Ephesians 6:16–17 . . .
“Your Spiritual Shield, Helmut, and Sword”
After discovering the meaning and importance of the first three of six pieces of spiritual armor, as shown in my previous commentary, Paul will focus on pieces four, five, and six.
The faith shield is the fourth armor of God part described in Eph. 6:13–17. After summarizing the gospel and giving the Ephesians various instructions, Paul concludes his missive to them saying, in part, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes” (vv. 10–11). After his exhortation to “Take up the shield of faith” (v. 16), he says to put on the fifth and sixth pieces of spiritual armor: “Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit” (v. 17).
Ephesians 6:12 indicates that the conflict with Satan is spiritual. Therefore, no tangible weapons can be effectively employed against him and his minions. Paul doesn’t provide a list of specific tactics Satan will use. Nevertheless, this Armor of God passage is quite clear: When we faithfully follow all the instructions God gives us in his holy Word, we’ll be able to successfully stand and be victorious, regardless of Satan’s strategy.
Wield the Shield of Faith (6:16)
Would you like to extinguish every flaming arrow and fiery dart the devil tries to shoot at you? Does that proposal sound too good to be true? Well, Paul’s v.16 assures you that, if you have your shield of faith lifted high in front of you, you’ll be supernaturally empowered to defend yourself against all that the enemy shoots at you.
In today’s passage, Paul opens with a follow-up declaration about what he emphasized in v. 15, regarding a soldier’s footwear. Starting with “In addition to all this” about the previous two armor pieces he highlighted, he stresses the believer’s need to wield the “shield of faith.” It’s the shield that protects the Christian in a fundamental, indispensable way.
The fourth piece of the “full armor of God” to be listed in vv. 13–17 — the shield of faith — is an essential piece of armor to always wear. When a believer lifts his shield high and holds it in front of him or her where it belongs, it divinely energizes the believer to stand bravely against the devil’s every assault. Without a strong and lasting faith in God, we lack objective meaning. The absence of belief in the almighty God can lead to a worldview in which its moral values are subjective, and life is perceived as ultimately futile. In such a context, individuals may struggle to find purpose and/or direction since there are no absolute standards to guide their actions or decisions. An undeniable belief in God provides followers with a foundation for hope and resilience amid life’s challenges.
16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one (Ephesians 6:16 NIV).
“The shield of faith” Paul commands us and all who read this epistle to “take up the shield of faith.” The Roman soldier’s shield, made of wood, oval and approximately 2½ feet wide by 4 feet tall, was overlaid with leather. Such a shield protected the soldier especially from spears, swords, and fiery arrows. To effectively counter flaming arrows, a Roman soldier soaked his shield with water.
“Flaming arrows” in the Roman world were arrows coated with pitch then set on fire just before they were shot toward the enemy. These weapons provided two destructive options for soldiers: piercing an enemy’s body and setting it on fire. Being shot with a flaming arrow was an atrocious experience. Just as the moistened Roman shield defended against fiery arrows, swords, and spears, our strong faith in God protects us from anything the devil hurls at us; thoughts, feelings, imaginations, fears, and lies — all of these can be hurled at us by Satan as flaming arrows. Thankfully, faith repels them.
Salvation We the readers are exhorted by Apostle Paul to “take up the shield of faith.” As he emphasized previously to the Ephesian church body, faith activates God’s power (cf. 1:18–20; 2:8–9). While salvation is God’s gift to his believing followers, it also comes as a result of the believer’s faith (3:12). In fact, it’s “through faith” that Christ dwells in a believer’s heart (3:17). Taking up the shield of faith conveys the concept of the protection that faith actively provides. The salvation we receive comes as God’s gift to us, as a result of our faith in him, as depicted in our ability “to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one” (v. 16).
The word “extinguish” in this verse is the Greek word sbennumi, which means to quench by dousing or drowning in water. It refers to the water-soaked shield of Roman soldiers. How does this apply to us believers? Paul, in 5:25–26, likens the Word of God to water. As we regularly submit ourselves to God’s Word, we soak our faith with his Word, just as the Roman soldier soaked his shield with water.
The term “of faith” conveys the idea that the shield is primarily composed of faith itself. The Christian soldier’s shield of faith is to be used during ongoing exercises against Satan’s attacks. This faith, of which Christ is the primary object, is based upon the perpetual promises of God, eternally.
Remember: We Christians are to intentionally and continuously hold onto our faith in God. Doing so is a major element of Christian living. It’s what we do to depend on God, rather than us, to successfully defend ourselves against Satan. After all, we’re unable to fight the devil using our own strength; we must instead always rely on the shield of faith, along with every essential piece of God’s protective armor.
To effectively counter and “extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one,” we must wield the Lord’s powerful and effective shield of faith. It’s designed to protect every believer from succumbing to Satan’s daily temptations and spiritual defeat. When our faith becomes strengthened by God’s Word, our soaked shield of faith becomes as effective as the soldier’s water-saturated leather shield.
The Helmet of Salvation and the Sword of the Spirit (6:17)
Would you like to have supernatural protection wrapped tightly around your head to safeguard your mind from the devil’s every assault? Have you ever felt that you needed a word from the Lord but didn’t know which word? Thankfully, when we wear “the sword of the Spirit,” the Holy Spirit of Jesus will drop a word (Greek rhema) into your heart for your specific situation. With a rhema from God, placed in our hearts and hands, we have genuine sword power to use against the enemy!
17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:17).
Right off the bat, Paul orders us with the verb “Take,” making it clear that his imperative is vitally important. When facing spiritual danger, we must “take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit.” . . .
“The helmet of salvation” Roman soldiers had the ancient world’s best helmets. Many other nations used helmets made by wrapping cloth or leather around bones and hooves. But the Roman helmet often had a chinstrap and a visor to cover the back and sides of the neck. Constructed of leather, which was covered with attached bronze plates, they protected the head, eyes, and mind. Often, a plume or decoration was added, perhaps to identify the soldier to his regiment. A soldier would be foolish to battle without his helmet.
For Christians, there’s hope with a future blessing. Paul again focuses on salvation, represented this time by a Helmut that protects an essential body part. Our salvation Helmut can protect our mind so we can prioritize and rely on God and his Word. When we rely every day on God’s promises, we become assured of our salvation and the Lord’s second coming. His Word, when we trust in it and wear its Helmut, protects us from heresy. The assurance we gain from wearing the salvation Helmut daily protects us against false doctrine.
Paul wrote similarly about “the Helmut of salvation” in his first letter to the church body in Thessalonica, Greece: “But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.” (1 Thess. 5:8). One of Satan’s most effective weapons against us is discouragement. However, when we’re properly equipped by wearing the helmet of salvation, it’s a challenge to remain discouraged.
Soldiers prioritized the helmet to protect the head because one stroke there might easily have proved fatal. Thus, the Christian must wear it to guard his or her mind, courage, and fortitude against all temptations leading to discouragement and depression. It provides an encouraging hope of eternal life, joyfulness, and glory, built on God’s promises. Hence, this hope is termed “an anchor of the soul,” sure and steadfast (Hebrews 6:19).
“The sword of the Spirit” When you look closely at all six pieces of God’s armor, you’ll see that the “sword of the Spirit” is the only offensive weapon included in our suit of armor. For the Roman soldier, the sword was his universal weapon. Double-edged and about 18 inches long, it was used against enemy soldiers in close-quarters hand-to-hand combat.
Paul’s phrase “of the Spirit” was meant to demonstrate from where or whom the believer received his sword; in this case, it’s the Spirit who gives him God’s Word while authenticating its truth. To effectively use “the sword of the Spirit,” we must never regard the Bible as a book of magic charms to drive away vampires. Instead, to effectively use this spiritual sword, we must regard it as God’s Word. If we doubt the efficacy of the inspiration of Scripture, or that the sword really came from the Spirit, we’ll be unable to benefit from wearing this piece of spiritual armor.
We must also apply “the sword of the Spirit” because it’s the Spirit of Jesus who helps us use it effectively. Not only did the Spirit give us the Scriptures, he also continually keeps them alive in us, equipping us with most appropriate, timely sword thrusts. Think now of a Roman soldier in training, practicing sword thrusts. He must continually practice these thrusts. If he’s a superior fighter with a gainful fighting instinct, he’ll know at battle time which thrust suits the precise moment; he won’t be able to make a successful thrust if he hadn’t practiced it often. Therefore, effectively using the sword takes practice. One outstanding example of this was Jesus combating Satan’s three temptations in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1–11).
Closing Considerations — Ephesians 6:16–17
The equipment to be utilized aren’t instruments of destruction but the gear that equips the saints for ministry. Taking the shield of faith, wearing the helmet of salvation, and using the Spirit’s sword evokes how we’ve been saved by grace through faith, not by human action but through the gift of God’s action.
When we bear “the shield of faith” (v. 26), Satan can cast all the aspersions, doubt, and dismay he wants. But they will be ineffective. Our faith — of which Christ is “the author and perfecter” (Hebrews 12:2) — is like a shield that’s solid and substantial.
The “helmet of salvation (v. 17) protects the head, keeping safe a critical part of the body. For the most part, our way of thinking needs to be preserved. The head — the mind’s headquarters, the storehouse of unfaltering hope of eternal life — won’t accept false doctrine or give way to Satan’s temptations. Sadly, the unsaved person has no hope of warding off the blows of false doctrine because he or she isn’t benefited by the helmet of salvation, preventing the mind from being able to discern between spiritual truth and spiritual deception.
Verse 17 interprets the “sword of the Spirit” as the Word of God. While all the other pieces of spiritual armor are for defense, the “sword of the Spirit” allows us to take the offense. The sword analogy speaks of the holiness and power of the Word of God. There’s no greater spiritual weapon. In Jesus’ temptations in the desert, God’s Word was always his overpowering response to Satan. What a blessing that same Word of our God is to us!
Remember this when you actively accept Paul’s exhortation to “Put on the full armor of God” (v. 11). The word “full” is very important. Imagine a soldier that goes to battle with most of the armor, but not all of it. He’ll have a weak spot that’ll be exploited by the enemy; his mistake might cost him his life. The same is true spiritually. Every one of these six spiritual pieces of armor is absolutely necessary to be worn if we’re to be successful. If we neglect even one of them, Satan will strike that weak spot and we’ll fall.
Putting on the “full armor of God” is putting on the same armor that our Lord girded himself when he set out to bring about the salvation of his followers, then and now. We’re actually “putting on Christ” (Romans 13:11–14). Paul sees to it that it’s Christ who’s preeminent! Yes, the enemy is Satan and his subordinates. But the victory is in Christ and the armor he provides his saints.
If we fail or forget to put on the full set of this protective armor, the fault is ours. We must make this spiritual decision several times a day while Satan presents his ubiquitous temptations. Thankfully, God generously and caringly gives us requisite resources. For our protection, we’re to put on all six powerful pieces of spiritual armor every single day. He’s counting on our doing just that.
Apostle Paul’s Personality and Passion on His Missionary Journey in Ephesus
Intro Video: “Ephesians”
- Q. 1 How do you effectively put on God’s spiritual armor pieces? How often?
- Q. 2 Have you extinguished one of Satan’s flaming arrows? How’d you do it?
- Q. 3 Today, are you wearing your salvation Helmut and carrying your Spirit’s sword?