Sword of the Spirit

Armour of God

The sword is a weapon, rather than part of one's defensive armoury. Yet armour is not complete with a weapon, as it is as important for a soldier to be protected as it is for him to strike out at the enemy. To go on the offence spiritually is part of being defended spiritually, just as is the case when one is considering physical armour.

Consider this: the only part of one's spiritual armour that is used primarily for attack is the sword of the Spirit - known also as the Word of God. God's making Himself known to us, expressing what He is and showing His purposes, is the force that wields the Holy Spirit - the active force of God - so as to defeat the purposes of the enemy.

Sword training takes time and practice. One learns to be comfortable with the weapon, flexible, agile, able to move well and familiar with effective techniques. Spiritually, how can we do less? We must know God's Word deeply; we must become well acquainted with knowing how to apply the Bible to ourselves and to any situation; we must know how God's Word gives us spiritual authority.

The Word of God is described as a two-edged sword. There is no blunt or ineffective edge to God's Word. It is true and perfect - and it never fails. Morevoer, it has a separating power that no other weapon possess - and it can make known the secrets of the human heart. If we haven't been cleansed by the Spirit, how can we use the sword of the Spirit to protect ourselves?

This is why we must read God's Word - so that we will know Him through His revelation to us, and so that we can use His Word as a power against anything that has the potential to impair our highest functioning in our life - spiritually and in every other way.

Depression, fear, hatred, etc., can be defeated through a thorough knowledge and application of God's Word; succumbing to temptations can be defeated through the same; there is victory over darkness and over the principalities and powers that work against the blessings God desires for us. The Word of God is our sword - it is necessary for us to use it.