Quote from Forum Archives on April 28, 2002, 7:40 am

Posted by: jmichaelwalls <jmichaelwalls@...>

HOW EFFECTIVE IS THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT IN YOUR LIFE?
Hebrews 4:12
Introduction: This past week as you know was the camp meeting in Clayton.
One of the speakers in the morning session on the last day was Pastor Tim
Daniels. He preached this basic message. The main points will be his but
the thoughts will be what I added to it.
This verse shows many truths about the Bible. Ephesians 6:17 calls the
Bible "the Sword of the Spirit". The Bible has many names in which it is
called. It is called:
BOOK
BOOK OF THE LORD
BOOK OF THE LAW
GOOD WORD OF GOD
HOLY SCRIPTURES
LAW OF THE LORD
SCRIPTURES
SCRIPTURES OF TRUTH
SWORD OF THE SPIRIT
THE WORD
WORD OF GOD
WORD OF CHRIST
WORD OF LIFE
WORD OF TRUTH
This verse of scripture shows the importance of the Sword of the Spirit
in the hands of a believer. Remember what the five things Brother Strange
said about you should do with the Bible.
1. Hear it,
2. Read it,
3. Study it,
4. Memorize it,
Meditate upon it.
If you do these activities, the Bible can become more of an effective
Book in your life. When you become effective, God will use you. That
ought to the desire of every Christian. To be used by God should be the
determination of every Christian. To be used by God should be the drive
of every Christian.
The first portion of this message should be a blessing to everyone who is
saved. The second portion may be harsher but just as needed if not more
to every Christian.
Albert Barnes makes these comments on this verse that helps us to
understand this verse in a greater light. The design of this verse is
obvious. It is to show that we cannot escape the notice of God; that he
will detect all insincerity, unbelief, hypocrisy, and that since our
hearts are perfectly open before him, we should be sincere, and should
not attempt to deceive him. The sense is, that the truth of God is all
penetrating and searching, and that the real thoughts and intents of the
heart will be brought to light; and that if there is insincerity and
self-deception, there can be no hope of escape. There have been a great
variety of opinions here about the meaning of the phrase "the word of
God." Some have supposed that it means the Lord Jesus; others the whole
of the divine revelation; others the gospel; others the particular
threatening referred to here. The "word of God" is that which God
speaks--whether it is a promise or a threatening; whether it is law or
gospel; whether it is a simple declaration or a statement of a doctrine.
The idea here is, that what God had said is fitted to detect hypocrisy,
and to lay open the true nature of the feelings of the soul, so that
there can be no escape for the guilty. His truth is adapted to bring out
the real feelings, and to show man exactly what he is. Truth always has
this power --whether preached, or read, or communicated by conversation,
or impressed upon the memory and conscience by the Holy Spirit. There can
be no escape from the penetrating, searching application of the word of
God. That truth has power to show what man is, and is like a penetrating
sword that lies open the whole man.
I. HOW POWERFUL IS THE BIBLE?
It is an alive book. It is not dead, inert, and powerless. It has a
living power, and is energetic and active. It is adapted to produce this
effect. It is alive in that it can change a life. It continues to change
our lives, loves and longings. You see that it is alive with the word
"quick". It means to become alive in the Greek.
It is an active book. It never really rests. You can read a passage today
and it will work actively in your life next week, next year or next
decade. You see its activity in the word "powerful". The word means
effectual.
It is a constant book. We find it as the two-edged sword. It is
constantly doing its job. A two-edged sword is one that can cut in both
directions at the same time.
It is a piercing book. It can pierce those areas that we feel are closed
to others. I have had sins in my life that I thought were hidden. To
everyone else, they were hidden. Then I heard the Word of God preached or
read some article or some book and the Bible would pierce my heart like a
hot poker through butter.
As I was typing those words, I recalled a low time in my life as a pastor
about five or six years ago. I was getting ready to go to West Virginia
to preach at my home church’s homecoming. I had decided to go to West
Virginia and talk to Brother Gail and then come home and resign. The last
day I worked, I had about thirty to forty minutes before I started my
morning med pass. I opened my briefcase to find something to read. I
found a mission magazine. I started to read the magazine and found an
article by a missionary in what I believe is the Philippines. He preached
a messaged Windsor Hills Baptist Church in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It
was entitled why I can to quit.
I told the Lord that he had my attention. This article helped to me to
quit from quitting from this place.
It is a decisive book. My thoughts and intents of my heart need to be
more decisive. If I follow the natural course of my heart, then I will be
indecisive and against the Lord. It helps me decide to the right course
of life.
II. HOW POWERFULLY IS THIS BOOK AFFECTING MY LIFE?
Is there evidence that the Bible is alive in my life?
Jer. 20:9
"Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his
name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my
bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay."
Too long the Bible is pretty book that we bring to church or decorate our
coffee tables. Can others see it in that it changed my life or is it that
I am just another religious person at the place I work or play? Can
people see the Bible alive in my life to include my wife and children?
Is it evident that this book is alive in your life?
Is there evidence that the Bible is active in my life?
Isaiah 49:2-4
"And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand
hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid
me; And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be
glorified. Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength
for nought, and in vain"
Does it flow actively from my mouth? Is it my answer to life’s problems?
Recently there was a disagreement between some of the ladies that work
with me. I kept out of the dispute. I overheard one of the telephone with
another tell her that she did not have time for this conflict, she was
ready to move on but others were not. I reminded her of what the Bible
says about disputes.
Proverb 26:20
"Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no
talebearer, the strife ceaseth."
Is it polishing up my mouth and life? Some people before they got saved
had a language problem. They cursed every time they talked. Then they get
saved and it seems that they still have a language problem. The Word of
God does not seem to have a hold on them to polish them up. God can take
off those rough edges if we will apply the Sword of the Spirit to
ourselves.
Do I remember that my life will be judged by it? We will be judged by
what is written in the pages of this book? Every lie will be exposed and
open for all to see. Every time you stole, regardless of what you stole
will be exposed for all to see. That is just two of the Ten Commandments
that is part of the standard of our judgment.
Is it evident that this Book is active in your life?
Is there evidence that the Bible is constant in my life?
Ephesians 6:10-18
"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his
might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand
against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and
blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of
the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to
withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand
therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the
breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of
the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye
shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the
helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of
God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and
watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints"
Does it give me constant courage?
Does it give me constant truths?
Does it give me constant victories?
Does it give me constant righteousness?
Does it give me constant peace?
Does it give me constant faith?
Does it give me constant assurance?
When every thing and everyone else is not constant in our lives, this
Book should be. Is it evident that this Book is constant in your life?
Is there evidence that the Bible is piercing my life?
Can it pierce my pride of life and destroy it? Here lies the essence of
true Bible living. Pride of life means whatever there is that tends to
promote pride, or that is an index of pride, such as the showy display of
dress, equipment, furniture, etc. It could be the simple picture such as
the picture of Ian in his uniform. I am blessed with him but allowing
pride to come in as a bragging rights is foreign to the Word of God
should be in the life of the Christian. In God’s hate list found in
Proverbs chapter six, a proud look tops it off as number one.
If I read my Bible correctly, there is no positive meaning to the word
"pride" in the Bible. I never read that Jesus said he was proud of his
disciples. When Peter made his proclamation that Jesus was in Matthew
sixteen, Jesus did not say He was proud of Peter for his revealing such a
statement.
This Bible should pierce though our pride of life. The older we get the
more the pride of life moves into our lives. Since the spirit is willing
and the flesh is weak, we brag of past accomplishments instead of going
forward for new ones. As we get older, we can pray more for the
ministries of our churches. It was two invalid sisters that prayed the
revival of Isle of Lewis off the Scotland coast in fruition. It was two
older ladies that prayed for D. L. Moody to have the fullness of the
Spirit and make him thirst after God. It was the grey-haired grandmother
that prayed for a grandson to preach that prayed me into the ministry.
These ladies did not allow pride to enter into the picture. What they
did, they did for the Glory of God, not bragging rights.
Can it pierce the lust of the flesh and eyes? Am I watching for Satan’s
booby traps that I warn others may come into their lives?
1 Corinthians 9:27
"But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any
means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway."
Satan has a great many traps for everyone. They are custom built for each
person. I do not have the time to repreach the message on the lust of the
flesh that I preached a few weeks ago. But the devil knows what to allow
to come into your life to bring you down.
This Bible is the only effective tool you have in your arsenal to fight
the wiles of the devil. Is it evident that it is effective in your life?
Is there evidence that the Bible is decisive in my life?
Is it decisive in my battle of my mind? Your mind is the battlefield that
Satan has to conquer you. If he can defeat you in your mind first, he has
won.
2 Corinthians 10:4-6
"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to
the pulling down of strong holds; Casting down imaginations, and every
high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and
bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And
having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is
fulfilled."
Every time the thought of disobedience comes into your mind and that is
the high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, you can
conquer it with the Word of God that is the Sword of the Spirit. It can
be illustrated with this. I am taking two different medicines to control
my diabetes. If I neglect to take them, diabetes controls me. The same is
truth for the Sword of the Spirit; every thought can be brought into
captivity of the Lord if we will apply the Word to our lives. The shame
is that many times the Bible is not read or even picked up unto we go to
church.
You can make life long commitments and decisions with this Book. It is
the only constant that should be what you make decisions. It will never
lead you contrary to the will of God.
Is it evident that the Sword of the Spirit is decisive in your life?
Conclusion: Is this book effective in your life? Is it evident that it is
effective? You will never get anymore out of the Bible than the time you
put into hearing it, reading it, studying it, memorizing it and
meditating upon it.

FBC
4/28/02 PM

Pastor Mike Walls
Freedom Baptist Church Smithfield, NC
All scriptures are King James Bible
Isa. 41:10