As a kid, one day my father brought home a baby goat for my sister and me. Some kids get puppies, kittens, hamsters, or gerbils. We got a goat. He named the goat “E-I.” My sister’s name starts with an E, mine with an I. E-I became a part of the family. E-I wasn’t a good pet. He ate anything left in the backyard and when he grew horns, everything got worse. E-I, our pet became combative. The backyard became his domain. My sister and I weren’t allowed to share the space with E-I. E-I wasn’t having it. Anytime we’d invade his space, he’d butt us with his horns.
One day, I had been pushed to my limit! I longed for the pre-E-I backyard play time and was sick of E-I’s reign of evil. So, I did what any 7-year-old could do: The horns had to go. So, with butter knife in hand (the only knife a 7-year-old can use) I went back to claim the land the goat had stolen from me. With all the courage I can muster, I opened the door, grabbed the goat by a horn and began to work that dull blade as quickly back and forth as I could. Nothing happened. The butter knife was no match against the horn. All I managed to do was frustrate the goat more.
Nothing worse than going to battle with a dull weapon. In a passage about spiritual warfare, Paul tells us: 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.Ephesians 6:17 (NIV)
Your weapon against the enemy, whose mission is to steal, kill and destroy, is the Word of God. So, how we do sharpen our opposition against the enemy of our soul? Three key words in our verse:
SWORD
There’s a specific type of sword Paul is referring to here. Not the long sword you’re probably thinking about. It’s more like a dagger type weapon that a soldier carried on his belt for quick access and closer combat.
This tells me that spiritual warfare isn’t like a drone strike by a guy behind a computer hundreds of miles away. Spiritual warfare is close combat. The enemy will get up into your face, planting thoughts in your mind. He’s not attacking from far. He’s where you live, after your kids and marriage. You need something quick and accurate.
There is an accurate Word for every situation. There’s ammunition in God’s Word for fear, doubt, marriage problems, struggles with lust, raising kids, drug addiction, financial troubles. The Word of God has an accurate, deadly, decisive strike against the enemy, perfect for your situation: For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.Hebrews 4:12 (NLT)
SPIRIT
The reason it’s a spiritual weapon verses a steal blade is: our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)
Your marriage situation isn’t a marriage problem. It’s a spiritual problem that must be dealt with spiritually. Your spouse isn’t the enemy. Quit trying to take them out.
WORD
The word “word” used here is an interesting one. Paul doesn’t use “logos” which speaks of the entire Bible. He uses “rhema” which refers to the spoken Word. Paul is telling us that winning is all about being about to draw on specific passages to deal with specific problems.
You can have the entire “logos” of God’s Word collecting dust on your coffee table and still be unarmed because you don’t draw on the “rhema” of God.
Jesus gives us the perfect example of this: 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, [Jesus] was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” 4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”Matthew 4:2-3 (NIV)
Satan attacks Jesus at His point of need, hunger and offers his solution. So, Jesus has a Bible study with the enemy, responding with rhema: Deuteronomy 8:3. The enemy can handle you. He can’t handle God’s Word.
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