The Sword of the Spirit (1)

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God… Ephesians 6.17

A Word to be wielded
The Apostle Paul explained that Christians are continually engaged in a spiritual warfare, for which we must daily prepare, and be fully equipped to do battle, lest we lost the time of our lives to powers of wickedness (Eph. 5.15-17).

Spiritual forces of wickedness in high places mean to do us in, to render our faith of no value in furthering the Kingdom of Christ. This they do in many ways, but one of the most effective tactics of the devil is to cause believers to regard the faith of Christ as a matter of their own personal wellbeing, and not much more. Doing battle in the Lord’s army, fighting the good fight of good works and loving truth, is not something many believers see themselves as called to do.

But this is not the way the Scriptures present the life of faith.

Psalm 149 summarizes what it means to be part of that people in whom the Lord takes pleasure:

For the LORD takes pleasure in His people;
He will beautify the humble with salvation.
Let the saints be joyful in glory;
Let them sing aloud on their beds.
Let the high praises of God bein their mouth,
And a two-edged sword in their hand,
To execute vengeance on the nations,
And punishments on the peoples;
To bind their kings with chains,
And their nobles with fetters of iron;
To execute on them the written judgment—
This honor have all His saints.
Praise the LORD! (vv. 4-9)

Salvation is a gift of God which leads to gladness, praise, and singing on the part of those who possess it. Belonging to the Lord, being part of His people through the saving work of Christ, is, indeed, a great source of personal comfort, joy, and hope.

But God has not saved us simply so that we’ll feel good about ourselves before Him. He has saved us to deploy us in the spiritual warfare that everywhere rages on the earth. And He has put His two-edged Sword in our hands for that purpose.

Wielding the Word of God
The Old Testament references to warfare, and all the armaments and tactics that go with it, should be regarded, through the lens of the New Testament, as addressing the real and ultimate warfare in which we are engaged – the spiritual warfare. Jesus showed the way in Matthew 4.1-11, when He came under attack by the devil. He fought the devil and resisted his temptations by wielding the Word of God. Thus He bound His adversary and made all the devil’s holdings vulnerable to His gracious and liberating work (Matt. 12.22-29).

Throughout the course of His ministry, Jesus showed us the true nature of our warfare, and Paul enlarged on His example by calling us to be fully equipped for daily battle.

The Word of God is a two-edged sword. It is doubly sharp to penetrate chinks in the armor of the Lie, to expose the soft flesh of unbelief, and to penetrate to the depths of human souls, where it accomplishes the work for which God sends it out (Heb. 4.12; Is. 55.10, 11). And God has placed that two-edged Sword of the Spirit in the hands of His chosen people, that we might use it each day to fight the good fight of faith, resisting the devil and his many temptations, exposing the lies of unbelief, and advancing the rule of King Jesus within our own spheres of influence.

This is why it is so important that Christians work hard at learning how to handle the Word of God, understanding its overall thrust and primary themes, becoming familiar with the whole counsel of God, reading, meditating, studying, discussing, and sharing the Word with one another. We are called to “take up arms” in the cause of Christ and His Kingdom, and we will not be fit for the battles we must engage each day until we become adept at wielding the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

But let us learn to wield that Word consistently, and with effects, and we will understand why Jeremiah declared the Word to be the joy and rejoicing of his heart (Jer. 15.16). For this is why God has called us to His Kingdom and glory, that we might wield the Sword of the Spirit unto righteousness, peace, and joy in the Kingdom of our Lord.

For reflection

1.  How would you counsel a new Christian concerning the spiritual warfare? What is it? How should we expect to engage in it? What’s at stake?

2.  Why is the Word of God like a sword? Why is it good to think of the Word as the Sword of the Spirit?

3.  Discuss some ways that you are presently engaged in wielding the Word of God in spiritual warfare.

Next steps – Preparation: Is your approach to the Bible – how you read and study God’s Word, and put it work in your life – sufficient to equip you for the daily battles you must face in seeking the Kingdom of God? Talk about this question with your spouse or a soul friend.

T. M. Moore

You can learn more about God’s covenant and why it’s so important by ordering T. M.’s book, I Will Be Your God, from our online store (click here). For a deeper study of God’s covenant, order the workbook, God’s Covenant, from our online store (click here).

To learn how God’s covenant defines the shape of Scripture, and guides our approach to understanding and using the Bible, enroll in the course, Introduction to Biblical Theology. It’s free and online, and you can study at your own pace or with friends. To learn more and to register, click here. This week’s study is Part 2 of a series on The Word of God, and is available as a free download by clicking here.

Please prayerfully consider supporting The Fellowship of Ailbe with your prayers and gifts. We ask the Lord to move and enable many more of our readers to provide the needs of our ministry. Please seek Him in prayer concerning your part in supporting our work. You can contribute online, via PayPal, or by sending a gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Drive, Essex Junction, VT 05452.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.