Hypocrites and Backsliders

Lesson 61: The Shield of Faith H&B-061 LWBC 09-14-08 1

The Armor of God

• Eph. 6.10-18

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

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The Armor of God

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13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, 15 and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE

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The Armor of God

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16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, which is the word of God…

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The Armor of God

• Ephesians 6:12 clearly indicates that the conflict with Satan is spiritual, and therefore no tangible weapons can be effectively employed against him and his minions. • There is no listing here of specific tactics he will use. • However, the passage is quite clear that when we follow all the instructions faithfully, we will be able to stand, and we will have victory regardless of his offense.

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The Armor of God

• “Christians in the first century were confronted with the Roman occupation forces and were only too familiar with the uniformed might of the Empire. • Now the apostle was urging them to model their spiritual life after the military pattern of Rome.(Thieme) H&B-061 LWBC 09-14-08 6

The Shield of Faith

• "and, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked" (Eph. 6:16).

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The Shield of Faith

• To wage warfare to a victorious conclusion, an army must have both offensive and defensive weapons. • The Roman Legion owed its success, not only to the number and bravery of its troops, but also to its arms and machines. • The foremost of the Roman soldier's defensive weapons was his shield.

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The Shield of Faith

• The SCUTUM (Latin), used by the Roman infantry, was shaped like a door (THURA; Greek). • We learn from the Greek historian Polybius, that it was constructed of a double thickness of planks, joined together with glue derived from the hides of bulls.

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The Shield of Faith

• The shield's outer surface was then wrapped with Canvas and covered with calfskin. • Along the top and bottom rims, the shield had an ornamental metal binding made of iron. • But more than being ornamental in design, this metal rim protected the SCUTUM from being damaged when set on the ground, or from the cutting strokes of the enemy's swords, which it must ward off in combat.

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The Shield of Faith

• The shield was fitted with an iron boss in order that it might deflect the more destructive blows of stones, long javelins and those ballista (missiles), which were in general use in antiquity. • Attached to the SCUTUM were two leather straps; one of these fitted the soldier's forearm and enabled him to execute the various commands for the use of his shield.

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The Shield of Faith

• The other strap served as a sling by which he carried the shield, slung over his left shoulder, while he was marching. • To help the soldiers identify their own cohorts in the confusion of battle, every cohort had its shields painted in its own particular colors and insignia. • In addition, the shield of each man was inscribed with his name and with the number of his cohort and century.

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The Shield of Faith

• In time of action, the TRIARII rested on one knee under cover of their shields. • This advantageous position offered the fighting men greater protection than they would have had if they had stood upright, for it deflected the hail of darts, stones and javelins. • So vital was the SCUTUM: to the soldier's survival in battle that a whole manual of arms for the shield was issued him. H&B-061 LWBC 09-14-08 13

The Shield of Faith

• Furthermore, he was drilled until he was expert in its use and could aim a stroke at his adversary without laying himself open to the antagonist's blows. • While the possession of the SCUTUM greatly reduced the casualty list of the ancient Romans, the loss of his shield often meant the loss of a soldier's life!

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The Shield of Faith

• To protect the Christian Warrior in every exigency of life, God issues him a shield, which surpasses even that of the Roman soldier. • Scripture calls this shield the "SHIELD OF " • Figuratively, it stands for the function of the faith-rest and the instructions for its use are found in our very own Drill Manual - the Bible H&B-061 LWBC 09-14-08 15

The Shield of Faith

• "and, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked" (Eph. 6:16). • "all" is the preposition EN and the Iocative plural from PAS. • Translated into our vernacular, the phrase says, "In addition to all these" (previously mentioned items of equipment: the belt, the breastplate and combat boots).

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The Shield of Faith

• The rendition of the text in the King James version seems to indicate that the shield of faith is superior to the belt of truth (the importance of the principle of GAP and its objective - spiritual maturuity): to the breastplate of righteousness (the super-grace believer fulfilling divine standards - analogous to the edification complex of the soul); and superior to the feet shod with the equipment of the Gospel (readiness and preparation for witnessing).

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The Shield of Faith

• Nothing could be farther from the truth. • ALL THAT GOD PROVIDES FOR THE BELIEVER IN THE DEVIL'S WORLD IS PERFECT! • Thus, the shield is "in addition to," not "above all" - an equally necessary part of the Royal Warrior's armor. • How do we appropriate the shield? We pick it up and carry - 1st aorist active participle - by means of faith.

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The Shield of Faith

• The constantive aorist views the action of the verb in its entirety; it takes the accumulation of doctrine resident in the soul and relates it to the function of the faith-rest technique. • Each Christian soldier produces the action of the verb in his application of faith-rest.

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The Shield of Faith

• Each Christian soldier produces the action of the verb in his application of faith-rest. • Note that this is another of the long list of XXX in this passage. • The participle is circumstantial and has antecedent action to the main verb, found in the command, "Stand fast" (verse 14).

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The Shield of Faith

• Thus far, the corrected translation reads: addition to all these, having picked up and carried." • Next, the great defensive weapon, the shield of faith, is introduced as the THUREOS (accusative singular direct object), comparable to the Latin, SCUTUM, "of faith" (descriptive genitive singular from PISTIS).

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The Shield of Faith

• Ordinarily, PISTIS can mean one of two things: faith or doctrine, that which is believed or active faith. • In this context, PISTIS refers to the principle of faith in itself. • People frequently confuse faith with a lack of thinking and misinterpret it to mean some emotional action. • This is incorrect; faith is a system of thinking.

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The Shield of Faith

• Sixty to seventy percent of everything that you have ever learned, you have acquired by faith. • Someone told you that one plus one equals two, and you believed it. • You memorized the multiplication tables, before the new math came in, and never questioned their accuracy.

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The Shield of Faith

• You learned of our Anglo-Saxon heritage when you studied English history; some one told you about the Magna Carta, about a place called England. • Although you had never been there, you accepted its existence as truth. • This system of thinking is entirely bona fide and is the principle involved in this use of the Greek noun, PISTIS. H&B-061 LWBC 09-14-08 24

The Shield of Faith

• In contrast to the nonmeritorious thinking of faith, there are two types of thinking which are apt to sponsor arrogance: rationalism and empiricism. • Rationalism relies on reason alone; independent of authority or revelation, it sets up one's opinions as the criterion. • Empiricism accepts as reality only that knowledge which can be derived from experience through the senses. H&B-061 LWBC 09-14-08 25

The Shield of Faith

• Another misconception concerning faith is that faith is blind. • Faith is never blind! • The verb "to believe" (PISTEUO) is a transitive verb; it has a subject and an object. • The classification of the objects of faith in the believer's life is very important. • There is first of all the object of faith in salvation; secondly, there is the object of faith after salvation.

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The Shield of Faith

• What are these objects? In salvation, the subject of faith is anyone or "whosoever"; the object of faith is always the same - the Lord Jesus Christ (John 3:18; Acts 4:12,16:31). • Faith without its object obtains nothing but condemnation! • However, a tiny grain of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ secures eternal salvation. • So you see, the efficacy of faith always lies in its object.

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The Shield of Faith

• What we have learned through salvation, we apply in our spiritual lives after salvation: just as we have received the Living Word, so we now walk according to the written Word - by faith (Col. 2:6). • In the Christian way of life, Bible doctrine becomes the object of our faith.

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The Shield of Faith

• Thus, all efficacy of faith is either related to the Living Word or to the written Word. • The shield of faith denotes the function of the faith-rest technique against our unseen enemies and warrants an understanding of this crucial doctrine, for FAITH-REST IS THE FIRING PIN THAT LAUNCHES DIVINE VIEWPOINT INTO THE DEVIL'S WORLD! H&B-061 LWBC 09-14-08 29

The Shield of Faith

• The Doctrine of Faith-Rest • 1. Definition. • a. Faith-rest is that function of the believer in which divine promises and doctrines resident in the soul are applied to experience, in part or in toto. • b. Faith-rest is not confined to claiming the promises of God but also includes thinking the divine viewpoint of life. H&B-061 LWBC 09-14-08 30

The Shield of Faith

• c. Faith-rest claims the promises of God through faith and the blessings of God through doctrine resident in the soul.

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The Shield of Faith

• 2. Mechanics of faith-rest (Heb.4:1-3).

• 1 Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. 2 For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard. H&B-061 LWBC 09-14-08 32

The Shield of Faith

• 3 For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said, “AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH, THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST,” although His works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For He has said somewhere concerning the seventh

day: “AND GOD RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY FROM ALL HIS WORKS”;

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The Shield of Faith

5 and again in this passage, “THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST. 6 Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience,

7 He again fixes a certain day, “Today,” saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, “TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS.” H&B-061 LWBC 09-14-08 34

The Shield of Faith

• 3. Faith-rest and the Old Testament believer. • a. Faith-rest was the basic system of spirituality among Old Testament believers (Hab. 2:4; Rom. 4:17-21; Heb. 11). • b. The indwelling ministry of God the Holy Spirit in spirituality did not occur until the Dispensation of the Royal Family of God i.e., the Church Age (John 7;39; 1 Cor. 6:19,20; Gal. 5:16; Eph. 5:18). H&B-061 LWBC 09-14-08 35

The Shield of Faith

• 4. The inner dynamics of faith-rest. • a. The faith-rest technique produces in the believer both a relaxed mental attitude and freedom from mental. attitude sins. • b. This principle is set forth in Isaiah 26:3, 4: "A sustained purpose you will guard in perfect prosperity, because he trusts (faith rest) in you. Trust in Jehovah forever! For in Jah Jehovah is a rock of ages" (expanded translation).

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The Shield of Faith

• The sustained purpose in this context is the daily function of GAP, which produces the super-grace status through maximum doctrine resident in the soul.

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The Shield of Faith

• 5. The production dynamics of faith-rest. • a. Faith-rest is the basis for power in prayer (Matt. 21:22; Mark 11:24). • b. Faith-rest functions in overcoming fear. Everyone 'will face fear at some point in his life. • There are many types of fear: fear of adversity, fear of danger, fear of death. • No matter what your area of fear might be, fear is a mental attitude sin; yet it can be overcome by faith. (Psa. 56:3).

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The Shield of Faith

• c. Faith-rest conquers worry (1 Pet. 5:7). • d. Faith-rest benefits others in your periphery (Matt. 8:13). • It was the centurion's faith in the Person and power of Christ which restored his critically ill son to perfect health. H&B-061 LWBC 09-14-08 39

The Shield of Faith

• 6. Faith-rest is related to super-grace and to occupation with Christ (Psa. 37 :4,5). The desires of the right lobe are commensurate with your capacity for life and compatible with your station as royalty in the realm of both temporal and spiritual blessings. H&B-061 LWBC 09-14-08 40

The Shield of Faith

• 7 Faith-rest is the modus operandi of the Royal Priesthood (l Cor. 2:5; 2 Cor. 5:7).

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The Shield of Faith

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The Shield of Faith

• 8. Faith-rest is related to the XXof GAP H&B-061 LWBC 09-14-08 43

The Shield of Faith

• 9. Faith-rest is related to the victory of the angelic conflict (XX5:4). H&B-061 LWBC 09-14-08 44

The Shield of Faith

• With the doctrine of faith-rest firmly in mind, we ask how the command to pick up the shield of faith is executed. • Just as there were a number of ways in which the Roman soldier could pick up, carry and utilize his SCUTUM, so there are five ways in which the Christian Warrior may pick up and carry the shield of faith: H&B-061 LWBC 09-14-08 45

The Shield of Faith

• 1) By the filling of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22) H&B-061 LWBC 09-14-08 46

The Shield of Faith

• (2) the function of GAP (Rom. lO:17)! Since you need your shield of faith daily, you must acquire a working knowledge of the doctrines and promises of God on a daily basis.

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The Shield of Faith

• (3) By the application of faith-rest in normal situations of life (Heb. 4:1-3)! • Remember that Bible doctrine is intensely practical as you face monotony and routine in life. • God has a definite purpose for your life. • As you realize His purpose, humdrum tasks take on zest; you can enjoy life, for you do what you do as unto the Lord!

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The Shield of Faith

• (4) By the application of faith-rest under pressure (1 Pet. 1:7, 8)! • Divine provisions, made in eternity past, prepared a solution to every problem in life! • There is a promise, a doctrine, a principle, which - if utilized - will assuage your heartache, your troubles, your disappointments, and will give you inner tranquility in spite of the turmoil you face!

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The Shield of Faith

• 5. By super, grace status and occupation with Christ (Heb. 12:2)! • It is not the manner in which you pick up the shield faith which counts but THAT you pick it up!

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The Shield of Faith

• The SCUTUM or THUREOS was a large shield that protected the Roman soldier’s entire body. Many times a Roman soldier lost his life because he was caught without his shield. • Likewise, too many believers become casualties in the angelic conflict because they have failed to pick up and carry their spiritual shields. H&B-061 LWBC 09-14-08 51

The Shield of Faith

• They have no Bible doctrine in their souls; consequently, they lack faith and can neither launch a counterattack or repel the missiles hurled against them. • The finest shield cannot protect you as long as it remains on the ground! H&B-061 LWBC 09-14-08 52

The Shield of Faith

• Why expose yourself to the enemy when such a fantastic defensive weapon is within your grasp? • Certainly it takes skill and practice to excel in any profession. • The Roman military incessantly put its troops through drills of every kind, in good weather and in bad.

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The Shield of Faith

• Even the most expert soldiers were to exercise on the practice field once a day to maintain agility of body and proficiency in the art of warfare. • At all times, the strictest discipline was enforced, for it was feared that a slackening of discipline would affect the courage and the constitution of the soldier!

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The Shield of Faith

• While veterans drilled with swords and shields, young recruits practiced with wooden swords and round bucklers woven of willows which were twice the weight of their actual combat weapons. • If they could master those unwieldy weapons with advantage, they would distinguish themselves on the battlefield.

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The Shield of Faith

• How graciously our Lord tests our use of the shield of faith. • He does not at first burden us with severe pressures; He sends minor difficulties, small problems our way until we gain and learn that doctrine really works!

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The Shield of Faith

• And even when the pressures of life appear to engulf us we have His assurance that He "will never test us beyond our ability" (1 cor. 10:13) • Like the Roman soldier of antiquity, we need constant practice at the post - the classroom of the local assembly, the church.

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The Shield of Faith

• The Pastor-Teacher who studies and rightly divides the "Word of Truth" ably equips the combatants for the angelic conflict. • This must be done under conditions of strict group and individual discipline.

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The Shield of Faith

• Like the Roman legionary, the royal Legionary will learn to spring forward to strike a blow at his unseen enemies, bound above his shield to discern conditions around him and then sink down to shelter under cover of the shield of faith, "wherewith he shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the Wicked" (Eph. 6:16).

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The Shield of Faith

• Wherewith is the preposition EN with the instrumental singular of the relative pronoun HOS. the antecedent of HOS is the shield and is best translated "with which shield". • "You shall be able" (future active indicative of DUNAMAI) anticipates the actual battle certain to follow incessant and careful training.

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• The progressive future denotes progress in future time and the active voice and the cohortative indicative mood express a command and which foresees that the believer with the shield in hand will indeed possess the ability to hold his ground.

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The Shield of Faith

• This ability is derived little by little.

• You begin through the function of G.A.P. by learning basic doctrines, such as the Doctrine of Divine Essence which guarantees every promise found in Scripture; you learn to handle your sins by means of rebound (1 John 1 :9). • You pick up some of the techniques of the Christian life -- the faith-rest technique, for instance!

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The Shield of Faith

• DIVINE ESSENCE: The characteristics of Deity; Sovereignty, Righteousness, Justice, Love, Eternal Life, Omniscience, Omnipotence, Omnipresence, Immutability and Veracity. H&B-061 LWBC 09-14-08 63

The Shield of Faith

• The very first time you pick up your shield, you may do so hesitatingly. • However, once you discover that doctrine and promises applied help you handle problems and difficulties of all kinds, your confidence will increase.

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The Shield of Faith

• The shield of faith becomes lighter and lighter through constant use.

• It is well able "to quench" - literally, to extinguish the missiles hurled against it. • The culminative aorist views the action of the verb in its entirety but emphasizes the existing results which accrue from an accumulation of Bible doctrine in the believer's soul.

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• He has reached spiritual maturity; he has picked up and put on the full armor from God and is prepared to parry every attack of the demon army. • The infinitive mood of SBENNUMI declares the actual result of his use of the shield of faith: he "shall be able to extinguish ALL (accusative neuter plural PAS) the fiery (literally, 'flaming' - ascriptive use of the perfect passive participle from PUROO) darts ('missiles' - accusative plural direct object from BELOS) of the wicked" (ablative of source of the singular form of the noun PONEROS - 'the evil one' - a reference to Satan)." H&B-061 LWBC 09-14-08 66

The Shield of Faith

• Flaming projectiles were commonly used weapons among the ancients. • Fire arrows were the incendiary bombs of antiquity. • They were highly effective and are said to have existed long before the Persians employed them in their invasion of Greece in the days of Xerxes.

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The Shield of Faith

• Herodotus describes the Persians' attack on the Acropolis, the citadel of Athens (originally constructed of wood), where the remnants of the Hellenistic army of hoplites were making their last stand: • "With arrows to which pieces of light tow were attached, which they shot at the barricade." H&B-061 LWBC 09-14-08 68

The Shield of Faith

• The hail of flaming arrows descended upon the Athenian fort, and the conflagration forced out the hoplites, who were cut down by their Persian victors. • Yet the courageous Greek army had bought such time as was needed for the evacuation of the Athenian population. H&B-061 LWBC 09-14-08 69

The Shield of Faith

• One of the most famous battles of the ancient world was fought at Plataea, during the Peloponnesian Wars. Spurred on by the Thebans, who had failed to conquer the city, the Spartans had attacked Plataea in 429 B.C. and two years later took and ransacked the city. Protected by very high ramparts, Plataea seemed invincible. • All the time the Spartans hauled in earth to build a mound from which they might assault the city, they took heavy casualties; yet they kept right on coming, and the Plataeans could no longer stop them.

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The Shield of Faith

• As the Spartan siege of Plataea continued unabated and the mound of dirt rose higher and higher, the Plataeans began to erect wooden platforms on top of the city walls. • The ancient historian, Thucydides, tells how this was done and why: H&B-061 LWBC 09-14-08 71

The Shield of Faith

• "The Plataeans constructed a wooden frame, which they set upon the top of their own wall, opposite the mound ... they also hung curtains of skins and hides on the front. These were designed to protect the woodwork and workers and shield them against the blazing arrows" H&B-061 LWBC 09-14-08 72

The Shield of Faith

• For every attack there is a counterattack, and every weapon has its match in the arsenal of a prepared military. • In the end, the Spartans' fiery arrows found their mark in the wood, and soon the platforms were ablaze. • Plataea fell to the Spartan invaders. H&B-061 LWBC 09-14-08 73

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• Livy, too, makes mention of flaming missiles that were a part of the weaponry of both the infantry and artillery of the ancient ,world. He describes the huge fire dart used at the Siege of Saguntum. Called FALARICA, the shaft of the missile was made of . From its sharpened end projected an iron point. Half way up, the squared-off shaft was bound with tow, smeared with pitch and set aflame.

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• Although the FALARICA did not pierce the shield, it stuck, blazing in the middle; the soldier was thus obliged to drop his shield and expose himself to the enemy. • Furthermore, the FALARICA was a formidable psychological weapon; its trajectory produced a much greater flame, which struck terror in the hearts of the bravest warriors.

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• Notice who has an entire arsenal of flaming missiles at his disposal -- the evil one, Satan! • There is his psychological weapon of fear! [Which he learned so well at the Fall of Adam and Eve.] • Additional fiery arrows are worry, doubt, boredom, loneliness, bitterness, adversity and, yes, even prosperity!

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• There, then, is evil in its various forms – Satan’s policy for his domain. Yet, for all his power, all his devices, Satan has no weapon powerful enough to destroy or penetrate the shield of faith.

• Therefore, the importance of that defensive weapon cannot be minimized; it neutralizes Satanic attack! H&B-061 LWBC 09-14-08 77

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• Let me remind you that the large Roman shield had two straps, the larger shoulder strap and the smaller forearm strap. When the Roman soldier rnarched into battle he carried his shield slung over his left shoulder. • When he went into hand to hand cormbat he slipped his left forearm through the shorter strap to counter his enemy’s blows.

• [He always had his shield with him, ready to use at a moment’s notice – not requiring that he go get it, or have to suddenly learn how to use it!] H&B-061 LWBC 09-14-08 78

The Shield of Faith

• The Romans had a long, rectangular, knees-to-chin shield which protected from arrows and spears and could be knelt behind during an arrow barrage. • It was quite a bit heavier and clumsier that the smaller Greek circular shield; but there was a series of exercises, a manual of arms, designed to give the soldier flexibility and strength in the use of the shield. • Groups of soldier who were besieging a town could form close together and hold their shields over their heads to make a huge circle to protect the group from fiery arrows.

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• SpiritualIy in this verse, the Roman shield stands for the faith of the believer in the promises and character of God. • The value of faith lies not in the person exercising it, but in the person whom the faith is in. • Faith is something that all people possess and use every day. • Romans 10:17 tells us that faith comes through hearing the Word of God.

• Knowing the Bible and the God of the Bible gives you greater faith. • Remember it is God that fights with you and that is awesome protection.

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• The shield of faith spoken of in vs. 16 makes ineffective Satan's assault of sowing doubts in regard to the faithfulness of God and His Word. • Our faith, "of which Christ is the author and perfecter (Hebrews 12:2) is like a Roman shield, precious, solid, and substantial; and like a shield of mighty warriors, by which mighty things are done, and by which the believer not only repels, but conquers the enemy.

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The Belt (Baldric)

• The Belt: This was a very important piece to the Roman Soldier's armor.

• The Roman soldier put around his waist a very wide belt which was the holder for a lot of equipment. • There was a loop, for example, for the different swords. • Other loops held ropes and a rations sack. When the legions conquered a city, the soldiers would empty out the ration sack to make room for gold, jewelry, and other loot they picked up. H&B-061 LWBC 09-14-08 82

The Belt (Baldric)

• There were loops on the belt for darts. • The belt was tied in several places to stay in place, so that no matter how the soldier moved about, fell down, climbed hills, etc., the belt was always in place with weapons at the ready.

• If the belt were not on straight, then everything would be out of place for the soldier. • This would cut down his efficiency in battle and may even cost him his life.

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The Breastplate

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The Breastplate of Righteousness

• Also in vs. 14 we are told to put on the breastplate of righteousness. • A breastplate would shield a warrior from a fatal blow to the heart and other critical organs. • This righteousness is not works of righteousness done by men —rather, this is the righteousness of Christ, imputed and imparted by God and received by faith, which guards our hearts against the accusations and charges of Satan, and secures our innermost being from his attacks.

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The Breastplate

• One key area the Soldier's breastplate protected was the heart. • While the heart is the one key organ responsible for sending blood through our circulatory system to keep us alive, in our spiritual lives the heart is the source for living out righteousness or evil.

• When we walk in the Reservoir of Righteousness of God, it is a weapon of defense against all slanderous accusations, and outrageous strategies of the devil. H&B-061 LWBC 09-14-08 85

The Boots

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And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace (Eph. 6:15).

• Because the foot soldier depends upon good footwear to take him where the action is, combat boots play an important role in his career. • The Romans were no different; they designated their infantry by the word CALIGATI after the heavy footgear they wore - the CALIGAE.

• So, if we are to be known by our footwear, it is important to learn our “Identity”!

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The Boots

• In Scripture, feet become synonymous with service; but there can be no effective service apart from constant training and preparation along the road to super-grace. • It was the seasoned combat veteran of the Roman army who served his country best; and it is the spiritually mature Christian Warrior who can serve the Lord to the maximum of his capability and capacity!

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The Shield of Faith

• The Christian Warrior does not have to march to any geographical location to be at the front; wherever he finds himself, his soul is the arena of combat in the unseen warfare. Therefore, you must carry your doctrine with you no matter where you are.

• Doctrine comprises your inner resources; doctrine shields you from confusion, from involvement in inconsequential activities, from attacks of legalism or socialism or from the influence of evil. (R.B. Thieme, Jr.) H&B-061 LWBC 09-14-08 88