Have you
ever watched a television show or news cast where a Special Forces team is
entering a dangerous situation? They not only wear bullet proof vests,
they carry a shield that covers most of their body. This is called a
ballistic shield because it is designed to protect from the bullets that may
assault their entrance. Soldiers and law enforcement rely on these walls
of protection in dangerous situations. The descriptors for these shields are entry,
equalizer, and tactical shields. All denote forward movement, not just
defensive protection. There is no cowering in corner when using these
shields.
A study of the Roman armies at
the time Paul wrote to the Ephesians adds a whole new perspective to “Lift up over all the
[covering] shield of saving faith, upon which you can quench all the flaming
missiles of the wicked [one].” (Ephesians 6:16
ESV) We often think of the small round shields that are skillfully moved
to deflect the arrows as they come. However, the shields carried by Roman
soldiers covered the body from chin to below the knee. They were the
predecessors to these ballistic shields. They were made from strong
metals and provided true protection for the entire body.
The shield Paul encourages us
to take up against our enemy is a shield composed of faith. From all of
Paul’s teachings we can conclude that this faith is in Jesus Christ and the
promises of God. So, what is this faith that our shield is constructed of? “Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of
the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the
conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed
to the senses]. For by [faith—trust and holy fervor born of faith] the men of
old had divine testimony borne to them and obtained a good report.” (Hebrews 11:1-2 AMP) This faith is knowing God so intimately that
we are certain He will perform His word regardless of what we see. “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and
do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my
mouth; it shall not return to me
empty, but it shall accomplish that which
I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I
sent it.” (Isaiah 5510-11 ESV)
In order to have this kind of faith we must spend time getting to
know the One we have faith in. Faith will grow in us as we study the word and
learn the nature of our God. When we learn and understand all that Jesus Christ
did for us, we can believe that He will come through regardless of our
situation. As soldiers may not understand the battle they are entering, we too
will not always understand what is happening around us. But a soldier does not
place faith in himself, but in obedience to his commander. Jesus is our
commander. He will lead us into victory. And our marching orders begin with
putting our faith in Jesus. “And
this is His order (His command, His injunction): that we should believe in (put
our faith and trust in and adhere to and rely on) the name of His Son Jesus
Christ (the Messiah), and that we should love one another, just as He has
commanded us.” (1 John 3:23
AMP)
Another feature in the design of the Roman shield was a hook on
one side and loop to hook into on the other. Soldiers were not meant to go out
on their own. Although the shield was valuable to each soldier, it was most
effective when used in conjunction with the shields of other soldiers. When
soldiers stood side-by-side they could actually hook their shields together
creating a wall. Behind this wall, they could care for wounded, rest and
strategize their next advance. As Christians, we were never meant to fight our
battles alone. When we join with our fellow believers, our faith can become a
wall of protection. The enemy cannot penetrate this wall. The Bible talks very
much about unity. This is one example of why that unity is so important.
I observed a few other things about these Roman shields.
Because of the larger construction, these shields would be heavier
and more difficult to carry than the smaller buckler style shield. Soldiers
would need to develop their muscles in order to carry the shields on long
marches. We must study God’s word to develop our muscles of our faith, so that
we can carry a shield that protects all of us – spirit, soul and body.
In many of the pictures, the Roman shields had bright colors and
intimidating designs. To see a wall of these colorful designs approaching would
bring fear into the enemy. Interestingly enough, the soldier himself would not
observe this intimidating sight. Often when we move in faith we have no idea of
the image that we present to our enemy. We may be thinking of how weak we
believe our faith to be. But as we let God empower that faith, the enemies
tremble at our pending arrival.
We serve a powerful and true
God. He keeps His promises. “God is not a man, that He should tell or
act a lie, neither the son of man, that He should feel repentance or
compunction [for what He has promised]. Has He said and shall He not do it? Or
has He spoken and shall He not make it good?” (Numbers 23:19 AMP) We can trust
Him with every aspect of our lives. He will be our shield when we simply
believe. “As for God, His way is perfect! The word of the Lord is
tested and tried; He is a shield to all those who
take refuge and put their trust in Him.” (Psalm 18:30 ESV)
So, lift up your shield and
fight off the lies of an enemy who is trying to defeat you. Approach your
day with confidence that whatever happens, you will have all you need to face
it. God is with you and you will be victorious!
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