Our weapons I have discussed in previous posts. The full armor of God includes the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, feet shod with the Gospel of peace, the helmet of Salvation, and the Sword of Truth, which is the Word of God. Most of these are defensive weapons, designed to allow us to "...be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." (Ephesians 6:13). That is, God wants us to stand firm in His truth and not cede the ground we have claimed for Him in this war.
Specifically, these pieces of defensive armor are to protect us from the daily barrage of lies to which Satan subjects us. We are not to waiver in our steadfast stand against evil. But every general knows that wars are not won by defense alone. Holing up inside a fortified encampment will, at best, keep the enemy temporarily at bay, and at worst will encourage him to lay siege to the fortress and ultimately overcome it.
The final weapon that Paul details in Ephesians 6 is the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Many times in Scripture, we read about the two-edged sword. It appears in Hebrews 4:12, where we read, "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." We encounter it again in Revelation: "...out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword... ‘These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword...'" (1:16; 2:12).
The sword of the Spirit is two-edged because it is both a defensive and an offensive weapon. During His temptation in the wilderness, as described in Luke 4, Jesus repeatedly defended Himself against Satan's attacks by quoting Scripture, beginning with the phrase, "it is written." As a result, "[Satan] left Him until an opportune time." (v. 13) Notice that Satan was repelled by the defensive capability of the Sword of the Spirit, but only until a better (opportune) time presented itself. He always comes back for another try.
It is imperative, if we are to be used in advancing God's kingdom, that we also learn to use the two-edged sword in its offensive mode. We cannot be successful cultural change agents, if we sit in our pews saying, "'it is written,' so leave me alone, Satan." For an "opportune" time will surely present itself, and he will be back.
In Psalm 40:10, David writes:
"I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart;We cannot gain ground in this great spiritual war, if we hide our righteousness inside the walls of our church building. We must declare God's faithfulness and His salvation by demonstrating His lovingkindness and His truth for all to see. We cannot declare God's faithfulness and salvation, His lovingkindness and His truth, if we do not know what is in His word. "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)
I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation;
I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth
From the great assembly."
This truth applies to the faith of believers as well as unbelievers. No one can sustain his faith in God without immersing himself in the Word. Similarly, no one can come to faith in Christ, unless he hears the word of God. How will an unbeliever hear the word of God, Christian soldier, unless you put on the full armor of God, including the two-edged sword, that is the Word of God?
Hold the ground you have gained for the kingdom in your own life, by donning the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the gospel of peace, the helmet of salvation, and, yes, even the sword of the Spirit for defense. But let us never forget that our purpose for living is to glorify God by sharing His love, His wisdom, and a healthy fear of His wrath. We are called to holiness. (1 Peter 1:16). We cannot be holy without knowing the Holy God of Scripture. That is why He gave us Scripture, the two-edged sword. Forward into battle, see His banner go.
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