The Whole Armor of God: The Sword of the Spirit

Name of Assembly: United Apostolic Church
Type of Service: Bible Study
Date: April 6, 2021
Series Topic: The Whole Armor of God
Lesson 6: The Sword of the Spirit
Scripture Text: Ephesians 6:10-18

10 “And Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.”– Ephesians 6:10-18

INTRODUCTION

The sixth piece of armor Paul mentions in Ephesians 6 is "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." By using the phrase “the sword of the Spirit,” Paul means that the sword comes from the Spirit.

The Bible, in Judges 7, records the story of Gideon and his 300 men:

Gideon and 32,000 Israelite troops gathered near the Midianite camp, but they were severely outnumbered by their 135,000 oppressors. Gideon was ready to do battle, but God had other plans. He was about to show His people just how powerful a God He was.

God told Gideon to let anyone who was afraid of the upcoming battle return home. Twenty-two thousand men took the opportunity to leave their ranks, leaving only 10,000 remainings. But God was looking for a smaller group still.

God then told Gideon to have the remainder drink from the spring, and all those who lapped the water like a dog would remain, while the rest were sent home. Finally, with only 300 men, Gideon and his little army surrounded the Midianites. On signal, they blew trumpets, broke the pitchers covering their torches, and shouted, "The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!" (Judges 7:20).

Then the unthinkable happened. These 300 men—holding not swords, but torches and trumpets—routed the entire Midianite camp. Scripture records that God "and the Lord set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host" (Judges 7:22). So, before the Israelites even had a chance to reach for swords, God plunged the enemy camp into chaos and
wild defeat. The Israelites were delivered from their foes by a miracle.

This famous story illustrates an invaluable lesson: It is God who gives the victory. His sword is
what will deliver us.

Taking the Sword

Can you imagine a soldier carefully putting on each piece of armor to protect himself and then going into battle without a weapon? That would be suicidal! While David could go up against Goliath without wearing Saul’s armor, he had to take his weapon! While the other pieces of armor that we have considered were necessary to protect the soldier from the enemy’s attacks, they could not kill the enemy. Only the sword could do that. The soldier without a sword wouldn’t last a minute if the enemy got close enough for hand to hand combat. The sword shows us that Satan doesn’t just shoot at us from a distance. He
also moves in close to kill. To survive and conquer, we must take and be able to use the sword.

What Purpose did the Sword serve in the Roman Army?

The Roman gladius has become known as "the sword that conquered the world." The prowess of the gladius in close-range combat made it a fearsome tool in the hand of a skilled Roman warrior. When sharpened, its dual edges wreaked havoc on unarmored foes, while its tapered point could pierce through even heavy metal armor.

A Roman infantryman would go into battle armed with more than just his gladius. He would also
have:

• A dagger (pugio)
• Several one-time use spears (pila)
• and lead-weighted darts (plumbatae)

However, the sword was his main means of attack. The sword is the only weapon Paul lists as part of the Christian arsenal.

The Word of God is a weapon. This is critical to understand. When you read the Word of God, study it and meditate on it—you’re reading a battle plan. You’re studying your weapon. Just as with any weapon, it takes training and practice before the battle to know how to use it properly.

What is the Word of God?

“14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” – 2 Timothy 3:14-17.

The Bible isn’t a collection of men’s ideas about God, nor is it a guidebook for living that people developed over the centuries. It is the Word of God–and that makes all the difference. This means the Bible is our authority in every matter. This means the Bible is our guide to show us how to live. Most of all, this means the Bible is our instructor, teaching us about God and His
plan of salvation through Jesus Christ.

The Old Testament points toward Christ’s coming; the New Testament tells of His arrival. From Genesis to Revelation we see God’s great plan unfold–His plan to win a lost humanity back to Himself. The central theme of the Bible is salvation, and the central personality of the Bible is Jesus Christ.

The Bible is God’s gift to us. It came from God, and it points us to God. The Bible says of itself, “16All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 KJV).

Internal Definitions:

• Psalm 119:105 – “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

God's Word illuminates. It reveals to us the good and the bad, the wise and the unwise. It is
the ultimate tool in learning how to live the best possible life, free from the restraints of
sin.

• John 17:17, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”

God's Word is truth, plain and simple! We can have perfect confidence in the fact that His words are accurate, true, and unerring. When followed, they guide us without fail in the paths that we need to walk.

We can be destroyed by lack of the knowledge of God, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children” - Hosea 4:6. However, we will be blessed if we hear and keep the Word of God,
“27 And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. 28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it” - Luke 11:28.

We must also remember that this knowledge is not just for us. “15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” -1 Peter 3:15.

• Psalm 119:9, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word.”

God's Word has the necessary properties to cleanse those who apply it to their lives.

How can we be saved from behaviors and tendencies that have the ability to destroy us?

1. 1. We must accept that our ways are impure; and how abominable this must make us appear in the sight of God.
   2. We must examine our iniquity according to God's word, and carefully hear what God has said concerning us and it.
   3. We must take heed to His Word so that we will be free from all defilement.

• Psalm 119:11, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”

The story is told about a little girl who was traveling on a train and couldn’t understand why the train attendant was going through the cars lighting the lamps. She said, “Mother, it is the middle of the day and the sun is shining, why is he turning on those lights?” The mother smiled, and said, “Wait a bit and you’ll see what the lights are for.” In a moment or
two the train plunged into a long, dark tunnel, and then the little girl saw the wisdom of the lamp-lighting process.

You may not now see why God has gone to all the “trouble” of lighting those lamps of truth in the Bible, but someday you’re going into the tunnel of temptation, or the tunnel of suffering, and then you will value and appreciate the verses that appear to be commonplace today.

• Isaiah 40:7-8, “7 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand forever.”

God's Word is eternal!

• Psalm 18:30, “30 As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.”

God's Word is tested and proven, and He will be a defender of all those who trust in him.

• Psalm 33:4, “For the word of the Lord is right; and all his works are done in truth.”

God's Word is always right even when we do not understand what He is doing.

Why a Sword?

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” - Hebrews 4:12.

The all-powerful sword of the living God is able to cut through every defense our enemy can raise. When wielded by a servant of God, nothing can withstand its ability to cut straight to the core of a matter and uncover the truth. As soldiers in God's army, it is our responsibility and duty to use His Word to discern the truth and then follow it. When God's Word shows us something
wrong in ourselves, we can use this spiritual weapon to "surgically" remove the offending thoughts and actions. “3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 6And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled” 2 Corinthians 10:4-5.

Unlike all other pieces of the armor of God, which are solely defensive, the sword is uniquely suited for both defensive and offensive roles. A solid defense is invaluable, but the sword is the only way we can complete the work we have been given to do.

Close Combat

Swords are used for close combat, not long-range warfare.

As Christians, we are engaged in close combat. So we must ensure that our defense is impenetrable so that our vital organs are protected. Additionally, we must know how to use the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.

Paul understood how important it is to be properly prepared for battle and in Acts 14:22 he spent time, “Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God."

James 1:2-4 tells us that the Christian’s mindset is critical in the fight of faith, “ 2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”

The Romans relied in part on assailing their enemy from a distance with javelins and darts, but God does not give us that option as Christian soldiers. If we were able to fight our battles from a distance, we would never experience an actual trial. At first glance, that might not seem like such a bad thing. But when we stop to consider that without trials, there is no growth, and without growth, we will not be able to enter God's Kingdom, we see that trials, however uncomfortable, are essential in our journeys as Christians. After all, the promises of Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 26, and 3:5, 12, and 21 are given only "to him that overcometh."

• “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God” – Revelation 2:7.
• “11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death” – Revelation 2:11.
• “17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it” – Revelation 2:17.
• “26And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations” – Revelation 2:26.
• “5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels” – Revelation 3:5.
• “12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name” – Revelation 3:12.
• “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne” – Revelation 3:21.

Conclusion

Paul only list one weapon because we only need one to guarantee victory. There is no enemy the Word of God cannot defeat. And so, armed with our sword, we step out to fight our enemies head-on.

Our future in God's Kingdom is on the line, and we take up the battle so that we may hold fast to the future He has promised us.

What promises can we stand on?

• Matthew 24:13, “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”
• Romans 8:31, “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?”

We fight knowing the end of the story. Two of the many powerful and sure promises in God's Word tell us that if we remain dedicated to God and His Word, we will make it to the end, and we will be saved. There is no doubt in this statement. God's promises are as sure as the one He told Isaiah: "... Yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it" Isaiah 46:11.

So take up your sword. The battle is ours.