The Whole Armor of God
The Sword of the Spirit, WHICH IS THE WORD OF GOD Eph 6:17b
Taking up the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, isn’t the assimilation of some system of doctrine that satisfies the “I got it” passion of the flesh! The Word that is effectual will enable us to stand, to withstand in the evil day. Taking up the Sword of the Spirit isn’t just finding some church or preacher that faithfully declares the Word of God. No, the Word of God as spoken of here is only encountered, only effectual one on ONE!!! The word spoken of here is only Living and Powerful if we give ourselves to it (I Tim 4:15-16) and encounter The WORD in the word as revealed by the Holy Spirit to our souls. We are considering here the written word and it’s revelation of the Incarnate Word as unveiled and sealed to our souls by the Holy Spirit!!!
I. First of all, the word/Word of God is a Sword:
Isa 49:2 (1-6) Speaking of God’s Servant, the Light to the Gentiles: “He has made My mouth like a sharp sword.....” So much more in the context–be sure to consider it!
Hosea 6:5-6 “I have hewn them by the prophets, I have slain them by the words of My Mouth....” Consider vs 6 as to the repentance God desired of Israel!!!
Heb 4:12-13 “The word of God is Living and Powerful, sharper that any two edged sword” etc. We will return to this passage later on! It is a crucial text to our understanding.
Rev 1:16 (The Son of Man) “Out of His Mouth went a sharp two-edged sword.”
Rev 2:12&16 “These things says He Who has the sharp two-edged sword”. 16 “Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My Mouth.”
Rev 19:15 (Spoken of the Faithful and True One Vs 11) “Now out of Him Mouth goes a sharp (two edged–majority text) sword, that with it He should strike the nations.” And note vs 13, and His Name is called THE WORD OF GOD.”
II. Secondly, this Sword, which is the word/Word of God is truly the Person, the Incarnate God!
John 1:1-2 It is this One Whose Name is the Word of God of Whom John speaks: “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.”
John 1:14 And here we have what makes christianity Christianity!!! “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His Glory, the Glory of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of Grace and Truth.”
I John 1:1 This is that One from the beginning, “which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of Life.”
Heb 1:1-2 “God” who previously spoke to the fathers by the prophets, “has in these last days (these days of the New Covenant, the vail removed days) SPOKEN to us BY HIS SON!!!
III. Thirdly, It is God the Holy Spirit, that is proclaiming this Word, this Son of Man, to our souls through the written word, even through the Old Covenant, the shadow covenant.
Heb 8:8&13 In quoting from Jer. 31:31-34, we see that “He says”, the words are from the mouth of God, and in chapter 9:8, in speaking of the Old Covenant system of worship, we read that the HE is the Holy Spirit of God! “The Holy Sprit INDICATING (speaking, teaching way back then) this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing.”
Heb 10:15-18 And here, the Holy Spirit wonderfully teaches us (vs 10 “And the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after HE HAD SAID BEFORE–and then Jer 31:33 is quoted) that the Way into the Holiest is now Manifest, and He invites us to come boldly and dwell there.(vs 19-22)
Heb 3:8 And don’t forget the Holy Spirit’s warning about unbelief!!!
I Tim 4:1 Again, it is the Holy Spirit Who warns us, “Now the Spirit explicitly says that in the latter times (that’s today, folks!) some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.....”
I Tim 3:16 And here is what He Warns of people departing from, the Mystery of Godliness:
“God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into Glory.”
IV. And here is where the Spirit wields the Sword which is the Word of God!
Jn 14:16-18 He is the SPIRIT OF TRUTH!!! He makes our hearts the dwelling place of the Father and the Son by His own Presence! Vs 23
Jn 16:7-15 The SPIRIT OF TRUTH has only one TRUTH–He will Glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine, therefore, I say THAT HE WILL TAKE OF MINE AND DECLARE IT UNTO YOU.
V. And here is HOW the Spirit wields the Sword which is the Word of God!
Heb 4:9-16 This passage implies at least three things:
1. 3:1-4:11 The GOAL of the Spirit’s working by the Word is to bring about the REST of BELIEF in the People of God. This Rest is that standing firm of Eph 9.
2. 4:12-13 The Holy Spirit does this by laying bare the lies upon which our unbelieving behavior is built upon, upon which our old flesh thrives. This is His applying the Word to our souls in making us to understand the difference between soul (old) and spirit (new), joints (activity) and marrow (the root of that activity), our thoughts and the intents (motivations) of our hearts. He lays bare the lie under which we have operated our whole lives–that we are the masters of our own little world!
3. 4:14-16 And in this process, He reveals the Glorious Means of this Rest of the People of God, but He only does this to those Whom He has exposed, made humble, repentant sinners, for “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (I Peter 5:5)
VI. And what is His Means? He reveals to us:
1. 4:14-15 He reveals to our inner most being our “Great High Priest Who has passed through the heavens, JESUS THE SON OF GOD.” And SEEING, and beholding Him, we are to hold fast to our confession!!! Remember I Timothy 3:16? We are to STAND IN THIS BELIEF!
2. 4:16 He reveals to us our blood bought dwelling place in the midst of our weaknesses of these old mortal bodies, our flesh, “Let us therefore (on the basis of what we believe) come boldly (without fear) to the THRONE OF GRACE (where our Great High Priest sits at His Father’s Right Hand), THAT WE MAY OBTAIN MERCY AND FIND GRACE TO HELP IN TIME OF NEED.”
Taking up the Sword of the Spirit which IS the Word of God, doesn’t mean we now go out and hack and chop up the devil and his minions. No, it means that we are taking up the Holy Spirits revelation through the written Word of the Incarnate Word, our Great High Priest and His assurance of our inseparable Union with Him!!! This is the Rest of the people of God, the adopted children of the Most High God. This is where we stand, being steadfast, always abounding in the Work of the Lord.
“This is the Work of God, that you might believe in HIM Whom He has sent.” Jn 6:29
The Sword of the Spirit, WHICH IS THE WORD OF GOD Eph 6:17b
Taking up the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, isn’t the assimilation of some system of doctrine that satisfies the “I got it” passion of the flesh! The Word that is effectual will enable us to stand, to withstand in the evil day. Taking up the Sword of the Spirit isn’t just finding some church or preacher that faithfully declares the Word of God. No, the Word of God as spoken of here is only encountered, only effectual one on ONE!!! The word spoken of here is only Living and Powerful if we give ourselves to it (I Tim 4:15-16) and encounter The WORD in the word as revealed by the Holy Spirit to our souls. We are considering here the written word and it’s revelation of the Incarnate Word as unveiled and sealed to our souls by the Holy Spirit!!!
I. First of all, the word/Word of God is a Sword:
Isa 49:2 (1-6) Speaking of God’s Servant, the Light to the Gentiles: “He has made My mouth like a sharp sword.....” So much more in the context–be sure to consider it!
Hosea 6:5-6 “I have hewn them by the prophets, I have slain them by the words of My Mouth....” Consider vs 6 as to the repentance God desired of Israel!!!
Heb 4:12-13 “The word of God is Living and Powerful, sharper that any two edged sword” etc. We will return to this passage later on! It is a crucial text to our understanding.
Rev 1:16 (The Son of Man) “Out of His Mouth went a sharp two-edged sword.”
Rev 2:12&16 “These things says He Who has the sharp two-edged sword”. 16 “Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My Mouth.”
Rev 19:15 (Spoken of the Faithful and True One Vs 11) “Now out of Him Mouth goes a sharp (two edged–majority text) sword, that with it He should strike the nations.” And note vs 13, and His Name is called THE WORD OF GOD.”
II. Secondly, this Sword, which is the word/Word of God is truly the Person, the Incarnate God!
John 1:1-2 It is this One Whose Name is the Word of God of Whom John speaks: “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.”
John 1:14 And here we have what makes christianity Christianity!!! “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His Glory, the Glory of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of Grace and Truth.”
I John 1:1 This is that One from the beginning, “which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of Life.”
Heb 1:1-2 “God” who previously spoke to the fathers by the prophets, “has in these last days (these days of the New Covenant, the vail removed days) SPOKEN to us BY HIS SON!!!
III. Thirdly, It is God the Holy Spirit, that is proclaiming this Word, this Son of Man, to our souls through the written word, even through the Old Covenant, the shadow covenant.
Heb 8:8&13 In quoting from Jer. 31:31-34, we see that “He says”, the words are from the mouth of God, and in chapter 9:8, in speaking of the Old Covenant system of worship, we read that the HE is the Holy Spirit of God! “The Holy Sprit INDICATING (speaking, teaching way back then) this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing.”
Heb 10:15-18 And here, the Holy Spirit wonderfully teaches us (vs 10 “And the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after HE HAD SAID BEFORE–and then Jer 31:33 is quoted) that the Way into the Holiest is now Manifest, and He invites us to come boldly and dwell there.(vs 19-22)
Heb 3:8 And don’t forget the Holy Spirit’s warning about unbelief!!!
I Tim 4:1 Again, it is the Holy Spirit Who warns us, “Now the Spirit explicitly says that in the latter times (that’s today, folks!) some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.....”
I Tim 3:16 And here is what He Warns of people departing from, the Mystery of Godliness:
“God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into Glory.”
IV. And here is where the Spirit wields the Sword which is the Word of God!
Jn 14:16-18 He is the SPIRIT OF TRUTH!!! He makes our hearts the dwelling place of the Father and the Son by His own Presence! Vs 23
Jn 16:7-15 The SPIRIT OF TRUTH has only one TRUTH–He will Glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine, therefore, I say THAT HE WILL TAKE OF MINE AND DECLARE IT UNTO YOU.
V. And here is HOW the Spirit wields the Sword which is the Word of God!
Heb 4:9-16 This passage implies at least three things:
1. 3:1-4:11 The GOAL of the Spirit’s working by the Word is to bring about the REST of BELIEF in the People of God. This Rest is that standing firm of Eph 9.
2. 4:12-13 The Holy Spirit does this by laying bare the lies upon which our unbelieving behavior is built upon, upon which our old flesh thrives. This is His applying the Word to our souls in making us to understand the difference between soul (old) and spirit (new), joints (activity) and marrow (the root of that activity), our thoughts and the intents (motivations) of our hearts. He lays bare the lie under which we have operated our whole lives–that we are the masters of our own little world!
3. 4:14-16 And in this process, He reveals the Glorious Means of this Rest of the People of God, but He only does this to those Whom He has exposed, made humble, repentant sinners, for “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (I Peter 5:5)
VI. And what is His Means? He reveals to us:
1. 4:14-15 He reveals to our inner most being our “Great High Priest Who has passed through the heavens, JESUS THE SON OF GOD.” And SEEING, and beholding Him, we are to hold fast to our confession!!! Remember I Timothy 3:16? We are to STAND IN THIS BELIEF!
2. 4:16 He reveals to us our blood bought dwelling place in the midst of our weaknesses of these old mortal bodies, our flesh, “Let us therefore (on the basis of what we believe) come boldly (without fear) to the THRONE OF GRACE (where our Great High Priest sits at His Father’s Right Hand), THAT WE MAY OBTAIN MERCY AND FIND GRACE TO HELP IN TIME OF NEED.”
Taking up the Sword of the Spirit which IS the Word of God, doesn’t mean we now go out and hack and chop up the devil and his minions. No, it means that we are taking up the Holy Spirits revelation through the written Word of the Incarnate Word, our Great High Priest and His assurance of our inseparable Union with Him!!! This is the Rest of the people of God, the adopted children of the Most High God. This is where we stand, being steadfast, always abounding in the Work of the Lord.
“This is the Work of God, that you might believe in HIM Whom He has sent.” Jn 6:29