The Scriptures as a sword of the Spirit
One of the greatest lessons from the temptations of Jesus (ref: Matthew 4:1-11) is that for every attack of the devil, there is a Scriptural response. Every time the devil would suggest something to our Lord, Jesus would respond according to the Scriptures.
All the events that we are currently experiencing (e.g: food crisis, wars, pandemics,etc…) have a clear spiritual connotation.For every circumstance you face, there is a Scripture to confess.
Paul, in Ephesians 6:17, refers to the Word of God as the sword of the spirit. On the battlefield, every soldier needs a sword to pierce and kill the enemy. If Paul mentions that we should wear the armour, it also means that we are all soldiers and that we are all in a war.
Maybe the concept of ‘war’ was estranged to you for a few years but today, we can clearly see that the world is at war and that the devil is at work.
Having said the above, here is a good question: “Since the Scriptures are the sword of the Spirit, if a Christian does not read nor know the Scriptures, how would he/she fight in the midst of a war?”
Some Christians often read their Bibles, others read their Bible ‘once in a blue moon’ while others don’t even bother to read it. It is very important that we all read the Scriptures so that we know what to confess whenever the enemy will rise with his own set of circumstances.
When the devil faced Jesus in Matthew 4:1-11, Jesus confessed the Scriptures in response to the attacks of the enemy. On this note, there are two things I would like to signal regarding the confession of the Scriptures:
There is nothing wrong with confessing the Scriptures. If Jesus confessed the Scriptures, then we can also confess them.
Though it is good to read the Bible during hard times, I still think that it is better to read and know the Scriptures before entering trialsome times because it will make you ‘Scripture-ready’.
The enemy ,Satan, does not want you to read the Bible because he knows that Scripture is a sword that will hurt him and his plans.
In one of my previous posts, I did mention that the current global crisis has a demonic spiritual root. However, for you to really overcome those situations, you will also need to deepen your spirituality in God through Christ. The confession of the Scriptures can change circumstances, especially when repeated in faith.
Here are a few examples of how to confess the Scriptures:
In front of economic hardship: “ I will confess that the Lord is My Shepherd and I shall not live in want” (ref. Psalms 23:1)
In lonely circumstances: “ I declare that love and goodness shall follow me all the days of my life (ref. Psalms 23:5) and God will place me in families (ref. Psalms 68:6)
In times of disease and pandemic: “ I declare that I will not fear the pestilence that stalks in darkness nor the plague that destroys at midday (ref. Psalm 91:6) and it will not come near me (ref.91:7).”
PROMISES THAT REQUIRE OUR LIFE ALIGNMENT WITH THE SCRIPTURES
Now, here is something important to remember: “some of the scriptures can only be effective if your life aligns with that scripture.” For example, in order to claim that “no weapons forged against you shall prosper (ref. 54:17), you have to be a servant of God.
In Jeremiah 33:3, God said: “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’”
Jeremiah 33:3 is a great verse but how is it gonna come to reality if we don’t call on God through prayer?
POCKETS OF BLESSINGS IN THE SCRIPTURES
In various passages of the Bible, the Scripture verses often start with “ Blessed is…”. I like to call those verses “pockets of blessings” in the Bible. However, very often, in order to carry the most effects, those verses require a certain level of practicality before you confess them. Let me give you a few examples:
‘The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.’
( Revelation 1:1-3)
The Bible says that whenever you read the book of Revelation aloud and whenever you hear and take the word of Revelation at heart, you will be blessed.
Here is another example:
‘Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,
but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.’
(Psalm 1:1-3)
In the above passage:
If you meditate on the Word of God day and night,
If you stay away from mockers and gossipers,
If you don’t step on the way of the wicked,
Then you will prosper.
You can confess the passage of Psalm 1:1-3 and see its effects when you also align your life with the verse.
AS A MAN THINKS SO IS HE
The passage of Proverbs 23:7 states that: “As a man thinks, so is he”
In other words, the thoughts of a man or a woman drive his/persona. And very often, those thoughts are inserted through what he/she sees, experiences, and even reads. If you spend your whole day watching and listening to world news, then you will definitely be influenced by worldly thinking. I am not saying that the news are necessarily bad, but I am simply saying that if we let the Scriptures fill our heads and hearts, then our thoughts process will be directed by the Scriptures in all circumstances.
Therefore, acquaint yourself more with the Scriptures.