A Community of Grace »

Shields were a vital weapon used by Roman soldiers as personal armor. Battle shields were constructed of leather: as wide and long as the door of a house, providing protection for the entire body. Soldiers soaked their shields in water before going out to battle in order to successfully quench the fire-bearing arrows used by their enemies.

The Word of God speaks of “the shield of faith” as an essential weapon for every child of God. Christ-followers must daily battle against the schemes and lies of Satan. He attacks our minds with the fiery arrows of lies that appeal to our prideful independence, weaknesses, fears and ongoing struggles. His aim is to have us act independently of God’s truthful Word, quenching the power of God’s Spirit in us.

What is our sure defense against Satan’s lies and cunning attacks? We are to put on the armor of God, lifting up “the covering shield of saving faith, upon which we can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked one” (Ephesians 6:16).

Just as Roman soldiers had to soak their shields in water before battle, our faith must be soaked daily in the Word of God. When Satan shoots his fiery darts, we hold our Word-soaked shield of faith high, rendering inoperative his lies. An increasing knowledge of God’s Word deepens our faith, expanding the size of our shield. This provides greater protection from lies that would penetrate our minds. No weapon formed against us will prosper as we believe and obey God’s Word. Instead, we will walk in victory over sin, rising up together as God’s holy army.

Come to Jesus, daily soaking your shield of faith in His words of life and truth. As you lift your shield, the power of God will be activated to defend you from all evil. Walk as more than a conqueror in all circumstances.

“Put on God’s whole armor (the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies), that you may be able successfully to stand up against (all) the strategies and the deceits of the devil.”

Ephesians 6:11

The bloodline of many famous people can be traced back to public figures and royalty of the past. Acclaimed actor Tom Hanks is a descendant of King John of England. He is, therefore, also related to Ernest Hemingway and President Herbert Hoover. Fellow-actor Clint Eastwood is a distant relative of King Henry I of England, thereby including President Franklin Pierce, former First Lady Nancy Reagan and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee in his lineage. No matter our family of origin, every family tree begins with Adam and Eve. Through their disobedience to God, sin and death came to all men. From this bloodline we inherited a sin nature. Yet as children of God, we’ve been born again into a new bloodline. One that came at a great cost:

“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver and gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect”

(1 Peter 1:18-19).

An empty way of life, also defined as useless and fruitless, is one controlled by sin. It’s a life lived to please ourselves, and is, therefore, a life that contains very little love for others. Through the love and mercy of God, we’ve been redeemed from living such an empty way of life. We are free to live for the purposes of God through the provision of God. He desires for us to become a people who declare His praises. In large part, we do this as our daily lives reflect who God is. The only way we can do this is through appropriating the abundant provision of God’s grace:

“For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ?” (Romans 5:17).

Is it time to raise the bar of expectation on your life? Cease striving for godly character in your own strength, reaping only disillusionment and self-condemnation. Instead, walk into the unlimited power and resources available to you through your new bloodline.

Magnificent Gothic cathedrals still stand as architectural wonders in parts of Europe. Noted for their soaring ceilings and light-filled spaces, they were designed to lift the soul’s gaze to heaven, inspiring a reverential awe of God in the hearts of worshippers. Arches, called buttresses, were mounted on cathedral walls, performing a vital weight-bearing role. They transferred the weight of the high walls and heavy stone roofs to solid pillars. They were an essential element of the cathedral’s structural integrity, and also enhanced the beauty of the building.

Christ-followers are to be continually built up by faith into the beauty and integrity of the Lord Jesus Christ. We, like a great cathedral, are buttressed, strongly supported and kept by the power of His Word as we obey it. As we come to Christ and walk according to His truth, we are kept free from the lies of Satan and sin. Clinging to truth builds the character of Christ more deeply into our thoughts and behaviors. Like the expansive heights of a cathedral ceiling, we learn to soar high above evil instead of falling into temptation. This is called holy transformation and it is God’s will for each of His children.

Through faith in Christ, we have become His magnificent holy temples, indwelt by His Holy Spirit. Are you being built up according to His Word, the blueprint for life and godliness? Is the holy life of Christ in you, through obedient faith, being revealed in your conduct and character? Are your actions and reactions causing others to yearn for and follow Jesus? God wants to buttress you, to carry the heavy weight of all that would seek to cause you to collapse in defeat. Come to Jesus; lay your sins and burdens at His feet. Like the magnificent cathedrals still standing through epochs of time, He will cause you to stand firmly, bearing the trials of life in His strength, love and beauty.

“To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy-“

Jude 24