7 & 8 "The Sword of the Spirit"

Iwanthealthyhair67

Well-Known Member
"And the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

-- Ephesians 6:17




Historical Background
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The Roman sword, or gladius, was crafted of iron. Blacksmiths hardened the iron by coating the red-hot sword blade with coal dust, thus forming a hard carbon coating on the blade. Sword handles were made of iron, ivory, bone, or wood.

The Romans used their swords both offensively and defensively. Used in a defensive manner, the sword, along with the other armor pieces, enabled the soldier to deflect the enemy's blows. As an offensive weapon, the sword was used to attack and counter-attack an enemy until the weapon seriously wounded or killed the assailant. In battle, rows of Roman soldiers pressed back their enemies one step at a time by alternating a forward thrust of the shield with a forward plunge of the sword.

Biblical Parallels
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The apostle John had a vision of Jesus while imprisoned on the isle of Patmos. John described the Lord as having a "sharp twoedged sword" coming out of His mouth (Revelation 1:16). Later, John wrote, "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war ... and his name is called The Word of God ... out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron" (Revelation 19:11-16). The mighty warrior described here is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the living Word of God.

Jesus, Who is the Word (John 1:1, 14), has graciously given us His written Word, the Bible. The written Word was given to men by inspiration of God, and it is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness (II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:21). The Word is made alive by the Holy Spirit of God, causing it to be filled with divine energy and ability. "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it" (Isaiah 55:11). Jesus said in John 6:63, "The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life."

God's Word, our sword of the Spirit, is able to cut down the strongholds of Satan. Tragically, however, many Christians fail to wield their swords. Instead, they display their swords as a decorative shelf piece: beautiful to look at, but of little practical use. This passive approach merely gives the enemy a greater advantage. The Lord said to Israel's leader Joshua, "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein" (Joshua 1:8-9; also see Psalm 1:2, 119:97-100). By actively using the sword of Scripture, Joshua would have a huge advantage over his enemies: his way would be prosperous and successful and the Lord would go with him wherever he went.

Psalm 149:6 says of the people of God: "Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand." That double-edged sword is the Word of God, and it is a powerful spiritual weapon, perfectly suited for spiritual battles (see Ephesians 5:19). Hebrews 4:12 says, "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged 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."

It is important to realize that when we take up the sword of God's Word and live by it, our family and friends may become offended at us. Jesus said, "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household" (Matthew 10:34-37; also see Luke 12:51-53). Jesus continued by saying that those who love their father, mother, son, or daughter more than Him are not worthy of Him. You see, our devotion must be first be toward God, then toward our family. This might mean making some difficult choices to stand alone against the actions or opinions of those close to us. However, Jesus promised, "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you" (Matthew 5:11-12).

Practical Application
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Learning to use the sword of God's Word requires many hours of practice. Don't wait until the heat of battle to learn to use your sword! Rather, store up Scripture in your mind and heart on a regular basis through memorization and meditation. What do those words mean? Well, memorization means to commit a passage to memory, while meditation means to thoroughly process, ponder, think about, and apply a passage of Scripture. II Timothy 2:15 says, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." The more you memorize and meditate upon God's Word, the more natural it will become to wield the sword. You will gain confidence in speaking the Word, praying the Word, and singing the Word. The Scriptures you hide in your heart and apply to your life will be with you at all times, even if your Bible isn't nearby.

Many Christians neglect the Word of God because they "don't have time." But we all have the same amount of time allotted to us each day, so it really comes down to a matter of priorities. David said to the Lord, "Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word" (Psalm 119:148). Certain activities may not be wrong in and of themselves, but putting them first at the expense of God's Word is. Even reading books about the Bible should not take the place of studying the Bible for ourselves.

Paul wrote, "See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as
wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is" (Ephesians 5:15-17). That word redeem means to buy back or rescue from loss. Paul expressed here an urgency that our time is a limited and extremely valuable resource. We need to make wise decisions in how we spend our time so as to make the best use of it (see Psalm 90:12). Our goal should be to understand and do the will of God, which is revealed in His Word, for "thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (Psalm 119:105).

In trying to disarm us, our enemy will often try to convince us that a particular portion of scripture is not true or relevant for today. Satan may say something like, "Well, it looks like God has forsaken you this time and left you in a real mess. The Bible may sound good when things are going well, but right now you need something a little more practical. I've got a way out for you." Notice the slander against God's integrity, the questioning of God's Word, and the contradiction of God's promises (such as Philippians 4:19 and Hebrews 13:5). In a situation like this, don't defend the Bible to Satan — just use it against him! When the devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness, Jesus didn't try to reason with the devil or prove His identity to the devil. Jesus simply responded, "It is written ..." and then decisively used Scripture to combat against the devil's temptations (see Matthew 4:1-10).

Remember that the sword is both an offensive and a defensive weapon. Used offensively, you hide God's Word in your heart, root out sin, and strengthen your inner man with God's promises before the enemy attacks. Used defensively, you deflect the devil's lies, doubts, and temptations with the truth of the Word.

As you learn to effectively use your sword against the wiles of the enemy, remember the Lord's words to you: "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness" (Isaiah 41:10).
 
The Spiritual Weapon of Prayer
In his discourse on the armor of God, the apostle Paul did not compare prayer to any specific piece of armor. However, Paul included it because of its great importance in the believer's battle against the spiritual forces of evil. Like the other weapons we have studied, prayer is critical to the success of our spiritual battles.

First and foremost, we are to make praise and thanksgiving a top priority in prayer (see Psalm 69:30, 100:4). Our God is worthy of all honor and glory. "Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever" (Revelation 5:13). The devil won't remain long in an atmosphere of exaltation, praise, and worship for the Lord God, Who has defeated all the powers of darkness.

Secondly, prayer should include supplication, which is our requests and petitions. "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." (Philippians 4:6). In presenting our requests, however, let us have the attitude of "Not my will, but thine, be done" (Luke 22:42). We may think we know what we need, but the Lord may not answer our prayers the way we would like (and we'll thank Him later!). We can't go wrong asking for God's grace and mercy to face the situation at hand. "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16).

Thirdly, prayer can involve intercession, which means standing in the gap for another person (see Ezekiel 22:30; Acts 8:24; Galatians 6:2). We can pray for our enemies (Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:28), pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ (Acts 12:5; I Thessalonians 5:25), and pray for those who need healing (James 5:14). The Bible says, "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" (James 5:16).

There are many more verses in the Bible about prayer. We can pray anytime: "Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice" (Psalm 55:17). We can confess our sins to God in prayer (I John 1:9). We are not to use "vain repetitions" in our prayers (Matthew 6:7). We are to pray without ceasing (Romans 12:12; I Thessalonians 5:17).

Let us not underestimate the powerful spiritual weapon that prayer is. Yes, prayer is communication with our Heavenly Father, but it is also a way for us to actively participate in fighting the spiritual battles that wage in the heavenlies. "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Ephesians 6:12).

Personal Prayer

This prayer is a guideline which summarizes the truths presented in this teaching.

Dear Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus, I put on the whole armor of God, that I may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. My struggle is not against people (flesh and blood), but against principalities, powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world, and against spiritual wickedness in high places. These are the spiritual forces of evil that want to destroy me, my family, and the Body of Christ.

Therefore, I take unto myself the whole armor of God, that I may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

I buckle the belt of truth around my waist. Your Word, Lord, is truth. Help me to be firmly established in the truth of Your Word and to be a person of truth and integrity. Please give me the words to say when people ask why I follow Jesus.

I graciously acknowledge Your gift of the breastplate of righteousness. Thank
You for giving me the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Help me to guard my heart with all diligence and keep a pure heart toward You. Because I am not perfect, You graciously protect me because of my faith in Jesus Christ. Thank You for disciplining me as Your child and that You are working Your righteousness in me.

I shod my feet with the preparation of the Gospel of peace. In Christ Jesus, I am at peace with You, Father. Help me to abide in Christ and let Your peace rule in my heart, casting all my care and anxiety on You because You care for me. As I pursue peace with all men (Psalm 34:14), help me to live in peace with my family and other believers without compromising my relationship with You. May my feet go to proclaim the Gospel of peace as a minister of reconciliation. May my feet stay away from people, places, and situations that tempt me.

I lift up the shield of faith. Help me to stand firm in my faith and deflect all the fiery arrows of doubt, despair, and hopelessness that the enemy shoots at me. Reveal Yourself to me, O Lord, as I study Your Word. Help me to learn the language of Your Word so I can hear and understand when You speak to me.

I put on the helmet of the hope of salvation. You, Heavenly Father, protect my mind from the enemy's blows of doubt and discouragement, for You are my hope and salvation. My trust is in You alone. Help me to fill my mind and heart with Your Word, so that the enemy's attempts to get my mind on the lusts and cares of this world will fail.

I pick up the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Thank You for giving me Your Word. Help me to dedicate time to studying, memorizing, and meditating upon it. Help me to speak the Word, pray the Word, and sing the Word so that it becomes a part of my life. Teach me how to wield the sword with precision in the face of enemy snares and attacks.

Thank You, Heavenly Father, for the spiritual armor You have provided for my protection. Your Word says that greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world (I John 4:4). Help me to stay alert against the enemy's wiles and to be consistent in prayer. Amen.

Conclusion
Jesus told His disciples, "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves" (Matthew 10:16). Spiritual struggles and attacks of the enemy are inevitable for the Christian, but God has provided His protection. Indeed, "We are more than conquerors though Him who loved us" (Romans 8:37).

The application of the whole armor of God is not a one-time lesson; it is a way of life. "But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil"
(II Thessalonians 3:3). By learning to wear and wield these powerful armaments, we can resist the tactics of the devil, and, when the fight is over, still be standing.
 
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