In a Nerf gun battle, the best way to protect yourself is to hide behind a wall. Or maybe a couch. Or a table. The last thing you would do is run into the middle of the room with nothing to protect you from those foam bullets. That would be dumb, right?
On a real battlefield, soldiers are often out in the open—and there’s no way to carry furniture into a fight. So, they need some kind of protection that’s light enough to carry but strong enough to protect them. That’s why they need shields.
In your battle with Satan, you don’t usually run into him when you’re in the safety of your church walls. You often meet when you’re out in the open—at school, at sports games, when you’re hanging out with your friends. So you carry your faith with you. You “take the Christian faith as your shield. With it you can put out all the flaming arrows of the evil one” (Ephesians 6:16).
The shield is armor that Christ gives you. It protects you wherever Satan shoots at you. Is it doubt that you are loved? Is it worrying about if you fit in? Is it telling you that fighting is the way to handle your problems or that cheating will help you get what you want? Each one of those lies is a flaming arrow. The faith that God gives you helps you dodge those bullets and keeps you safe.
Remember, though, that the strength in your shield doesn’t come from you. It comes from God. “The Lord is faithful and will strengthen you and protect you against the evil one” (2 Thessalonians 3:3).
Chomp on this!
What are the ways God makes your shield—your faith—stronger?
How can you encourage the people around you to strengthen their shields too?
