Armour of God: Sword of the spirit
Last week, we put on the helmet of Salvation.
Today, we are going to discuss fighting with the sword of the spirit when we put on the armour of God.
The sword of the spirit is described as “God’s utterance, His spoken Truth, to be your one sure weapon of offence against the enemy, as you, like your Prince before you, meet him with “It is written,” “It is written again.”
So where can we find God’s spoken truth. The Bible is God’s truth and word. The Bible is meant to be our compass, dictionary, encyclopedia, GPS, and guide. If we seek God’s
truth and word, He will never lead us astray.
With the word of Truth we can fight the darkness and the enemy. With the word of Truth we are enabled to stand against evil and communicate for righteousness and goodness.
Our commentary says, “Up until now, the armour mentioned is defensive. The only offensive weapon of the Christian is the sword of the Spirit. Here of the Spirit cannot be the genitive of apposition. The Spirit is not the sword; this would be incongruous, as the sword is something which the soldier wields, but the Christian cannot control the Spirit. Besides, the explanation immediately follows, which is the word of God. The sword of the Spirit means the sword which the Spirit gives. The word of God does not mean the divine precepts, nor the threatening of God against his enemies. There is nothing to limit the expression. It is what God has spoken, his Word, the Bible. This is sharper than any double edged sword (see Galatians 4:12). It is the wisdom of God and the power of God. It has a self-authenticating light. It commends itself to the reason and conscience.”
However, just as we have to sharpen our sword, the Word of God will not stay sharp on it’s own. Therefore it is important that on a regular basis we spend time in Bible Study. Just as a sword unused becomes dull and rusty, so will we if we do not stay in God’s word. Remember the Proverbs, “iron sharpeneth iron? {Proverbs 27:17} We have to keep ourselves sharpened through the word of God.
When a soldier goes into battle, the sword is the most common weapon used. The Romans had them, the Greeks had them, the Crusaders had them, the French Revolutionists had them, the Jacobite’s had them, the American Revolutionists and Civil War Soldiers had them when they went into battle.
The word sword appears 449 times in scripture. It must be important for God to have it mentioned that many times. That is more than once for every day of the year. Remember we are to “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).
In Revelation 13, Jesus used the sword of God’s word against the devil.
Hebrews 4:12 says, “: “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart”. This tells us that the sword has two edges.
The reason it is called a two-edged sword is because it is for use against the enemy and for our personal use.
Our Ephesian Studies says, “The sword of the Spirit, like the Roman gladius, can also help us to conquer all our enemies, including that most difficult one, our entrenched human weaknesses. Hebrews 4:12 explains: “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
Studying the Bible with others, provides protection, especially when we enter into enemy territory. By having others supporting us through prayer, our sword is also being sharpened through faith and trust in God’s promises.
1 Peter 3:15 tells us to “be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear”.
Are you ready to give answer if asked about your faith or tested by the enemy? Is your sword sharpened and ready for battle?
Remember, it’s never too late to turn to God and His word. He will give us the strength to be strong in the Lord.