“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand…Take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:13, 17).
“Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” (Ephesians 6:11).
- Put on the helmet of salvation to protect your mind.
- Put on the breastplate of righteousness to protect your heart.
- Put on the belt of truth to protect your character.
- Put on the shoes of the gospel of peace so that you are ready, in season and out, to proclaim the gospel of peace.
- Take up the shield of faith to extinguish the fiery arrows of temptation.
- Take up the sword of the Spirit, the word of God, to destroy the enemy.
Did you notice that everything up to today is for defense. Even if you put every piece of the armor on, the best you could do is defend yourself. There is no way to attack the enemy, to go on the offensive. I don’t want to fight like that. God doesn’t want us to fight like that either. So God gives us a weapon guaranteed to destroy the devil’s schemes and methods – the sword of the Spirit, the word of God.
The only weapon against the devil and his schemes is the word of God. The devil’s favorite weapon is lies. The devil lies about who God is. The devil lies about who we are. The devil lies about who he is. After all, he is the father of lies. The best weapon against lies are the truths of God revealed in God’s word. God’s word destroys lies.
So, take it up. Take up the sword of the Spirit, the word of God.
How do we do that?
- Read God’s word every day.
- Study God’s word with others.
- Listen to God’s word and God’s word preached every week.
One of the best tools for reading God’s word is free and it’s online at http://www.bible.com. There you can find different daily Bible reading plans. You can download the app to your phone, laptop, or tablet.
You can join a small group at any time. Call the office to find out which one best fits with your schedule.
Commit to worshiping on Sundays. Make it a non-negotiable item for you.
Take up the truth of God’s word to destroy the devil’s lies.
Praxis: Faith in Action 