Words have power. They can set the course and destinies of nations. Words can bite, tear, flame, and destroy. They can also heal, create joy, and express thanksgiving. But words can also be abused and twisted into harmful meanings. The pen truly is mightier than the sword. Unless we are talking about a specific sword.
The final item of Paul’s list of God’s whole armor is the “sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” The word of God is the ultimate power. The writer of Hebrews says, “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” (Hebrews 4:12, NLT) The word of God is exceedingly sharp – and it cuts both ways.
Christ-followers often ignore that double-edged quality of the word of God. We love to swing that sword at the world without understanding that we are also subject to its blade. How often do we read something in the Bible and instantly think of someone else’s sin? If they only knew…. But as Jesus taught – take the log out of your eye before trying to take the speck out of someone else’s eye.
Now, don’t take this wrong. We are to wield the sword of the Spirit to advance the mission of Christ. It is, in fact, our most powerful weapon. We can preach our own thoughts and words until we’re spent and exhausted with little to show for it, but reciting even just one verse of God’s word changes everything. “The Bible says…” is a powerful statement.
Ah, but we must beware of a trap. Satan, you see, also quoted scriptures during Jesus’ wilderness temptations. We, too, can quote verses to our own end, for our own purposes, apart from the direction and power of the Holy Spirit. A scalpel in the hands of a surgeon is a powerful tool for healing, but in the hands of others, it is deadly and only leaves wounds and scars. In the same way, the word of God is powerful, but it can also wound and scar if not wielded with love, grace, and humility.
How can we avoid the trap and also be effective wielders of the sword of the Spirit? By using it first on ourselves before we even think of applying it to others. That means we must keep our noses in the Bible every day. Not to gain knowledge, but to more fully yield our own lives to God and to His word.
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