May 29, 2021
Fiery Darts
What does it mean to “have faith”?
Hebrews 11:6 says:
“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.” (NIV)
Looking at this verse, we see that the #1 ingredient in an accurate definition of faith is: Believing that God exists and that He is Who He claims to be in the Bible.
“In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the ‘flaming arrows of the evil one.’”
To really understand this verse, we need to know more about two things: fiery darts and shields. (Because let’s face it: we don’t see a lot of either in our day to day lives.)
So what are fiery darts?
Have you ever seen “Robin Hood Men in Tights”? This hilarious movie opens up with soldiers shooting flaming arrows in the opening credits. The arrows fly through the air, exposing the director, producer, etc., and then they land on the roofs of the villagers, burning their houses. It is hilarious as the villagers say, “Every time there is a new Robin Hood Movie, they burn down our house!”
A fiery dart is a flaming arrow. Every day, the enemy of our souls sends lies and doubts about God, about Christianity, and about the need to live for Jesus toward our mind. How do we stop these arrows? We use our shield of faith.
What does a shield do? Well, in this verse, the shield described is a large Roman shield covered in leather or some kind of animal skin. The soldier would then dip the shield in water so that if a fiery arrow came at him, it would be instantly snuffed out.
In our lives, faith is the dripping wet shield that instantly extinguishes the flaming arrows of the enemy. When the enemy attacks us with lies or doubt, we have faith that God will do what He said He would do. He promises us victory. He says there is always a way out. He told us that we could trust Him to be there with us and lead us through. Faith guards our hearts and helps us gain victory.
Memory Verse: “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.” (Hebrews 11:6, NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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