The Sword of the Spirit

As I walked through the wilderness of this world, I lighted on a certain place where was a den, and I laid me down in that place to sleep; and as I slept I dreamed a dream. I dreamed; and behold, I saw a man clothed with rags standing in a certain place, with his face from his own house, a book in his hand, and a great burden upon his back. I looked, and saw him open the book, and read therein; and, as he read, he wept and trembled; and, not being able longer to contain, he brake out with a lamentable cry, saying, “What shall I do?”

These are the opening lines of The Pilgrim’s Progress written by John Bunyan and first published in London in 1678. What book could bring such woe by simply reading its pages? Later this same book brings comfort and guides the man to the Celestial City.

The book that the man held in his arms was the Bible. The Word of God brought sorrow as he read of his sin and God’s holy justice. God’s Word gave comfort as it pointed him to the cross where he found mercy. His Bible provided guidance as it became his road map through life.

In Ephesians 6:17 Paul describes God’s Word as the Sword of the Spirit. It is a worthy weapon in worthy hands, but the Bible must be proved like any other piece of armor if we are to use it effectively.

Imagine a knight going into battle with a sword he had not first proved on the practice field. Such an act would be foolishness. A knight needed to know the weight of his sword, its length and breadth, how it felt in his hands before his life depended on its use.

As Christian soldiers we need to prove our Sword; not its worthiness, but our skill in using it. We do that by becoming acquainted with the Bible through reading it, studying it and committing passages from it to memory.

How affective are you with the use of your Sword?