Ephesians 6:16

This is written by Charlotte Speller - she has been at St Mary's for a year and a half and works in Product Management.
Ephesians 6:16
16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Reflection
The kind of shield mentioned in this passage is one from ancient warfare times. Think of the shields used in Gladiator or Troy β it could be fixed in the ground, as tall as the soldier, covering all of the soldier, protecting them fully.
Some people might believe it to be a daily struggle to put the "armour of God" on, feeling it's their sole responsibility to stop bad things from happening to them, as if one day they forget, those fiery darts will be coming for them. But God's protection is much more of a promise from Him to us, where we can stand firm trusting in Him and His ability which is far greater and comprehensible than our own. God had our backs even before we were born!
One of the hardest things to do is to trust God and not back seat drive, but itβs also one of the most important things we can do to achieve a fruitful life.
In the film 'The Shack', when the main character feels abandoned by God, the Holy Spirit reminds him - "When all you see is your pain, you lose sight of me".
If we are focusing too much on the negative, scanning for bad stuff to protect ourselves from, we will live limited and fearful lives doubting in God. What we focus on becomes enlarged in our minds - potential threats, offences we carry or receive that day etc. The result is we feel like we're being burnt alive by those fiery darts.
We have the assurance that whatever happens in our lives, the good, the bad and the unthinkable, God is still our protector, even when we don't feel it, even when the odds feel like they're against us, He is carrying us through, strengthening and renewing our spirit, just like the poem "Footprints in the Sand!"
Some people might believe it to be a daily struggle to put the "armour of God" on, feeling it's their sole responsibility to stop bad things from happening to them, as if one day they forget, those fiery darts will be coming for them. But God's protection is much more of a promise from Him to us, where we can stand firm trusting in Him and His ability which is far greater and comprehensible than our own. God had our backs even before we were born!
One of the hardest things to do is to trust God and not back seat drive, but itβs also one of the most important things we can do to achieve a fruitful life.
In the film 'The Shack', when the main character feels abandoned by God, the Holy Spirit reminds him - "When all you see is your pain, you lose sight of me".
If we are focusing too much on the negative, scanning for bad stuff to protect ourselves from, we will live limited and fearful lives doubting in God. What we focus on becomes enlarged in our minds - potential threats, offences we carry or receive that day etc. The result is we feel like we're being burnt alive by those fiery darts.
We have the assurance that whatever happens in our lives, the good, the bad and the unthinkable, God is still our protector, even when we don't feel it, even when the odds feel like they're against us, He is carrying us through, strengthening and renewing our spirit, just like the poem "Footprints in the Sand!"
Posted in The Armour of God
Related Posts
Recent
Archive
2021
2020
January
New YearNew YearNew YearThe Path to Spiritual GrowthEvery Night with MattThe Path to Spiritual GrowthThe Path to Spiritual GrowthThe Path to Spiritual GrowthThe Path to Spiritual GrowthThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeHow to PrayThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of Luke
February
The Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeHow to PrayThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of Luke
March
The Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of Luke
April
The Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeLent: The Final WeekLent: The Final WeekLent: The Final WeekLent: The Final WeekLent: The Final WeekThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeHow to PrayThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of Luke
May
The Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukePentecostal PrayerPentecostal PrayerPentecostal PrayerPentecost PrayerPentecost PrayerPentecost Prayer
June
July
August
September
EvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismPrayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPrayer for the City
October
Prayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPhilippiansPhilippiansPhilippiansPhilippiansPhilippiansPhilippiansPhilippiansPhilippiansHow to read the bibleConquering ComparisonThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy Spirit
November
Elijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaHow to PrayPraying with PaulPraying with PaulPraying with PaulPraying with PaulPraying with PaulPraying with PaulPraying with PaulPhilemonIntro to Advent
2019
January
John the Baptist prepares the wayJesus announces the good newsJesus heals manyJesus forgives and healsJesus heals on the SabbathParable of the sowerLamp on a standJesus restores a demon possessed manJesus raises a dead girl and heals a sick womanA prophet without honourJohn the Baptist beheadedJesus feeds the five thousandJesus walks on waterThat which defiles
February
Faith of the Syro-phonecian womanFeeding 4000Jesus heals a blind man at BethsaidaTransfigurationJesus heals a boy possessed by an impure spiritJesus predicts his death a second timeDivorceThe rich and the kingdom of GodJesus predicts his death a third timeBlind Bartimaeus receives his sightJesus comes to Jerusalem as kingJesus curses a fig tree and clear the templeThe authority of Jesus questionedPaying tax to CaesarThe greatest commandmentThe destruction of the temple
March
June
July
A Fellowship of DifferenceLove your neighbourLove your enemyNeither Jew nor GentilePray for PrideEphesians 6:10-13Ephesians 6:14Ephesians 6:15Ephesians 6:16Ephesians 6:17Ephesians 6:18-20LoveLove, for the day is nearLove is patientGod is loveCreationSabbathThe Lord does not grow wearyPsalm 23Come all you who are wearyBe stillJesus asleep in the boatQuiet you with love
August
Proverbs 1Proverbs 2Proverbs 3Proverbs 4Proverbs 5Proverbs 6Proverbs 7Proverbs 8Proverbs 9Proverbs 10Proverbs 11Proverbs 12Proverbs 13Proverbs 14Proverbs 15Proverbs 16Proverbs 17Proverbs 18Proverbs 19Proverbs 20Proverbs 21Proverbs 22Proverbs 23Proverbs 24Proverbs 25Proverbs 26Proverbs 27Proverbs 28Proverbs 29Proverbs 30Proverbs 31
September
October
A Brief Skim Through the BibleA Brief Skim Through the BibleA Brief Skim Through the BibleA Brief Skim Through the BibleA Brief Skim Through the BibleA Brief Skim Through the BibleBack very soonSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the Mount
November
Sermon on the MountSermon on the MountOpen to the SpiritOpen to the SpiritOpen to the SpiritOpen to the SpiritLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the Thessalonians
No Comments