PREPARED FOR BATTLE: THE ARMOR OF GOD Part VII: The Sword of the Spirit

Review

• Paul was writing to people in Ephesus who knew a thing or two about armor (training facility; Paul chained to a Roman guard)

• There is a spiritual battle happening around us

• Therefore we must be prepared for battle

• We do this by putting on the whole armor of God

• The armor of God allows us to stand firm against the attack of the devil

• We cannot wait until the battle commences before we arm ourselves

• Our battle is not against people, but against demonic forces at work

• We must put on the whole armor of God to resist the enemy’s trap

• Belt of truth: Truth is absolute and it does not change. The devil wants to change what you believe to be true. Therefore we must know the truth so that we can be free from deception. We must engage, confess, and stand on God’s Word so that we can know the truth and believe it.

• Breastplate of Righteousness: Righteousness is the standard in which we please God. It is living rightly. Righteousness is meant to protect our heart from allowing the devil access into our life. Sin opens the door for the enemy to have a legal right into our life. Only true righteousness will guard us from the enemy. We received the righteousness of Christ at salvation. However, we have a part to play as well. We must also walk out righteousness in our own life.

• Shoes of the Gospel of Peace: Peace is calmness of soul in the midst of difficult circumstances. Through Christ, there is a peace available that despite our circumstances, we can be free of stress and worry. This peace is found in the Gospel. Because we have peace with God, we have access to the peace of God. If we want to receive this peace then we have to go to the God of peace to claim it.

• Shield of Faith: Faith is our main line of defense against the attack of the enemy. If he wants to get through to you then he must get through your faith. Faith is not based on our feelings or what we see happening around us. Faith is simply acting on God’s Word. If we know what God’s Word says about a matter, then we can act on it. If we continually act on God’s Word, then we are walking by faith. Our faith walk is not meant to be done alone. Link your faith up with others so that your faith can be strengthened in your time of need and strengthen others as well.

• Helmet of Salvation: While our spirit is saved when we receive Christ, our mind is not. Therefore, we must put on salvation like a helmet so that our minds can be saved. The devil wants to attack our thinking. If he can control our thinking, then he can control our life. Therefore, our minds must be transformed through the Word of God. Without renewing our mind in the Word, we can only expect to conform to the world around us and be controlled by the devil. We must allow our minds to be saved and sanctified through the Word of God.

 

That brings us to the Sword of the Spirit

 

Ephesians 6:17 - “Take the… sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God…”

 

Sword in a Roman soldier’s armor (Dagger)

A Roman soldier carried a very dangerous sword with them called the “Machaira,” also known as the “Gladius.” This sword was much more like a dagger than it was a typical sword. It was a two-edged dagger used to cause damage at close range while also being able to stop an enemy’s attack. It was difficult to approach a Roman soldier who was well trained with his sword. His expertise with his sword enabled him to be prepared for any attack at close-range that would come his way. Of course, a soldier must be well trained with his sword. They spent a lot of time in practice so that they would be equipped and effective in the day of battle. 

 

Sword, a part of the Christian’s armor

As Christians, we too have a sword that we must take up, that is the Word of God. The sword of the Spirit enables us to parry close range attacks of the enemy while also being able to engage the devil in spiritual warfare. However, we must spend time in the word of God so that we know how to use it in the “evil day.” We do not want to wait until we are in battle to utilize the sword of the Spirit. We will be ill-equipped and ineffective. In the same way a soldier is trained in the ability to wield a sword, we too must be trained in how to use the word of God. That training comes in our active reading and usage of the Word of God in our personal life.

 

What is the Word of God?

Understanding these things, we can see the importance for us to understand what the Word of God is. In the Bible, there are three different definitions used in reference to the “word.”

 

3 Uses of Word in the Bible

 

Graphe - The written word; the book that is the Bible; the writings of scripture.

 

Logos - The message of the written word; the understanding of the Word; The living Word

 

Rhema - The spoken word; utterance; the declaration of God’s Word.

Rhema is where we get our word “rhetoric” from. Rhema refers to the character of words or the persuasive power of words or sayings. The rhema word of God is a specific word, for a specific person, for a specific situation.

 

The Word of God has POWER

 

The Word of God is…

 

1. Inspired by God - 2 Timothy 3:16

“16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”

• The authority of scripture comes from God

• Inerrant = Free from error

2. Alive - Hebrews 4:12

“12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

• The Word of God is alive! It has life! It has life and it is ready to be used.

• The Word of God is “sharper” than a two-edged sword.

• The word of God is able to slice into the unseen realm.

• The Word of God separates the spirit from soul.

• When we hear the Word or we read the Word and it speaks to our spirit, the Word of God has just sliced into the unseen realm to separate you and your soul from God and His spirit. 

• The Word of God is so sharp that it cuts all the way to your thoughts and motives. It exposes your heart and lays it bare before you and God.

3. Ready to be Used
Ephesians 6:17 - “Take the… sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God…”

• The Word of God is ready to be wielded as a spiritual weapon. It is already active and ready for use. It only must be taken up and used against our spiritual enemy.

 

 

So the Word of God is the scriptures. The scriptures, when read, is meant to bring understanding while separating our thoughts and intent from the truth of God’s Word. The goal is to transform us from the inside out! However, there comes a time when we will need to wield that truth like a sword. The is the Word of God that Paul was referring to in Ephesians 6.

 

The sword of the Spirit is the spiritual weapon used against a spiritual enemy. In other words, the only thing that is going to defeat the devil in the “evil day” is God’s Word, a spiritual weapon. Philosophical tactics wont work. Religious habits wont work. Self-help strategies wont work. Self determination won’t work. No man-made methods will be effective against a “spiritual” enemy. Against a spiritual enemy we have to use a spiritual weapon; that is the Word of God.

 

Let’s take a look at how Jesus wielded the Word of God:

 

Matthew 4:1-11

1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 

 

How did Jesus respond?

 

4 But he answered, “It is written…” “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

 

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” 7 Jesus said to him, 

 

How did Jesus respond?

 

“Again it is written…” ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 

 

8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, 

 

How did Jesus respond?

 

“Be gone, Satan! For it is written…” “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’”

 

11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.

 

The devil came to Jesus to tempt and deceive Him in His time of need. However, Jesus was fully equipped to combat the enemy. What was Jesus’ weapon? It was the Word of God.

 

Jesus kept replying to the enemy with, “it is written…” What was He doing? He was using the Word of God as a spiritual weapon to defeat the devil in His time of temptation.

 

When we find ourselves under attack from the enemy, we must utter, it is written! We must wield the Word of God as our weapon in order to withstand his attack and send him home packing. So, how do we do that? We do that by declaring His Word.

 

Rhema = Utterance

 

We can utter, speak, and declare God’s Word. When we utter, speak, and declare God’s Word, things happen!! Why? Because there is POWER in His Word. His words have the ability to accomplish exactly what it was sent out to do. It is not empty but it will accomplish its mission! (Isaiah 55:10-11)

 

Now you can speak your words all day long but it won’t move the devil. He is not scared of your words and what you have to say. Why? Because your words alone have no power in the spiritual realm. But demons tremble at His name. The devil must bow His knee to the Word of God. However, it must be declared. God said, “let there be light.” He did not think it, He spoke it. When He spoke it, it came into being. We must speak His Word, declare it

 

We must realize that a soldier cannot wield a sword in battle without practice and expect to win. Similarly, we cannot expect to use the Word of God against the devil in a spiritual battle, without practice, and expect to win. Instead, we must practice wielding scripture!

 

We must go from:

- Having a Bible

- Reading our Bible

- Meditating on the Bible

- Declaring the Bible

 

Takeaways:

 

How do we take up the Sword of the Spirit?

 

I. Read the Word: Become familiar with the Bible and consume it like everyday food for our spirit. This strengthens our spirit man. Let us not let it sit in our house or car to collect dust. Instead, lets us read it to become familiar with the truth.

II. Meditate on the Word (Memorization): Get the Word of God in our hearts. We cannot memorize scripture if we are not reading scripture. Think on it throughout the day, speak it to yourself, and seek the Holy Spirit to help you obey it. 

Psalm 119:11
“Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You”

III. Declare the Word: Speak it and declare it as our spiritual weapon. Jesus spoke the Word of God as to declare the truth. We must declare God’s Word as to what the truth is and stand on it. However, we cannot declare the Word of God if it is not already in our hearts.