DAY 7

The Sword of the Spirit

"And take the mighty razor-sharp Spirit-sword of the spoken Word of God." -Ephesians 6:17

Friends, we've made it to our last day of our study on the Armor of God! I pray that each day has strengthened you in your faith walk, and that you have become more aware of how you are equipped in the Armor that has been issued to you as a child of God.

Today, we will talk about the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

The Sword is both an offensive and defensive weapon used by soldiers or warriors. Swords were either used as protection or to attack the enemy.

Soldiers need extensive training to know how to properly use the sword, especially in the area of protection. We, as soldiers in the Lord's Army, need training too!

We must make reading and meditating on God's Word part of our daily discipline. Satan, our enemy, knows every word in the Scripture, but he is hoping you don't and won't.

He knows that if you begin to study the Word of God, that you will be a threat to him and his evil and twisted kingdom. He knows that as you begin to learn and grow in Truth, that his lies will be of no effect in your life.

As you get built up on the Word of God, you will notice the enemies' plans, plots, and schemes and quickly. This is what the devil hates. You will not only notice them, but you will be able to defeat, disarm, and dismantle them too!

Praise God.

With our complete set of Armor, we are set up and equipped for victory!

In Luke 4:1-5, it shows us that after Jesus was baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit, He was led into the wilderness by the Spirit. He was tempted for 40 days by the devil. We see 3 instances where the devil tries to tempt Jesus, and all 3 times Jesus replied with, "It is written..." all while quoting the Scriptures.

(Sidenote: The 40-day temptation in the wilderness mirrors Israel's 40 years of testing in the wilderness. Israel failed, but Jesus was victorious. [Numbers 14])

Here's the thing, though: Satan also quoted Scripture while tempting Jesus, but he twisted it against Jesus. Jesus immediately knew what Satan was doing and counterattacked with the truth and defeated the lies.

Jesus, being our perfect example, has shown us the way to defeat the enemy. We as followers of Christ are to stand firm and resist the devil (1 Peter 5:9, 1 Corinthians 16:13).

God's Word is our Firm Foundation in which we are able to stand secure and confident in our battle. In Isaiah 55:11, it shows us that the Word of God never fails but it accomplishes what we please and prospers in the thing which we send it! Wow.

We must use our mouth and the Word of God and send it forth! Let the Word do its job.

This is our protection. The Word of God is our Supernatural Sword of the Spirit!

When we stand on the Word of God, we confidently stand in our IDENTITY as God's chosen child. The Word of God is for us, and we are to use it wisely against the enemy. God has given us everything we need to defeat the enemy!

We must remember that Jesus has already defeated the devil, and because we abide in Him and He in us, we too have defeated the enemy as well.

Revelation 12:11 says, "And they overcame and conquered him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony..."

Let's focus on 'the word of your testimony.' We know that God's Word defeats Satan... but what about your words?

Are your words aligning with God's Words? Testimonies are so powerful! I want your words and testimony to be full of victory.

Every time we speak, let those words be full of passion and power. Our words are containers, and we must fill them with life, which is God's Word.

Anytime the enemy attacks, we release not only our faith in Jesus, but we release the spoken word of God. When we do this, we are using the Sword of the Spirit.

Let our testimony be filled with what God has done in our life. We can look back and check those receipts on how faithful God has been throughout our life. Each receipt you recall, read it out loud for all to hear!

Every time we declare God's Word over our life and over our circumstance, we are piercing the devil with a wound that he cannot recover from!

When we speak, we must speak with a BOLDNESS that only believers can have because their identity is rooted and grounded in Christ alone.

Key Point: The Scriptures are not just here for us to read as a story that we cannot relate to, but they are Words to live by... they are our inheritance!

God's Word is essential for our life. It is just as vital as the air we breathe.

It's important to remember just because God's Word is available to us doesn't mean it works on its own, we must use it! It is one of the most powerful weapons there is to the Christian believer.

It's like having a car... just because we have a car doesn't mean we are going anywhere. We have to get in the car, put the key in the ignition, put it in drive, and press the gas pedal.

It is the same with God's Word: just because it's written in the Bible doesn't mean it is working in our life. We must do our part by faith.

James 1:22 says, "But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says..." We don't need to be religious and just know Scripture, but we must actively live according to the Scriptures. This is how transformation happens in the believer and what makes us powerful in our faith walk!

Anytime the devil comes near you... use the Sword of the Spirit (the Word of God).

Anytime the devil goes after your marriage, family, or anything that concerns you... use the Sword of the Spirit (the Word of God).

As God's child we don't need to worry or be afraid. Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world (2 Timothy 1:7, 1 John 4:4).

God's Word works.

Take your rightful position as a Child of God (your identity). Use the power and authority that has been given to you.

Every battle we face, we already have the VICTORY! We must know this.

But we must do our part and put on the full Armor of God so that we may be able to successfully stand up against all the schemes, strategies, and deceits of the evil one, in Jesus' mighty Name!

QUESTION

Where in your life do you need to use the Sword of the Spirit?

Are the words you speak aligned with God's Words?

ACTION STEP

Wherever the enemy is imposing on your life, use the Sword of the Spirit!

Get in God's Word and find out what Promises of God you can stand on for your situation.

Ask the Holy Spirit to convict you anytime you speak against God's Word, so you can quickly repent and re-align your words.

DECLARATION

I know that no matter what battle I face in life, I have the victory! I put on the full Armor of God, and I stand confidently in my identity which is rooted in Christ alone! Victory is part of my inheritance, and I stand on the Word of God as my firm foundation, In Jesus' mighty Name! Amen.

Thank You!

Thank you for reading The Armor of God 7-day Bible plan! We pray it blessed you on your faith journey! If you enjoyed this plan, consider reading our other Bible plans, as we believe they will be a blessing to you. And make sure to follow Made for More Ministries so you can know when we release more Bible Content for you!

We also have a 52-week devotional journal available Don't Miss the Call Devotional for those who want to further their walk with the Lord!

Let's connect on social media (Instagram: @pastor_elizabethpayne). I would be honored to be part of your journey!