” And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; ….”-Ephesians 6:17
(CLICK ON LISTEN IN BROWSER FOR AUDIO VERSION)
I want to draw our attention to the importance of the word of God in our faith life. The word of God is God -John 1:1. It is the source of our faith –“ So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”– Romans 10:17.
The process of salvation begins when you hear the word of God. The word then produces faith in you-. The faith you have is used to accept the grace of salvation. Without faith, you cannot be saved because salvation is not by grace alone. Your salvation is a combination of Grace and Faith. “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith”-Ephesians 2:8-9. You became born- again through the word of God. -1 Peter 1:23
Your new life in Christ ( your faith life ) must continually be sustained with the word of God. This means the word of God must be in you and become alive in you. Everything you need to discover about yourself is in the word of God. It contains all the promises God has for you. The word is one of the means through which God speaks to you. Jesus says “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you”-John 15:7. In First Peter 2:2, the word of God is the milk you need for your growth in Christ. The word of God is the lamp that will guide your feet and the light that will brighten your path -Psalm 119:105. It is profitable for every area of your life Timothy 3:16-17.
We discover in Ephesians chapter 6 that the word of God is the sword of the Holy Spirit. It is the sixth piece of armor that Paul talks about as he details the full armor of God. Paul admonishes Christians to put on the whole armor of God, so we can stand against the wiles of the devil- Ephesians 6:11. Take note that it is the schemes, strategies, and deceits of the devil that you need to fight against with your full armor. All the weapons mentioned are undoubtedly vital for defense. The sword of the spirit, which is the word of God, is the only weapon that is both defensive and offensive. It is sharper than any double-edged sword – Hebrews 4:12. It is the word that endures forever -1 Peter 1:25
Jesus Christ used the same weapon, the word of God, to dismiss the devil in Matthew chapter 4. Jesus thus demonstrated how valuable it is to be well-grounded in the Word of God.
Shouting and screaming “fire” at an all-night service, or an early morning prayer session without any knowledge about the word of God will not help you. It is the right knowledge and application of the word of God that will let satan walk away. He may leave to return at another time just as he did to Jesus Christ in Luke 4:13, but as long as you are abiding in the word and the word is abiding in you, you will not fall prey to any of his schemes.
Never replace the word of God with anything else. It is the ultimate tool you need to survive all the potholes, and dark and slippery places in this troubling world. The Bible which means the “book of books” contains the word of God and it is the best book to read.
Don’t keep a sword without having any knowledge about its worth and usage. Master the art of using it. This is why Jesus Christ has given us another teacher in the person of the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ values teaching and learning. He was a teacher during His ministry here on earth. And He wants us to learn from the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Depend on the Holy Spirit and He will lead you into all truth as you meditate on the word of God-the sword you need with you always.
I recommend you watch “READ THE WORD TO HEAR GOD” by Patrick E Quainoo on our YouTube Channel.
Let me hear from you. Send all your comments or questions to mailto:pqgm29@gmail.com
Your love donation will help us to reach many more people with the Gospel of Christ.
