ARMOR BLACKSMITH: Forging the Shield of Faith
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 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.
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. —Ephesians 6:10 - 16Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. —Ephesians 6:16
FORGING MY SHIELD OF FAITH FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS
We have a vision to impact future generations for Christ.
Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. —Proverbs 22:6
We will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and His strength and His wonderful works that He has done. —Psalm 78:4
1. A faith forged that leaves a legacy of strength for the storm.
24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:
25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on
the rock.
26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on
the sand:
27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” —Matthew 7:24 - 27
2. A faith forged through the truth of His Word.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace
and truth. —John 1:14So then faith comes by hearing,
and hearing by the word of God. —Romans 10:174 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!
5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.
7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you
rise up.
8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.
9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. —Deuteronomy 6:4 - 9All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children. —Isaiah 54:13
A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, —Proverbs 13:22a
3. A faith forged through telling of His power, faithfulness, and wonder.
We will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and His strength and His wonderful works that He has done. —Psalm 78:4
We’ve heard true stories from our father’s about our rich heritage. We will continue to tell our children and not hide from the rising generation the great marvels of our God – His miracles and power that have brought us
this far. —Psalm 78:3 - 4 (TPT)Listen, dear friends, to God’s truth, bend your ears to what I tell you. I’m chewing on the morsel of a proverb; I’ll let you in on the sweet old truths, stories we heard from our fathers, counsel we learned at our mother’s knee. We’re not keeping this to ourselves, we’re passing it along to the next generation—God’s fame and fortune, the marvelous things he has done. —Psalm 78:1 - 4 (MSG)
14 But I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more.
15 My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness and Your salvation all the day, For I do not know their limits.
16 I will go in the strength of the Lord God; I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only.
17 O God, You have taught me from my youth; and to this day I declare Your wondrous works.
18 Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, do not forsake me, until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to everyone who is to come. —Psalm 71:14 - 1817 O God, You have taught me from my youth, and hitherto have I declared Your wondrous works.
18 Yes, even when I am old and gray-headed, O God, forsake me not, [but keep me alive] until I have declared Your mighty strength to [this] generation, and Your might and power to all that are to come. —Psalm 71:17 - 18 (AMPC)So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those
to come. —Psalm 71:18 (ESV)God, now that I’m old and gray, don’t walk away. Give me grace to demonstrate to the next generation all your mighty miracles and your excitement, to show them your
magnificent power! —Psalm 71:18 (TPT)One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts. —Psalm 145:4
Generation after generation will declare more of your greatness and declare more of
your glory. —Psalm 145:4 (TPT)
4. A faith forged that leaves a legacy of purpose.
When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. —2 Timothy 1:5
13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,
14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. —Philippians 3:13 - 143 To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”
4 And they shall rebuild the old ruins, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations. —Isaiah 61:3 - 43 To grant [consolation and joy] to those who mourn in Zion—to give them an ornament (a garland or diadem) of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment [expressive] of praise instead of a heavy, burdened, and failing spirit—To grant [consolation and joy] to those who mourn in Zion—to give them an ornament (a garland or diadem) of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment [expressive] of praise instead of a heavy, burdened, and failing spirit—
4 that they may be called oaks of righteousness [lofty, strong, and magnificent, distinguished for uprightness, justice, and right standing with God], the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. And they shall rebuild the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former desolations and renew the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations. —Isaiah 61:3 - 4 (AMPC)