This is the sixth of six posts.
The Sword of the Spirit
"and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God"
This piece of the armor might be the most talked about piece, with a variety of good commentaries and interpretations on what it is and what it's for. But here are some of the thoughts that I had as I was dwelling on it.
One thing I noticed is that this is not my sword, it's the sword of the Spirit. The word of God is not necessarily my offensive weapon, it's the Holy Spirit's offensive weapon. Which makes sense in a lot of ways. Why is it that some people can read the Bible and not be convicted of sin or see any of the truth in it? Because the power of the Spirit isn't wielding the Word in that persons heart. Without a soldier, a sword is useless; Without the Holy Spirit, the Bible is just another book. The Word has power because the Holy Spirit gives it power as its wielder. (I'm not saying that the Holy Spirit can't wield the Word in a non-believers heart, my point is that the Word's power to change hearts comes from the Holy Spirit.)
And, praise the Lord, if you believe in Jesus Christ as your savior, the Holy Spirit is a deposit guaranteeing your inheritance (Eph 1:13-14). If you are a Christian, you have the Holy Spirit within you. But how can the Holy Spirit help you tear down strong holds in your life without his weapon, the Word of God? Thus, we need to take up the Sword of the Spirit so that the Spirit can wage war and fight for us. Because I can't change my own heart, I don't have the power to change my motivations or desires. But the Lord does have that power and he uses his sword to battle temptations and motivations in order to sanctify me.
But if I am not spending deep, meaningful, meditative time in the Word, then I am not equipping the Spirit within me and I should not expect to see any change in my own life or to have an effect on anyone else's life. But when the Spirit has his weapon, I see change in my life and I see how he uses me to reach those around me.
