In Part 7 we looked at the helmet of salvation. In today's message we'll be taking a look at the sword of the Spirit.
Ephesians 6:14-17
Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.
In battle the sword had a sharp blade used to strike, injure or kill the enemy in close combat. It's also the only offensive weapon in the collection of armour, whereas the majority of the others is used primarily for protective purposes. In the passage the scripture says that the sword of the Spirit is the word of God. Meaning that the offensive weapon that is to be used by the believer in their stand against the enemy, is the word of God.
Now when we say "word of God", what exactly are we referring to?
When I asked the Holy Spirit about this, I believe He led me to the below passage:
Matthew 7:24-27
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
Jesus says in the above passage that it's those who hear the word and do the word that build their house on the rock/solid ground, and are regarded as wise, whereas those who hear and don't do the word, their house is built on the sand and they're regarded as foolish. Notice that both sets of individuals heard the word, but the one obeyed and the other didn't. Therefore the difference in the two outcomes was determined, not by what they heard, but by their obedience.
What I believe the Holy Spirit wants to point out here is that when we say that the sword of the Spirit is the word of God, that it's referring to hearing and doing the word. This is the approach/act that puts the believer on the offensive ... not hearing only, but hearing and doing.
Let's look at some other scriptures that talk to this point:
Luke 6:46
“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?
John 13:17
If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
Luke 8:21
But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”
Luke 11:28
But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
Romans 2:13
For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.
James 2:14-16
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
James 1:22-25
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
2 Timothy 3:16,17
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Matthew 7:21
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
When we take a look at the above verse, it says that the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven is the one who enters the kingdom of heaven ... again, not the one who hears only, but the one who does ... this refers to the one who hears the word of God and chooses to put that word into practice. They seek His will, His way of doing things, His wisdom on matters, following His guidance, principles and teachings and seeks to implement them into every area of their lives (how they treat their spouse and children, how they conduct themselves in the workplace, what becomes a priority and what doesn't, what habits and disciplines they seek to implement, how they treat their fellow man, how they love, how they forgive, how they serve, how they give, how they steward the gifts and talents God has given them, etc.)
Therefore in the context of the armour/battle/taking a stand, this is how the word of God becomes an offensive weapon and strikes a blow to the enemy (Satan) - it's when we hear and do.
You see, Satan isn't necessarily threatened by the written Bible (the physical ink and paper), nor is he necessarily threatened by someone who knows about the word of God but does nothing about it. Rather, he's threatened by someone that puts God's word into practice.
For example, when Jesus gave the disciples the instruction to go into all the world and preach the gospel (Matthew 28:16-20, Mark 16:15-20, Acts 1:8), what good would've come from them just knowing about it, or having received the instruction/information on how to go about doing so, but then never actually go and do it. Where would Christianity be today if all the disciples did back then was to hear that instruction but then do nothing about it? ... So Satan has no problem with Christians hearing the word as long as they don't act on the word ... all he needs is for Christians to do nothing.
But thank God, the book of Acts is recorded because the disciples "Acted" ... We are here today (or Christianity is where it is today) because someone obeyed/acted on the instructions Jesus gave ... You're probably serving God today because someone obeyed that instruction and in some way, introduced you to Christ ... Aren't we grateful that instead of somebody just knowing that they needed to share the gospel, that they actually took the time and effort to reach out and act on that instruction ... our lives are forever changed because of that act of obedience.
This is how we strike a blow to the enemy. This is how we win the battle - by being a doer of the word!
There is no triumph, victory or success in sitting with information (or just hearing the word of God) - Rather, we enforce the victory of the resurrection by acting on the word of God, doing what it says, and bearing fruit that brings glory to God and draws others into knowing Him as well!
Yes, it's important to place ourselves in environments where we can hear and receive information (like attending church, reading the Bible, listening/watching Christian teachings, attending small group meetings, courses at church, etc.) for without the hearing, how would we know what to do/or what actions God requires from us, but what's key here, is that we must endeavour to act on what we hear.
It's like we know that eating healthy & exercise is good for us, but having all the information in the world about the benefits of eating healthy & exercising means very little if a person never actually puts it into practice. The success therefore, is found in the doing, not just the knowing (or the hearing of information).
So let us all be encourage to take a stand, taking up the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God - both to hear and to do it!
Amen