The Sword of the Spirit

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.



Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.



Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

Ephesians 6:10-18



As we have studied the armor of God, did you notice that it was all defensive armor? The armor we put on (the belt of truth, the body armor of God’s righteousness, the shoes of preparation to proclaim the Good News, the shield of faith, and the helmet of salvation) is all defensive armor. This armor is designed to protect us from Satan’s attacks.


Today, however, we finally pick up a weapon. This weapon is the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. This is a powerful weapon and is, indeed, the only weapon we need. But in order to wield this sword properly, we need to know how to use it.

You see, we’re not talking about a simple weapon that can be wielded well the very first time we try. I always laugh at books or movies where the hero is forced into a new combat situation, something they’ve never done before. Oh, and did I mention that their enemy is always an expert in whatever discipline they’re fighting in? It would be like me being challenged to a joust – I’m kind of afraid of horses, so I’m not a big fan of riding them, let alone riding one toward some jousting expert, who is charging at me with a huge lance, ready to take my head off!
Instead, we need to be familiar with the weapon we are using. We read in Hebrews 4:12 that the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Let’s look more closely at this sword we wield. It is living and active. The United Church of Christ denomination has a slogan that "God is still speaking." I agree with this wholeheartedly – God is still speaking. Unfortunately, their denominational higher-ups believe that when God speaks these days, He contradicts what He’s said in the past (please understand that our local U.C.C. does not adhere to this belief – they are orthodox in their beliefs, and they have consistently repudiated such talk).

If you wonder if the word is from God, you should be able to check it out against scripture. Does the new word contradict scripture, or does it fit with the Bible? Psalm 18:30 says, "As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless." Psalm 33:4 says, "The word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does." And Isaiah 40:8 says, "The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever." If God’s word is flawless, right, true, and stands forever, it doesn’t change. If the "God is still speaking" campaign means what the U.C.C. leaders say it means, that God has changed His mind, it would follow that God’s word was flawed (or at best short sighted), that it was not right and true, and that it does not stand forever.

That said, God does still speak to us. His word is living and active. When we read scripture, however, the first task is to find out what it meant. Only then can we find out what it means. God’s word is alive – it not only spoke to a certain situation in a certain place, but it also speaks directly to us as individuals and as the Church.

This sword is sharp. If you read the Bible, praying that the Holy Spirit will speak to you through it, you will be convicted. Certainly Scripture offers comfort – I’ve heard it said that God comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable. The word of God, when properly used, cuts. Try reading Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7 without being cut. "Anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment." "If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also." "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." "Anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." "Do not worry about your life." "Do not judge, or you, too, will be judged." "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my father who is in heaven."

Feeling cut yet? Have the attitudes and thoughts of your heart been judged? If not, it’s probably because you’ve tuned this out. Maybe you’ve heard it enough that you’ve gotten immune to it. If that’s the case, you need to re-acquaint yourself with scripture through the lens of the Holy Spirit. And just when you think you’ve got it, that you’ve arrived, you’ll find that you’ve fallen short – that God’s word is more radical than you ever believed, that God’s word is more inclusive than you ever believed, that God’s word is more exclusive than you ever believed.
God’s word is a sharp sword – judging and cutting is what it does.

We read in Isaiah 11:4 "he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked." This goes along with Revelation 19:15, which says, "from his mouth issues a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations." In the context of the armor of God, however, we see God’s word as a powerful weapon for fighting against unseen powers and against the forces of evil.

It shouldn’t be a surprise – God’s word was the weapon Jesus used when Satan was tempting him in the wilderness. Jesus responded to Satan’s temptation by saying, "It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’"
You see, even Satan knows the word of God. He even tried to use it against Jesus! It’s sad but ironic that many deaths and injuries in home break-ins happen when the resident attempts to use a gun or knife on the intruder – the intruder then can often turn that weapon on the resident. Often the reason is that the resident did not know how to use that particular weapon.
Like I said, God’s word is a powerful weapon, so we have to know how to use it correctly.
Do you know how to use the word of God to repel the forces of evil?

We first have to know the word of God. I grew up memorizing scriptures – that was part of our Sunday School and church camp; we had memory verses. I know that the kids here learn memory verses, and I’m convinced that we adults need to as well. There are some of you who know the scriptures, and that’s awesome. God’s word helps us through good times and bad.
While Bible memorization is a good start, it’s not the only step. I wouldn’t send anyone into a sword fight without training, and I believe we need training as well. In boxing, they call training "sparring" – and in training to use the sword of the Spirit, I believe we learn best when we have a sparring partner. Proverbs 27:17 says, "As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend."

On Monday mornings at 8:30, I go up to Salem UMC in Wapak and participate in a Lectionary-based Bible study there. This Bible study is open for anyone who wants to participate – if any of you wants to participate, you can talk to me or you can just show up. This is one of the ways I keep my "sword" sharp and how I can get different perspectives than my own. In fact, I learn a lot even from people I don’t agree with. As it is, I am confident that God does not limit His voice to the Bible alone – he also speaks through His people. Sometimes others give us better perspective into the Word or how God might be working in certain situations. Sometimes it takes someone else to tell us where they see God working in our lives in order for us to fully realize and appropriate it.

Unfortunately, I believe we live in a time similar to the one spoken of by the prophet Amos. He said, "The time is surely coming, says the Lord God, when I will send a famine on the land; not a famine of bread, or a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord." We don’t hear the words of the Lord much, do we? So when someone says, "God told me…" or "the Lord said…" my first reaction is skepticism. We are often so busy or in such a hurry that we don’t hear the word of the Lord. I’m not trying to point fingers – I’m guilty of this as well. Perhaps slowing down just isn’t possible at your stage of life. Perhaps you can’t wake up any earlier or go to bed any later. But I challenge you to find the time to read God’s word and to meditate on it. Think about what you read. Talk about it with someone. Maybe write about it in a journal. You can re-read these sermons on my sermon blog and you can even write your own questions or comments on it. Or you can make your own blog if you want!

But more than simply knowing what the Bible says, we have to do something about it. In Luke 11:28, Jesus says, "Blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it." What good does it do me if I know I’m supposed to love my neighbor, yet I don’t do anything about it?

Just as a sword doesn’t help a warrior if he leaves it in its sheath, neither does the word of God help us if we don’t use it. Quite the contrary – in 2 Samuel 12, the prophet Nathan asked King David, "Why did you despise the word of the Lord by doing what was evil in his eyes?" This might have brought back memories of the prophet Samuel’s words to King Saul, as recorded in 1 Samuel 15: "Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king." It is serious business to hear the word and to not follow it. Think of it this way: if you are in a sword fight, hearing the word and not following it is like charging in empty-handed against an opponent with a sharp sword.

Now, lest you think I’m just talking to and about some nameless "them" out there, look at what Jesus said to the "church people" of His day. In Matthew 15, he had a confrontation with members of the holiness movement and the top church scholars of the day. He accused them of breaking God’s commandments for the sake of their tradition. "This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship, teaching human precepts as doctrines."

I know plenty of Christian churches that are guided by tradition rather than a mission for God. Though many of the traditions are worthwhile, simply following them because "that’s the way we’ve always done things" is not only unhealthy, but it can even be dangerous – it can end up being counter to God’s word. In fact, it’s like turning the sword on yourselves. This is why we need to be constantly evaluating our ministries; we must determine if we’re doing what the church is supposed to be about. Are we dedicated to making disciples for Jesus, or are we concerned primarily with ourselves? Are we concerned with those who don’t yet know Jesus Christ, or are we busy counting our toes? Do we exist simply to make ourselves feel happy, or are we ready to become all things to all people for the sake of the Gospel? Are we like the first-century church, the church in Acts 4, who were "filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly" or do we make excuses to not speak?

The word of God is a powerful weapon, but, like any sword, we have to use it. We have to practice our skills – meaning, if you’re in a Bible study or Sunday School class, it’s your job to read the material before you get there. Then, once you’re there, give some input. Disagree with something. Ask hard questions. If you’re not in one, join one. If you can’t make it to an existing one or there’s not one to meet your need, start a new one. Really, you don’t have to be the Bible expert to start a Bible study – that’s why we study the Bible, for heaven’s sake! Because we’re not the experts!!!

Now, as we go, let’s sharpen up our swords and do some real damage. We can have Satan on the run if we only use the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God!
  • Note that the included picture was drawn on a children's bulletin during the service. Brianna J (who even signed her artwork) was listening to the sermon and heard me admit that I am scared of horses, so she drew that picture for me.

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