Shield of Faith
Armor of God, Lesson 5
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Overview - Lesson 1 - Lesson 2 - Lesson 3 - Lesson 4 - Lesson 5 - Lesson 6 - Lesson 7 - Bonus
Read the Minecraft Version of Lesson 5
Reminder: This is intended to be a small group discussion. Ask the leading questions to the group and invite discussion. For questions with Bible verses, read the verses to help answer the question. Potential answers and key takeaways are provided as a leader’s guide.
We learned in Lesson 4 that we need to intentionally choose to keep our feet on God’s path and to have an attitude of peace in our interactions with others, keeping our actions and attitudes aligned with the gospel. This helps us be able to take a stand against Satan. What piece of armor do we add next? The shield of faith.
Ephesians 6:16: In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
The Shield
When should a shield be used?
1 Chronicles 12:23-24: These are the numbers of the men armed for battle who came to David at Hebron to turn Saul’s kingdom over to him, as the Lord had said: from Judah, carrying shield and spear—6,800 armed for battle...
2 Chronicles 14:8: Asa had an army of three hundred thousand men from Judah, equipped with large shields and with spears, and two hundred and eighty thousand men from Benjamin, armed with small shields and with bows. All these were brave fighting men.
Nehemiah 4:16-18: From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the men who sounded the trumpet stayed with me.
Key takeaway: Shields are used when you are expecting to go into battle or when you expect to be attacked by the enemy.
Who are we battling?
Ephesians 6:11-12: Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Key takeaway: We are battling spiritual forces—Satan and legions of demons.
Who/what are we protecting?
Ephesians 6:13: Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
Key takeaway: We are protecting ourselves—both physical and spiritual.
Who is our shield?
Psalm 3:3: But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high.
Proverbs 2:7-8: He [the Lord] holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.
2 Samuel 22:2-3: He [David] said: “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior—from violent people you save me.”
Key takeaway: God is our shield. Like a shield, He protects us by standing in the way of damage from the enemy.
Faith
What does the Bible say about faith?
Hebrews 11:1, 6: Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about 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.
Romans 10:17: Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and message is heard through the word about Christ.
Ephesians 2:8-10: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Key takeaway: Faith comes through hearing the message about Jesus. This faith saves us, and it helps us please God.
Who do we have faith in?
1 Corinthians 2:4-5: My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.
Galatians 2:16, 20: A person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified. ... I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Mark 11:22: “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered.
Key takeaway: Our faith rests not in human wisdom, but in God and His Son, Jesus Christ.
What does the Bible say about our faith being tested?
1 Peter 1:6-7: In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result and praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
James 1:2-4: Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Key takeaway: The Bible guarantees that our faith will be tested, but this testing will produce genuineness, perseverance, and maturity of faith.
What benefit does faith have?
Romans 10:9: If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Matthew 21:21-22: Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
1 John 5:4-5: For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
Key takeaway: Faith provides salvation, answers to prayer, and final victory.
Shield of Faith
How does faith protect us?
Ephesians 6:16: In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
John 3:16-18: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
Key takeaway: Faith protects us both from the attacks of Satan and from eternal condemnation.
Final Application
How has your faith been tested lately? What was your response?
What can you do today to take hold of the shield of faith?
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