Not too long ago, I discovered something intriguing. If you look at the phrase “God’s word,” you will find a “sword” hidden within its combination of letters. By keeping the letters constant and only altering the spacing, you discover God’s word is a God sword.
Isn’t that awesome? This confirms in an unexpected way what we are told by Paul, who in the book of Ephesians speaks of “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (6:17 ESV).
For many millenniums swords have found their way into history and forever etched their romantic imagery on our minds. From the Scriptures we learn that long before the age of humankind, swords were carried by the mightiest of angels. And in the hands of God’s children, swords are weapons of life and light.
I was in prayer recently when I had an overwhelming sense that far too many of God’s people are unarmed. Not only would this mean they are ill equipped and unprepared. It would also mean they are at risk and incredibly vulnerable to deception.
In the last days our enemy will intensify his assaults with the double-edged sword of false teachers coupled with self-deception (see Matthew 24:11 and 1 John 4:1). How do we combat this threat of deception? We weigh people’s words against the truth of God’s Word. As the iron of God’s Word sharpens our lives, we will be more in tune with what is truth.
Let’s remember too that regardless of how much we know, if we do not also do, then we are again in peril. James says:
Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. James 1:22 ESV
In times of battle, our swords should be put to use. One of the ways this happens is by bringing the sword of God’s Word into the reality of our lives. And swordsmanship is best learned before the heat of battle. Battles are the proving grounds of what you already have put into practice.
Everything we need or will need is hidden in His Word, and we search it out like buried treasure! I challenge you today to become skilled in wielding God’s Word. Study, pray, and declare all it reveals. Let it outwork its influence in your life. Child of God, it’s time to raise your sword!
