Wield Your Sword of the Spirit - the Word of God
Wield Your Sword of the Spirit – the Word of God
Have you been pushed to the wall by Satan to be tempted and tested? Well, Jesus was and He is our example. How did Jesus respond? “It is written” simple. Listen to the conversation: “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” 4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” You can read the rest of the account in Matthew 4 and Luke 4. In Luke, it says, “13 Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time”.
If Jesus faced temptation and testing so must we His followers. Satan and his demons don’t not give up easily because they will come back at “an opportune time”. Satan came back for Jesus at Gethsemane wanting Jesus not to go to the Cross. Jesus said, Father, your will be done and it was done. If Jesus the Son of God used the Word of God, so must we.
It is war time. Let’s wield the sword and do not spare. We are still in our spiritual warfare mode. We are to put on the whole armor of God so we can stand and not be pushed to the ground by Satan.
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age,[c] against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit. Ephesians 6:10-18.
Sword of the Spirit – the Word of God – “this was a small sword kept close to the soldier. It is the only offensive weapon.” Note that it is a small sword for ease of usage and thrust to defeat the enemy at close range. When Satan gets on your face, you will need the Word. Do you have a better plan to counter Satan? I hope not. Here is how we overcome Satan:
““Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death”. Revelation 12:10-11.
For us to properly wield the sword of the Spirit, the word of God, we must know the Word enough to use it. The devil also knows the word but often misquote it. We must therefore “15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
We can take from God’s charge to Joshua in leading the people and taking on their enemies on the way to the promised land. “8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do” (Joshua 1:8 NLT).
Do you and I want to prosper and succeed in our daily living to defeat Satan and his lies and tricks? We must study, meditate and obey God’s word. It is not enough to quote scripture against the devil when we are not living out and obeying the Word. Satan laughs at such foolishness. Apostle James calls such deceiving oneself and being just hearers instead of “doers” of the Word.
We must caution against those “machine-like-scripture-spewing- so- called -Christians who name and claim anything and everything in the Word of God. Their favorite misquoted verse is we call into existence things that are not as if they exist. The correct scripture is: “27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; ... and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are”. 1 Corinthians 1:27
God is the only one who calls things into existence and not you or me. We believe and trust in the God of the impossible, for with God all things are possible. The Word of God is God himself. May God’s Word be sufficient in all our situations.
Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Lord, shine the light of your word to me. Open my eyes and heart to your word that I may comprehend. Like Paul prayed. “17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. Ephesians 1:17-18.
Let’s “pull down every stronghold” of the mind. “4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” 2 Corinthians 10:3
What is the present lie of Satan you need to cast down? Is it that God is not sufficient for you?
May the Lord grant you and me the insatiable desire for His Word. Let’s use it against every doubt, lies and tricks of Satan. Having done all things to keep standing in Jesus, who is the Word that became flesh.
Have you been pushed to the wall by Satan to be tempted and tested? Well, Jesus was and He is our example. How did Jesus respond? “It is written” simple. Listen to the conversation: “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” 4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” You can read the rest of the account in Matthew 4 and Luke 4. In Luke, it says, “13 Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time”.
If Jesus faced temptation and testing so must we His followers. Satan and his demons don’t not give up easily because they will come back at “an opportune time”. Satan came back for Jesus at Gethsemane wanting Jesus not to go to the Cross. Jesus said, Father, your will be done and it was done. If Jesus the Son of God used the Word of God, so must we.
It is war time. Let’s wield the sword and do not spare. We are still in our spiritual warfare mode. We are to put on the whole armor of God so we can stand and not be pushed to the ground by Satan.
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age,[c] against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit. Ephesians 6:10-18.
Sword of the Spirit – the Word of God – “this was a small sword kept close to the soldier. It is the only offensive weapon.” Note that it is a small sword for ease of usage and thrust to defeat the enemy at close range. When Satan gets on your face, you will need the Word. Do you have a better plan to counter Satan? I hope not. Here is how we overcome Satan:
““Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death”. Revelation 12:10-11.
For us to properly wield the sword of the Spirit, the word of God, we must know the Word enough to use it. The devil also knows the word but often misquote it. We must therefore “15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
We can take from God’s charge to Joshua in leading the people and taking on their enemies on the way to the promised land. “8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do” (Joshua 1:8 NLT).
Do you and I want to prosper and succeed in our daily living to defeat Satan and his lies and tricks? We must study, meditate and obey God’s word. It is not enough to quote scripture against the devil when we are not living out and obeying the Word. Satan laughs at such foolishness. Apostle James calls such deceiving oneself and being just hearers instead of “doers” of the Word.
We must caution against those “machine-like-scripture-spewing- so- called -Christians who name and claim anything and everything in the Word of God. Their favorite misquoted verse is we call into existence things that are not as if they exist. The correct scripture is: “27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; ... and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are”. 1 Corinthians 1:27
God is the only one who calls things into existence and not you or me. We believe and trust in the God of the impossible, for with God all things are possible. The Word of God is God himself. May God’s Word be sufficient in all our situations.
Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Lord, shine the light of your word to me. Open my eyes and heart to your word that I may comprehend. Like Paul prayed. “17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. Ephesians 1:17-18.
Let’s “pull down every stronghold” of the mind. “4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” 2 Corinthians 10:3
What is the present lie of Satan you need to cast down? Is it that God is not sufficient for you?
May the Lord grant you and me the insatiable desire for His Word. Let’s use it against every doubt, lies and tricks of Satan. Having done all things to keep standing in Jesus, who is the Word that became flesh.
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