Armour of God - The Sword of The Spirit

The Sword of the Spirit

“Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes...Take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:11,17b).
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Two months ago, I reflected on the fact that this pandemic will inevitably bring out the best and/or worst in people. As I hear the news from around the globe, I am both encouraged and deeply saddened as reports of the ‘best’ and ‘worst’ are found in abundance. It is wonderful to see the sacrifices people are making for others, but it grieves me to also see how anxiety produced by uncertainty has boiled over, scalding many caught in the overflow. While there are examples of people coming alongside others, there are also growing divides between groups who choose to push back and away. The numbers of conflicts, protests, displacements and polarizations is growing and sweeping across the globe.

But all is not doom and gloom. I have also noticed a growing recognition among Christians from around the world of the need for unity. The buildings that were once used to define ‘church’ have been closed and many have rediscovered what it means to be The Church–the singular, worldwide body of Christ. Disciples of Christ belong to one family–God’s! The same Holy Spirit indwells each believer. We share a singular source of authority, God’s Word. Which brings me to the final piece of equipment we are told to take up in the spiritual battle we find ourselves in...the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Just as this pandemic has provided us, The Church, with the opportunity to rediscover that we are the church, not our buildings, it is my prayer that our realization that we are all one body, serving the same Lord, will retrain our thinking as pertains to the sword of the Spirit.

​What is the purpose of a sword? To inflict injury to an opposing force. Unfortunately, not so very long ago and still in evidence today, we find the Word of God, being used not as a sword to strike at the enemy, but as a stiletto knife or improvised shiv being used against other believers in a never-ending turf war. We have allowed different interpretations of God’s Word to divide us just as viciously as we have seen ethnicity, skin colour and disparity between rich and poor spark conflict and the dehumanizing of others. Consider this for a moment if you will. Jesus has stated that He is preparing a place in heaven for His disciples, and that there are many rooms in His Father’s house (John 14:2-3). It does not say that we each get a mansion...we may not even get our own room. What if the rooms in God’s house are figuratively lined with rows of bunk beds? While varying interpretations of God’s Word can be problematic, anyone who believes in Jesus, has repented and received His forgiveness, then lives life as a disciple, will receive an eternal reward in heaven (John 3:16)...maybe even as your bunk mate! I have heard jokes about the different sections of heaven...one for the Baptists...one for the Catholics...one for the Non-denominational...etc. We laugh, but just as there are none of these nonsensical sub-divisions in heaven, there ought not to be on earth...and it begins with our use of the sword of the Spirit.

Jesus used God’s Word to repel Satan and demons, to correct errors, to demonstrate truth and yes, even to rebuke the Pharisees who refused to acknowledge His Lordship and the fact that He was the long promised Messiah. For us, God’s Word is a weapon against the enemy–our spiritual foes, not people–but much more so, it is a tool to be used in our inner refinement–it is literally a pruning tool for individual disciples in the hands of the Holy Spirit. The more we engage with the Bible–reading it, memorizing it, meditating on it and putting it to practice–the more our lives will come to resemble the kind of people who live in obedience to God’s plan, putting other’s needs before our own. We need to resist the temptation to use it against others–it is the Spirit’s sword and He is the one that can most effectively use it as a surgeon’s instrument. Properly used by The Church, the Bible can be used to direct us to do more and more good deeds, living our lives in obedience to God and in unity with one another. By following its instruction, together we can help those who are demonstrating the ‘worst’ behaviours find a better way.
~Pastor Jane