THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT

Ephesians 6:17b
…and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.


English history tells the story of a young knight who would become the British leader of the late fifth and early sixth century. That leader would be known in history as King Arthur. Although much of the life of the brave knight who became king is composed of folklore, due in part to the writings of Geoffrey of Monmouth, there is little doubt that he did in fact exist. Perhaps the greatest debate then is the method in which he obtained his sword, Excalibur.
There are two stories that continue to circulate, but the commonality to each is the sword’s magical powers. The first tale explains that Excalibur was the Sword in the Stone. In this account, the pulling of the sword from the stone was a feat that only a “true king” could perform. With his future rule as king granted because of his ability to lift the sword from its stone, he also won the rights to the sword itself. However, there is a second tale. It is in this folklore that the Lady of the Lake extended her hand from the waters to give Arthur his destiny, the enchanted sword named Excalibur. In both tales, the power of the sword is defined, for it is able to cut through iron as though it were wood and bring healing to its owner if he be injured in the fight.
While we may never know the truth of the sword that tall tales confuse for us, we do possess our own enchanted sword. The powers that cover our sword are not fabled uprisings or extensions from the waters, though, but rather a power that comes only from God Himself. We have the Word of God. This lamp unto our feet (Ps 119:105) is sharper than any double-edged sword. It is said that it can penetrate so precise, even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. And it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. It is this sword that we must take up daily as part of our armor (Eph 6:17). For how able to defeat the opponent is the knight who has no sword?
For us to understand the sword of the spirit, we must first take a moment to understand just what a double-edged sword is. To me, this can be defined as a sword both of rhema and logos. Let me explain. The Greek word ‘RHEMA’ is defined as the quickening of a word. We would relate this mostly to the speaking of a word. The term ‘LOGOS’, while also related to words, is defined more specifically as the written word.
When I was dating my wife, we would spend countless hours communicating in one fashion or another. Since we did not live in the same state, there would be nights of long phone calls, as well as days of long emails and text messages. In both cases we were sharing our words, be it spoken or written. But, on those weekend occasions when we would see each other face to face, the words spoken and written took on a deeper meaning. And no other time when these two forms combined is more memorable, or powerful, than on our wedding day, when speaking from vows we wrote, we confessed our love to each other.
This is how the double-edged sword works. It is the combination of the written Word of God and us speaking His Word. There is power that comes from reading His Word, for His Word will change us on the inside. And there is power that comes from speaking the Word, for it will change our surroundings. But oh the power that comes when the spoken and written collide, for then it becomes our double-edged sword, and no power in hell can stand then.
Hebrews 4:12 tells us that the word of God is quick and powerful. In the Greek these words are ZAO and ENERGES. Zao translates as lively, whereas energes translates as powerfully operative. What the author of Hebrews is saying here is that God’s Word is life and energy. This marriage of God’s breath matched with God’s power leaves nothing undone. The verse continues on saying that it penetrates to dividing the soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and thoughts and attitudes.
To look more intently as these descriptions we find the Word of God is sharper still than a double-edged sword. This term ‘sharper’ is the Greek word TOMOTEROS, alluding to the fact that it makes its mark in a single strike. While other swords may do damage in hacking, or with a sawing action, God’s Word does complete damage in one swipe. And furthermore it divides and cuts into separate areas. This is the word MERISMOS. What a skilled surgeon cannot flawlessly do, God’s Word does. What a courtroom judge cannot truly decipher, God’s Word can. How is it then that we fail to bring this sword into battle with us?
Lest we should underestimate the power of the sword, let us look at the following verses where the sword proved its power:

1) Matthew 9:6b “So he said to the paralyzed man, ‘Get up, take your mat and go home.’”
2) Mark 5:41 “He took her by the hand and said to her, ‘Talitha koum!’ (which means ‘Little girl, I say to you, get up!’)”
3) Matthew 8:3 “Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be clean!’ Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy.”
4) Matthew 8:32 “He said to them, ‘Go!’ So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water.”

In all these verses, and so many more, we see the power in the sword
as in one swipe, sometimes even in one word, the enemy is defeated. In one swipe restoration of life is found, healing is given, and the demons are cast out. And lest we should think, ‘Well that was Jesus,’ do not forget what He promised us all in John 14:12. “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”
The Word of God, our sword, is so much better than we know. The problem is that too many use it wrong. There are those who think of it as a Swiss Army Knife, only bringing it out when they are bored and want to whittle on something. Then there are those who use it as a spreader, buttering their bread with the fattening cream of the word but never wanting to cut into the meat. The flip side to this is others use it as a meat cleaver, and skip around looking for a meatier church where the Gospel depth is preached, but no foundation is laid. There must be a balance, and the balance must be as defined by God. It is He who has given us the sword, and He who knows how to use it. We should seek Him in this.
For a true believer will use the Word of God as the sword it was intended to be used as. This person will constantly speak the Word of God to the situation and expect results. This person will speak what God has spoken. This person will use the sword to cut in line in the most pressed of circumstances, and watch the soul split from spirit, the joint separate from marrow, and thoughts divide from attitudes.
Lastly, while the sword may show itself needed for battle, it also shows itself needed as the medicine and healing agent for the wounded. It is to be hidden in our hearts so that we may not sin against God (Ps 119:11). It is to be obeyed so that the enemy does not have grounds to produce worse actions in our life (Jn 5:14). And it is God-breathed and useful for our teaching, rebuke, correction, and training (II Tim 3:16). This sword, the Holy Bible, inspired by men who followed hard after God, holds the key to eternal life and the power over eternal death.
You have been given this sword, this Excalibur, from God Himself. What are you doing with it? Is it sitting on the shelf collecting dust? Is it being used to ward off the enemy? It is the mysterious lamp unto your path, or the weapon that you’ve tossed to the side because you feel it doesn’t work right? Are you nurtured by this sword, or too afraid to consume it because it will change your life? God is no Lady of the Lake, but He has given you the power you need for every obstacle you will meet. He is handing you His sword now. Take it, and rise up as the warrior He is calling you to.