Dynamic Studies in Ephesians

Prepare for All-Out War
Ephesians 6:10-24

Open in Prayer

Group Warm-Up Questions
How do you protect your home from danger?

Do you tend to be a trusting type of person or are you suspicious of other people? Why?

Reread: Ephesians 6:16
What does Paul say believers will need in every battle?

The Shield of Faith
The Roman shield was constructed of wood and was four feet tall and approximately 2.5 feet wide. The wood was overlaid with leather and linen to absorb fiery arrows. Iron rims were fitted along the top and bottom edges of the shield and an iron circle in the center gave further protection to the hand of the soldier holding the shield on the other side. The integrity of a soldier’s shield was essential in battle.
An interesting point of history is that shields in the ancient world could be used by a group of soldiers in combination. In the case of the Romans they sometimes utilized a formation called a “tortoise.” In this maneuver 27 soldiers operated in unison with six in the front row and seven in each of the next three rows. With their shields held together over and around them they formed something of a “walking tank.” This “tank” was almost impervious to hurtled stones, arrows, spears and the like. In fact, the Romans training in this formation were tested by running chariots over it. One can see an excellent enactment of this formation in the opening scenes of the well-done movie Risen.
Faith can be defined as trust based upon fact. For a believer this equates to a firm confidence in the Word of God.
This confidence in the Word of God is well founded. As anyone who diligently inquires has discovered, the Bible is made up of 66 books written by over 40 authors over thousands of years. Every detail is there by design. This amazing book is demonstrably of supernatural origin and engineering. Besides being completely accurate on an historical basis it contains the Words of life available for the asking. Every archaeological find, all work in linguistics, and all of the sciences simply confirm the authenticity and reliability of God’s Word as they “advance.” Any apparent contradictions with these human fields of endeavor are eventually cleared up with further scholarship when one realizes that the Word of God was right all along. Humanly limited scientists just have to catch up with the facts.
If a believer has any questions about the integrity of the Scriptures as a basis for their life, the time to clear up such concerns is now, before the battle heats up. If a Roman soldier needed to repair his shield it was an immediate life threatening concern and he attended to it without delay. Believers today need to exhibit the same diligence and motivation.

Read: John 14:26
What role does the Holy Spirit play in our shield of faith?

Ephesians 6:16 verse speaks of stopping the fiery arrows aimed at believers by Satan. While this imagery may sound strange at first we can come to understand it if we examine human emotions and their impact upon us.
This concept was brought home to me just this morning as I my wife and I were talking. Our son died last week and Sally said she felt as if a fiery arrow had pierced her heart and she couldn’t get it out. She felt as if she were immobilized on a permanent basis. We discussed this in light of the reality of the Scriptures and prayed together. Trust in Jesus Christ, the power of the Holy Spirit and the truth of God’s Word helped us pull out the “arrow” of negative, deceptive emotions and thought. This is not a simplistic answer to grief. There will be more “arrows” to be deflected and extracted. But we do have the shield provided by God as we experience victory even in the heat of battle.
What are some of the fiery arrows from Satan that you have had to deal with in your life as a believer?

What are some of the fiery arrows shot by Satan at believers in the ongoing battle in which we are engaged? Please make a list.
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This does, of course, bring up a point we have already touched upon. In hand-to-hand battle, shields can become damaged. What did a good soldier do in the first century A.D. when his shield became damaged? He fixed it. What must believers do today when their shields are in some way damaged?

When must believers fix their shields of faith?

How do Bible study, research, prayer, the Holy Spirit, and the relationship one has with other believers play into the maintenance of one’s shield as we engage in continual battle?

In our initial information about the Roman shield we also discussed the tortoise formation. In what way must believers act in the same manner as this maneuver as they support each other? Please explain.

If one believer in a group is suffering from some sort of assault from the enemy is it likely that another has already overcome such an assault? How does this benefit the group as a whole? Read Galatians 6:2 as you put together your answer.