v.17b – “the sword of the Spirit, the word of God”
The Lord Himself exemplified this statement perfectly during His three-fold temptation. Three times He quoted the Word of God, and not just random statements, but verses to fit the occasion. In the end gained victory over Satan. If you want to know the WILL of God, you must know the WORD of God! How have you used a spiritual weapon(s) to help demolish bitterness in your life?
It is in this final section of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church at Ephesus that he declares the reason for the urgency of his sermon. He says that Christ-exalting lives do not just happen AND opposition is certain. Paul acknowledges the existence of evil and reminds his readers that they have an enemy who hates them desperately and wants them to fail. This final challenge was meant to inspire and motivate his readers to action- the doctrinal instruction is over, now let’s go and live it! What is clear throughout, however, is Paul’s clear teaching that the battle cannot be won without help.
If you are looking for meaning and purpose, and a sense of belonging, look no further. You are already a part of something big, something special. You are a member of a body committed to serve each other, to love each other and to which has Christ Himself as its head. You need only accept it. We are on the verge of a godless America. We are on the verge of persecution in the church. We are on the verge of no longer needing to search out the pockets – we ourselves will become the pockets! And on that day, what an advantage it will be for us to be a part of the true church!
Ephesians 6:17-20 – The Whole Armor: Helmet and Sword Pt. 2
This is post #6 of 6 in the series “Ephesians 6: The Whole Armor” (http://shortdailydevotions.com/devotions/ephesians-617-20-the-whole-armor-helmet-and-sword-pt-2)
Daily Devotional Bible Verse:
“and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.” (Ephesians 6:17-20 ESV)
“It is written.” Those words were the swish of the spirit’s sword cutting through the air, as Jesus repelled temptation in Matthew chapter 4, assailing the assailant. The word of God is our great defender and powerful companion. God’s words are not like ours. His spoken words brought the universe into being. With his breath, he breathed life into our lungs and a soul into our bodies. His words are potent and eternally powerful. They accomplish all of his purposes (Isaiah 46:11).
You see, when we make promises or talk about our future plans, we are simply conveying an idea from one person to another. What we say does not guarantee that the action we had spoken of will come to pass, and many times we may say “Oh, those were just empty words.” God’s words, however, are never empty and they will not return void (Isaiah 55:11). In essence; when God speaks, things happen because there is power in His voice, and His “ideas” (for lack of a better term). In fact, his “Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14), literally his heart for humanity became physically tangible. His “Word” for us became a living man; Jesus. God’s word is infinitely powerful, and a weapon that is made readily available to the believer by the Holy Spirit. The whole armor is secured upon us as we make “prayer and supplication”, and when that armor is united with the weapon of the Word, the gates of hell will surely fail against us.
Be confident today in God’s word as a powerful weapon, trusting that it always accomplishes it’s purpose. You are a warrior of the faith!
