Ephesians 6:17 (ESV) – 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,

We are continuing our look at the armor of God as listed in Ephesians 6. Today, we are reminded to take up the sword of the Spirit. What does this mean? Paul tells us plainly that the sword of the Spirit is the word of God, the Scriptures. In Paul’s day, this would have referred primarily to the Old Testament Scriptures, but it applies equally to the New Testament that was in the process of being written at that time.

The sword was the primary weapon for battle. To be without it was to be unarmed. A Christian without the word of God is unarmed and unready for battle. The Bible is our primary weapon. It teaches us, instructs us, guides us, and leads us into the will of God. In order to stand firm, we need to know, understand, and apply God’s word to our lives. We need to take up the Scriptures, which were breathed out by the Holy Spirit for our sake.

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