The Sword of the Spirit
“Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” – Ephesians 6:17
The Word of God is
alive. The Bible is not just words on paper, but the voice of God,
with all His authority, power, and command. It actively works in our
lives to draw our hearts closer to Him. Paul calls God’s Word the
“sword of the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:17).
Scripture tells
us, “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any
double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit,
joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart”
(Hebrews 4:12).
Using a modern example, we could say that
God’s Word is sharper than a surgeon’s finely crafted scalpel.
When we read the Bible, it is like being stretched on an operating
table, as God’s Word begins cutting out the disease of sin in order
to heal us.
In our minds and hearts, we try to justify our
sins and rationalize our behaviors. But when confronted with the
truth of the Bible, there can be no more pretending. When we see
God’s commands in front of us, we cannot hide from our sins, our
faults, and our pride. Just like a medical x-ray shows what is hidden
in the body, the Scripture shows us the true status of our spiritual
health.
Prayer:
Father, I need to allow Your Word to reveal the hidden things in my life and to cut out the sin. As I read Your Word, show me my spiritual condition. In Jesus name, Amen.
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Written by Michael Youssef, Ph.D. – August 30, 2011
Blog author note: this is from my collection of misc devotions from email.