The Powerful Weapon of the Sword of the Spirit.

In our meditations over the past few days, we have examined the defensive armor God has provided. Today, we begin to explore three offensive weapons believers can use in spiritual warfare against our unseen evil enemy. In his letter to the Ephesian church, Paul the Apostle mentions two weapons, but Scripture reveals another that causes chaos in the unseen realm of evil spirits. These weapons are the Word of God, Prayer, and Praise/Worship. Today, we will focus on the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God.

When Paul wrote to the Ephesian believers, he was under house arrest and chained to a Roman soldier. While observing the Roman soldier's armor, he might have been inspired to think of the armor God provides for our spiritual battles. Here’s the part we’re focusing on today:

¹⁷Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. ¹⁸And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints (Ephesians 6:17-18; emphasis added).

The sword attached to the soldier's belt served as a metaphor for the Word of God. Paul describes the machaira, the short, double-edged sword, usually only eighteen inches long, razor-sharp, and very lightweight. This weapon was particularly effective when used in close-range hand-to-hand combat against enemies. As believers, we sometimes find it necessary to "wrestle" in prayer (Colossians 4:12) with evil spiritual forces in the unseen realms (Ephesians 6:12). The sword was used to deflect a thrust from an adversary, but it was also employed as an offensive weapon by the Roman soldier. The Lord Jesus used the Word of God both defensively and offensively against the enemy. When the Holy Spirit led Christ to battle Satan in the wilderness, in each of the three temptations, Jesus used the sword of the Word of God to defend Himself against Satan’s strategies (Matthew 4:1-11).

Do not underestimate the power of this weapon. First, it is not a weapon you created yourself. It is not, for example, the "sword" of Keith Thomas (or your name) but the sword of the Spirit. Unlike a typical weapon, this one is divine. It relies not on your knowledge or skill but on the weapon's power. This power is directly tied to the authority of the King we serve. Under the Holy Spirit’s guidance, God’s Word, in His name, carries His authority—especially when applied to a specific situation you face.

God can give you a word at precisely the right time, just when you need it. For example, in my late teens, I lived a selfish life, following my impulses and desires. Suddenly, thoughts about eternity began to surface, as if out of nowhere. (I later discovered a church praying for me after I spray-painted an outside Bible in a viewable box on the street outside the church.) I started questioning everything—like, what am I living for? What am I supposed to accomplish while on earth? I tried to push these thoughts aside because they troubled me. I tried to ignore them, but they kept coming back with no answers that truly satisfied me.

Then, one day, I found a book about Bible prophecies concerning the last days, a topic that fascinated me. God used my curiosity to open my heart to the reality of the world we live in. In the book, the author described the return of Christ, the judgment, and the separation of believers from unbelievers. I used to think that because I was born in a "Christian country," I was a Christian, but the author cited a Scripture that pierced my soul deeply. It was, “He that is not with me is against me, and he that gathers not, scatters” (Matthew 12:30). The author explained that there is no middle ground; you are either in God's Kingdom or outside of it. Suddenly, I realized that when Jesus returns, I might not be in God’s kingdom, because I had to admit I didn’t honestly know Christ. I was like a fish caught on a hook of Scripture. No matter how hard I tried, I could not get off that hook! God used that Scripture to inspire me to seek the truth, and the Lord did not grant me peace until I finally surrendered my life to Christ. The truth of God’s Word through that Scripture awakened me and prompted me to search for meaning in my life. It changed the direction of my life. The Sword of the Spirit pierced me to the heart. I am grateful that someone cared enough to pierce me with that sword. Keith Thomas

This meditation is a condensed version of the more in-depth study, "What Are the Believer’s Most Powerful Weapons?"