The Shield of Faith

Ephesians 6:16

(April 16, 2023 – SUN p.m.- MBC baesa)

Introduction:

God’s appointed victorious warriors has been provided by God a weapon where they were able to successful conquered and defeats their enemies in the name of God and for the people of God.

God provided weapons for those successful warriors:

1. By a rod, Moses defeated the magicians of Pharaoh and save the people of God from the enemies the army of Pharaoh.

2. By a jawbone, Samson slew one thousand Philistine soldiers who are equipped with full of armaments.

3. By a sling, David slew and defeated Goliath.

The same with us, we can also successfully defeat the enemies of darkness because God has provided us weapons in the name of God, for the purpose of honoring God and by the help of the strength of God.

The armor or weapons that God provided us were wore by the Jesus Himself and unbeatable winner against the rulers of the kingdom of darkness. Jesus’ encounter and defeated the old strong enemy on at least two occasions: during Christ temptation and during Christ crucifixion.

Jesus Christ humble and complete obedience fulfilled God’s expected demand by providing us perfect righteousness that had been lost when Adam disobeyed God (Romans 3:10; Romans 5:12). And that obedience of Christ for the redemption of all our sins was credited to our account and the righteousness of God was imputed unto us (Romans 4:5) so that we are accepted before God as holy and blameless by Christ’s perfect work of atonement and not by our work of righteousness that we have done (Titus 3:5). And the gospel of peace (Christ death, burial and resurrection) announces that Christ takes to Himself and bear all our sins and as our substitute suffers our condemnation, so that we receive the righteousness of Christ standing and therefore save us from our sins. Now, these amazing precious truths described as:

1. Your loins girt about with truth of a belt of obedience (v.14)

2. A breastplate of righteousness (v.14)

3. Your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace or a Shoes prepared to announce the gospel of peace to others who are still enslaved by the kingdom of darkness (v.15).

The Apostle Paul exhorting us to put on these three foundational pieces of divine armor and constantly wear them.

Besides of the three armors mentioned (the girding our loins with truth or the belt of obedience, the breastplate of righteousness and the shoes prepared to announce the gospel of peace) we have another three armor that Paul wants us to put on as we face and attack the enemy territory of darkness. The first of these additional three weapons is the shield of faith. God enabled us to stop the enemy fiery arrows throwing us at different direction.

The soldiers frightened and terrified during ancient warfare because they faced the deadly accuracy of projectiles launched against them. In ancient warfare, the archers of the Roman were known in the world because of its destructive accuracy. Amazingly, in a matter of minutes the 40 to 60 arrows carried in a quiver of the average Roman archer could fire the opponents.

The Roman soldier who carried spears of javelins thrown to the enemy from nearer place and once the enemy’s shield was no longer effective or destroyed by the flaming arrows, they would now have chance to stab at them. Also, expert archers used a weapon like a crossbow which were more deadly that would shoot bolts or darts. There were times, they could go near the body and killed the enemy behind them.

During the battle, the commander leader would charge their archer soldiers to release the arrows, that would fill the sky with a cloud of arrows like a rain going down bringing death to the multitudes of enemy as they wait for counter movement from their charge. These arrows that filled the sky and fall down to wreck destructing damages that would create fear among the enemy’s officers and soldiers who were under attack.

The same is true with our spiritual enemy which possessed an unlimited quantity of deadly arrows with the fire of hell that the devil and his demons are constantly hurling against the soldiers of God. Can our armor defend us against the attack the unlimited deadly arrows from our enemy?

As Paul said in Ephesians 6:16 "Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” Paul is not saying here that this particular armor called shield of faith is more important than the other additional two pieces of armor, and Paul is not also telling us that we can pay less attention to the other additional two pieces of armor if we have our shield of faith. Instead, Paul is emphasizing the great value and how essential to our Christian lives this particular armor of shield that we must sure to carry into battle as we encounter and experience every enemy attack using their dreadful, horrible weapons against us as soldiers of God.

Question: Why we need the shield of faith?

Answer: God is our shield.

Throughout the Old Testament God is the shield of the people of God. God himself will fight, protect and preserve God’s people from any attack in any battle. Because God is Faithful to God’s people, God use His strength and power and sometimes use the heavenly armies of holy angels to the defend the people of God. God is the shield of God’s people.

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.”

2 Samuel 22:31 “As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.” (Psalm 18:30). This verse means that the word of the Lord proves true; and He is a shield to all them that take refuge in the Lord.

Deuteronomy 33:29 “Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.”

Psalm 18:2 “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.” This is a Psalm of David, the servant of the Lord, who spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day that the Lord rescued him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. The word “buckler” is shield.

Psalm 28:7 “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.”

Psalm 33:20 “Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield.”

Psalm 84:11 “For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.”

Psalm 91:3–6 “Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. ⁴He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. ⁵Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; ⁶Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. This talks about the security of the one who trusts the Lord. It says God’s faithfulness is a shield.

Proverbs 30:5 “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. This verse tells us that the Word of God is true, so God is a shield.

The Ephesians citizens were familiar with the two of their chief gods namely Artemis / Diana and Apollo who according to their beliefs these two gods were known for the fierce use of the bow and arrow. Ephesians believed that Artemis / Diana and Apollo were responsible for protecting the city of Ephesus and the people of Ephesus. Based on their false belief, that whosoever done something displeasing to these patron gods or abandoned worshipping these two chief gods would experience the wrath of one of them or the wrath both of these two false gods of Ephesus. The punishment from the gods to anyone who failed to do their civic or religious duty to these gods was well known in the world during those ancient times. Now, those Ephesian Christians who had totally forsaken the worship and denied the existence of the chief gods and goddess like Apollo and Artemis /Diana but rather follow and worship Christ caused big fear to these Christians since Ephesians believed that anyone who abandoned the worship of these gods will face the wrath from both of chief false gods.

Though these false gods of Artemis / Diana and Apollo were idols just made of stone, but the very real and powerful veteran, specialist, expert enemy who was causing a ruthless and relentless attack on Christians who were rescued and delivered from the kingdom of darkness and granted citizenship of heaven.

Who would protect Christians from the fiery arrows of the wrath of Satan? Jesus Christ would protect Christians by the power and strength of God that would be a shield which no one can defeat or invincible and impenetrable or no enemy can detect or can comprehend.

If we Christians today like the Ephesians Christians have the same protection given by the Lord Jesus, therefore we must understand the nature of this shield of faith and also how to use this shield of faith effectively when we engage ourselves in the fiery battle against the realm of darkness.

I – EXACT NATURE OF THE SHIELD OF FAITH

A. Description of the shield of faith (A large Roman shield)

Let us learn what exactly is the shield of faith.

There are two kinds of shield in ancient Rome – a small round shield and the large Roman shield.

The Greek word here for “shield” is thyreon, the heavy oblong Roman shield. From “Thura”, a large shield.

The measurement of this large shield “thyreon” is about 4 1/2 feet high and 2 feet wide.

The shaped of this large shield is like a curved door.

This large shield is made of wood and often covered with layers of thick animal skin and sometimes sheathed (covered) in metal. This Roman shield is big enough for a man to crouch behind.

B. Definition of the shield of faith

What made up this shield?

Jude 1:3 “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.”

Paul identifies something what made up this shield armor and that is “the faith.” Jude said that “the faith” was once and for all delivered unto the saints by God through His apostles.

Although the shield is actually used by faith, but the “faith” here that Paul mentioned is not referring to our faith or not referring to our trust in God.

The shield here is actually what the Apostle Paul mentioned earlier in Ephesians 4 when Paul said there was… Ephesians 4:5 “One Lord, one faith, one baptism,” and Paul exhorts us believers as a church that we have to work hard to come to the unity of this faith in Ephesians 4:3 “Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Now, as we keep the unity of the faith, we as believers must boldly speak and declared that truth out of our love for Jesus Christ according to Paul in Ephesians 4:5 “But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:”

These doctrinal truths that we have one faith, that we keep the unity and we speak out of love is

1. How we were saved from our sins and rescued from enslavement and power of Satan. That is why our belief (faith) in truth, our dependence (trust) on truth, and our obedience (faithfulness) to truth is very important. (Ephesians 1:13 “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,”; Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: ⁹Not of works, lest any man should boast.”).

2. How we have free and full access to God (Ephesians 3:12 “In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.”)

3. How Jesus Christ dwells in our hearts (Ephesians 3:17 “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,”)

These effects that we are saved from the penalty of our sins, that we have full access confidently to God, that Jesus Christ dwells in our heart were in us if our belief is true doctrines of the Bible and in accordance to reality.

Example: I believed that the earth is not round and not hanging, thus my belief or faith is useless or senseless because I trust in my belief that is not based in the Bible.

Summary Questions:

1. What we are to believe that saves us from our sins and rescues us from the power of Satan and his kingdom?

2. What we are to believe that grants us free access to God?

3. What we are to believe that makes us members of the body of Christ, the church?

4. What we are to believe that causes Jesus Christ dwells in our hearts?

5. What we are to believe that gives us unity as we grow spiritually into Christlikeness?

Scriptural answer: God’s truth about God, about us and about the world is what we are to believe. That truth of God is found in a doctrinal teaching that God gave to the Church of God through the apostles of Christ and preserved in our New Testaments. This authoritative body of doctrine is what Paul, and Jude called “the faith” that was once and for all delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3). This body of doctrine was given by God through the Holy Spirit to the apostles of Christ who wrote it down in 27 books of the New Testaments that was inspired by God that completed the 39 books given by God through the Prophets in the Old Testament that was inspired by God.

In other words, the reason why Paul said “Above all” when he referred to the shield of faith is because this armor of shield is grounded in a body of doctrinal truths about God, about Christ and about His church that is why this shield of faith will protect us from any devilish attack of the enemy against us Christians. Be sure your belief is based on the doctrinal truth in the Bible given by Christ to the New Testament apostles and by God to the Old Testament prophets.

C. Design function of the shield of faith

The shield of faith spiritual function is to extinguish all the flaming darts of Satan.

The shield of faith function is to spiritual cover and designed to protect us by quenching all kind of fiery dart from Satan as he is constantly throwing fierce and fiery arrows at us as the text warns us (Ephesians 6:16 “ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.”)

The shield of faith is not only designed by God to protect us individually as a Christian but it is also designed to protect us corporately as a church as we hold to our church doctrinal beliefs and obey all the doctrinal truths taught in the Bible.

Example: The so called “turtle like tank” form by the shields of the Roman soldiers which was invincible or unbeatable. Likewise, we as Church if we hold these truths, the shield of faith spiritually, corporately, we are like the Roman soldiers with their military formation like a turtle like tank can not be defeated by Satan.

All identified Satan attacks:

1. Temptation’s arrow

This type of temptation causes to aroused our sinful flesh. The three sources of temptation’s arrow are the world, the flesh and the devil. The shield of faith exposes to us the truth what really this bait of arrow of temptation is all about. (James 1:1 “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;”).

a. Shield of faith protects us against the arrow of temptation of the world.

The Apostle John warns us against the devils arrows of temptation of lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the pride of life (I John 2:15-17 “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. ¹⁷And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”)

b. Shield of faith protect us against the arrow of temptation of the devil, James assures us that the devil can flees us from us in James 4:7 “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

c. Shield of faith protect us against the arrow of temptation of the flesh.

God protects our flesh not to be aroused by providing us the shield of faith. Jesus wore the shield of faith, the written Word by resisting the temptation of Satan that includes lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and pride of life (Matthew 4:1-11 “⁴But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. ⁷Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. ¹⁰Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. ¹¹Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.”).

2. Trial’s arrow

This type of trials that is flaming arrow causes us to weary and give up or quit. The Bible assures us that God will sustain us in and through these burning arrow of trials (James 1:2-4 “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; ³Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. ⁴But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” Patience in the midst of trials.

Peter said rejoice even in the midst of heavy trials in I Peter 1:6-7 “Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: ⁷That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:”

3. Tribulation's arrow

This arrow or dart of tribulation includes persecution that we experienced as Christians. Paul assures us that even you live godly in Christ you will encounter persecution (II Timothy 3:12 “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”). Jesus said that blessed are those who were persecuted for the sake of righteousness. God promised us that He will not forget, strengthen and acquit or freed us from blame, and will give us reward if we suffer for Jesus’ sake. Matthew 5:10-11 “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ¹¹Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.” Jesus said we need to remember His Word, the shield of faith when someone hated us or persecute us for Jesus’ sake (John 15:18-21 “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. ¹⁹If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. ²⁰Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. ²¹But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.”

4. Treacherous doctrine’s arrow

The enemy of truth uses false teachers with their bolt of false teaching purposely to mislead Christians. Peter warns us in his epistle as our shield regarding these false teachers and their treacherous doctrines, so we can recognize these false teachers and how we can refute the errors of their false teaching and how we can resist their false influence that convince many (II Peter 2:1-22). John the Apostle made it clear between the spirit of truth and the spirit of error in I John 4:1-6 “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. ²Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: ³And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. ⁴Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. ⁵They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. ⁶We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.” If we love the truth we must hate the error.

II – EFFECTIVITY OF THE SHIELD OF FAITH

God assures us of His promise that the shield of faith given to us unbelievably will quench all of the fiery darts or arrows of Satan launches against us.

Since the shield of faith is always available, how do we take up and use it effectively?

A. The shield of faith is effective by Receiving the Truth

To receive the truth means believing the truth.

James 1:21 “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.”

James is saying we have to put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and then we need to receive with meekness the implanted word of God which is able to save our souls.

As a Christian we must believe the right things that God has revealed to us from the Word of Truth.

We must believe faithfully whatever God hath said to us rather than believing on our own thought or rather than believing everything that spoken to us by others.

That is why, when we get to the right source of truth, we need to believe all the right things about what God had told us from His Word.

Beware or be warned to make our own shield based from our own beliefs or based from our own ideas about the Word of God, about the ways of God or about the will of God.

Paper shield, cardboard shield, wood shield would not help us when we face the enemy fiery darts or arrows from the enemy attacks.

B. The shield of faith is effective by Reflecting the Truth

To reflect the truth means obeying the truth.

As a Christian we must behave in the right ways, for we are revealing about ourselves.

When we do exactly what God had said at the time and at the situation God told us to do it, that is the real way to prove or test us whether we are trusting God or having faith in His Word. It is really hard to obey exactly what God said in the way God said it as He told us to do it in under the circumstances.

Obedience to God is hard on a good day, but it is more harder moments when Satan attack us and what God tells us seems totally unreasonable, groundless or detestable to us. Our obedience or faithfulness to what God revealed to us will be our victory and security on those hard times of our lives.

We will overcome the world by faithfulness to the “the faith”, the truth of God’s Word.

I John 5:4 “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”

We please God who rewards those who diligently seek Him by being obedient and faithful to the faith or truth of God’s Word (shield of faith).

Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

The word “seek him” means learning from what God said, and believing that what God hath said is to be the right thing to do and following what God said whatever the cost or no matter how hard it is to be obeyed.

C. The shield of faith is effective by Remaining in the Truth

To remain in the truth means trusting the truth.

There are two texts that we need to trust the shield of the faith or the truth of God’s Word:

Proverbs 30:5 “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.”

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. ⁶In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

The shield of faith is effective when we remain in the truth by our faithfulness to “the faith” which is the truth that God has given us.

When the darkness devours us, will we trust enough the shield of the faith or what God said to rest in its promises to protect us? When the opportunity appears seems right and beneficial in our eyes, will we trust enough the shield of the faith or what God said to heed its warning so that we will not be mislead or deceived by the bait of the devil? When our own wisdom or the wisdom of others around us appears exciting, satisfying and enjoying kind of life, will we follow the wisdom of the shield of the faith or truth of God’s Word given to us?

We need to remain following faithfully the shield of the faith by doing what the truth of God says or following its instruction for our good and for the glory of God.

Our faith should not wave and never tempt to lean on our own understanding when pressure of life comes.

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III – EXCEPTIONALLY INVINCIBLE SHIELD OF FAITH

We need to know why this Shield of the faith is so powerful and invincible.

Reasons why the shield of faith is invincible and powerful:

A. Because God’s protection is the shield for the Believers.

Two Texts in the Old Testament proved that God is the Shield himself.

1. Genesis 15:1

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.”

The Lord told Abram; He was his shield.

2. II Samuel 22:31

II Samuel 22:31 “As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.” (Psalm 18:30).

David spoke the words of this song to the Lord in the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. David said in II Samuel 22:2-3, “ ²The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; ³My God, My shield, my stronghold and my refuge; My savior.”

Listen, our faith or even our faithfulness can never protect us against the fiery darts of Satan. Satan is repelled or could be drive away but not by something magical force of our faith. That is the reason why even we try to trust harder with all our mind and have more positive faith, there is no success, no triumph at all!

Our shield is not our faith it is our God. God is our protector and our protection. We are totally covered and assuredly protected by what the Lord Jesus has done, once we turn and trust the Lord and trust the strength and provision of the Lord.

B. Because Christ’s power is the shield of the Believers.

Two accounts in the New Testament proved that God’s Word is our Shield.

1. Mark 9:17-24 - Christ's power despite that Christ's followers are powerless.

Mark 9:17-24 "And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; ¹⁸And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not. ¹⁹He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me. ²⁰And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. ²¹And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. ²²And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. ²³Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. ²⁴And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.”

Here we see the power of Christ was displayed despite the powerlessness of His disciples.

While the Lord Jesus with Peter, James and John were on the mountain, the rest of Christ’s disciples remain below presumably in Capernaum. Then there was a father who desperately approached these disciples for help and telling these disciples who were remained that his son had been severely tortured and trying to be killed by a demon possession.

These disciples who were remained were confident enough that they can cast out the demons:

1. Because the Lord gives them authority to cast out demons in Jesus’ name (Mark 6:7-11)

Mark 6:7-11 ^“And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits; ⁸And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse: ⁹But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats. ¹⁰And he said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place. ¹¹And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.”

2. Because these disciples had already accomplished successfully casting out demons (Mark 6:13)

Mark 6:13 “And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.”

But not this time, these eight disciples who were remained failed to cast out the demons.

When Jesus with Peter, James and John has just come down from the Mount of Transfiguration, the father who are seeking for help comes to Jesus and shared to Jesus that His disciples could not cast out the demons that is in his son. Jesus rebuked his eight disciples and even the father of the son for lacking of faith. Then the father who is seeking for help immediately responds to Jesus’ rebuke and said to the Lord in (Mark 9:24 “And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." Then Jesus casts out the demon (Mark 9:25-27). However, the disciples were confused, and possibly asking why they could not cast out the demon? They seem saying, we believe in you Lord and follow you, and they privately asked the Lord in Mark 9:28 “Why could not we cast him out?” Jesus answered them with instruction to learn in Mark 9:29 “And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.” Jesus is telling them because you did not pray.

The disciples had been granted the power to cast out demons because of Jesus’ power and authority, that is why they had cast out many demons in previous chapters. However, the disciples never had the power to cast out demons themselves, and these disciples had stopped depending on the power of Christ and thinking that they could cast out demons by relying on their own power, so they failed to cast out the son of that father.

Jesus here seems teaching the disciples who failed in casting out demons because they relied on their own power and they even believe enough to follow Jesus. In fact, believing enough to follow Christ is not enough, we must fully depend on Christ in prayer. Jesus is reminding these eight disciples that Christ is the shield, Christ is the source of power. In other words, Jesus is telling them the reason why they could not cast out the demons to deliver the demon possessed boy is because they did not ask Jesus, means the disciples did not pray.

2. Luke 22:31-33 – Christ’s prayer despite that Christ’s followers is failure

Luke 22:31-33 “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: ³²But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. ³³And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.”

Here we see the prayer of Christ was displayed despite the failure of His disciples.

Since Jesus knows that these disciples who left all to follow Him will be test when Satan comes, and Jesus knows that Satan will not succeed. In order to prepare these disciples, Jesus have His final teaching session with His apostles before His betrayal and coming crucifixion.

Jesus knows that Peter will face Satan’s assault and will try to tempt Peter to abandon His faith in Jesus. That very night, Jesus knew that Peter would deny Him three times. The Lord Jesus also knew that the denial of Peter would not be permanent because Peter would repent and revived and would serve Him faithfully, fruitfully and powerfully.

But the question is how would Peter do it? Who will be the one to protect Peter? The point is, who would be the shield of Peter and how would this shield protect Peter?

Of course, we know that God would protect Peter, but how can God protect Peter? Well, in order for God to protect Peter, Jesus would pray for Peter, that his faith would not fail when Satan attacks him by fiery temptation.

As Peter is protected by Jesus’ prayer, exactly the same way God protected us. Jesus prays the very same thing for us like Jesus prays for Peter.

Three texts about Jesus praying for us:

John 17:9, 15 “I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. ¹⁵I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.”

Romans 8:34 “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”

Hebrews 7:25 “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”

Ending exhortation:

There are times we are tempted to doubt or distrust God or what God has said. We sinned when we believed Satan over God even in a moment that we are not aware of it. Either we fail to believe the truth or we fail to live according to the truth that we believe, it is sin.

When we prefer or think that our own way is better than God’s way or when we think that what God has said is not acceptable to us, then that faithlessness would result to deny God and disregard God in our heart. The moment we laid down our armor of shield and try to make our own powerless shield to protect us against the enemy forces of evil, there will be no victory for us at all.

Using properly and effectively the shield involves choosing to trust the Word of God even when we would rather have our own choice. What is the point here, we must know the Word of God and trust the God of the Word.

Ways to develop a habit of using the God given shield properly and effectively:

1. Regular reading and studying the Word of God

II Timothy 2:15 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

2. Faithful hearing the Preaching of the Word of God

Acts 2:42 “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”

Hebrews 10:25 “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

3. Submissive in receiving instruction from the Word of God.

I Thessalonians 2:13 “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.”

4. Repeat reviewing and constant recalling the Word of God

Psalm 1:2 “… and in his law doth he meditate day and night.”

Psalm 119:11 “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”

How’s your condition in your Christian warfare? Did Satan successfully pierced you with fiery arrows of fear and doubts? If that is the case, then it means you have failed to use the shield of the faith that God has given you or you did not use it properly. You need to pray like the father of the demon possessed boy who in Mark 9:24 “cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief”