Fitted for Battle: Sword of the Spirit

 “And take . . . the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” (Ephesians 6:17).

What soldier, at any time in history, would engage in battle without some type of weapon? Silly question, yet how often do you begin a new day, facing a spiritual war that rages non-stop, unarmed?

For their good, God wanted the Israelites to know, love, serve and revere Him, the one true God. The Lord commanded them to teach their children His statutes diligently from the moment they woke in the morning until they closed their eyes in sleep at night (Deuteronomy 6:4-7). That is some serious-minded teaching! Each generation was to pass this knowledge and truth of the true, living God to the next generation.

Have we been slack in our generation in passing on God's truths? Do we instruct our children diligently “all day long” about God and the importance of obedience to His Word, or do we settle for a bedtime Bible story from time to time? Have we assumed a minister, school, or Sunday Bible teacher correctly instructs them about the one true God? God wants and expects parents to train their children in His ways; other teachers in their lives are lagniappe.

The sword of the Spirit, God’s Word, is our protecting, offensive weapon. How can we stand against the enemy's deceit and lies if the Word is not embedded in our hearts to refute him? With God’s truth, we can boldly stand our ground against the darkness of this world when he attacks with his cunning tactics and lying accusations. But like the other armor pieces, unless we take it up and use it, we are defenseless.

The Book of Hebrews' writer describes the Spirit’s sword vividly. The Word is living and mighty, powerful, and precisely sharper than any sword. It can penetrate and separate the heart and thoughts with a single movement, exposing hidden sins, fears, and secrets to change lives (Hebrews 4:12). But we are not to abuse the use of this sword and “brow-beat” people with God’s truth. Jesus commissioned us to proclaim His truth; His Spirit does any needed life-changing surgery. (Tomorrow, the final weaponry piece is sometimes as a secret: prayer.)