Armour of God: Sword of the Spirit

Ephesians 6 v 17

…and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Here St Paul tells the Christian to pick up the Sword of the Spirit.

The sword used by the Roman Legionnaire was a short sword called a gladius. Sometimes, pictures of the Armour of God online include this sword. But, the text says that the sword is of a general type, and not a gladius.

Symbolism of the Sword

A sword symbolises judgement. Judgement is divided into two parts; discernment and punishment. God delivers the punishment, as ‘vengeance is mine’ says the Lord. But we are to ask the Holy Spirit for discernment, so we can understand the spiritual causes behind a problem. And then pray.

We see God wielding His sword in the Old Testament. The whole of Ezekiel 21 is filled with God smiting His enemies with His Sword.

Ezekiel 22 v 3

This is what the Lord says: I am against you. I will draw my sword from its sheath and cut off from you both the righteous and the wicked.

Rhema of God

St Paul says the Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. The phrase ‘Word of God’ is not the more common ‘Logos of God’, like in other parts of the New Testament, but the ‘Rhema of God’.

I discuss the meanings of the phrase ‘Word of God’ here. But Rhema means the ‘spoken word’.

When we look at the Book of Revelation, we see Christ with a sword coming out of His mouth. This sword symbolically represents His ‘spoken word’. In effective, the Sword of the Spirt is speaking the words of God.

Revelation 1 v 16

In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword.

Another scripture using Rhema is in Romans.

Romans 10 v 17 (NET Bible)

Consequently faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the preached word (Rhema or spoken words) of Christ.

So in this example, by hearing the words of Jesus (the Rhema of Christ), faith then follows.

Jesus and the Sword of the Spirit

We see Jesus use the ‘Sword of the Spirit’ when he is tempted in the wilderness.

Jesus resists Satan by quoting and speaking Scripture. He uses Scripture in an inspired way to deflect the Tempter’s words.

And this is how the Christian should wield the Sword of the Spirit. They should use Scripture to defend and parry against temptation. And on the offensive, Christians should discern, through the Holy Spirit, the spiritual issues behind a problem. Then pray in line with Scripture and allow God to act (however He wills). For He then delivers the judgement and the punishment.

We should also not use the sword as a ‘spiritual technology’. Christians should not use Scripture as the Rhema of God and spiritually wound others. We must only use the Sword with the guidance of the Holy Spirit and within the limitation of Scripture.