RD102.5 Sword of the Spirit

5. SWORD OF THE SPIRIT

In Discipleship 101 (Lesson 3) you learned that the Word of God is your spiritual food, your spiritual milk. As you grow in Christ, you must learn how to use the Word of God as a weapon for offense and defense. Ephesians 6:17 says that God’s Word is the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT. It is a powerful living and active weapon and unlike the weapons of this world, it can pierce the mind, soul, and spirit of man - so it must be handled properly.

… the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God - Ephesians 6:17 (ESV)

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. - Hebrews 4:12 (ESV)

TRAIN TO RIGHTLY HANDLE GOD’S WORD

You must train to use this sword (with the help of your mentor, the Church, and its different ministries). Through the Sunday preaching of God’s Word, LifeGroups Bible studies, classes, Sunday School, and this 1:1 Discipleship - you are both fed with the Word of God (your spiritual bread) as well as trained to use it as a weapon.

To effectively learn to use the Word of God you must spend time with the Word of God yourself. As spiritual food - you must learn to prepare food and become a self-feeder (learn to feed yourself spiritually). As a weapon - you must wield the sword yourself - hold it properly and learn the basics of swordsmanship - the skills of rightly handling God’s Word.

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. - 2 Timothy 2:15 (ESV)

HOLDING GOD’S WORD FIRMLY

The first skill you need to learn is holding the Word of God firmly in your hand and like your fingers and your palm firmly gripping the hilt of the sword - these are the six disciplines you need to practice to hold God’s Word firmly. As you practice these six disciplines (ways) of holding God’s Word - the enemy will not be able to remove it from your hand.

1. HEAR GOD’S WORD

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. - Romans 10:17 (ESV)

The first way of holding God’s Word: Hearing. Faith comes through hearing God’s Word. When it comes to your salvation, before you responded in faith by trusting Jesus as your Lord and Savior - you first heard the gospel message being preached (being explained or presented) to you.

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, - Ephesians 1:13 (NIV)

After you become a Christian, you are commanded to continue hearing the Word of God as it is taught and preached by Bible teachers and preachers. The Apostle Paul says - the preaching, admonishing and teaching of Christ brings about spiritual maturity and growth in faith - it is to this end Paul and all of God’s servants throughout history devoted their life and strength to therefore hearing pastors and teachers is vital to our spiritual growth in Christ.

He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me. - Colossians 1:28-29 (ESV)

Q - Where and when do you hear God's Word regularly taught and preached?

Hearing preaching and teaching within the context of a local church (like Riverlife Church) is God’s plan for how a believer is built up in faith - many of the commands of Christ, even his greatest commands can only be obeyed when you are connected with other believers within the church - it is the whole body of Christ, the church working together (through the ministries), along with preaching and teaching that builds up and equips a believer.

And he (Christ) gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ - Ephesians 4:11 (ESV)

from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. - Ephesians 4:16 (ESV)

While listening to online sermons and teaching podcasts is a good thing and is encouraged (especially coming from trustworthy teachers) - this should not be a substitute for a Sunday worship gathering with your church family.

Ligonier Ministries has hundreds of teaching you can listen to by R.C. Sproul - www.ligonier.org/learn/sermons

2. READ GOD'S WORD

The second way of holding God’s Word: Reading. Reading God's Word is commanded and commended in scripture - there is already blessing in the mere reading of God’s Word alone.

Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. - Revelation 1:3 (ESV)

We are also to dedicate time during our church gatherings for the public reading of scripture (scripture reading).

Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. - 1 Timothy 4:13 (ESV)

God requires the kings of Israel to read his Word all the days of their life! How much more for us as children of God who will one day rule and reign with Christ.

And it shall be with him (the king), and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them - Deuteronomy 17:19 (ESV)

You should read at least one chapter of the Bible every day. Many Christians have set as their goal to read the Bible once a year. This is easily done by reading two chapters in the morning and two chapters in the evening from Monday through Saturday, and by reading six chapters on Sunday. The important thing is not the amount you read but to read at least a portion of God's Word faithfully every day.

ESV has a number of Bible reading plans you can use - www.esv.org/resources/reading-plans/

Q - How much of the Bible do you read every day?

3. STUDY GOD'S WORD

The third way of holding God's Word: Study. Paul encourages the young pastor Timothy to study God’s Word. The Amplified Bible makes this passage in 2 Timothy 2:15 easier to understand.

Study and do your best to present yourself to God approved, a workman (tested by trial) who has no reason to be ashamed, accurately handling and skillfully teaching the word of truth. - 2 Timothy 2:15 (AMP)

If you lack confidence in sharing God’s Word with others - then you need to personally study God’s Word. Studying will help you correctly and skillfully handle God’s Word (it's a powerful weapon you’re handling). While there is great blessing and benefit with Group Bible Study (like what we do during our LifeGroup gatherings), where you learn from the insights of others - the Apostle Paul is encouraging Timothy and you to personally study God’s Word!

The Jewish Believers in Berea were called noble, Why? Because they studied the Scriptures carefully, daily, in order to find out for themselves if what the apostle Paul said was indeed true. (You also ought to study scriptures to find out if the sermon you heard from your pastor or the teaching you heard online is true.)

Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. - Acts 17:11 (NIV)

There are many Bible Study methods that are beyond the scope of this Discipleship 102 material - One simple Bible Study method is answering a few questions related to the Scripture you are studying - using 2 Timothy 3:16-17

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 (ESV)

Select a chapter or verse, read it, and answer the questions related to the 4 purposes of scripture
Teaching - Tells you what truth to believe.	Q1: What truth or truths does this chapter or verse teach?
Reproof - Tells you what to stop or remove from our lives - sins, sinful habits, sinful attitudes, or sinful relationships.	Q2: What thinking, action, habit, or relationship does this chapter or verse reprove me of? What does the passage tell me to stop doing or stop keeping in my life?
Correction - Shows you how to get back to the right path.	Q3: What does this chapter or verse present as my means of correction, or as my way of getting back to the right path?
Training - Shows you how to stay and continue on the right path until you develop a mature, Christlike character.	Q4: What does this chapter or verse give as my means of training, or as the practical way that I can follow in order to stay in the right path and to keep on going in the right direction? What should I do to stay on the path of God’s perfect will?
You can dedicate an hour each week to studying the Bible (one chapter a week). A pen and a notebook will be useful - write down your answers. Depending on the passage you're working on - not all 4 questions will have an answer. You might want to work on a short book first for one month like Philippians or James - before venturing into the longer books.

Q - Where and how often do you attend a regular Bible study group? If not, do you know of a Bible study group you can join?

4. MEMORIZE GOD'S WORD

The fourth way of holding God’s Word: Memorize. According to Psalm 119:11 what is the resource that God has provided that keeps you from sinning? Memorizing God's Word. Keeping God's Word in your heart will keep you from sin.

I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You. - Psalm 119:11 (ESV)

Memorize the memory verses for each lesson in this Discipleship material. In countries where you could be imprisoned for keeping a Bible - the members of one church memorized entire books so when they gather together they have the Bible in memory.

Q - Are you memorizing scripture verses regularly? What is the last verse that you have memorized?

5. MEDITATE GOD'S WORD

The fifth way of holding God's Word: Meditate. Meditating on God’s Word is one of the most important disciplines of a disciple of Christ. Meditating on God’s Word is more than reading - it is thinking of what you just read, pondering over and over in your heart and mind - considering how you will do what is revealed to you. The goal of meditation is obedience.

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

- Joshua 1:8 (ESV)

Of the first five ways of holding God’s Word - this is the most important - because this leads you to prayer and obedience. You ought to meditate as you - hear, read, study, or memorize God’s Word. You may hear, read, study, and memorize God’s Word - but it can all be merely a mental exercise.

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. - James 1:22 (ESV)

(Meditation is discussed in Discipleship 101 - Lesson 3: God’s Word - a plan on how you will meditate on God's Word is also included there as an application. Later in this booklet, we’ll revisit this and have a plan for your daily time alone with God.)

Q - How often and how much time do you give to meditating or thinking over God's Word?

6: OBEY GOD'S WORD

The final way of holding God's Word: Obey. We must apply and practice God's Word in our life. Jesus illustrates the absolute importance of applying and practicing God's Word. Read Matthew 7:24-27

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash - Mathew 7:24-27 (NIV)

Q - What was the last thing that you learned from the Bible and you applied it (obeyed it)?

APPLICATION:

BIBLE STUDY - Practice using the Bible Study method discussed in this lesson with your mentor. Study Romans 12. (This might require a separate session with your mentor). Make sure your answer is based on the passage (specific verses in the chapter should back up your statements - avoid generalized and canned answers - discipline yourself to stick to what is in the passage).

First read Romans 12 (the entire chapter) - you might need to go through the chapter multiple times.

Q1: What truth or truths does this chapter or verse teach? (you can choose to focus on a few things in this chapter)

Q2: What thinking, action, habit, or relationship does this chapter or verse reprove me of? What does the passage tell me to stop doing or stop keeping in my life?

Q3: What does this chapter or verse present as my means of correction, or as my way of getting back to the right path?

Q4: What does this chapter or verse give as my means of training or the practical way that I can follow in order to stay in the right path to keep moving forward in the right direction? What should I do to stay on the path of God’s perfect will?

MEMORIZE Ephesians 6:17 (ESV) - and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God