Swords of the Faithful

Paul talks about the sword of the Spirit in Ephesians 6:17. It's one of the main weapons in the Christian's arsenal. We are to be soldiers in God's army, and no good soldier would go into battle without a weapon. The sword was a common weapon in Paul's day, and the one most often used by Roman soldiers in hand-to-hand combat. A skilled soldier could also use his sword to deflect the enemy's blows. 

The Christian has the sword of the Word (see Ephesians 6:17). We can see a great demonstration of how to use it by studying how Jesus responded to Satan's temptations in Matthew 4. We must know God's Word to be victorious in the many skirmishes that will come our way. There is no way we can stand up to Satan, be a good witness, or grow in our faith without it.

We fight any spiritual battles and learn how to live a Christian life by taking up the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. Hebrews 4:12 tells us that the Word of God is "quick and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword." We should read it daily, study it diligently, meditate on it habitually, memorize it often, proclaim it always, and include it in our prayers. Then we will be able to defeat Satan in our lives and march forward as conquerers in God's army.

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