The Sword of The Spirit – The Word of God – available to any believer. Powerful, double edged! Delight in the word, get it in your heart, so you can use it too!

We have been discussing the armor of God for 5, going on 6 weeks now! (see previous blogs on armor of God HERE) And we finally got to the offensive weapon of “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” Ephesians 6:17 BSB.  I want to discuss a few things here, but mainly that the sword is for all Christians to use with ease, and that the word is the rhema word, the word we know and therefore do, or use. 

The word of God is not to just be used by pastors or elders, or people who have been a Christian for a certain length of time. Its for all people who have repented of sin, and their worldly ways, submitted their life to God, and therefore have His Holy Spirit in them.  It doesn’t matter our age, sex, creed, past, etc.  It just matters that we believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and savior, and therefore, He has written His word on our heart and mind. God says “I will put My laws in their minds and inscribe them on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people” Hebrews 8:10b BSB.   So, you know the word of God.  Meditate on it night and day, as the word tells us.  Let’s find God’s word and eat them take them in, so His “words [become] my joy and my heart’s delight” Jeremiah 15:16 BSB.  Its OK if you are new at this, and you don’t have scriptures memorized or know the bible, God has written on your heart. Just keep taking in what you can, He speaks to you through His word.  And He will bring to your remembrance things you have read, that you don’t even realize you know.  But you don’t recite the whole bible to the enemy anyway. You just speak a word, or a sentence, it doesn’t need to be much. The word is just so powerful.  So don’t let anyone disqualify you from speaking the word of God and standing in your authority. 

Although you don’t need to know the entire bible to defeat the enemy, you need to know God.  It’s God’s power; the power of the Holy Spirit in you, and the word of God that you are using to defeat the enemy. So you just need to know what He would do.  And we know God is good.  “God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all” 1 John 1:5 BSB.  Jesus defeated the enemy with the word of God, and we have the same word, and His same Spirit, and anointing.  If something doesn’t look like heaven, then it needs to have truth spoken of it.  Because we are no longer under the dominion or power of darkness, we have been translated to the kingdom of God (from Colossians 1:13). 

The word, as in the word of God is translated from two words in the Greek, logos and rhema.  Here, in Ephesians 6:17, rhema is used.  This is to specify that this is the word you really know, and believe, and use.  The logos becomes rhema when we know and utilize, or do the word of God.  The word of God isn’t mean to just be memorized, its meant to give us life, and spread life to others, and to put the enemy in submission under our feet.   So while you don’t need to know all scripture, if you use a single verse completely out of context, and the way you use it doesn’t align with God’s nature and character of light and love, then it will not be the correct use, or the rhema word of God.  So let the word get in you. Its OK to have a thought of doubt that what you know isn’t true, that is straight from the enemy, he wants you to believe that you don’t really believe God’s word. So he will send doubts as you try to actually utilize the sword of the Spirit.  But you need to be grounded in the truth, so that you can speak it and as you do, the doubts will fly away.  If the enemy tries to bring fear on you, you could say “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control” 2 Timothy 1:7 BSB.  Just believe and know that God says it, so it is true, and as you speak it out, it breaks down lies. It becomes the truth, it becomes the rhema word of God as you live out the word.

The word for sword is Machairan, in this verse about the sword of the spirit, the word of God.  That specifically is talking about a short dagger.  Many of the swords during this time were enormous, and sharp on one side.  You would need to be trained specifically and very strong to wield it correctly.  It changed things a lot when the Romans got these short daggers. They can be used so easily, do not take extra strength, and since they are double edged, they cut easily.  These daggers could be used in every day life with ease.  This is how we should use the word. We already talked about it being for all believers, no matter age, size, sex, etc.  This fits right with this truth.  Thank you, God for making the word of God, the gospel, the good news, for all of us! 

Let’s look at Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, and remember that He defeated the enemy with the word of God.  In His flesh, Jesus was at His weakest at this point (other than the cross), because he had just fasted 40 days and nights.  The flesh would be screaming out, there may be all sorts of feelings and things in the 5 senses that would have made Jesus was to pander to His flesh.  But He did not, because the word of God is more true than anything in the natural; including our flesh, and our feelings.  The devil, the tempter, came to Jesus, to attack His identity, since the devil asked Jesus “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread” Matthew 4:3 BSB.  The enemy always wants to have us question our identity too.  Are we children of God, really? Or maybe we could say we are, but also add on all the other labels.  Labels of diagnosis, and symptoms, that come our identity in our mind.  Or personality test results, or even just introvert/extrovert.  All these labels that end up being used to exalt themselves against the knowledge of God, that you are presented “holy, unblemished, and blameless in His presence” Colossians 1:22 BSB.  He says we are healed by His stripes. But the enemy wants us to question that too.  He wants us to add labels, and take away truths of God’s word. Jesus didn’t take the bait, and neither should we.  We stand on the word!

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References

Scriptures marked (BSB) are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible, BSB Copyright 2022 by Bible Hub Used by Permission. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

Scriptures marked (NKJV) are from the New King James Version Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scriptures marked (ESV) are from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version) copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, ESV Text Edition: 2016. Used by persmission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. Th ESV may not be translated into any other language.