Chaps of Faith
Have you ever thought of your faith as a shield? What is faith? Faith is explained as being confident of things we hope for, and certain of things we cannot see (Hebrews 11:1). We have hope in God's promises. His promise to never leave us nor forsake us (Deuteronomy 31: 6 & 8, Joshua 1:5), and that He will be with us until the very end of the age (Isaiah 4:10, Matthew 28:20, Hebrews 13:5). We can be certain that He exists by faith for His glory is evident throughout the earth (Psalm 19:1, Romans 1:20). The more you understand His promises and see how He reveals Himself to us, the more sure your faith will be.
The shield of faith extinguishes the enemy's flaming arrows. In ancient battles, many times the archers would light the ends of the arrows with flame to do the most damage to the enemy's camp or city. Our enemy, the devil, does the same for us. He does this by creating doubt as he did with Eve in Genesis 3:1 by asking, "Did God really say?" This is a tactic he still uses today, which is why we must have faith to protect us.
A Roman soldier's shield was large, sometimes up to 5 feet in height and 3 feet across. They were basically a body shield they could hide behind. They were made of wood, that would be soaked in water to keep them from burning, and would be covered in leather. By this design they would extinguish any flaming arrows from the enemy. In addition to this, the shields could be interlocked side by side to create a wall as well as the second row of soldiers creating a "top" to shield the front line of men. This made the Roman army the most feared and formidable as they were no match in hand-to-hand combat. This same tactic is used of our police and military today.
I think this is an amazing picture of our faith. Yes, our faith can shield us, but it still leaves us open on the top and sides to the enemy. Yet, when we gather together, with like-minded believers, our faith will come together like the Roman soldier's shields and build a wall of faith to protect the body of Christ.
What does the cowboy wear as a shield? Much of the terrain that the cowboy rode was desert and mountain terrain covered with cactus, shrubs, and other foliage that would grab and tear at the cowboy as he rode to gather up his stock. To protect his legs, he would wear chaps. The word chap comes from the Spanish word "chaparreras," which means 'to cover the leg'. The chaps act as a shield for the legs. Without chaps, the cowboy's jeans would be shredded as well as his legs by the rough terrain.
We must also protect ourselves, our soul, by the shield of faith. I am so amazed by my friend, and #CornerstoneFellowshipMinistry co-founder's testimony about when her doubts were removed. Creation Truth Foundation was visiting our area, and she went to their presentation on Dinosaurs in the Scriptures. She was raised to believe the Bible, but wrestled with how science explained life. She described these doubts as a rock that kept her roots of faith from growing deep and secure like in the parable of the seeds in Matthew 13. As she listened to Dr. Sharp and Dr. Jackson explain how true science supports the Bible and we can trust it fully, those rocks of doubt were removed and her faith is strong and secure.
Creation Truth Foundation is visiting Southeast Iowa again March 11th-13th, 2022. Make sure you check out our Event Page for details. Cornerstone Fellowship Ministry is hosting them again to help you grow as they have helped us grow. Their mission is: Training Disciples to Trust the Bible's History for its Accuracy, so They will Trust its Promise for Their Destiny. Don't miss out on this awesome opportunit!
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