Eight Dynamic Ways to Increase Your Faith | 2 Kings 6:8-20, Ephesians 6:17
“When the king of Aram was waging war against Israel, he conferred with his servants, “My camp will be at such and such a place.” But the man of God sent word to the king of Israel: “Be careful passing by this place, for the Arameans are going down there.” Consequently, the king of Israel sent word to the place the man of God had told him about. The man of God repeatedly warned the king, so the king would be on his guard.
The king of Aram was enraged because of this matter, and he called his servants and demanded of them, “Tell me, which one of us is for the king of Israel?” One of his servants said, “No one, my lord the king. Elisha the prophet in Israel tells the king of Israel even the words you speak in your bedroom.” So the king said, “Go and see where he is, so I can send men to capture him.” When he was told, “Elisha is in Dothan,” he sent horses, chariots, and a massive army there. They went by night and surrounded the city.
When the servant of the man of God got up early and went out, he discovered an army with horses and chariots surrounding the city. So he asked Elisha, “Oh, my master, what are we to do?”
Elisha said, “Don’t be afraid, for those who are with us outnumber those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed, “Lord, please open his eyes and let him see.” So the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw that the mountain was covered with horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
When the Arameans came against him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, “Please strike this nation with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness, according to Elisha’s word. Then Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will take you to the man you’re looking for.” And he led them to Samaria.
When they entered Samaria, Elisha said, “Lord, open these men’s eyes and let them see.” So the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw that they were in the middle of Samaria.”
2 Kings 6:8-20
“Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit — which is the word of God.”
Ephesians 6:17
The shield of faith, the fourth piece of spiritual armor, is uniquely important because it protects all the other pieces of armor. Paul says in 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.” Those darts are real: fear, doubt, temptation, and discouragement aimed at your mind and heart every single day. What a promise! Do you understand the vital role your shield of faith plays in your daily Christian walk?
In this message, you will learn not only the definition of faith but also four strategic steps you must take daily to increase your faith. Faith is the game-changer in your life, affecting your mental peace, future challenges, and problems in marriage and parenting. The shield of faith is indispensable to your spiritual victory! Faith steadies you in decision-making, strengthens you in family life, and calms your spirit when life feels overwhelming. Without it, every other part of your armor is exposed.
Charles Spurgeon once wrote: “Faith laughs at that which fear weeps over. We are not to look to what we have. The witnesses of the senses only confuse those who would walk by faith. Fret and worry, hurry and haste, are all slain at the hand of faith.” What a powerful reminder—faith doesn’t deny reality, but it looks beyond it to the God who rules over all.
There is a crucial single verse in the New Testament regarding how to increase your faith that too many believers miss. Take note of it in this message as I illustrate the numerous lives of great men of God who applied this biblical truth. “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). Faith is not something you manufacture—it is something that grows as you engage God’s Word. When you discipline yourself to read the Bible daily, memorize it, meditate on it, and pray through it, faith naturally expands. Hebrews 11:1 describes it as “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
The Williams translation of Ephesians 6:16 puts it beautifully: “Take on the shield which faith provides, for with it you will be able to put out all the fire-tipped arrows shot by the evil one.” That’s why the Word of God is not optional—it is your lifeline. Just as food sustains your body, Scripture sustains your faith and empowers you to withstand the fiercest attacks.
My prayer for you as you listen to this message echoes the words of Elisha for his servant surrounded by enemy armies: “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see” (2 Kings 6:17). May your eyes of faith be opened, and may your shield be lifted high, so that you walk in the peace and protection God has already promised.
C.H. Spurgeon, Exploring the Mind & Heart of the Prince of Preachers (Oswego, IL: Fox River Press, 2005), 152-153.
