Thank you again for joining me this week as I share another epiphany from God. The primary scripture used in this post is going to be Ephesians 6:17 I am continuing to use the NASB translation, but again I encourage you to use the translation that you best understand. This passage is found at the end of Paul's letter to the local church in Ephesus, the primary message of this letter is to remind the Christians there that they are fighting a spiritual battle. At the end of this letter Paul is wrapping up the letter by equipping the Ephesian Christians with a metaphor of the tools used to fight in this battle, using the imagery of a Roman Legionary. This metaphor works even for us modern Christians, and my goal is to share with you the importance of using the tools provided in the metaphor.
"And take The Helmet of Salvation, and the Sword of The Spirit, which is the Word of God." I want to take this opportunity to focus on the Sword of The Spirit, which is the Word of God. Now there not a physical sword we get to cut down and smite the Devil in the name of God, but the Word of God is much more powerful than any sword could ever be. It is pertinent to understand that the Word of God expands beyond just the bible, John 1:1 says " In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Clearly this verse shares that there is at least two parts to the Word of God (God the Father and Jesus), but I would propose that there is a third portion of the Word of God that is mentioned later in the book of John, (John 14:16-31, I encourage you to go read that passage if you aren't familiar with it) and that is the Holy Spirit.
The idea that God would use His power in the Trinity, and imbue it into the weapon He wants us to use against the Devil is showing that He is our weapon in this battle. Looking at the first portion of the Word of God, the Bible, you can see an exact example of the power of this weapon in the beginning of Mark chapter four. Jesus is fasting in the wilderness for forty days and nights and at the end, the Devil comes to tempt Jesus. In this moment Jesus uses scripture, what we now call the Bible, to rid the Devil of his opportunity to win. Jesus' use of scripture shows the power provided by just one aspect of the Sword of The Spirit, that is the authority of the Word of God. To look a little more literally at the Word of God, you have in Genesis chapter one God speaking life into existence. Every time God spoke, whatever He was saying came into existence and "it was good". God has the power to speak and it happen, put simply the Word of God has the power to create good right in the moment. That covers two of the three facets, the third being the Holy Spirit is the Helper Jesus was sending us in John 14:16-31. The job of the Holy Spirit is an equally important one as the other two, and it is to guide the blade. See the Holy spirit dwells in us, guides us, and teaches us all things (John 14:26); this is His role in the Word of God. He shows us how to fight with the Sword of The Spirit.
To put this into a practical use for you, God has given us the power he has over the universe. Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit we can strike down the Devil's attempts to bring us down using the power of the Word of God. His scripture takes all power from the enemy and His word creates good from the situation.
"And take The Helmet of Salvation, and the Sword of The Spirit, which is the Word of God." I want to take this opportunity to focus on the Sword of The Spirit, which is the Word of God. Now there not a physical sword we get to cut down and smite the Devil in the name of God, but the Word of God is much more powerful than any sword could ever be. It is pertinent to understand that the Word of God expands beyond just the bible, John 1:1 says " In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Clearly this verse shares that there is at least two parts to the Word of God (God the Father and Jesus), but I would propose that there is a third portion of the Word of God that is mentioned later in the book of John, (John 14:16-31, I encourage you to go read that passage if you aren't familiar with it) and that is the Holy Spirit.
The idea that God would use His power in the Trinity, and imbue it into the weapon He wants us to use against the Devil is showing that He is our weapon in this battle. Looking at the first portion of the Word of God, the Bible, you can see an exact example of the power of this weapon in the beginning of Mark chapter four. Jesus is fasting in the wilderness for forty days and nights and at the end, the Devil comes to tempt Jesus. In this moment Jesus uses scripture, what we now call the Bible, to rid the Devil of his opportunity to win. Jesus' use of scripture shows the power provided by just one aspect of the Sword of The Spirit, that is the authority of the Word of God. To look a little more literally at the Word of God, you have in Genesis chapter one God speaking life into existence. Every time God spoke, whatever He was saying came into existence and "it was good". God has the power to speak and it happen, put simply the Word of God has the power to create good right in the moment. That covers two of the three facets, the third being the Holy Spirit is the Helper Jesus was sending us in John 14:16-31. The job of the Holy Spirit is an equally important one as the other two, and it is to guide the blade. See the Holy spirit dwells in us, guides us, and teaches us all things (John 14:26); this is His role in the Word of God. He shows us how to fight with the Sword of The Spirit.
To put this into a practical use for you, God has given us the power he has over the universe. Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit we can strike down the Devil's attempts to bring us down using the power of the Word of God. His scripture takes all power from the enemy and His word creates good from the situation.
Comments
Post a Comment