The Shield of Faith
I hope and pray that you are finding strength and practical ways to grow in your faith and confidence as we work through this sermon series on the Armor of God. Paul’s teaching in Ephesians 6:10-20 really helps me stay focused and spiritually balanced so that I don’t get knocked down as easily by the devil’s schemes as I may have when I was younger and less experienced in my walk with God. But that doesn’t mean being strong and courageous is easy—not even when we know the Lord is fighting for us and sharing his armor with us.
One of the important points I haven’t made yet in recent weeks is that Paul is sharing these instructions with a church. He’s speaking to the community of faith in his letter. While it is vital that each Christian put on “the whole armor of God,” it is equally important that we realize Paul is talking to us in a group setting. He wants us to understand that we are not isolated. We are not merely individuals fighting alone on the spiritual battlefield each day. We are in this together with God AND with one another.
Being together gives us strength, wisdom, encouragement, and a tactical advantage against the “spiritual forces of evil” that work to knock us down. Let’s not forget that. And let’s make the most of every opportunity to pray for one other, encourage one other, lift up one other and—above all—love one other.
— Patrick Barber
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