Ephesians 6:16
“In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one …”
The shield of faith is applied belief. This week I have been calling it “battlefield belief” because it is faith applied in response to the attacks of the enemy. The shield of faith is not a feeling. It is an act of obedience that is driven by a knowledge of who God is, a knowledge of what the Word of God teaches, and trust in God himself.
As scripture says, “We walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5.7)
The principle of faith as action, not feeling, itself is a battle for many Christians. Here is a brief story that illustrates the nature of faith. I have shared it before, and I want to share it again:
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A highwire acrobat asked a group of people if they believed he could walk across a deep chasm on a tightrope. They hesitated, but then said “probably.” The acrobat proceeded to walk briskly across the chasm on the tightrope and back again with no problem.
Impressed, the crowd applauded.
The acrobat asked the crowd, “Do you believe I can carry a person on my back as I walk across the chasm on the tightrope?” The group was again hesitant, but eventually said, “We aren’t sure.”
The acrobat asked his assistant to climb onto his back and, without hesitation, walked confidently and sure-footedly across the chasm on the tightrope, back again, all the while with his assistant on his back. No problem.
Very impressed, the crowd applauded with great enthusiasm.
The acrobat turned to a gentleman in the crowd who was applauding energetically and asked him, “Do you believe I can carry you on my back across the chasm on the tightrope?”
Caught up in the excitement, the man said, “Sure!” The acrobat said, “Great. Climb onto my back.”
The man stopped applauding as his enthusiasm faded quickly. The crowd fell silent and stared, waiting to see what the man would do. The man moved slightly away from the acrobat and said, “I believe you can do it, but I just don’t feel comfortable taking that risk.”
The acrobat turned to the crowd and asked, “Does anyone here believe I can carry you on my back across the chasm on the tightrope?” No one responded.
Finally a young man stepped forward and said, “I do.” The acrobat said, “Great. Climb onto my back.” The young man did so, and, without hesitation, the acrobat walked confidently and sure-footedly across the chasm on the tightrope, back again, all the while with the young man on his back. No problem.
Once again the crowd applauded, this time with even greater enthusiasm.
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You see, the crowd was full of spectators. Not believers and doers, but spectators. If you asked them, “Do you believe the acrobat can carry a person across the chasm on a tightrope?” they would all say yes, most likely with great enthusiasm. After all, they saw him do it twice.
If you asked them, “Do you believe he can carry you across the chasm on a tightrope?” They would all say yes. But when asked to climb on the acrobat’s back and have him carry them on the tightrope across the chasm, they would hesitate. And say no.
Because they had “Sunday belief,” not “battlefield belief.” The exception was the young man. He believed, and he acted on his faith.
“For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’” (Romans 1.17)
Trust God, take up the shield of faith, and fight the good fight.
Coram Deo
