Last week we reviewed all the defensive weapons of the armor of God. Did you notice that we saved for this week the most important weapon (in my estimation), an offensive weapon provided by God? Without looking, can you name it?
The Sword of the Spirit! Right! Our most effective offensive weapon is the sword of the spirit which is the Word of God. The Sword of the Spirit, which we carry in our hand. The only weapon not worn. The Sword of the Spirit, which when wielded properly, is the most efficient and effective tool we can use against the enemy. A tool that cuts him down and leaves him powerless.
Jesus gives us the best illustration of how to brandish this weapon in Matthew 4:1-11:
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil.
For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry.
During that time the devil came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.”
But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Then the devil took him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order his angels to protect you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’”
Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.’”
Next the devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. “I will give it all to you,” he said, “if you will kneel down and worship me.”
“Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’”
Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus.
Three times Jesus dealt counteroffensive blows to Satan by using the Word of God. Not random scriptures, but specific strikes to the body of the enemy demolishing his argument. Jesus used scripture as revelation not a reaction to His circumstances and do you see what happened? “…the devil went away…”
C.S. Lewis said:
I used to believe that most spiritual battles happened outside situations, circumstances, and people, but I’ve learned that some of the fiercest wars are fought in silence, in the private corridors of our minds and the weapons God gave me to win them is not louder or by more effort or sharper argument, it is the truth. The scripture calls God’s word the sword of the spirit — now I understand why — when fear creeps in like a fox and old lies hiss in the dark like a serpent, it is not emotion or opinion that silences them, it is the Voice of God spoke through a mind that has been trained by His Word. Not by might or striving but by the gentle transformation of your mind by God.
“Not by power, not by might, but by my spirit says the Lord of Armies.”
Zechariah 4:6
What’s Lewis saying here? He’s saying the spiritual battle is fought in our minds. That’s where right and wrong meet. That’s where pride and humility meet. That’s where fear and peace meet. That’s where lies and truth meet. The only thing that can silence and dissipate those skirmishes is the Word of God. Not by trying harder, thinking better thoughts, striving to change an attitude, but by the transformative power of the Spirit of the Lord of Armies.
But, man-oh-man, isn’t it hard to consistently get that Word of God into us? Yes!!! But look, the more we repeat the Word the more we become like the God of the Word. It’s not easy. Look at verse 11: “…and angels came and took care of Jesus.”
Reading God’s Word, memorizing God’s Word, repeating God’s Word is not useless. The Spirit will bring the Word to mind at the exact moment we are to strike or soothe, but only if we have stored it in our hearts. Using my Sword of the Spirit repeatedly will eventually become instinctive, not just something I pull out to fight a battle, but something I have become.
The mind God gave us was not meant to be a battleground of confusion, it was meant to be a sanctuary of truth. Repeating God’s Word renews our souls. If the Word is in me than my mouth is not merely a decoration it is a weapon!
I heard that we need to stop listening to ourselves and start talking to ourselves. Stop listening, start talking. Stop listening to what our minds are saying and start repeating what the Word is saying. Talk truth to yourself, don’t listen to lies you tell yourself.
You see, all the instructions, commands, truths and promises in the Word of God are not to burden or overwhelm me, but to anchor me. In the absence of God’s voice, other voices will take over my mind. The voice of anger. The voice of fear. The voice of bitterness. The voice of shame. You name your voice.
Spiritual warfare is not our battle to fight, it is the Lord’s battle. We are soldiers in the battle, and our preparation and effective use of the tools He has already given to us will determine how we fare in the war.
Jesus taught us in word and in action how the battle will be won. Jesus too clothes himself with every piece of armor, including the Sword of the Spirit, and we see what happens when He used His one offensive weapon, the one He carried in His hand, The Word of God.
So, we get dressed in our fatigues, put on our gear, and study, and learn, and memorize the Word of God for just such occasions, but how does it work? With one more weapon…PRAYER.
The Word becomes a sword when prayed. Prayer is not a piece of armor—it is the force that makes the armor effective. The belt, the breastplate, the helmet, the shoes, the shield, the sword do not function without clear, constant communication with our Commander. Prayer is our supply line, our guide, our strength, our communication. Prayer is not a piece of the armor; it is the POWER of the armor.
The battle belongs to the Lord, as believers, we are in the Lord’s Army. We must be prepared to thrust with precision and accuracy the Sword of the Spirit. But we cannot use this handheld weapon if we do not take it out of its sheath. Pick up the Sword of the Spirit, Open the Word of God.
Memorize:
Nahum 1:7
Psalm 18:39
Psalm 34:1-3
Psalm 121:1-2
Psalm 40:17
Psalm 37:25
Psalm 29:9-11
Psalm 18:30
Psalm 34:19
Philippians 2:3