“And take…the sword of the Spirit,
which is the word of God;” Ephesians 6:17b
Fellow soldiers, we have come to a military metaphor in the New Testament which is not difficult to interpret because we are told exactly what the sword of the Spirit is—it is the Word of God! The pieces of equipment in the complete armor of God spoken about up to now in Ephesians chapter 6 have been defensive. They protect or support the warfighter. The sword here is the Roman gladius issued to every soldier. It is an offensive weapon that, unlike a javelin, dart, or arrow which are used at a distance, is used when the soldier comes close to the enemy.
The Word of God is an offensive weapon against temptation
The sword of the Spirit is a spiritual offensive weapon given to every believer by the Holy Spirit of God to be used when (among other times) engaged in spiritual warfare with our adversary, Satan. The Scripture is our primary weapon when confronting temptation to sin. Jesus used the Word of God when He was tempted in the desert. (Matthew 4:4,7,10) May God’s Word reside in our hearts so firmly that we can pull it out at a moment’s notice and fight off any spiritual attack. (Deuteronomy 30:14; Psalm 119:11)
The Word of God convicts of sin
God’s Word is invaluable when the enemy gets past our defenses. Overt temptations are sometimes the easiest to repel by recalling a timely verse from the Bible. More difficult to fight off are the subtle, inner temptations that we don’t see or might not even be aware of. In this case, God’s Word serves as a finely honed blade to expose our sin and bring us to repentance. The power and precision of the Sword of the Spirit protects us within, but only if we use it!
“For the word of God is living and powerful,
and sharper than any two-edged sword,
piercing even to the division of soul and spirit,
and of joints and marrow,
and is a discerner of the thoughts
and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12
The Word of God is an instrument of judgment
A spiritual sword wielded in judgment by Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is a terrifying image that is expressed five times in the book of Revelation. Each time, the glorified Christ is pictured with a two-edged sword in His mouth to emphasize that the Incarnate Word (John 1:1,4; I John 1:1) is coming to judge the world with the words of His mouth. (John 5:22; 9:39; 12:47-48)
“He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.” 1:16
“And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write, ‘These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword…’” 2:12
“Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.” 2:16
“Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” 19:15
“And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse…” 19:21
God will accomplish His purpose
Like a soldier’s sword that is solid metal and will never fail him, the Word of God is reliable and guaranteed to always accomplish the purpose that God intends, whether to combat temptation, reveal the innermost thoughts of the heart, or to judge all mankind in the final judgment.
“So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”
Isaiah 55:11
Be alert! Grab your sword! March on!