The Spiritual Conflict PT5

Ephesians 6:16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

INTRODUCTION

Church history is filled with accounts of persecution that came upon the body of believers. In fact, the church was born in persecution, in martyrdom, in suffering, in imprisonment, and in bloodshed. The Scripture is very clear regarding the conflict faced by the church...we are not to think it a strange thing when we face trouble... (I Peter 4:12-14). The true Christian experience is a spiritual war, and each of us must take up "the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one" (Ephesians 6:16).

I.         THE PRIORITY OF THE SHIELD OF FAITH

            A.  Above All.

1.  The Imperative. More than any other piece of armor...we must have

      the shield. (Hebrews 11:6, James 1:6-7).

            B.  Ahab and the Assyrians.

                        1.  The Enemy’s Strategy. I Kings 22:30-37  

II.        THE PURPOSE OF THE SHIELD OF FAITH

            A.  Fiery Darts.

1.  War. This is a clear literary allusion to the practice of warfare at that

      time.

a.     Archers would soak the tips of their darts and arrows in

poison so that if the initial trauma of the arrow didn't kill its victim, the poison would get into the wound and do the job that way. On other occasions Roman soldiers would wrap their arrowheads in cloth, soak them in pitch, and set them on fire before raining arrows down on the enemy. Those flaming arrows splattered burning pitch wherever they landed, often setting on fire the camp of the enemy.

            B.  Failing Darts.

                        1.  Quenching. [to extinguish, suppress, stifle, to quench] It is the

                              shield of faith that quenches the stinging destruction of the fiery 

      arrows of the enemy (Isaiah 54:17).

III.       THE POTENTIAL OF THE SHIELD OF FAITH

            A.  Quenching the Dart of Doubt.

                        1.  Questioning. Genesis 3:1 

             B.  Quenching the Dart of Denial.

                        1.  Contradicting. Genesis 3:4 

            C.  Quenching the Dart of Deceit.

                        1.  Deception. Genesis 3:5  

IV.       THE POSSESSION OF THE SHIELD OF FAITH

            A.  The Person.

                        1.  The Shield. [a large door-shaped shield] John 10:7, 9

             B.  The Path.

                        1.  The Object of Faith.

                                    a.  Objective. Mark 11:22, Hebrews 6:1, Galatians 2:19-21, 

     Acts 27:25, 

                        2.  The Growth of Faith.

                                    a.  Faith Comes…Romans 10:17, Romans 12:3, James 2:26,

                             Matthew 8:13, Matthew 9:29, Matthew 17:20, Mark 9:24,

     Mark 11:24, Mark 16:17, John 14:12-14

CONCLUSION

            The battle is raging all around you. However, there is no need for you to live         in fearful defeat...get behind the shield and the fiery arrows of your enemy            will never reach you!