“And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,” Ephesians 6:17
October 16, 2023
When Jesus confronted the devil in the wilderness (Matt. 4:1-11), He fought him with Scripture. Here is our example for hand to hand combat with Satan who uses temptation, stealth, and deception to overcome us. The sword of the Roman soldier for close battle was the machaira, a short two-edged sword effective for cut and thrust warfare. It was carried in a sheath or scabbard attached to the belt. It was always at hand ready for use. Our sword for offensive and defensive purposes is God’s Word, the Bible. It is the Holy Spirit who makes it effective. The sword of the Spirit keeps back the enemy as a whole, not just some special method of attack. Is the Bible ready at hand in your day to day life? Are you memorizing Scripture? This is a daily discipline which is vital to a biblically nimble mind as we are called upon to speak truth to relational conflicts, to resist clever arguments which contradict truth, to fight back when sexual lust is pressing in upon us. We must develop the ability to interpret and properly use the Bible. Error comes into our lives and our churches when our chief weapon is inaccessible. The Bible is not a mere human document. The Holy Spirit is its author. It is absolutely trustworthy.
H
“Thank you, Lord, for your all-sufficient Word. Renew in me the determination to be excellently steeped in the knowledge of every part of your Word.”