A Great Swordsman

Build Connection

Talk about Harvest Offering…

What do you want to be great at? We all want to be great at something, what is it that you want to be great at?

Some people want to be great at some sport.

Some people want to be great at their job.

Some people want to be great at being a wife/husband/parent.

Some people want to be great at something, they don’t care what it is, they just want to be great at it.

Create Tension

There is nothing bad at wanting to be great, but there is one thing we should strive to be better at than any other thing…that is being A Great Swordsman!

Provide Solution

Ephesians 6:10–17 (NLT)

10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. 16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

We have learned several things over the past 6 weeks

Week one we learned

this battle is spiritual

our power comes from God

we need to be equipped with all the armor

we are fighting to stand firm and to resist the devil

Week two we talked about

putting on the shoes of the gospel of peace

we also know that will lead us to share it with others

Week three we talked about

putting on the belt of truth

how truth is found in a person

and how truth is discovered not invented

Week four we talked about

putting on the the breastplate of righteousness

how this is righteous acts not the righteousness given to us by God

Week five we talked about

taking up the shield of faith

how faith is resting your whole life in God

Week six we talked about

taking up the helmet of salvation

this is a salvation from the power of sin which brings sanctification

Today we are going to be talking about the sword of the spirit which is the word of God.

When you read the last half of vs 17 about the sword of the spirit what does of mean in this statement?

Are we talking about the sword that comes from the spirit?

Are we talking about the sword that belongs to the spirit?

Or are we talking about the sword that is spiritual?

Well Paul it talking about a spiritual battle, so why would he tell you to take up a physical sword? So we know that the sword is a spiritual one.

Because this is God’s armor it would naturally come from and so belong to God. The spirit is also God so you could say it comes from the spirit as well.

But having a sword does not make you a great swordsman…

A great Swordsman knows his sword intimately.

The look, the feel, the weight, the length…All these things are known by a good swordsman.

A good swordsman is best when he is using his sword!

How intimate are you with God’s word?

Do you know what is says and what it means?

Don’t believe you are a great swordsman if you are not in God’s Word daily!

a great swordsman doesn’t only use his sword when he is in battle, he wields it often to spar with others to be able to use it effectively.

Illustration of holding the sword stretch out…

Proverbs 27:17 “17 As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.”

How often do you talk about what the Word of God says and means with your friends?

Wrestling with God’s Word is what builds strong convictions and belief in it!!!

A material sword pierces the body, but the Word of God pierces the heart. The more you use a physical sword, the duller it becomes; but using God’s Word only makes it sharper in our lives.

Warren W. Wiersbe

A Great Swordsman knows how to use his sword effectively.

What good is a sword if it just sits on display?

If you have ever been in my office you will know I have a whole slew of Golf balls in display. They just sit there, sure they remind me of something in the past, but they are not a lot of good for effective golf.

Some of you may read God’s Word daily but never use it effectively!

Why is that…because it is simply “a resource in our lives.”

God’s Word shouldn’t be “a resource in our lives” but it should the “the source of our lives.”

I want everyone to get your Bibles out and write that on one of the front pages…Or somewhere in there!

How do we make it “the resource of our lives?

When all our decisions, values, hopes, identity, worldview, and future should come from God’s Word!

The problem is that God’s word is not our only driving force, but the average Christian has become like a hybrid car. part of the time we run on God’s Word and part of the time we run on what the world says.

How do we know we are being a hybrid?

When the things of God become an option instead a necessity!!!

Statement like these…

We can afford to miss church this Sunday!

Wednesday church is too inconvenient, besides we don’t have to go every time the doors are open.

I’ve read my bible every day this week I can afford to miss today!

I know the Bible says pray about everything and all the time but that’s just not possible!

When the Bible talks about financial giving, I feel convicted, but I give what I can!

Some of my friends may not be a good influence, but they are fun to hang with, besides I’m being a good influence on them!

Being a hybrid car may be good for the physical world, but being a hybrid christian is not good for our spiritual lives!

I hope you got all this, but I want to point out something interesting to you…

The word used for “word” in “word of God” in our text is the Greek word “rhema.”

Lets turn to John 1:1-5

1 In the beginning the Word already existed.

The Word was with God,

and the Word was God.

2 He existed in the beginning with God.

3 God created everything through him,

and nothing was created except through him.

4 The Word gave life to everything that was created,

and his life brought light to everyone.

5 The light shines in the darkness,

and the darkness can never extinguish it.

The Greek word used for Word here is “logos.”

The difference is subtle but important, Logos in nature is wide and all inclusive where as rhema is specific in nature.

Logos would encompass all the words where as rhema would be used more like “a statement”

When using the Word (rhema) of God we need to be specific in purpose and not just through it around everywhere hoping someone might get something!

We see this on social media all the time…

Jesus was the greatest when it came to using the right words. He even used the right words when fighting Satan in the desert.

Matthew 4:4 “4 But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’””

Being effective with the sword of the spirit is not knowing all the Bible but using what you know while seeking to know more!

Encourage Change

What kind of swordsman are you?

Do you know your sword?

Do you use your sword?

Go through SOAP…

As we close in prayer ask God to help you!