace when we profess our belief in Jesus. Our sins are forgiven and removed from God’s sight and we are credited with the righteousness of Christ. But like truth, the righteousness of Jesus must be reflected in how we live so our life has wholeness, has integrity. If we are not what we say we are or what we seem to be, we are vulnerable to Satan.
5. Without the Peace of Christ on our feet as our firm foundation we are too easily swayed and distracted and we will be wounded.
6. The Wisdom of God that Jesus gives to us protects our minds where the lies and deception of Satan are aimed.

It should be obvious by now that the whole armor of God that we are to put on is none other than our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We are to put on and wear as our defense Jesus Christ- His Truth, His Righteousness, His Peace, His Wisdom and our faith in Him God provides all of this to us by Grace through faith. Christ is our armor and we must put on all of Him, not just a part of Him, if He is to protect us from the skillful, forceful and recurring attacks of Satan.

How we preachers have not prepared new Christians for what they will encounter.
Old Christians may not have this problem if they are retired.
Church born in persecution and violence. Jesus and Disciples killed. even today in Africa, China, Korea USA
In Matthew 5 Jesus says we are blessed when we are etc.
How can we stand- Ephesians 6:10-18

THE SHIELD OF FAITH
First mentioned in genesis 15:1 “After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.” Why does God offer this shield and great reward? Chapter 14.
Today Paul explains that our shield of faith is Jesus in Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: neverthe-less I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Jesus is our shield of faith.

Notice 4 things about the Shield of Faith.
1. Priority- 16Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. Above all. Like the American Express Card- never leave it at home. Never be without it Ahab in Kings Satan knows where the gaps are in our armor so we must have the shield to cover thew gaps.
2, Purpose- to quench the fiery darts of Satan. These are the darts of doubt, deceit, deception that can destroy us.
3. Potential- most, some a few, no the word is ALL!
4. Protection
A. Genesis 3 (Premier Performance of Satan)
Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? Dart- Doubt Eve is vulnerable because she does not have the Word of God first hand.
2And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 4And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: Dart-Denial Same, not first hand
5For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. Don’t know why God said that, but look at what’s in it for you

All of creation comes tumbling down!
B. Faith Hall of Fame Hebrews 11
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Faith protects against Doubt- happens to all of us
Verse 7- Noah builds an ark
Verse 8- Abrahm leaves for parts unknown
Verse 11- Sara prepares a nursery
Verse 17- Abrahm and Isaac
Verse 24- Moses chooses his people over the Palace
Verse 30- Joshua and the walls of Jerico
God promises and ======> actions that do not make sense to the world

How do we get a strong shield of faith?
1. Take up the Truth, Righteousness, Peace and Wisdom or Salvation of Christ and then take up and put on Faith- the faith of Jesus, yet another gift from God
2. Get the object of faith right- Jesus Christ, not His representative. Hope for integrity in the Ministers, but be sure it is Christ you are focused on as the object of your faith.
3. Build the faith- just as you build the body: diet of Scripture and Prayer and Fellowship and Worship and exercise by applying faith to your life. Faith does not grow by just increasing knowledge, it must be active and applied to daily living.
4. Look at the great commission in Matthew 28 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Observe does not mean to sit and watch. Observe means to put into practice in your living.
5. My situation
The very best way to grow and build your faith and strengthen your shield is to find something God is telling you to do and go do it! And if God isn’t telling you to do anything pray hard that He will clean the wax out of your ears and insert a hearing aid if necessary. Amen.

In the next two weeks we will finish this series with the Sword of the Word, our only offensive weapon and Prayer, God’s Walkie-Talkie.