“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Ephesians 6:10-17
If you’ve been a Christian any length of time you can attest to the battle that Satan brings against the followers of Christ. I find comfort in knowing that God has provided everything we need to stand strong in the battle and emerge victorious! You may notice in this passage that there is only one offensive weapon mentioned, the “sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Jesus demonstrated use of this “sword” when He was led into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Each time Satan tempted Jesus to sin, Jesus quoted the word of God. Jesus won that battle as Satan eventually gave up and left Him. Just as foolish as it would be for a soldier to enter battle without a weapon, it’s equally foolish for you and I to face the challenges and battles of life without the word of God.
Paul told Timothy that “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17) The Bible is not just another book written by man, it’s the inspired word of God! Think about it, the God of all creation, author of life, the supreme authority took the time to write a book and make sure that you and I received a copy! The more I read the Bible, the more I desire it. I’ve found that it has the answer to every question I’ve ever contemplated. It gives me wisdom, strength, direction and courage over and over again and offers me comfort and hope every time I need it. It is powerful and relevant! The writer of Hebrews put it this way, “For the word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword.”
The book of Nehemiah presents a fantastic formula for pressing on and finding success despite the attack of the enemy. In chapter 4 we read, “Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked…neither I nor my brothers nor my men nor the guards with me took off our clothes; each had his weapon, even when he went for water.” When you are getting hammered by the enemy it is so important to keep your sword close by! Do your work with one hand and keep the “sword of the Spirit” in the other! Never let the word of God be far from you….read it, think about it, talk about it, pray through it, memorize it! You will find it to be relevant, active and alive every time!
If you’re new to the Bible or if you’ve been reading it for many years as I have, my prayer for you is that you will pick it up, read it, and never want to put it down. If you want to change your life….if you want to be victorious….it’s time to grip the sword!