Armor Edition: Shield of Faith — When Believing Means Surviving

Using the Shield of Faith to Defend, Advance, and Overcome

Pre-Combat Briefing: Shield Up, Faith First

God has given me plenty of opportunities in my life to develop resilience, and more than a few occasions where faith wasn't optional, it was survival.

From the time I was a kid navigating the fallout of my parents’ divorce, through some very tough years in high school, He was there—even when I didn’t quite know how to name it. Looking back, I see His fingerprints all over situations that should have broken me. There were even moments of undeniable Divine intervention—the kind where you know deep in your bones that you wouldn't still be here if He hadn’t stepped in.

One of those moments came during a nursing school co-op in the emergency department. There was a dangerous situation unfolding with a patient, and it could’ve gone very bad, very fast. But I know—I know—God was there. He gave me clarity, peace, and guidance in the moment. And we both walked away safe.

There were other seasons—wilderness years—where I honestly felt a bit like Lot. Everything felt like it was closing in. There was one time in particular where I asked myself what life must feel like without Jesus, truly, fully without Him. The mental picture was horrifying. It felt like a spiritual vacuum—endless, hollow, and terrifying.
I never want to go near that again.

That was the moment I made a decision: I didn’t just want to believe in Jesus—I wanted to know Him. And so I walked back into church and truly surrendered my heart to Him for the first time as an adult. Not just belief, not just religion. Relationship.

And then? Life kept happening. I moved, lost my church community, and spent a long season spiritually isolated and trying to find my footing again.

But—God.

In His perfect timing, He led me to Love Church through Kap Chatfield. Right when I needed it. Right when I felt the tug again to armor up and stop letting chaos call the shots.

And since then?
The Spirit has lit a fire in me.
I’ve been rebuilding. Refitting. Reinforcing.
The armor is going back on—piece by piece—and I can feel it:
My shield is stronger than it’s ever been.

That’s why today’s brief matters so much.

Because the enemy still aims for the heart.
And the only thing that can quench those flaming arrows?
The Shield of Faith.

Let’s talk about what that actually means and why you’ll never want to go into battle without it again.

Gear Specs: What Is the Shield of Faith?

Let’s clear something up:
When Paul said “take up the shield of faith,” he wasn’t talking about a cute little buckler you strap to your arm for style points.
This was the scutum—a massive, door-sized Roman shield.
Curved, layered in iron and leather, built to withstand flaming arrows and full-on sieges.

It wasn’t just for show—it was life-saving, forward-moving, and absolutely essential.

So when Scripture tells us to pick up the shield of faith, it’s not saying “believe harder” or “squint your eyes and hope everything works out.”
It’s saying:
Raise your confidence in who God is—loud, high, and unshakable.
It’s about trusting God's promises more than your perceptions.
His character more than your circumstances.
His victory more than your current view from the trench.

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Key Verse:

Ephesians 6:16

"In every situation take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one."

Did you catch that?

“In every situation.”

Not just Sunday mornings.
Not just when you feel spiritual.
Not just when everything's going well.

Every. Situation.

Because the enemy doesn’t schedule his attacks around your good days.
He aims low when you’re tired, wounded, distracted, or doubting.

And that’s when you grab the shield—not because you feel strong,
but because faith isn't about how you feel—it’s about what you believe.

Intel Update:

If you’re trying to fight spiritual battles without raising the shield of faith,
you’re basically standing in a fiery dart storm holding a cardboard pizza box.
Good luck with that.

The shield of faith:

• Moves with you — it's not stationary, it travels into every battle.

• Covers your blind spots — especially when you’re weary.

• Quenches the lies before they reach your heart.

• Links with others — when believers stand side by side, those shields form a wall. (You were never meant to fight alone.)

When you raise your shield, you aren’t just protecting yourself.
You’re holding the line—for your household, your calling, your Church, and the generations watching.