"Take...the sword of the Spirit is the word of
of God." (Eph. 6:17b NIV)
Interestingly, this is the only piece of God's
armament that is defensive in nature. All the other pieces are
protective, but although we are told to stand firm, knowing we are
protected from the evils of the enemy, God doesn't leave us without a
form of defense: His Word!
The Bible is the best selling book of all
times. Although many in the persecuted church have no bibles, in North
America, it isn't uncommon for a household to have multiple copies of
the Bible! I think we probably have 20 or more in our home! The problem
then, is that most Christians don't use it. The Bible sits and collects
dust.
Let's put this in the context of the Roman
soldiers: What would happen if a Roman soldier laid his sword aside and
allowed it to rust? First of all, he would be out of practice using it,
and secondly, when he needed it, it wouldn't be at his disposal. It is
no different with us. When we don't read the Bible God has given us, we
become unable to actually use it in our defense against the enemies in
spiritual realms of evil!
Yes, North Americans may have the Bible, often
multiple copies, but it doesn't help if we don't know how to use it.
The truth is, the more we know our Bibles, the
more we know our Heavenly Father. If you truly know your Bible, then in
times of trouble, God places verses in your mind that will help you.
A few years ago, for example, I had a tough
class. The Bible says I am to, "pray without ceasing" (1 Thess. 5:16
NIV), and God brought this text to my mind. I decided to pray for each
desk in classroom, and I did: I started with my desk, and worked my way
around the room until I had prayed over each one. From that day forward,
I began to see small changes as bit by bit, the class began to become
friendly and caring. Within two weeks, you wouldn't have known that this
was the same class. I had used the Sword of the Spirit in this
situation, and my Heavenly Father came to my rescue.
The promises in the Bible are also very
helpful in silencing the devil. When he comes at me and tells me I am
not worth anything, I can counterattack with God's Word: "Are not five
sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before
God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you
are of more value than many sparrows." (Luke 12:6-7 ESV), etc. When the
devil tells me that a situation is hopeless, I can counter with: "I can
do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me." (Phil. 4:13 NIV), etc.
I cannot urge you enough to spend time every
day reading your Bible. But remember when you do, to ask the Inspiration
for that Book, the Holy Spirit ("All Scripture is God-breathed and is
useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in
righteousness…" 2 Tim. 3:16 NIV), to help you to hear God's voice
speaking to you through His Word. Then, when you find yourself in
difficulty, pray and ask for God's wisdom, guidance and help; and then
listen. He might impress a certain passage from Scripture upon your
mind, or you might feel impressed to go and read a specific passage from
your Bible. Either way, this is God speaking His wisdom and guidance to
you.
In this series, we have seen the importance of
being spiritually protected, and we have seen the sad consequences of an
unprotected life. Let's protect ourselves so that we can indeed, "…be
strong in the Lord and in his mighty power." (vs. 10 NIV); so you can
"take your stand against the devil's schemes." (vs. 11b NIV); so that
when the day of evil comes, "you may be able to stand your ground…" (vs.
13 NIV); and so that you can, indeed, "Stand firm…" (vs. 14a NIV)
God bless you as you daily take up the helmet
of Salvation, the Sword of the Spirit, the Breastplate of Righteousness,
the Belt of Truth, the "Shoes" of Gospel Peace, and the Shield of Faith!
In His love,
Rob Chaffart