Sword of the Spirit: One Sword Or Many?
By John D. CooperWHAT IS THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT?
When discussing the Full Armor of God (from the Bible, Ephesians 6:13-17) and more specifically The Sword of the Spirit, some people might envision a preacher or evangelist standing in the pulpit with their Bible raised high in one hand… as though it was a sword. However, most Christians who are familiar with this passage of scripture will agree that “the Bible” in its entirety is considered to be the Sword of the Spirit. But is that too general? What was the disciple Paul really trying to tell us in this passage?
Take a moment to look at the true biblical text (Eph. 6: 17b, KJV), “… and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.”
Did Paul intend for Christians to have only one sword to take into battle? The common understanding that the Sword of the Spirit is “the entire Bible itself… as one big sword” is limited and weakens a Christian's ability to fight effectively in spiritual warfare. Read it again, Paul is saying much more in this verse.
The Greek used in the original text Paul wrote is “hrema”, meaning in “word, as in utterance” or in English “saying”. The key point Paul is trying to share is that “each particular, relevant individual scripture is a sword unto itself – and very effective in battling Satan and temptation”. Think about it! Not one sword, but THOUSANDS OF SWORDS!
Just as historical functional swords were designed for specific fighting styles, each Bible verse can be very powerful depending upon the situation. Historical swords varied greatly in their size, design and the techniques required to master their use. (For more information, see: Roman swords, Medieval Swords, Renaissance Swords, and Sword Training). Pick the right verse for the right temptation… the best Sword of the Spirit for the battle at hand.
The broad mindset that the Bible is one sword is what Satan would prefer Christians use in spiritual warfare. Satan wants us to believe we don't need to spend time memorizing scripture – and that is the lie! The key point in spiritual warfare is for “Christians to memorize key verses in the Bible so you can have them ready for immediate use when your mind and thoughts are under attack”.
THE BIBLICAL EXAMPLE
By now you are either saying to yourself, “this is right on the button!” or “where on Earth does this idea come from?” This idea is founded upon the example and words of Jesus Christ himself during his own temptation in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1–11) as He uses specific scripture, relevant to the temptation, to repel Satan's attack.
There are hundreds of sermons and books addressing the temptations of Christ. Today we will only focus on Christ’s use of scripture and His response is specific to each temptation… each being a different Sword of the Spirit.
Of course, this spiritual attack does not come when Jesus is at His physical best (strong, alert and refreshed). The temptation of Christ comes at the beginning of His ministry and after being in the wilderness for 40 days fasting.
Attacking the body’s physical desire is a primary strategy in temptation. We are told in Matthew 4:2 that Jesus was very hungry after His fasting 40 days. Satan says to Christ, “If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.” Christ responds with a verse that focuses instead on the spiritual needs of man, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Deuteronomy 8:3).
The next temptation Jesus had dealt with proving he was the Son of God. Satan said, “If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, ‘He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone’.” (Psalms 91:11-12) Notice Satan using scripture to justify the temptation?
Jesus does not get into a debate or argument as we might. Christ simply selects a specific verse best for the occasion, “It is written again, Thou shall not tempt the Lord thy God.” (Deuteronomy 6:16) In our modern culture, this temptation might simply be the phrased as, “Oh really, prove it!” (Have you ever felt the temptation to prove you were right?)
In the third temptation, Satan shows Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them and says, “All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me”. Here is a chance for Jesus to skip the physical pain and suffering of the cross and thousands of years of waiting for a chance to be ruler of the world. But that is not the motive of Christ. Jesus came into this world to provide a path for people to gain forgiveness for their sins and be reunited in their relationship with God. This is achieved by asking God for forgiveness of your sins, proclaiming Jesus as the Son of God and asking Him to become your personal Lord and Savior.
The response of Jesus is swift, commanding and direct, “Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” (Deuteronomy 6:13 and 10:20; Joshua 24:14; 1 Samuel 7:3)
People are easily driven by temptation towards immediate gratification. For years now we hear how the US culture has been eroded by immediate gratification. People no longer work and wait for things they want. Instead, things are obtained as quickly as possible – regardless of the consequences. It’s been said that people will kick, scratch and claw their way to the top of the corporate ladder only to find it unsatisfying at the top… they still want more. There is no lasting peace or joy in our lives unless we find it through God.
PLAN “B”
Satan the accuser and tempter. He is focused on tempting you to make the decision to commit sin (which God can’t look at and judges). So if you do not feel scripture is helping, how do you continue to fight temptation?
“The best way to drive out the devil, if he will not yield to the texts of scripture, is to jeer and flout him, for he cannot bear scorn.” (Martin Luther)
“The Devil… the proud spirit… cannot endure to be mocked.” (Thomas More)
The answer is more simple than you would think. Remember to claim the victory we have through the death, resurrection and life of Jesus Christ. As a Christian, we are marked as the property of God. Let Jesus rebuke the devil and deal with the issue for you. Even the Archangel Michael let Jesus deal directly with Satan as mentioned in Jude verse 9, “… when contending with the devil… he dared not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, ‘The Lord rebuke thee’.”
Satan also does not want you to glorify God with praise, worship, etc. A secondary strategy to fight temptation would also include praising God. Simply start listing in your mind everything you are thankful for (God's blessings, forgiveness, etc.). When you feel tempted, focus your thoughts on praising God. Use them to replace thoughts based in temptation.
NEXT STEPS
We each have our own weak areas of attack by temptation, but they are not necessarily the same for each person. Where some are very vulnerable, others are not as tempted. The areas we are tempted in can change minute by minute, and others remain the same throughout our lives. The list of physical areas subject to attack is long. The full list of all areas subject to temptation is even longer.
For people today, we need to look within ourselves to identify our own areas which have become targets for temptation and spiritual warfare. Next, find scripture that specifically addresses this weak area and memorize it (one verse or several). The goal is to prepare your mind in advance with specific Bible verses, each serving as a Sword of the Spirit for each specific area of attack.
But, just like in real swordplay, if you use the wrong sword at the wrong time (or in the wrong conditions), your effort and results might not be what you had in mind. Develop your collection swords of the Spirit today. A great starting place is to memorize key scripture verses. If you don’t know the Bible well enough to find them, start by memorizing the verses Jesus quoted above. Another option is to ask someone you know to be a Christian for help or call a local Christian Church. (Find additional Christian Ministries at the top of our Links Page who can also be of assistance.)
Resources:
- Ryrie Study Bible, Expanded Edition (King James Version)
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