Ephesians 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
The only offensive weapon in the whole list is the Sword of the Spirit. We have many defensive items in our armory but only one offensive. This gives us an idea of just how powerful a weapon has been issued to us. Soldiers usually depend on an array of different weapons, but not the Christian Soldier. We have been issued only one weapon because it is all we will ever need. There have been many Christian soldiers who pick up the sword of physiology, or science, or logic and fight the enemy with their weapons and it fails. Sadly, we feel the need to meet the enemy on their ground when it was never designed to be so, God gave us one sword, one offensive weapon that we are to wield and it is the Word of God, The Scripture. If you attempt to use any other thing you'll be like David wearing Saul's armor, He hadn't proved it. Don't attempt to fight this battle with marketing techniques, or by appealing to men's intellect or their passions, pick up the Sword of the Spirit and let it cut. We have too many ministers attempting to fight this fight with everything except the Sword of the Spirit. Is there any method of the world that hasn't been tried? The church in this hour has resorted to entertainment, marketing techniques, intellectual arguments, and the list go on and on. These types of schemes may build an organization but I would remind you the church is not an organization but an organism. These schemes produce congregates but not converts. The seeds of marketing techniques and entertainment may bring in tangible results but not eternal results. Oh, how we need to trade our schemes for His Sword. Preach the word, cast the seed, it will not return void!! This weapon has all power to conquer the hearts of men but we leave it behind because it isn't well received. We neglect it because men don't like how it cuts them to the core. Don't look on their faces, swing the sword without apology let it cut and divide and do its work. From the beginning of time, Satan has tried his dead-level best to take this sword from the hand of God's people, and if can't take it all together he would dull its edge by planting some deceitful question in the mind of its user, "Hath God said?" This is why I have one Bible I trust wholeheartedly as The Scripture, The King James. He would love for the Christian soldier to lay down this sword altogether, and if not all together then at least to cause doubt in its usefulness. I want to remind us of the power of His Word, in hopes that it will strengthen us to wield it more boldly and not to forsake it for a weapon of a lesser caliber. In the first chapter of the first book, we are introduced to the awesome power of God's word. God said, let there be light, and there was light. Many times over God says something and in the following sentence, the very thing he said has come to pass. It was by this Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God that everything that has ever been came to pass. Heavens and the earth, animal and human, land and sea, all were created by the spoken word of God. In this weapon we have, is not only the ability to destroy but to create. It was by his word that I was made a new creation. My life was much like the void in Genesis chapter one, dark and without form. Then the Spirit of God moved upon me and The glorious light of the Gospel shined unto me, He separated the light from the darkness. It has been by his Word that every other good thing has been created in me. His word is all-powerful to create. In the Gospels his word opened blinded eyes, caused lame men to take up their beds and walk, Raised people from the dead. Lazarus was brought forth by three words, "Lazarus, come forth." The most powerful agent in this life, death, was no match for just three words from the mouth of the Saviour. John calls Christ by this name "The Word." "In the beginning the Word was with God and the Word was God." It has been said that the Scripture is the written Word and Christ was the living Word, the Word made flesh. In other words, if the Bible could sprout arms and legs and a mind and a heart, that person would look and act just like Jesus, The Word became flesh. Jesus is the perfect embodiment of the Scripture, every jot and tittle. He came not to destroy the law but to fulfill it, Jesus is the fulfillment of the Scriptures. Never will a man be closer to being like Christ than when he is fulfilling the commands of the Scripture. This sword of the Spirit is the strength of the soldier. Like the conies, we are weak in our selves but our strength is in the rock that we abide in. Like a sniper, all his strength lies in the weapon he wields, and there is no weapon stronger than the Sword of the Spirit. No physical weapon is a match for its strength. In Revelation 19 the kings and kingdoms of this earth and their leader, Satan, are going to make war with Him and His word destroys the whole lot of them in one fell swoop. Rev 19:19-21 :19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. :20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. :21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. There are so many more instances that display the power of his word but I believe these will suffice. I hope that you are thoroughly convinced of the power of His Word, The Scripture. Now, dealing with this Sword in the context of our verses, Christian warfare. This Sword is meant to be used to offend the enemy. All the other pieces are to protect us from offenses but this one all-powerful weapon is for us to offend the enemy. Be sure you won't injure him with intellect, he is far more intellectual than we are. You won't injure him with organization, He is far more organized than we are, you won't injure him with talent, he is far more talented. There is but one thing that cuts him to the quick, The Sword of the Spirit, The Word of God. It was the weapon of choice when Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness. Satan launched his attack on Jesus and displayed all the power he had, even offering Jesus the kingdoms of this earth. Jesus pulled the Sword from the sheath and in three slashes of "It Is Written" Satan had no choice but to depart. This is the ultimate lesson to us in the use and usefulness of this weapon of the Spirit. When Satan assails, bring forth the Sword of the Spirit and fight with it and nothing else. Satan swings his deceitful lies, the shield of faith absorbs and quenches the fiery darts and the reply is "It is written." Be sure your replies are like that of our Lords, He spoke no words but God's written Word and it was more than enough. Don't let the enemy take the only weapon we have. Hold to it, trust in it. It is your strength, by it sins will be conquered, by it the fleshly hearts of men will be smitten and come to the knowledge of their need of The Saviour. Don't trade it in for a new model with weakened steel and dull edges. Don't lay down the Sword the Spirit for the schemes of man. The enemy will try everything to weaken your grip but hold fast; In your weariness let your hand be clave to your sword like the example set by David's mighty man, Eleazar. 2 Samuel 23:10 He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day...
Onward Christian Soldiers!!