Shields and Doors

In the Greek, the word for shield (thyreos) comes from the word for door (thyra). Shields are doors and doors are shields. How can a door be a shield?

A door leads you down a path, and walking on a certain path keeps you (or shields you) from other paths. Walking down a path of darkness will deflect the light of God from entering into you, and walking down the path of God will deflect the darkness from entering into you.

The question is: which path are you walking and which path are you deflecting? This works for both sides of the battle, both kingdoms, light and darkness.

Ephesians 6:16 says, "Above all, taking the shield (or door) of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one." So faith deflects the wicked one's agenda for your life.

The dark application: "with the shield of doubt you quench the word of God."

Doubt undoes what God is trying to say to you. The serpent threw doubt on what God had said in the Garden; did God really say that? Genesis 3:1. Man was undone, defeated by doubting God's word.

Faith is a door that helps you on your path with God. Doubt is a door that leads you away from God.

Faith in God's word deflects wicked. Doubt in God's word deflects God. Shields are doors and doors are shields on both sides of the battle.

Which shield are you taking up?