Written by: Sister Edna Ellison
When I was a child, my grandmother nurtured and reared me. That included going to church, participating in Sunday school, and singing in the youth choir. The lessons that I learned as a child have never left me. For instance, in vacation bible school and in Sunday school we had to memorize scriptures. To this day, those are the bible verses that I know by heart. Some of those scriptures are Psalm 100, “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord all ye lands, serve the Lord with gladness. Come before his presence with singing, know ye that the Lord is God, it is He that has made us and not we ourselves. We are his people and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise. Be thankful unto him and bless his name for the Lord is good, his mercy is everlasting, and his truth endures through all generations.” The Lord’s prayer, Matthew 6:9-13, “In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever Amen”. Psalm 23. “The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul. He leadeth me in the path of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies: thou anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Some scripture would be in song, such as, Psalm119:11. “Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against God, that I might not sin, that I might not sin, that I might not sin against God”.
I had absolutely no idea that the foundation was being laid for my spiritual journey and growth. In Genesis 1:26, God said, “Let Us make man in Our image.” This is the first mention of the God Head. The father (God), the word (Jesus) and the Holy Spirit. God ordered it, Jesus was word, and the Holy Spirit made it happen. John 1: 1-4 says that ” In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. John 1:14 says, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. In John 16:7, Jesus tells his disciples; “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.” This was about the Holy Spirit coming to indwell us.
I have given all of this background to lay the foundation of what and how your weapon, “The Sword of the Spirit” works. Hebrews 4:12 tells us, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
There is the written word and there is Rhema, the spoken word. To fight off the attack of the enemy, we have to speak the Word. 2nd Timothy 3:16 says, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”
We have to not only read God’s word, but we also have to memorize God’s word. The little song I mentioned earlier, Psalm 119:11, we have to hide God’s word in our heart. We have to know the word in order to use the word to fight against the schemes of the devil. “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you,” John 14:26. If you’ve never read or hidden God’s word in your heart, there is no way that the Holy Spirit can bring it to your remembrance because you never heard it. You don’t have that Spiritual weapon. The Holy Spirit moves by the power of the word of God! When the Holy Spirit speaks to you, He quickens or brings alive a Scripture verse or specific direction to you, a specific word for a specific time and purpose.
When using the Sword of the Spirit, say it is written, “That no weapon formed against me shall prosper” (Isaiah 54:17). It is written, “That I am the head and not the tail” (Deuteronomy 28:13). It is written, “That I am saved by grace through faith” (Ephesians 2:8). It is written “that I and my household will be saved” (Acts 16:31). It is written, “rebuke the devil and he will flee” (James 4:7). It is written, “The just shall live by faith” (Habakkuk 2:4). It is written, ” Honor thy mother and thy father that thy days will be long.”(Exodus 20:12). It is written, “to delight myself in the Lord and he will give me the desires of my heart. (Psalm 37:4). It is written, “God is an ever-present help in a time of trouble (Psalm 46:1).
We have to know how to use this mighty weapon, this Sword of the Spirit, that God has provided for us when slicing through the layers of adversity that we go through in life’s journey. Jesus said in Matthew 16:24, to take up your cross and follow me.
The ending of the full armor of God is sometimes overlooked. Ephesians 6:18 says we have to pray. It says “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit. Supplication means asking or begging for something earnestly but humbly. As we use the sword of the Spirit, we should not forget to pray. We have to always ask God to guide us as we fight these battles in the spirit realm.
I would suggest and warn all who are followers of Jesus, not to go into battle unprepared or without the Sword of The Spirit, which is the Word of God! “Put on your armor and take up your weapon.