Sword of the Spirit

The sword of the spirit is the only offensive piece of armor listed in Ephesians 6. The sword in relation to Roman soldiers was their main weapon. It had the capability to pierce through armor and was serrated on both sides. Paul put this piece of armor last to convey that even if you have multiple protective pieces on such as a helmet and breastplate, you are nothing but a moving target if you do not have a way to defend yourself.
In the words of my friend Sammie,

God is our machete. We hold onto Him in our hand, thrust out in front of us. We fight through the thicket and the unknown by a sword that clears the way ahead of us. How cool is that? Our machete is the only thing we rely upon when we go into the forest that is the world.

Psalm 16: 8 says, ‘I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With Him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.’

This machete, this sword of the spirit, is our only weapon. Without it, how lost would we be in a dark forest?

Psalm 44:3 says, It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them.

None of this cutting of the underbrush is done with our own sword. It is the sword OF THE SPIRIT. Not the sword of ‘I CAN DO THIS ON MY OWN’. You’re gonna whack at that first thorn bush and be thrown to the ground. But, if we let God be our machete, He will cut through the thick and thin for us. Sure, we are going to stumble in the dark, but we have a God who will pick us back up and lead us back into the fight.

I love her illustration because it reminds me of being in Sunday school. It is easy to understand and relate to because it takes something written 2,000 years ago and makes it relevant in today’s world. The sword of the spirit is, in my opinion, the most difficult piece to add in the morning. The other pieces come as we meditate on God’s word and grow in our faith; however, the sword requires that we lay down our pride and our comfort and go boldly into the future knowing God has all the power.