There was a man driving a truck - one of those delivery trucks where the back end is enclosed. This man - at every intersection where he’d have to stop at a signal or stop sign - this man would get out of the truck and run around the outside of the truck banging on the sides. There was policeman who was following the man and watching all this. Finally the policeman couldn’t stand it anymore. So, he pulled the man over and asked him, “Why, when you stop, are you running around your truck banging on the sides?” The man said, “Well, I’m driving a truck with a one ton capacity and I’ve got 2 tons of canaries in the back. If I don’t keep at least half of them flying the truck will break.”

Ever feel like that? Overloaded and struggling to keep up?

Over the last several Sundays we’ve been looking at the struggles we have in life. We’ve been seeing that - ultimately - what we’re up against is Satan and his forces of darkness. Satan’s cunning - clever - subtle - strategies to discourage us - to weaken our faith - to lead us away from God - to ineffectiveness as a Christian - to our defeat. Its crucial that we understand this. What we struggle against isn’t people or circumstances. We struggle in a spiritual battle with Satan.

When we realize the kind of attack we face in life - then we begin to understand that we can’t meet this challenge on our own. Our wisdom and strategies just don’t work. When we realize what we’re up against then we begin to desire a different type of response - a different type of battle strategy.

That’s what Paul is dealing with here in Ephesians 6 - putting on the Armor of God. In God’s strength we have all that we need to stand up against Satan - to stand firm in our faith - to go through all of what comes at us in life - victoriously. We don’t have to blindly fail again and again - to live defeated - guilt ridden - discouraged lives. God offers us something so much more.

This morning we’ve come to the last piece of that strengthening armor - in verse 17 where Paul writes, “Take up...the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

The sword that Paul refers to is a short - two-edged - dagger that the Roman soldier would attach to his belt. The kind of sword that was used for close one-on-one fighting. That’s important for us to understand - what Paul means by this small sword.

Do you remember the account of Jesus being tempted in the wilderness? 40 days and nights without food being led around by the Spirit. Then Satan comes to Jesus who’s now hungry. Satan begins to tempt Jesus - to lure Him into sin.

Satan starts with Jesus’ hunger. “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”

Jesus responds by quoting from Deuteronomy, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”

Twice more Satan comes with a temptation to sin. Twice more Jesus responds by quoting Scripture. (Matthew 4:1-11) This is what Paul has in mind when he writes of the sword being the word of God.

The phrase Paul uses here for “the word of God” in Greek is “ho estin rema theou.” He uses the word “rema” to describe the “word” of God. Paul could have used another Greek word. Perhaps more familiar to us. He could have used “logos” as the word of God. But “logos” refers to the whole of everything that God has said and revealed about Himself in Scripture. (John 1:1ff) “Rema” is specific - God’s word - His specific word applied to specific situations in our lives. Jesus counters Satan by saying that man lives by every “rema” - same Greek word Paul uses - every word that comes from the mouth of God.

What Paul is telling us - is that this dagger - this “rema” - is what we need when we’re under close personal attack. When Satan comes after us and we’re tempted to compromise on our faith. Tempted to flirt with discouragement and anger and bitterness. Tempted to tolerate attitudes and desires that lead us away from what we know is right. When we struggle with those little inner mind games we play with ourselves. Those small little sins - not dealt with - that later weaken us when we struggle. That become the foundation of big failures - major problems later on. We need the sword of the Spirit when Satan attacks.

In thinking through what Paul is describing and applying all this to our lives today there are two parts to this description of the sword that we need to understand. First - Paul says that the sword is the sword of the Spirit. The sword belongs to the Holy Spirit - the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Would you repeat this with me, “Its the Spirit’s work.”

Do you remember the story of “The Mutiny on the Bounty”? Either you read the book or cheated and saw the move. I can picture Marlin Brando - “Mister Christian! Someone has taken one of my coconuts!” In the 19th century - mutineers took over the ship HMS Bounty - set their captain - Captain Bligh - adrift in a lifeboat - and ended up finally on Pitcairn Island - in the South Pacific. What happened to these mutineers after they landed on Pitcairn Island is an interesting story in and of itself.

For the most part, these mutineers were rough - tough - godless sailors. Together with the wives they brought with them from Tahiti, they spent their days on Pitcairn drinking - gambling - swapping wives - fighting with each other. All this led to murders and suicides. In 1808 when the island was rediscovered by the American ship Topaz - living on the island were the descendants of the mutineers and only one lone surviving mutineer - John Adams.

John Adams - when he left England aboard the Bounty - had been known as “Reckless Jack.” He was a thief - a criminal - who had learned to survive on the streets of London. Adams was one of the most active mutineers - part of the group that seized Captain Bligh.

But on Pitcairn Island - rummaging through his trunk one day - he found a Bible that his mother had put there. He began to read it. And soon - through the Holy Spirit’s work - God’s word changed his life. When that island as rediscovered in 1808 John Adams was known to be kindly, wise, deeply religious - the moral leader of the islanders. On Pitcairn - because John Adams began to teach God’s word to others - there was no jail because they had no crime. They loved God and they loved each other. God’s word had totally changed their lives and their society. (1)

Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword , and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” The word of God cuts to the deepest part of who we are. It exposes our sin and demands change. Like salt poured into an open wound, that hurts. It offends our pride and intellect. But. God’s word speaks the truth about what is really going on in our hearts.

It would be so easy to get up on Sunday morning - get dressed - drive to church - and bypass the Service of Worship - going straight to the coffee and fellowship - just avoid church altogether. We could avoid going to Bible study or Sunday School or avoid spending time personally reading and studying God’s word. Maybe that’s easier. When we come inside - we experience God’s presence - hear God’s word - and if we’re honest with ourselves - we need to change. We all need to change. And change is hard. God moving us beyond our comfort zone.

Appling the “Sword of the Spirit” to our lives means that we allow the Holy Spirit to apply His word to our hearts - to examine our hearts - to cut through our defenses - to prick our consciences - to prod us to spiritual alertness - to allow God to use His word to bring change to our lives. Hard? Yes. But, that leads to God’s strength in our life.

Through the word the Spirit leads us to salvation and our relationship with Jesus Christ. Through the word the Holy Spirit drives away our fears - despair - doubt - assures us of our salvation and leads us into times of thanksgiving and praise.

First - Paul says that the sword is belongs to the Holy Spirit - to His work in our lives. Second, Paul describes the sword as the word of God. It’s God’s word - which speaks to our individual accountability to God. Would you say this with me, “Its God’s word.”

Amy Carter - remember her? Amy Carter - daughter of President Jimmy Carter - brought an assignment home one Friday night while her father was still President. Stumped by a question on the Industrial Revolution, Amy asked her mother for help. Rosalynn was also stumped by the question and, in turn, asked an aide to seek clarification from the Labor Department. A "rush" was placed on the request since the assignment was due Monday.

Thinking the question was a serious request from the President himself, a Labor Department official immediately cranked up the government computer and kept a full team of technicians and programmers working overtime all weekend - at a reported cost of several hundred thousand dollars.

The massive computer printout was finally delivered by truck to the White House on Sunday afternoon and Amy showed up in class with the official answer the following day. By the way - her history teacher was not impressed. Amy got a "C" on her paper. (2)

Supreme authority commands unquestioning respect - obedience - trust.

Our Evangelical Free forefathers lived believed in the absolute supreme authority of the Bible over their lives. To them - the Bible stood above governments - above clergy - above the church and her traditions. The words of the Bible were trusted and read and obeyed regardless of the personal cost.

The very first article of the Evangelical Free Church Statement of Faith states this: [We believe] “The Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments, to be the inspired Word of God, without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for the salvation of men, and the Divine and final authority for all Christian faith and life.”

The writing of Scripture resulted from a cooperative activity between God and human authors. God exerted enough influence in them - without controlling them completely - to guarantee that the original manuscripts - not later copies or translations - the original manuscripts as they wrote them rendered the thoughts of God free from error in what they affirm or teach. (3) Because of what it is - the Bible must have absolute authority over our lives.

There were two Eskimos sitting in a kayak. They were cold so they lit a fire, and the kayak burned and sank. Which only proved - once again - that you can’t have your kayak and eat it too.

Its hard to understand how we can say in one sentence that the Bible is the inspired word of the God who is infinite - timeless - all knowing - all powerful - our creator and sustainer - who has communicated with us exactly what He holds us accountable for - and at the same time say that His word is not sufficient to guide us in faith and the daily living of our lives.

Some people say that, "The Bible is an ancient book written for another time. We have greater scientific knowledge and face different challenges today. I believe in God - but surely you can't take the Bible literally - it just doesn't apply. Bible study is for Sunday School kids. It’s for people who need it."

Rather than being judgmental - “We’re not like them” - let’s remember that many of us slip into the same trap. If not in what we say - then in what we do. The Barna Research Group - conducted a survey and found out that the majority of Christians only read the Bible once or twice a week or not at all. (4) Its like the man who takes medicine from his medicine cabinet. Looks at the instructions and says, "I'm sure they're correct. I have all confidence that this medicine will make me healthy and strong, if I just take it." But he takes the medicine and puts it back on the shelf. Have you heard that? Its so easy for us to hear that and go as if it pertains to someone else.

This is a challenge and an encouragement for all of us. If our Bibles are on the shelf - if we’re not studying and memorizing and meditating and subjecting our lives to the authority of God’s word and all that He tells us about life and how to live it - then is it any wonder when it comes to being prepared to live strong in the strength of the Lord we’ll find ourselves weak - at a loss - unprepared to handle the circumstances we find ourselves in.

Olympic gold medal gymnast Mary Lou Retton said, "Here's what it takes to be a complete gymnast. Someone should be able to sneak up and drag you out at midnight, push you out on some strange floor - and you should be able to do your entire routine sound asleep in your pajamas. Without one mistake. That's the secret. It's got to be a natural reaction." (5)

The Bible must have authority over our lives - not just when it seems reasonable or convenient - or fits our framework of understanding and experience - the Bible must have authority over our lives in all things. God's word should be so deeply imbedded within us that our natural reaction will be to live in obedience to it - to live as it teaches us to live - as an integral part of our nature. Church - when we allow the Spirit access to our heart and give God’s word authority over our lives - we begin to live in His strength and power and wisdom and victory.

Consider one last challenge with me.

When Paul writes “take up the sword of the Spirit” it’s important to understand that this action begins with us. We’ve been focusing on the defensive use of the sword - how the word strengthens and prepares us for life - because before we go around stabbing people with the word of God we need to be prepared to use it properly - to witness instead of wound - to help instead of hurt. That means that we need to first allow the Spirit access to our heart and second to give God’s word authority over our lives. Which leaves each of us with a choice. What will we do with God’s word - take it up or to let it lie?

On October 16, 1982, Badger Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin was packed. More than 60,000 die-hard University of Wisconsin supporters were watching their football team take on the Michigan State Spartans. What was odd - regardless of what was happening on the field - who was winning or loosing - there were bursts of applause and cheers and shouts of joy from the Wisconsin fans - completely irrelevant to what was going on in the game.

It turns out that seventy miles away the Milwaukee Brewers were coming from behind to beat the St. Louis Cardinals in game four of the 1982 World Series. Many of the fans in the stands were listening on portable radios and responding to something completely different than their immediate circumstances. (6)

We have this choice in life. Who will we listen to? Our increasingly deluded - confused - self-destructive - no-absolute-truth society or God’s absolute - final - authoritative word?

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1. Ray Stedman from his sermon, The Mysterious Word
2. Campus Life Magazine, May 1981
3. See Dr. Gilbert Bilezikian, Christianity 101, page 10
4. The Biblical Studies Foundation - Bible - ignorance of
5. The Biblical Studies Foundation - Practice
6. Leadership, Fall 1994