Xena the warrior princess

The Sword of the Spirit

Ephesians 6:10-18 

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take a stand against the devil's schemes. For 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. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and wit your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.Take the helmet of salvation  and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep praying for the Saints."

     It's about time and far over due, but here it is, the last of the the armor of God! Studying the armor has truly made me aware of how desperately I need to be wearing it, and putting it on every day, even several times a day! Oh how we need it to succeed as we fight the good fight daily! 

      The sword of the spirit is the the Word of God.  Every other piece of armor is used as defense against attacks. The Bible is our powerful weapon that we can use to defend attacks AND fight back too. It's the only weapon we have, the only one we need! Hebrews 4:12

"For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." 

      One day, you and I will be held accountable for how we used this precious piece of armor that the Lord lovingly breathed into existence for us. Do you know it? Do you use it? Have you hidden it in your heart? Do you love love love the words of redemption, forgiveness, love and power? We have access to the words of the Almighty, living, sovereign Maker and Savior. His Words are full of wisdom, council, hope, truth and the most beautiful love story every lived out so that you and I could be saved, free, loved and  forgiven. What a precious and valuable gift that our Maker and Savior gave. His Words, His love story in written form for us. When we read it; it brings light to our paths. When we believe the Good News clearly written throughout it; we are saved.  When we obey the commands in it; we are spared and protected from so much evil and consequence. When we hide it in our hearts; it becomes readily available for the fight. 

      God's Word protects us from Satan's lies, because it is full of TRUTH. God's Word overflows with loving words of truth about our value and worth. We are SO valuable that Jesus gave His life so that we could be saved. It's the weapon we have to fight Satan when he reminds us of our past sin - We know we are washed in the  blood of the lamb, covered in Christ's righteousness. We can fight seeds of doubt planted in our minds with the TRUTH -Ephesians 2:8 "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God". What power the Lord has given us in His spoken Word! It's truly the only power we have, shouldn't we be using it?! 

    When we don't know God's Word and aren't using it, we are often blind to the truth and accepting of the lies that Satan continually tells us. We are caught in a vicious battle with no weapon. When we are weaponless in battle we are not just completely unuseful, we becomes a hindrance to the other soldiers around us, fighting too. Can you imagine, a soldier in the middle of a battle choosing to not pick up his sword. It's right there, readily available to him and he doesn't pick it up and use it. He is not going to make it! And if he does survive, its because someone else has started to fight for him. That soldier is not only a fool, but a burden to those around him too. That thought alone is inspiration enough for me to go read my Bible right now! I do not want to be that kind of a soldier. I want to be as prepared and equipped as I can be, fighting shoulder to shoulder with my brothers and sisters. So... I choose Xena the warrior princess. 

        Suit up! Pick up your sword and "pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep praying for the Saints." Ephesians 6:18.We are all in it together, shoulder to shoulder, fighting the good fight. We need the armor and each other every day. This world has exalted tolerance over truth, materialism over contentment and our rights to respond however we see fit over showing God's grace, love and forgiveness. We need His strength,  His armor and each other to live lives set apart! Then, as we start to live set apart - the battle heats up and we need Him, armor and each other all the more! But, take heart! When the light is shinning bright in the darkness, when the contrast is astoundingly evident, and the battle is fierce;  that's when we get to see God accomplish great things in us and through us for His glory and fame! That is living life truly abundantly!  May we all end our days able to say "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." 2 Timothy 4:7

John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”