February 06 2026

Friday February 06

“Above All”

Ephesians 6:16

“Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.”

Welcome to Pastor’s Chat. Today we are continuing to look at Ephesians 6:16. This powerful verse tells us to take up the shield of faith. Something that has jumped out at me as we were talking yesterday and preparing for today is the very first two words of this verse: “Above all.” This chapter is about putting on the armor of God. It is about being able to stand against the wiles of the devil and to quench the fiery darts that He throws at us daily, minute by minute, hour by hour.

How do we quench those darts? How do we stand in faith? I want to remind you exactly what faith is. Faith is obedience in the Bible. Faith is seeing the invisible. Faith is seeing God rather than the problems and difficulties that are all around us. In 2 Corinthians 5:7 it says, “We walk by faith, not by sight.” This means we walk by faith not by our feelings. That is so powerful.

Remember the verse we mentioned yesterday in Habakkuk 2:4: “The just shall live by his faith.” It is repeated three times in the New Testament. The Holy Spirit repeats this phrase four times because it is so important. Why? Because “above all”, if your faith is not what it should be, you are in trouble when it comes to facing the temptations of the world and the fiery darts of the wicked one!

What is faith? Hebrews 11:1 tells us: “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” The best way I have found to explain faith, understand faith, and actually practice walking by faith, is to realize that faith is substantiating. Faith substantiates. Faith is the substance of things hoped for. It is the confidence that the things we cannot see are just as real—actually more real—than the things we can see.

In fact, I believe we can say that faith is a spiritual sense. We have five physical senses: touch, smell, taste, sight, and hearing. Those senses allow us to move safely through this world, enjoy God’s creation, to drive a vehicle an to walk without running into things. And live the physical life God has given us. Faith is the spiritual sense God has given to every human being. But it must be exercised. It must be used. Just as my hand has the ability to touch and make real whatever it touches, faith makes real what I cannot feel. When I touch a book I say, “That is a book.” When I look at this phone recording this message, my eyes send the message to my brain: “That is real.” Faith makes real what I cannot see physically.

Just as the senses substantiate the physical world, faith substantiates the spiritual world. That is why 2 Corinthians 4:18 says, “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” That is also why Hebrews chapter 11 explains that faith is “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Later the Hebrews 11:27, it says of Moses: “By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing Him who is invisible.” He saw God.

That is why Hebrews 12 begins, “Looking unto Jesus.” The book of Hebrews is the book of faith. Because of unbelief, that generation of Israelites that came out of Egypt could not enter the promised land. But by faith Moses continued to lead the people, and finally by faith they entered with Joshua.

We are to live by faith, not by sight. My friend, that is the shield of faith—"above all”. Taking up the shield of faith above all. If you do not, Satan will overcome you. You will not be able to stand. You need the faith that comes from God and God alone, through His Word. Today, read the Word. Memorize the Word. Hide the Word in your heart. Remember, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17). No doubt that is why Paul says, “Above all”, the other pieces of armor, without this “shield of faith” we have no protection against the “wiles” and “fiery darts” of the wicked one!

Today, “Above all”, may the Lord help us to keep up the shield of faith before us as we walk through our daily life!

God bless you, and may you have a wonderful, wonderful day.