Ephesians 6:17 - and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
The sword, when used in battle, is both an offensive and defensive weapon. They are used to protect against harm or an attack but to also use offensively to destroy an enemy.
In Hebrews, God refers to His Word as a sword. Hebrews 4:12 – For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Gentlemen, your Bible is your sword! It is used to make us strong and able to withstand an attack from our enemy. The more we know and understand the Word of God, the more useful your sword will be in standing against your enemy.
If you were made to fight in a war, would you not prioritize, take care of, train with and carry the
weapon that could help save you and keep you from harm? We wouldn’t go fight without something to help protect us and give us victory. But, we do this so often in our spiritual battle. Our Bibles are dusty, we prioritize other things vs. intentional time with God and we wonder why we feel exhausted, overwhelmed, beat up and beat down. It’s because our enemy sees weakness – he sees we are not properly equipped, and he attacks. So as we wind down the “Armor of God” series, I just want to leave you with a couple hints to make sure that not only are you armored up and protected appropriately, but that you can get the most out of the
offensive weapon the Lord has given you, his Word.
1. Schedule daily time with God: Get into His Word every day. There is no days off in Christianity,
because the battle doesn’t stop. Schedule 15 minutes if that is all you have, get into the Word,
take something that you can hold onto – and then step out where the battle is. Schedule time
with God because if you don’t MAKE time for God, you won’t HAVE time with God.
2. Be intentional with the Word: The Bible calls us to be doers of the Word, not hearers. When
you read something- act. The Sword is no good if you leave it at home. Put it into practice.
3. Community Matters: Wolves hunt in packs and they wait for the one that strays. Stay in
community, start a bible study, keep Monday Night’s a priority in your calendar, and get a team
to help you battle. There will be times when you have to fight alone, but it’s good to know you
have a community that is in your corner that will battle with you when they can, and help get
you back on your feet if you get wounded.
4. Pray Daily: The Holy Spirit will put verses and pieces of scripture in your mind and your heart
when you need it the most. Be prayerful, be open and be ready. You have the Holy Spirit inside
you men, you are never alone.
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