The Shield of Faith
A Sermon on Ephesians 6:16
Originally preached June 3, 1962
Scripture
16Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
Sermon Description
Christians must realize that they are engaged in perpetual spiritual warfare. In this sermon on Ephesians 6:16 titled “The Shield of Faith,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones reminds that Paul exhorts believers to take up the “shield of faith.” He referred to other pieces of the armor of God as things to “have,” but Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that this action changes to “take.” The shift is because the first three pieces of armor are fixed firmly to the body, but the shield must be taken up. People do not fight some general evil, but a particular spiritual person and others he commands. What are the “fiery darts”? Commonly, they are doubting thoughts, blasphemous words, and phrases that fill the mind and come to mentally discourage, depress, and defeat. Other darts inflame desires and passions, destroying peace, and contentment. Some are fiery trials of persecution, antagonistic people, or adverse circumstances. The “shield of faith” is the ability to quickly apply belief in answer to everything the devil does or attempts to do. Faith is not merely an intellectual belief or theory, but is always practical to apply truth. Faith never points to itself but to its object. The object of genuine faith is God, His character, and His promises. When attacks come, faith is actively dependent upon God and His grace in Christ.
Sermon Breakdown
- The apostle Paul reminds the Ephesians that spiritual warfare requires putting on the whole armor of God.
- The armor of God consists of two main groups: the first three pieces (belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, sandals of peace) are fixed to the body; the latter three pieces (shield of faith, helmet of salvation, sword of the Spirit) are taken up and used actively.
- The transition from the first group to the second is marked by the phrase "above all." This does not mean the shield of faith is the most important piece but rather introduces the remaining pieces of armor.
- The shield Paul refers to is the large Roman shield that covers most of the body. It has a fireproof metal lining used to quench fiery darts.
- The fiery darts refer to satanic attacks and temptations, which can be thoughts, imaginations, desires, passions, lusts, persecutions, etc. They are not generated from within us but come from the outside.
- The only way to quench the fiery darts is by taking up the shield of faith. Faith means applying what we believe as an answer to the devil's attacks.
- Faith does not point to itself but to its object, which is God. Faith leads us to rely on God's character, promises, and power.
- Holding up the shield of faith means reminding ourselves of God's character and promises, relying on God's grace in Christ, and clinging to God in our weakness.
- We can quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one by holding up the shield of faith.
Sermon Q&A
What are the Fiery Darts of the Wicked and How Can Christians Defend Against Them?
What are the fiery darts of the wicked according to Ephesians 6:16?
According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' exposition of Ephesians 6:16, the fiery darts represent spiritual attacks from Satan (the wicked one). In Roman warfare, soldiers would make darts with inflammable material wrapped around the points, ignite them, and hurl them at enemies to cause confusion and injury before a direct attack. Similarly, Satan launches strategic spiritual attacks against believers to weaken and confuse them before more direct assaults.
Why is the shield referred to as "above all" in Ephesians 6:16?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that "above all" doesn't mean the shield is more important than other pieces of armor. Rather, it represents a transition point in Paul's discussion of the armor of God. The phrase actually means "in addition to all" or "with all" the previously mentioned armor pieces. It introduces the second group of armor (shield, helmet, and sword) that differs from the first group in how they're used.
What's the difference between the first three pieces of armor and the shield of faith?
The first three pieces of armor (belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, and shoes of the gospel) are fixed to the body permanently and are more passive and preparatory. In contrast, the shield, helmet, and sword are items that must be actively "taken up" when needed for battle. They represent active engagement rather than ongoing preparation—you take them up when the enemy attacks.
What types of fiery darts does Satan use against Christians?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, Satan's fiery darts include: - Doubts that suddenly come into one's mind - Blasphemous thoughts about God or Jesus Christ - Evil words, phrases, and language that flood the mind - Vivid and unwanted imaginations - Inflamed desires, passions, and lusts - Persecutions and fiery trials - Fears and worries about family, church, or the cause of Christ
How does faith act as a shield against Satan's attacks?
Faith serves as a shield by enabling Christians to quickly apply what they believe as an answer to everything the devil attempts. Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that faith never points to itself but always to its object—God. Faith doesn't protect us in itself; rather it points us to: - God's unchangeable character - God's promises in Scripture - God's unlimited power - Christ's proven love and sacrifice - Christ's victory over temptation - Christ's ongoing intercession and sympathy
Why does Lloyd-Jones clarify that it's "the wicked one" not just "the wicked"?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones insists on translating "the wicked" as "the wicked one" to emphasize that we aren't fighting abstract evil but a personal being—Satan himself. He stresses that understanding this personal nature of spiritual warfare is crucial, especially in modern times when many deny the existence of spiritual beings like the devil. Christians need to recognize they're battling intelligent spiritual entities, not just abstract forces.
What is Lloyd-Jones' warning about the periodicity of spiritual attacks?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones warns that satanic attacks often come in waves or periods. There may be times of relative calm followed by sudden, intense barrages of spiritual attacks. He cautions that a day of spiritual blessing doesn't guarantee safety tomorrow—that might be precisely when the enemy launches his assault. Christians should always keep their shield of faith ready, as these attacks can come unexpectedly and intensely.
How should Christians respond when they experience evil thoughts they didn't generate?
Christians should recognize these as fiery darts from the wicked one, not evidence of their own wickedness. Satan wants believers to think these thoughts originate from themselves so they'll question their salvation. Instead, Christians should understand these as external attacks, take up the shield of faith by looking to God's character and promises, and actively resist the devil by standing firm in faith.
The Book of Ephesians
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.