Ephesians 6:17 (AMP)
17 And take the helmet of salvation and THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, which is the Word of God.
The sword is an offensive weapon, unlike the breastplate and the shield which are there to protect and shield you from what the enemy throws your way, the sword is what you use to attack. When Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil, we see the sword of the spirit in action. Jesus attacked every temptation that the devil threw His way by quoting the word of God. Even when the devil tried to twist the word to temp Jesus, he did not succeed because Jesus knew what the word said in full and not just in part, and so he was able to attack back.
One of the challenges that many Christians face today is that we have a weapon that we do not know how to handle and use. There we are in the battlefield with a weapon that the enemy is scared off because he knows that he stands no chance against it, but he has bound so many of us in ignorance that we do not understand the power of the weapon we hold in our hands. God says in his word that my people perish because of lack of knowledge. Any time we show interest and zeal in picking up the word of God to study it and to activate it in our lives; the enemy brings all sorts of distractions along our way because he knows if we can master this weapon, then he stands no chance!
2 Timothy 2:15 (AMP)
15 Study and do your best to present yourself to God approved, a workman [tested by trial] who has no reason to be ashamed, accurately handling and skillfully teaching the word of truth.
These are the words of Paul to Timothy whom he was mentoring in the faith and the same words apply to us today. In the same way that no man goes out into the battlefield without a weapon that he understands and knows how to use, we should also walk in the same manner.
Hebrews 4:12 Amplified Bible (AMP)
12 For the word of God is living and active and full of power [making it operative, energizing, and effective]. It is sharper than any two-edged [a]sword, penetrating as far as the division of the [b]soul and spirit [the completeness of a person], and of both joints and marrow [the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and judging the very thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Not only do we use it to attack but as we read and master it, it also works on us cutting away at the thoughts and intents of our hearts and shaping us into God’s image in the same way a sculptor uses an instrument to chip away at a block of wood to bring out a magnificent piece of art.
Reflective Questions
What is your greatest challenge when it comes to reading the Bible?
How will you overcome that challenge?
Thy word have I hidden in my heart that I may not sin against you…. Are you deliberate about memorizing scripture? If not, commit to start today.
