Eld Chew Chong Kiat

Ephesians 6:17b And the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

1. Introduction

Of all the pieces of armour adorned by the Christian soldier, the sword is the only piece used in defense and attack, to hold ground and advance the Kingdom of God.

The Word of God is likened to the sword of the Spirit. This is because the Holy Spirit is the Author (2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:21); He gives the Word and the understanding; He empowers His children to stand against their enemies, build up one another in the faith and lead the lost to Christ by this sword.

This sword is not the broad long sword, but about 18 inches long, carried by the soldier’s side. Every soldier trains hard to use it well in close combat. Likewise, the soldier of Christ must be well versed in the Scriptures, hiding the Word of God in his heart, and having the spiritual understanding to employ it skillfully in spiritual battle.  Just having the perfect Bible at hand is useless. He must be skillful, rightly dividing the Word and must not be a babe in Christ. (Hebrew 5:13, 2Timothy 2:15) No one trusts a babe to hold a sharp sword!

2. Relation of the Word of God to Other Pieces of Armour

You must know and obey the Word to be truthful, sincere and righteous. The gospel by which you derive your peace is based on the Word of God. When temptations come like fiery darts, you will take to yourself the shield of faith by trusting in God’s Word. You will don the helmet when you doubt your salvation by resting in the promises of God’s Word. 

3. How the Word of God is a Defensive Weapon

It dispels doubts, drives fears away, overcomes temptations, preserves from sin, and sanctifies. Faith and the Word are inseparable, for faith that defends like a shield is faith in the Word; we cannot profit from God’s Word without faith.  (Hebrew 4:2, Romon 10:17).

4. How the Word of God is an Offensive Weapon

When souls are led to the Saviour and are saved from their sins to live in holiness, thanksgiving and praise, it demonstrates the offensiveness of the weapon against the gates of hell, and the tyranny and bondage of sin. We use the Word of God to fight the good fight of faith, gain victory, win souls to Christ and purge a soul from sin. 

God’s Word judges (discerns) the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Hebrews 4:12). When you share the Word with others, God’s judgement will bear on their lives, and the Spirit will open their hearts and discern their thoughts and intents and show them their sin and guilt before God. (1 Corinthians 14:24-25)

5. Inherent qualities of the Word of God

a) Infallible – no mistakes, including all that it teaches.

b) Inerrant – no factual error, historically, scientifically, spiritually, perfect in every jot and title. “Every word of God [is] pure” (Proverbs 30:5)

c) Complete – nothing needs to be added or taken from it. “Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.” (Proverbs 30:6; Revelation 22:18-19)

d) Sufficient – enough to direct us in all matters of faith and practice. (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

e) Authoritative – it is binding on all of us; we should yield in complete obedience and perform all it requires.

f) Efficacious – “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper [in the thing] whereto I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11)

g) Determinative – a person’s response to it reveals his or her relationship with God. “He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear [them] not, because ye are not of God.” (John 8:47) An unbeliever might have the Bible, but he doesn’t have within him the Holy Spirit to teach him. “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:14)

6. How to Use this Sword of the Spirit

Let’s learn from our Lord Jesus' encounter with Satan in Matthew 4:1-11.

Christ entered not into an extended dialogue. Neither did he condemn or bind the devil. He responded each time by using the sword of the Spirit, resting upon the infallible Word of God.

“It is written, ….”; “It is written again,…”; “Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written…” (v4,7,10)  Christ successfully resisted Satan by resting in God’s Word, and the devil fled. (James 4:7)

Let us learn from Christ to have the wisdom to apply the specific Word of God to the specific temptation. It won’t help to hold the Bible in the hand and read any passage. Christ completely trusted God’s Word and Satan could not make any headway. We must be ready to apply the Word whenever the world, the flesh, and the devil choose to attack. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another…” (Colossian 3:16)) Christ not only knows the Scriptures, He believes in them. The Word of God is the only effective weapon in times of temptation.  

Let me conclude with this illustration by John MacArthur:

A man described 3 things in a garden: a butterfly, a botanist and a bee. The butterfly moved from one attractive flower to another, seeing and touching many lovely blossoms but deriving no benefit from them. Next comes a Botanist with a large notebook and microscope. He spent much time over each flower and plant and made copious notes of each, and when he is finished, his knowledge is shut away in his notebook, and very little of it remained.  Then came the bee, entering into a flower here and there and spending time in each, emerging from each blossom laden with pollen. It went in empty and came out full.  

Some read the Bible like the butterfly, flitting from one favourite passage to another but getting very little. Others study and take notes like the botanist, but do not apply them, therefore, their learning is shut away with their books. Others, like the bee, spend time over the Word, reading, marking, and inwardly digesting and applying it. Their minds are filled with wisdom, and their lives with heavenly sweetness.  Which of the three are you like?  May we all be like the bee. Amen.