A boxer was getting absolutely pummeled in a title fight. His trainer knew how bad things were going, but he felt that it was his job to keep his fighter encouraged. So, when the boxer staggered back to the corner after yet another rough round, the trainer said, “You’re doing great out there, champ. Just keep bobbing and weaving. He can’t hit you. He’s not laid a glove on you all night.” The boxer sat on the stool and listened to the trainer’s praise, but it was obvious that he was confused by what he was hearing. Finally, when the bell rang for him to head back out into the ring, he looked at the trainer and said, “If what you’re telling me is true, then I want you to keep an eye on that referee this round because somebody out there is beating me to death!”

Christian, have you ever felt like that beleaguered boxer? I sure have. And who was it that was beating me to death? Ephesians 6:12 answers that question:

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. (N.K.J.V.)

There you have it, Christian. You are in the ring against none other than Satan and the other fallen angels. And, unfortunately, the greater the impact you make in serving Christ, the greater their blows to you will be. I realize this isn’t what you want to hear, but it’s the truth nonetheless.

That sixth chapter of Ephesians tells us that the Christian’s best line of defense against spiritual warfare is armor, the whole armor of God. This armor includes: truth (v.14), righteousness (v.14), the gospel (v.15), faith (v.16), salvation (v.17), and the word of God (v.17). Next, right on the heels of all that, comes a word about praying in the Spirit (v.18), being watchful (v.18), persevering (v.18), and making supplication for your fellow Christians (v.18). It all makes for good preaching.

However, I want to draw your attention to one very important but usually overlooked part of that passage. Verse 16 says:

above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench the fiery darts of the wicked one. (N.K.J.V., emphasis mine)

Isn’t it interesting that faith is rated above all the other important things on the list of the armor? It is faith, Paul says, that allows the Christian to quench the “fiery darts” (many translations say “flaming arrows”) of the wicked one. And so, it is with this in mind that I ask you, Christian, how’s your faith these days?

The fact is, that simple question might very well determine how effectively the rest of your spiritual armor works. Do you have faith that God is greater than Satan and the other fallen angels? Do you have faith that He will enable you to overcome any roundhouse rights they throw at you? Do you have faith that He will never let the spiritual warfare that is swirling around become more than you can handle? And do you have faith that He won’t let Satan and his fallen angels defeat His purposes for your life? I hope you can answer, “Yes” to each of these questions because those flaming arrows will surely inflict serious damage upon you if you can’t block them with your shield.