SWORD OF THE SPIRIT
Ephesians 6.17
Read Ephesians 6.17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
The Roman soldier wore on his girdle a short sword which was used for close-in fighting. The bible says that the God’s Word is a weapon that we can use against the devil. How can God’s Word be our weapon against the devil? God’s Word can be our weapon against the devil when we honor it.
God’s people should honor God’s Word before we can use it against the devil. We need to respect or esteem God’s Word. We should recognize its authority and influence over our lives.
EXPOSITION
How can we demonstrate that we honor God’s Word in our lives?
1. WE CAN DEMONSTRATE THAT WE HONOR GOD’S WORD BY GIVING PRIORITY TO IT.
A sword is a weapon that a soldier uses to engage against an enemy. Jesus used God’s word to engage against the devil. Three times He quoted the word of God—not just random verses but the appropriate verses which the Holy Spirit gave Him for that occasion (Read Matthew 4:1-11).
Jesus was exposed to two conflicting words – Satan and God. Jesus however honors God’s Word by giving priority to it. God’s Word is the authority over his life and mission. The devil suggested ways to live his life on earth but Jesus rejected them in favor of God’s ways.
Every day or every moment we are place in a situation where we need to make a choice between God’s word and the devil word. This happens through the use of suggestions in our minds.
FOR EXAMPLE: Today is the Lord’s Day. Should I go to church or stay at home and do my favorite hobby? Should I worship God or just let the time passed or do something else in the church? When you go to work tomorrow? Should I give my best or just settle for accomplishment? Should I be honest or dishonest? As a student, should I study or just hang around? In terms of our money, should I be wise or just spend it aimlessly?
So you see, there is always a choice. The choice most of the time is not between better and best but between right and wrong; between legal and moral; and between spiritual and sensual.
The Word of God gives us the best, right, and moral options in dealing life responsibilities and challenges. We can defeat the devil if we give priority to God’ word. This would mean obeying God’s word in our lives.
Most of God’s people lives are in a mess because they did not give priority to God’s Word or instructions; either by willful disregard of God’s word and follow the ways of this world or by being indifferent and failed to do what is appropriate.
FOR EXAMPLE: At work, instead of following the standard procedures we intentionally “cut corners” or by passed them to finish the job quickly or to have greater production. (Share the peanut butter manufacturer in Georgia.)
Sometimes we are accused of being insensitive and uncaring because we did not do what we are supposed to do as God’s people – helping those who are in need, sharing our resources, and serving others.
When we established a relationship with God by having a covenant with Him that He is our Lord and Savior and we are His children, we gave our commitment to obey Him. Believing Christ means trusting and obeying Him. Let us learn from the experiences of Israel with God. (Read Leviticus 26:1-46)
2. WE CAN DEMONSTRATE THAT WE HONOR GOD’S WORD BY SUBMITTING TO ITS SCRUTINY OF OUR LIVES.
Read Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
For the Word of God is alive and active. It is effective and able to cause something to happen. It is powerful. It scrutinizes our fears and anxieties and encourages us to trust Him.
Read Isaiah 55:10-11. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
This means that promises, warning, guidance, and benefits of heeding God’s word would come to pass.
FOR EXAMPLE: In the subject of prayer, God gave various promises when we pray. At one time, there was this person who came to know the Lord and the person wanted to share God’s word to her spouse. But the spouse was indifferent, argumentative, and resistant to any spiritual things.
Immediately our thought was it was impossible that we can reach to this person. But we realized that God started the work in that woman’s life and now God gave her the concern to reach to her loved ones. What would keep us from doing it? So we prayed.
Eventually the husband heard the gospel of salvation and entrusted His life to the Lord. Again and again, this is my experience that when God put me in situation or involved me in a task; He wanted me to trust Him and pray.
Not only that, God’s word scrutinizes our intentions and motivations. The bible says that the penetrating power of God’s word is sharper than any double-edged sword.
“Double-edged” – means something that has or can have both favorable and unfavorable effects and outcomes.
Word of God reaches the innermost being of a person so that it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. In doing this, it is able to discriminate successfully between what is spiritual in man and what is merely natural - it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit.
The inner life of a Christian is often a strange mixture of motivations both genuinely spiritual and completely human. It takes a supernaturally discerning agent such as the Word of God to sort these out and to expose what is of the flesh.
Read Psalm 119:36. “Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain.”
Read Psalm 119:105. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.”
FOR EXAMPLE “I am doing this for the Lord.” If it is for the Lord, why am I disappointed if I was not given recognition for that effort? Or I want to help this person or extend kindness. What is our motive for doing it – favor in return, tax credit? I want to be the best student or employee; nothing wrong with that but what is our intention? We acquire our significance through it?”
Sometimes we might think that we were contemplating certain steps out of purely spiritual motivations but God’s Word would show us that we were acting unfaithfully. The Word of God has a discerning and discriminating power with regard to the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Therefore we let the Word of God to check our thoughts and intentions because at times the devil can exploit them. We started with good intentions but if we are not careful, the devil can corrupt them and eventually cause us to sin.
How do we let the Word of God scrutinize us?
1. By meditating upon God’s Word. Don’t just read it; think about, analyze it and check how it applies to us. When we internalize the message of God then it becomes useful to us. Some people thought that ignorance of God’s Word is an excuse. No.
Read Acts 17:11. Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
2. By letting Gods’ Word to speak for itself. Don’t put meaning into it. Don’t look for options. Don’t speculate and say maybe this means this thing. There are times that further study is required to understand the meaning of God’s Word. But most of the time, the meaning is plain and simple all we have to do is decide to obey it.
Read Acts 2:37. When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
3. By using God’s Word as the standards for living.
Read Psalm 119:9. “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word.”
We can never be a perfect being but we should never lower our standards for godly living. That is our goal and it gives us direction and purpose for living. We strive to be pure and holy not gain our acceptance and approval but to please our God and Savior. God already accepted you when you humble yourself and repent from sin.
CONCLUSION
In one sense, the “whole armor of God” is a picture of Jesus Christ. Christ is the Truth (John 14:6), and He is our righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21) and our peace (Eph. 2:14). His faithfulness makes possible our faith (Gal. 2:20); He is our salvation (Luke 2:30); and He is the Word of God (John 1:1, 14). This means that when we trusted Christ, we received the armor.
Read Romans 13:11-14. And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
Once and for all, we have put on the armor at the moment of salvation. But there must be a daily appropriation. When King David put off his armor and returned to his palace, he was in greater danger than when he was on the battlefield (2 Sam. 11). We are never out of reach of Satan’s devices, so we must never be without the whole armor of God.
