God's Word: The Sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17)
Earlier in this book, you read that one of the uses of the Word of God, the Bible, was as a weapon of spiritual warfare. That is why Paul referred to it as “the sword of the spirit.”
God wants us to understand that the truths and promises contained in the Bible, when they are illuminated by the Holy Spirit — and when we are empowered to receive and apply them — are tremendous weapons in the spiritual battle that is going on this very day. Remember, it was Jesus himself who repelled the devil and his temptations by using the Scriptures correctly (the devil had twisted them in an attempt to tempt Jesus into something God hadn';t sent him to do), answering each temptation with the words, “It is written … .”
The book of Psalms starts out saying this of those who hold to the Word of God: “Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night” (Psalm 1:1–2).
The power of God';s Word to repel the attacks of the devil didn';t end when Jesus went back to heaven. In fact, because God later sent His Holy Spirit to help remind us of the things Jesus did and taught and to shed some light on the Scriptures themselves, we have all the power we need to use the Bible the same way Jesus did. Here are some of the things the Bible says about the Scripture:
that it will not return to God unfulfilled (Isaiah 55:10–11)
that it is like a consuming fire and a hammer (Jeremiah 23:29)
that it will never pass away (Matthew 24:35)
that it is quick, powerful, and sharp (Hebrews 4:12)
that it is “inspired by God” (2 Timothy 3:16)
Knowing all these things about the Bible, it';s hard to imagine living the Christian life — including fighting spiritual battles against the devil — without reading, studying, and meditating on the Bible. In fact, it can';t be done!
Paul is encouraging us to take up our swords by making the Bible a regular and consistent part of our daily lives. When we do that, we will be able to wield a weapon of offense against the devil.
Study Questions
In what ways have you personalized the Word of God and used it as a weapon against the devil?
Is there anything in your life today toward which you can use the Word of God in order to take victory? What is it and what step will you take next to claim that victory?
