The Sword of the Spirit

The Sword of the Spirit and the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God . Ephesians 6:14 Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth What soldier would ever go to war without a weapon? Before guns, the weapon of choice for a soldier was always a SWORD! A sword is sharp, and it pierces through the enemy---- a sword divides asunder. When the Sword of the Spirit is included among the Armor of God---it is for a very important reason. A soldier without a sword would surely die. But the thing God refers to as the "Sword of the Spirit" is----the Word of God. In the Bible, there are thousands of references to it being 'God's Word'. Before every prophet starts his prophesying, he refers to this, saying ;The Word of the Lord came to --prophet's name---. ; God gave His Word, first, through Creation, then through the written and oral word, and in perfection sent His Son: Jesus, who was called ;The Word ; ( ;In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God ; John 1) It is the Word of God that speaks all Creation, including Adam into being: in the End it is the Word of God, pronouncing ;Time No More ; and the mystery of world the way it is now comes to completion and the New Jerusalem appears. The Word of God came to us born as a child, made clear as Messiah: the Word of God speaks, ;It is finished ; and Heaven is opened to us. The Word of God calmed the seas and storms with 3 words, commanded the deaf to hear, the lame to walk and unholy spirits to leave. The Word of God gives us the hope of salvation, redemption, God's love and plan, and the hope of heaven. The written Word of God, as well as the Holy Spirit of God which dwells within and with us, is the sword we may now 'put on' everyday. The Holy Spirit's guidance within and the written Word of God in the Bible will Never disagree with one another: they are in complete accord. As we learn scriptures and apply them to our walk, we pick up that sword. That sword also cuts right through all wrong ideas about God and His Word: it keeps us from error. The Sword of the Spirit comes against Satan as the ;accuser of the brethren ; you fight with the Word! The Sword keeps you strong, helps you to stand, and can keep you from falling into sin. The Sword, in short gives you power, along with the rest of the ;Armor of God ; over all that comes against you. A Sword must also be sharp to be useful at all. This is a problem many Christians fall into. They go into the daily battles of the world with a very dull sword, or no sword at all. Then they wonder why they are having such trouble at school, church or a job. You have to know the Word of God to use it as a Sword. You have to believe the Word of God in order to place it in your hand!. A few verses here or there is o.k. for a start, but if you stay as a Christian only with a few verses, it is like using a small pin instead of a shining bright sword. A Bible collecting dust on a shelf is the dullest sword of all. To know the Word, though, that is another thing: it brings victory and joy, and is a constant reminder that God is with us and provides us with the direction we need to obey and do His Will. Let's say you are at school, a some kids begin to tease and call names, maybe because you are a Christian or a little different in other ways. You can quietly remember a verse such as ; when the enemy of the Lord comes in like a flood, the Lord will lift up a standard against him. ;                                                 or one of my favorites is,  The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about ; them that fear Him and delivereth them. ;  As you claim these verses in trouble--- believing--- you will find them like a sharp sword defending you. The use of God's Word rightly in prayer, standing on His promises and praying for His will which is greater and smarter than ours, also is a divine weapon. This does not mean we should ever use the Word and its power to get our own way in the world: that is foolish and sometimes even very sinful, but when we apply it HIS way, it provides the right kind of protection for a soldier of the Lord. Always put on the Sword of the Lord when you dress in the whole Armor of God. Pick up the Word in your hand, carry it in your mind and heart, study it, remember it, memorize it, use it. Apply it to all you do. Meditate on it day and night: you are called by God to do this! Never leave your Sword at home! Even dressed completely in the rest of the Armor, without your Sword, you are not as safe! The Sword of the Lord is your peaceful and heavenly weapon.         Ways to put on the Sword of the Spirit A. Read the Word of God in the Morning & Evening B. Don't just 'read' the Word of God---STUDY the Word of God: it is real, it has power and it can change your life and others. C. Know the Word of God: IT will divide truth from Error. D. Stand on the Word of God: This does not mean to use it like magic spells to get what you want, but God did make some very important promises, and you can 'stand' on them. For example, you can claim the promise, "When the enemy of the Lord comes in like a flood, the Lord will lift a standard up against him", when you are in trouble. There are thousands of promises to stand on. E. Defend yourself against the world: the 'Sword of the Spirit' keeps you from false doctrine and from 'the wiles of the devil'. (c) 2003 KidsKJV a ministry of Judah's Glory, Elizabeth Kirkley Best PhD. All Rights Reserved: Free Use Policy: Absolutely free to all for Christian usage: Please do not change or modify content; please do not charge for these materials; please do not remove logo or identifying information. May be used for distribution in large quanities as well: please notify us that you will be using in this way.