Ephesians 6:10-18
Verse 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Today we begin on our sixth and final piece of armor and the only piece whose sole purpose is offensive. While the shield can be used for pushing the enemy back, only the sword is designed to inflict life changing damage. The sword of the Spirit is such an important part of the Christian life and yet is sadly one of the most neglected.
The sword Paul would likely been envisioning would have been the Roman sword of the time. A blade between 6-18 inches long which was held in front of the soldier, blade parallel to the ground. While marching forward their blade would be sticking out past their shields helping push the enemy into retreat. It would also be used to defend swords being wielded against them.
This sword in our spiritual armor is also offensive. As Christianity has come to be known more as a passive religion it should be obvious to us it is because we are not using our offensive weapon. Just as a chef needs to learn the proper way of holding knives so they don’t cut off their fingers or cut themselves elsewhere, a soldier has to learn the proper way of handling their sword. This takes great training and practice as well as studying to know the various ways the sword can be used.
The spiritual equivalents to the sword are the Gospel and the Word of God. We mentioned above how these seem to be neglected by Christians in today’s society. The influence society has on the church has Christians putting less value on Scripture and more on what the world thinks is right and true. This is why this weapon is needed now more than ever.
Many have started believing the sayings of the world are Scripture. Phrases like, “follow your heart,” “we are all God’s children,” “we all just need to get along,” “everyone goes to heaven” or many other things which may feel good but actually go against the teaching of the Bible are said frequently, not just in society but sadly also in churches. It is important we learn how to use the sword well and be willing to pick it up. This means having a proper understanding of the Gospel and our need of being very familiar with Scripture.
Making It Personal
Do you feel like you have a solid understanding of the Gospel? How familiar are you with Scripture? Does Scripture hold an important place in your life?
Making It Personal Kids
What is the Gospel? How do you feel about the Bible? Do you memorize verses so you know them well?
Closing Prayer
Father, thank You for giving us this important piece of armor. Help us to see the need for it in our lives and teach us how to use it well. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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