8/24/24 Sermon

The Sword of the Spirit

Ephesians 6:17 NIV

Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians The Armour of God (Ephesians 6:10–20)

There is the sword; and the sword is the word of God. The word of God is both our weapon of defence against sin and our weapon of attack against the sins of the world. During the English Civil War, Oliver Cromwell’s Ironsides fought with a sword in one hand and a Bible in the other. We can never win God’s battles without God’s book.

The Wesleyan Bible Commentary, Volume 5: Romans–Philemon 3. The Panoply of the Lord for the Evil Day Conflict (6:13–17)

The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God answers to the soldier’s chief weapon of both offense and defense. So the author of Hebrews declared that “the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow” (Heb. 4:12). This sword of the Spirit is effective only as it is directed by its author, the Holy Spirit, for it is His word-sword. Thus used, it is effective both for attack and for warding off the attacks of the devil. Christ so used it, and so may His followers (cf. John 14:10; Luke 1:37; 3:2; 4:4; Rom. 10:17; Heb. 6:5; 11:3).

The Annotated Bible, Volume 7: Romans to Ephesians 6. The Warfare and the Panoply of God (Chapter 6:10–20)

The Sword of the Spirit. It is the Word of God, the only offensive weapon mentioned in the armor of God. It is to meet the devil and to make him flee from us. How our blessed Lord wielded this sword in the wilderness, how He met the devil by a “It is written” is well known to every Christian. Was there ever a time when God’s people had greater need of laying hold with a firm grasp of the Sword of the Spirit? Satan has succeeded by his wiles to dull the edge of that sword. The enemy also perverts and counterfeits the Word. What need then that as never before we go “to the law and to the testimonies.” We must search the Word and have the Word search us. We must have the Word in our heart and our heart in the Word, and thus alone can we meet the enemy.

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament Chapter 6

the sword of the Spirit, the word of God—This Satan cannot withstand, when it is edged and wielded by faith. Till now our armour has been only defensive. But we are to attack Satan, as well as secure ourselves: the shield in one hand, and the sword in the other. Whoever fights with the powers of hell will need both. He that is covered with armour from head to foot, and neglects this, will be foiled after all. This whole description shows us how great a thing it is to be a Christian. The want of any one thing makes him incomplete. Though he has his loins girt with truth, righteousness for a breastplate, his feet shed with the preparation of the Gospel, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit: yet one thing he wants after all, What is that? It follows,

Hebrews 4:12 NIV

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Hebrews 6:5 NIV

who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age

John 14:10 NIV

Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.

Romans 10:17 ESV

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Ephesians 6:10–17 NIV

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.

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We have made it…

The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Hebrews 4:12 NIV

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

What is the word of God?

—> It is the scriptures

—> We believe that the Bible is the INSPIRED word of God, inerrant in all things concerning salvation.

—> “We believe in the plenary inspiration of the Holy Scriptures, by which we understand the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, given by divine inspiration, inerrantly revealing the will of God concerning us in all things necessary to our salvation, so that whatever is not contained therein is not to be enjoined as an article of faith.” - The Manual

—> The hymns

—> The hymns are largely based and taken directly from scripture.

—> But we have to be careful in separating hymns and Spiritual songs from Contemporary Christian Music or even “good” secular music

—> Prayers

—> We can hear the word of God in prayer but that means we have to be listening.

—> prayer is a 2 way street not a monologue.

Hebrews 4:12 NIV

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

—> IF the helmet is salvation, the sword is Sanctification

—> it is through the Word of God and the power of the Spirit that we can walk in Sanctifying Grace.

—> Sanctification is thee belief that God's Holy Spirit empowers Christians to be constantly obedient to God

—> The sword of the Spirit is used not only by us but on us.

—> The Word of God has been used over and over, even by Jesus himself, to…

—> defend against personal attacks of the devil (remember the temptation of Christ in the desert)

—> Bring clarity to how we are supposed to live (It is written… but I say…)

—> Bring others to Christ…by repeating the truth, the Good News, found in the Word of God