The Sword of the Spirit

The Sword of the Spirit

(Ephesians 6:17)

“Life’s already hard enough these days. When you come to church, you should be able to breathe—to feel at peace. Why should you feel burdened when hearing the Word? You don’t need to worry so much about sin or repentance. God loves you just as you are. Faith isn’t about pushing yourself—it’s about helping you be yourself. So let go of that pressure to change.”

1. The Scriptures as the Word of God
To resist the schemes of the devil, we must take up the sword of the Spirit. Think of how the serpent approached Eve and brought about her downfall with just a few words that sounded caring. To strike down such attacks, we must know God’s Word. This does not mean simply acquiring general knowledge about the Bible. We must receive the Word that now rushes toward us—to save us and to guide us—into our hearts, and have it firmly equipped within us.

2. A Defensive Weapon
The sword of the Spirit is a defensive weapon, one that enables us to stand against the devil’s attacks with precision. If we can wield the sword of the Spirit rightly, we will be able to strike down temptations like these: “It is written: ‘And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.’” “It is written: ‘Till we all come to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.’”

3. An Offensive Weapon
The sword of the Spirit is also an offensive weapon. And this attack is not directed at the devil alone—it also strikes at the sin that arises under his influence, and even at ourselves, who bear responsibility for that sin. When this sword comes upon us, our hearts may be pierced under its reproach, but if we truly turn back at the moment, the devil’s work will be cut down by the sword. And by the power of its strike, we will be moved: from the realm of falsehood to the realm of truth, from darkness to light, from sin and death to righteousness and life, from sorrow to joy, from despair to hope, from stagnation to growth, from immaturity to maturity, and from failure to success.

Overseer Sung-Hyun Kim