Armor of God - Sword of the Spirit

Read Ephesians 6:10-17. - Highlight the main points

Picture of the Roman Soldier

Review of the Armor

The Girdle or Belt of Truth

It is the essential in keeping the rest of the Armor in place

There are two aspects to truth

The first was the person of Truth - Jesus Christ

I am the Way the Truth and the Life … John 14:6.

The second was living in Truth

Live a life without lies

We talked about the Breastplate of Righteousness

The Breastplate is directly attached to truth (belt of truth)

Much like the truth, Righteousness in the Armor has two aspects to it.

The first is God is Righteousness … Psalms 11:7, “For God is righteousness, He loves Righteousness.

The second is we as believers are to live righteously. We are to walk right before our Lord.

We talked about Shodding our feet with the preparation of the gospel of Peace.

We covered the two aspects of the Gospel

Our responsibility of sharing the Gospel

The ministry of the Gospel and how it can reconcile (those who are enemies) the lost and bring them peace with God.

We talked about the Shield of Faith

Trusting or having faith in God’s promises for provision and protection

Then interlocking our shield of faith with other believers, with words of encouragement and assembling together

Last week we talked about the Helmet of Salvation

Using the helmet to protect our minds from be concussed by Satan’s lies

Using the helmet to continue in right thinking.

Today we are looking at the last piece of armor and the only one which is an offensive weapon which is the Sword of the Spirit.

The Roman Soldier carried a sword which in many ways more resembled a dagger. They Latin name for it was the “Gladius”

The Roman Soldiers would train for months learning how to wield the Gladius.

The blade of this sword was usually around 18”.

They were custom made measuring from a persons elbow to their finger tips, so that if they stood holding the sword hanging it would not drag on the ground.

It was small enough to hang on the belt without restricting movement.

When they fought they would thrust the sword horizontally to pierce armor. Aiming for vital organs knowing that any deep piercing of their enemies would surely cause death.

The Roman Soldiers were masters at close combat, in the Navy they used what was called a “Corvus” (a drawbridge with a spike at the end that could be dropped into the enemy deck, preventing its escape). They would turn navel warfare into land warfare, because they were so efficient and effective in close combat.

Paul using the “Gladius” sword as a weapon in our Spiritual battles is the perfect example. Just like the Roman soldier fighting in close quarters, so we are fighting this Spiritual Battle in the close quarters. It is is happening in our minds, hearts, and souls. It doesn’t get closer then that.

So if we are to fight then we had better know how to use our one and only offensive weapon.

There was an interesting study done on God’s Word and the effects of just reading God’s Word.

The Center of Bible Engagement compiled extensive research findings… (Read Article)

Feeling lonely drops 30%

Anger issues drop 32%

Bitterness in relationships drops 40%

Alcoholism drops 57%

Sex outside of marriage drops 68%

Feeling spiritually stagnant drops 60%

Viewing pornography drops 61%

Sharing your faith jumps 200%

Discipling others jumps 230%

The Sword of the Spirit

Ephesians 6:17 (NASB95)

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

I want you to notice the word “Word” in this verse.

Clearly just reading God’s Word can have a massive effect on our lives, but how are we to wield this sword?

How can we go on the offensive with God’s Word?

When the Bible uses the word “Word” there are three primary definitions used in the Bible.

Graphe - the entirety of sacred Scriptures inspired by the God.

It is used around 51x in the NT

This is the written word… the Bible you hold in your hand.

You can maybe hit someone over the head with it, but in of itself it is not going to be an effective weapon. Especially in the spiritual realm.

John 7:38 (NASB95)

“He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’ ”

2 Timothy 3:16 (NASB95)

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;

2. Logos - A concept-word in the Bible symbolic of the nature and function of Jesus Christ.

Logos is used 239 x in New Testament

the process of using your mind to consider something carefully.

It is hearing something on Sunday morning and gaining knowledge.

It is the concepts and ideas gained from God’s Word.

John 1:1 (NASB95)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Mark 13:31 (NASB95)

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.

3. Rhema - that which is said or spoken, a word, saying.

Rhema is used 40 x in the New Testament

Rhema is going beyond the written words, its going beyond the concepts of knowledge, it is taking the concepts and knowledge and applying them into words.

John 5:47 (NASB95)

“But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”

John 6:68 (NASB95)

Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life.

When the word is sitting on a table or shelf it is only “graphe”

When you here truths in church or your own bible study it is “Logos”

But when you use the Word and speak it, it becomes “Rhema”

It is Rhema that is used here in Eph. 6:17.

As a weapon the spoken Rhema is able to convict people of sin

Acts 2:37 (NASB95)

Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?”

Acts 5:33 (NASB95)

But when they heard this, they were cut to the quick and intended to kill them.

Physical Sword vs The Spiritual Sword

A physical sword gets duller the more you use it, but using God’s Word only makes the spiritual sword sharper.

A physical sword is designed to wound, hurt, and kill. The spiritual sword is designed to wound for the sake of healing.

It is the spiritual sword that we must know and train with day in and day out when we are going to battle against Satan.

When Satan tried to tempt Jesus in the dessert, he used Rhema to defeat him.

Satan used God’s word but he used it out of context and twisted its meanings…

The Matthew 4:2, tells us Jesus was hungry after fasting for 40 days.

Satan tries to tempt him in his physical weakness…

Jesus response with…

Matthew 4:4 (NASB95)

But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’ ”

Satan tried to tempt Jesus again…

Jesus response with …

Matthew 4:7 (NASB95)

Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”

Satan tries a third time to tempt Jesus…

Jesus response with …

Matthew 4:10 (NASB95)

Then Jesus said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’ ”

Notice each time when Jesus responded to Satan He said “It is written…”

If Jesus used the Word of God to resist Satan and He is the Word of God, how much more do you and I need to be doing the same?

We are in a spiritual battle day in and day out… We have a spiritual sword at our disposal, that we must learn, train with, and understand to wield it effectively…

Hebrews 4:12 (NASB95)

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Notice… soul and spirit, those are on the spiritual realm.

The Sword of the Spirit is an amazing weapon.

When used properly it devastating to our enemy the devil

It convicts of sin to both the sinner and believer

And it can also bring words of healing to the one who is hurting.

Can I challenge you to start training with your Sword today?

Start with the “Graphe” by aiming for 4 days a week and work up to more days and more time

Look for truths in the “Graphe” that then become “Logos”

Then take the Logos (the truths, the knowledge gained), and begin battling with the Rhema by speaking God’s word into peoples lives.