Handling the Sword

Good day

I am interrupting our usual teaching on the chapters in the Gospel of John to share with you a revelation that I have personally received with regard to using the Sword of the Spirit - the Word of God. I have shared similar principles before and to many of the readers it may not be new, but the perspective from which I share it may be new to you.

When we read about the armour of God in Ephesians 6:10-18, we see that the Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God (V17). Paul concludes this passage in verse eighteen with the key to using this armour: “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.”

This depicts a fight. In verse twelve we read: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” How many of us actually wrestle? We are in a fight! Even though the Lord Jesus overcame Satan on the cross, he is not bound yet and will do anything in his power to frustrate us and make us powerless. This he does by tempting us to do sin, which the Lord hates, and therefore hinders us to get where the Lord would like us to be – fruitful and obedient.

How many of us think: ‘Oh well that is what my destiny is supposed to be. I can’t help my circumstances and I can’t help it that I am overcome by sin. I am weak and the Lord promised Paul that in his weakness the Lord’s strength is made complete (2 Corinthians 12:9), so the same applies to me.’ So we struggle on, blaming the Lord that He doesn’t change us or bless us or deliver us.

I have been there a thousand times, making excuses, justifying my actions and even trying to read the Lord’s will into my desire to live according to the demands of my sinful nature. I blamed it on being weak, but in fact I actually did not want to let go of those things that brought so much pleasure to the flesh. Have you been there?

The Lord, however, promised in Hebrews 12:1-12 that, because Jesus has set the example to overcome the power of sin and temptation and came out strong the other side, the same is possible for us and therefore God will discipline us until we get there. Please read this passage prayerfully and attentively. We have no excuse.

Because the Lord uses me as a teacher, He puts me through trials first so I can understand what I am teaching. In my struggle against sin, the sinful nature and the evil forces, I therefore discovered a technique in handling the Sword of the Spirit. First of all, it is the sword of the Holy Spirit. He hands it to us when we need it and He guides us in how to handle it. I have mentioned at a number of occasions the rhema or revelation word that we receive, which gives us faith. This is the Sword of the Spirit.

The devil and our sinful nature are always ready with arguments why the sin, which we continue in, is acceptable. This we can see in the world when it comes to arguments why for example abortion or homosexuality is acceptable. We are to demolish the arguments, which Satan and our flesh put before us, with the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God and therefore we need to know the Word of God. When we struggle with a temptation to sin, we need to pray earnestly for a Word sword to be given us, so we can demolish the power of this temptation. This sword we will then use continuously as long as we get tempted, which is why Paul uses the word wrestle in Ephesians 6:12. The evil forces do not let go easily and we need to be equally tenacious.

Whenever I feel fear that such and such is going to happen to me because I presumably (as told by Satan or my flesh) did this and that, I pick up the sword of Psalm 91:14-16 and zap this fear by repeating this rhema promise out loud to myself and Satan until peace enters my heart, a conviction that the Lord stepped in for me.

Another rhema word that the Holy Spirit gave me to use as a sword is found in Proverbs 3:7: “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.” What I have learnt from this revelation is that, when we justify our actions with all kinds of arguments (obviously eagerly assisted by the evil forces against which we continuously wrestle), we are wise in our own eyes. We are not prepared to accept God’s Word as it is and prefer to see it in a way to please our own desires. This caused my sinful nature to continuously justify that which I knew was not pleasing to the Lord, but I somehow had no victory over it, until the Holy Spirit gave me this sword. Whenever Satan and my sinful nature try their lies on me, I pull out my sword proclaiming: ‘Henry, do not be wise in your own eyes, fear the Lord and shun evil!” Then I do this command.

Thank you, Holy Spirit for giving me a sword when I need it.

Thank you Lord that your Word went out from your mouth, via your servant’s pen, and it will not return to you empty, but will accomplish what you desire and achieve the purpose for which you sent it.

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