The Sword of the Spirit

For the next few weeks, our ministry will be covering the topic of spiritual warfare from the epistle of Ephesians. This epistle is a GREAT call to work, meaning live worthy of our call. To do this requires us to continually be arrayed with spiritual armor. This message is about “The Sword of the Spirit”, using the New King James Version for text.

Ephesians 6:17: “And the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God”

The sixth piece of armor that Paul mentions in Ephesians 6 is the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Paul mentions many defensive pieces of the armor of God, but only one was an offensive weapon – the sword.

Let’s look at Judges 7, which records the story of Gideon and his 300 men.

The people of Israel had done evil by practicing idolatry, worshipping pagan gods, and the Lord had delivered the people into the hands of the Midianites for seven years. The people cried out to the Lord for deliverance and God instructed Gideon to deliver His people from the Midianites. Gideon raised an army of 32,000 troops and prepared to do battle against the Midianites, but God was about to show all just how powerful a God He is! “And the Lord said to Gideon, The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying 'My own hand has saved me'.” (Judges 7:2) So 22,000 men departed, and left 10,000 troops, to fight. “But the Lord said to Gideon, 'The people are still too many, bring them down to the water, and I will test them for you there.” (Judges 7:4) So, Gideon and his troops went down to the well of Harod, and those who knelt and drank the waters were dismissed from service, but those men that lapped the waters with their tongues, like dogs, remained to do battle. So, in this way, God reduced Gideon’s troops to only 300 men to face the Midianites in battle!

Now, the camp of Midian was in a valley with Gideon, and his 300 troops were in the surrounding hills. So, on the night before battle, Gideon and his servant went down into the Midianite camp to scope out the enemy strength. And what they saw must have struck fear into their hearts! “Now the Midianites and the Amalekites, all the people of the East, were lying in the valley as numerous as locusts; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the seashore in multitude.” (Judges 7:12) But Gideon worshipped the Lord and was assured that God would deliver the Midianites into Israel’s hands. Gideon had to trust God and fight by faith or not at all.

So, in the middle of the night, Gideon and his three hundred troops descended into the valley where the Midianites were camped. Than, the unthinkable happened. Gideon’s men, armed only with trumpets in one hand, and lighted torches in jars in the other, came into the enemy’s camp. They broke the jars so the torch lights shown brightly about them, blew the trumpets, shouted “The sword of the Lord and of Gideon,” (Judges 7:20) and routed the Midianites. The enemy fled before Gideon and his army of three hundred men!

This story illustrates an invaluable lesson: It is God who gives the victory. His sword will deliver us. And God’s sword is His word. “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) And we know that it is not a “physical” sword we yield; “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10: 4-5)

Unlike all the other pieces of the armor of God, which are used only for defense, the sword is suited for both defensive and offensive roles. A solid defense is invaluable, but the sword is the only way we can complete the work laid out to us by God. Christ used the Bible to counter Satan’s attacks when He was led into the wilderness. “But He answered and said, “It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'” (Matthew 4: 4)

Swords are used for close combat, and as Christians, we must experience various trials - get up close and personal - as we carry the battle to the enemy. “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” (James 1: 2-4)

So, let’s stand on the promises of God. “But he who endures to the end shall be saved.” (Mathew 24:13). “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)

Paul only lists one weapon because we only need one weapon: There is no enemy the Word of God, coupled with His Spirit, cannot defeat. Amen and amen.

~ Mike West