The Shield of Faith
the shield of faith.
(1)Why do we need this, so we can be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one or satan and his workers.
(a) These flaming arrows are violent temptations, by which the soul is set on the fire of hell, which are darts Satan shoots at us. Applying Faith the grace of Christ quenches the darts of temptation.
(b)My bible says in Luke 17:6 (NASB) 6And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea’; and it would obey you.
(c) One thing to point out is that some translations state that if you have faith as small as a mustard seed or as a grain of mustard seed, but the Greek word for this is probably more accurately interpreted as like a mustard seed. Why is this important? Because if our faith is suppose to be like instead of as small as then look at other scripture that describes a mustard seed:
(i) Mark 4:31 – 32 (NIV) 31It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. 32Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade.”
1. While Jesus is using this scripture to describe the Kingdom of Heaven, notice the same word “like” so if our faith is suppose to be like a grain of mustard seed it may start out small, it should be continually growing and become like the largest of all garden plants.
(d)What else doe the bible tells us about faith:
(i) Hebrews 11:1 - 12 (NIV) 1Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2This is what the ancients were commended for. 3By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. 4By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead. 5By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. 7By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. 8By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11By faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarah herself was barren—was enabled to become a father because he£ considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.
1. So, as the verse says faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see and without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
(ii) So how do we get Faith?
1. Romans 10:17 (NIV) says that faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.
2. James 2:14 - 24 (NIV) 14What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. 19You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 20You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless£? 21Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”£ and he was called God’s friend. 24You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.
3. It goes on to say in James 4:17 (NIV) that 17Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.
(1)Why do we need this, so we can be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one or satan and his workers.
(a) These flaming arrows are violent temptations, by which the soul is set on the fire of hell, which are darts Satan shoots at us. Applying Faith the grace of Christ quenches the darts of temptation.
(b)My bible says in Luke 17:6 (NASB) 6And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea’; and it would obey you.
(c) One thing to point out is that some translations state that if you have faith as small as a mustard seed or as a grain of mustard seed, but the Greek word for this is probably more accurately interpreted as like a mustard seed. Why is this important? Because if our faith is suppose to be like instead of as small as then look at other scripture that describes a mustard seed:
(i) Mark 4:31 – 32 (NIV) 31It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. 32Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade.”
1. While Jesus is using this scripture to describe the Kingdom of Heaven, notice the same word “like” so if our faith is suppose to be like a grain of mustard seed it may start out small, it should be continually growing and become like the largest of all garden plants.
(d)What else doe the bible tells us about faith:
(i) Hebrews 11:1 - 12 (NIV) 1Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2This is what the ancients were commended for. 3By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. 4By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead. 5By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. 7By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. 8By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11By faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarah herself was barren—was enabled to become a father because he£ considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.
1. So, as the verse says faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see and without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
(ii) So how do we get Faith?
1. Romans 10:17 (NIV) says that faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.
2. James 2:14 - 24 (NIV) 14What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. 19You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 20You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless£? 21Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”£ and he was called God’s friend. 24You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.
3. It goes on to say in James 4:17 (NIV) that 17Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.
