Defeating the Enemy

 

Yesterday was physically tiring. I woke often during the night and getting up was challenging. So was singing worship songs; I didn’t feel like praise and could mouth the words yet didn’t feel joyful or thankful, just tired. The book “Sure-Footed in the Truth: Overcoming Negative Thoughts” caught my eye. I turned to the section “When I feel like giving up” and read 23 passages addressing that negativity. None of them helped — except the very last one:

Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD! (Psalm 27:14)

Today’s devotional focuses on the one piece of spiritual armor that is not defensive but offensive. That is, rather than protection, this one is about taking action to defeat the tactics of Satan:

Take . . . the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:17)

This is not the large broadsword but a smaller dagger and a common weapon. It was uses by the soldiers who arrested Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, by Peter when he cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant , by those who killed James, the brother of John, and against other heroes of the faith described in Hebrews 11:37. It is not about the Holy Spirit but about His weapon given to defeat strongholds:

For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. (2 Corinthians 10:4)

This weapon is truth from God that convicted me of sin and saved me. This Word lives in and transforms me, supplying all I need to live a godly, victorious life. It builds me up and equips me. Jesus said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” (Matthew 4:4) Other passages say the same thing:

And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. (Acts 20:32)

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16–17)

This is the reason that I study it every day and allow it to do its work. Spiritual truth is my weapon when the enemy goes at me with lies and whatever else will produce negative emotions and lack of joyful faith. However, that statement by Jesus uses “rhema” for “word” which essential means a specific statement for the need of the moment. Only one of those two dozen passages from my book was “rhema” for me, the one that used the NKJV and told me to: “Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!” (Psalm 27:14) I didn’t wait very long before He answered with this specific word that restored my courage.

MacArthur says the sword of the Spirit is most effective when it is applied to specific Biblical principles to specific situations in your life, then asks, “Do you do that?” Actually, I don’t apply it — but the Holy Spirit does. As long as I am seeking Him and His solutions by looking into His Word and asking Him to speak to me, He gives that “rhema” Word that I need for whatever the enemy is trying to do. My part is to be in the Word and knowing it, giving the Spirit His weapon.

PRAY: Jesus, the desire to know Your Word is easy when I feel helpless. For most of my life, that helplessness has been dealt with in other ways, not nearly so successful as Your way. Thank You for knowing what I need far better than I know and applying the solutions with great wisdom and grace. You always tell me what I need to hear, even when I have no idea, even when I’m fumbling for just the right attitude or action. I am so thankful for the sword of the spirit which is You speaking directly to me so that I can deal with the attacks from the enemy who wants to ruin Your grace and power in my life.

PONDER: How are 2 Timothy 1:13 and Romans 6:17 related?