Episode 16: Armor of God (Shield of Faith) Faith Over Fear, Lip Gloss Optional

Okayyy, bestie—grab your lip gloss and your Bible because today, we’re officially stepping into the next part of our Armor of God series! 

Can you believe we’re already on part 4? 

Like, how fast is this going?! 

So far, we’ve talked about the belt of truth (snatched in God’s truth, obviously), the breastplate of righteousness (aka the ultimate heart protection), and the shoes of peace (those spiritual cleats we all need for solid ground). And now, we’re moving on to the stuff you pick up when things get real—and I mean real real.

Today, we’re talking about the shield of faith—and no, not the kind of shield you see in superhero movies (though that would be cool), but the kind that keeps your heart, mind, and spirit safe when life starts throwing flaming arrows your way.

Drama at school? 

Doubts creeping in? 

Fear taking over your brain? 

The shield of faith is your go-to protection.

While weʼre on the topic, why donʼt we talk about those flaming arrows the Bible mentions. 

These aren’t just annoyances or bad vibes. 

They’re sneaky, targeted, and meant to take you out. And they usually show up when you're already having a rough day. 

Flaming arrows look like this:

• That voice in your head whispering, "You're not good enough."

• The lie that says, "God forgot about you."

• The anxiety that hits you right before a test or a presentation.

• The sudden burst of anger that makes you say something you regret.

• The fear that something bad is going to happen to someone you love.

• The comparison game when you're scrolling on social media.

• The sadness you can’t quite explain, but it weighs you down.

Yep. That’s the kind of stuff Satan throws your way. He doesn’t need fireballs when he can use fear, doubt, shame, and lies. His go-to tactic: Accusations. Lies. Doubts. 

And let’s be clear: these arrows are meant to distract you, discourage you, and convince you to give up. 

He wants you to feel defeated before you even try. But here's the tea—you have a shield, and it's not made of cardboard. It’s powered by faith, and it’s more than strong enough to block every single one of those arrows.

So let’s paint a picture for a sec. I want you to close your eyes (unless you’re walking—safety first, sis). 

Imagine a Roman soldier—decked out in all his armor. His shield? It’s huge. 

Like, taller-than-your-little-brother huge. 

We're talking 2.5 to 3 feet wide and about 4 feet long. This wasn’t just a “look cool” kind of accessory—this was serious defense. 

If the enemy started launching arrows (and trust me, they did), he could crouch behind it and be totally covered. Total safety zone.

Now, let’s bring it back to your life. You may not be facing actual flaming arrows, but we all have those days—you know the ones. 

You wake up and stub your toe. 

Spill your cereal. 

Realize you forgot to study for your history quiz. 

Get left out at lunch. 

Hear mom on the phone crying. Boom. Boom. Boom. 

One thing after another, and suddenly you’re ready to hide under your covers forever. 

That, girl, is what the Bible calls an “evil day.” And on days like that, you need your shield.

Because those moments? That’s when Satan loves to throw the lies. 

The “you’re not enough” arrows. 

The “God doesn’t care” arrows. 

The “everyone forgot about you” arrows. 

You need something strong enough to block all of that. Enter: the shield of faith.

So... what is faith exactly? 

It sounds churchy and all, but let’s break it down like we’re chatting at a sleepover. 

Faith is acting like what God says is actually true—even when everything around you is screaming the opposite. 

It’s trusting God’s word even when your feelings are a mess. Like, you don’t feel brave, but God says you are? Faith says, “Okay, I’m gonna walk like I believe that.” Faith is a choice, not a mood.

And here’s where it gets real: faith has to be based on truth—not feelings. 

You could feel like you have a ton of faith one day, but if it’s not rooted in God’s truth? It’s not going to protect you when it matters. 

Remember the belt of truth? 

Yup, this is where it comes full circle. Your shield of faith only works if it’s tied to what’s actually true about who God is and what He’s said.

Now let’s get practical. 

What does it look like to use your shield? 

Maybe your best friend suddenly starts hanging out with someone else and you feel totally left out. 

Satan whispers, “You’re not worth keeping around.” But faith picks up the shield and says, “That’s not true. God says I’m chosen and deeply loved.” 

Maybe you're super stressed about your future and everything feels out of control. Faith says, “God’s plans for me are good, and He’s never going to leave me hanging.”

And guess what? You don’t have to try to build up more and more faith like it’s some kind of spiritual workout. 

Because God already gave you everything you need when you said “yes” to Jesus. You’re fully equipped, girl. Even if your faith feels teeny tiny—like mustard seed-sized—it’s still powerful enough to move mountains (Jesus said that, not me!).

And faith? It’s not just something you have. It’s how you live. 

The Bible says the righteous will live by faith. That means it’s your whole entire vibe, babe. 

Faith shows up in the way you talk, the way you treat people, the way you pray, the way you face your fears. 

You don’t just say you trust God—you show it. It becomes who you are.

Here’s the real talk: When you sit in a chair, you’re trusting it will hold you.When you text your BFF, you trust she’s gonna text back (eventually, right?).

When you study for a test, you're believing that your effort will pay off.

That’s faith. It’s trust. It’s believing in something you can’t see yet.

So when the Bible talks about the shield of faith, it’s not talking about a physical object — it’s talking about your trust in who God is and what He says, especially when life gets tough. The shield is what you hold up when fear shows up, when doubt creeps in, when anxiety hits, when lies come flying at you like arrows.

Because here’s the truth, girl: the enemy is real. And he loves to throw “fiery darts” your way.

Now, faith doesn’t mean you always feel strong. It just means that even in your weakest moments, you choose to believe God is still good, still in control, and still fighting for you.

Okay, so let’s slow it down for just a second and really think about this whole faith thing. Sometimes when we hear “faith,” we automatically picture something super spiritual or out-of-reach—like it only happens in church or when someone’s praying really hard. But honestly? You’re using faith every single day without even realizing it.

Think about it: when you get on the school bus in the morning, you don’t check the brakes or interview the driver. You just climb on, find a seat, and trust that it’ll take you where you’re supposed to go. That’s faith. Or when you turn on the faucet, you expect water to come out. You don’t stress about where it comes from—you just believe it’ll be there. Same when you flick a light switch or plug in your phone charger. You’re trusting something invisible to do its job. That’s everyday faith.

Now, let’s take it one step deeper. What if we started living like that with God? Like, what if we trusted Him to take care of us the same way we trust our beds to hold us up at night? No one lies awake wondering if the mattress will collapse—we just sleep, knowing we’re secure. That’s what faith in God can look like. Even when we can’t see what He’s doing, we believe He’s working things out. Even when we don’t feel strong, we believe He’s holding us up. That’s real faith—quiet, constant, and powerful.

And don’t get it twisted—faith doesn’t mean pretending everything’s perfect. You can totally have questions, feel nervous, or be unsure about what’s next. That’s normal. But faith says, “Even though I don’t know what’s ahead, I do know who’s with me.” It’s walking into a hard situation—like a tough convo with a friend or a scary doctor’s appointment—and saying, “God, I trust You’ve got me.” Not because you see the outcome, but because you know His character.

So if you ever feel like your faith is “too small” or “not strong enough,” remember this: every single day, you already walk by faith. You’re practicing it when you step into a new day, when you make a plan, or when you hope something good will happen. Faith in God is just putting that same kind of trust in the One who never fails. So go ahead and live bold. Walk like you believe God is for you. Speak like you know He hears you. And rest like you know He’s in control.

Now here’s something super important to remember, especially when we’re talking about faith: faith only works when it’s rooted in truth. And this is not a new concept, in fact we JUST discussed this in some of our previous, Armor of God series. But itʼs important enough that If eel like I want to dive into it one more time.

Like we said earlier, faith isn’t a mood or a feeling—it’s a choice to believe something is solid and trustworthy. But if what you’re standing on isn’t actually true, then your faith won’t hold up when life gets hard.

Girls, we live in a culture that tries to tell us truth is whatever you want it to be. You’ll hear stuff like, “Speak your truth,” or “What’s true for me might not be true for you.” It sounds nice, but here’s the thing: that kind of truth is like standing on a wobbly chair instead of a solid rock. It might work for a second, but eventually, it’s going to collapse. And if your faith is standing on something that’s not strong—like feelings, popularity, opinions, or trends—it won’t be able to protect you like it’s supposed to.

That’s why it’s so key that our faith is built on God’s truth—not our emotions, not what our friends think, not what social media says. Truth isn’t something that changes from person to person. Truth is what God has already spoken in His Word. It’s steady.

It’s sure. It’s fixed. Like we talked about in part one with the Belt of Truth, God’s Word doesn’t shift with culture. It doesn’t bend when things get uncomfortable. It stays the same—yesterday, today, and forever.

And get this—your shield of faith? It’s only as strong as the truth it’s based on. You can have all the confidence in the world, but if you’re trusting something false, your shield won’t hold. But if your faith is in what God says—that you’re loved, that you’re chosen, that He has a purpose for your life, that He is always with you—then your shield is unshakable.

So let’s be girls who don’t just have big faith—we want to have right faith. Faith that is rooted in truth. Faith that says, “I don’t care what the world is shouting—I’m building my life on what God has said.”

That kind of faith?

That’s the kind that holds up in a storm.

That’s the kind of shield that can block every flaming arrow the enemy throws.

Now before we land this plane with practical application, I want to hit on some high level details, sort of recap this whole Shield of Faith thing so we really grasp it when everything unravels.

Here are 3 super simple, super real ways to build your shield of faith muscles this week:

1. Speak Truth OUT LOUD

When you hear a lie in your head — don’t let it sit there.

Say the opposite out loud.

Lie: “I’m not good enough.”Faith: “I’m chosen by God.” — 1 Peter 2:9

Lie: “Nobody likes me.”Faith: “I’m fully known and deeply loved.” — Romans 5:8

2. Memorize a Go-To Faith Verse

   
   

Pick ONE verse this week. Write it on your hand, sticky note, lock screen — wherever.

Here are a few faves:

• Hebrews 11:1 — “Now faith is the confidence in what we hope for...”

  
  

• Psalm 56:3 — “When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.”

• Ephesians 6:16 — “Take up the shield of faith...”

The Word is your weapon. Use it.

3. Ask This One Question:

   
   

“What would faith do right now?”

• In your group chat

  
  

• When someone posts something shady

  
  

• When you're left out

  
  

• When you’re overthinking everything

  
  

This one question can re-center your brain, your heart, and your next move.

Girls, you will face fiery arrows.That’s not a maybe — it’s a promise.

But God didn’t leave you exposed.He gave you a shield.

A big one. A strong one. One that covers everything the enemy tries to throw at you.

So take it up.Use it.Believe big.And walk boldly.

Because you are not powerless.

So now on to our practical application! 

What’s your shield moment going to be this week? 

Maybe it’s choosing not to believe the lie that you have to be perfect to be loved. 

Maybe it’s walking into that class you dread and saying, “God, I trust You to be with me.” 

Maybe it’s forgiving someone, even when it’s hard, because you believe in God’s grace. 

Whatever it is—pick up your shield. Use it. Let your faith be louder than the fear.

Your challenge this week is simple, but powerful: I want you to Name your arrows.

Yep. Write down or say out loud one lie or fear that Satan has been trying to throw at you lately. Then, pick up your shield by replacing that lie with God’s truth. Look up a verse. Write it on a sticky note. Stick it on your mirror, your binder, your forehead—okay maybe not your forehead, but you get the idea. Again, babe. Let your faith speak louder than the lies.

And guess what’s next, girl? Get ready to protect your mind because next week we’re sliding into Part 5 with the helmet of salvation! 

It’s gonna be next-level epic, because we’re talking about the thoughts you think, the stuff that messes with your confidence, and how to guard your brain like the queen you are. Trust me—you do not want to miss it.

Until then, keep your shield up, your spirit fierce, and your heart full of faith.

You’ve got this, boo.