Saturday, 15th January, 2022
By Pastor Chris Oyakhilome
"And take… 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" (Ephesians 6:17-18 KJV)
In our previous study, we learnt about the armour of God, and particularly about our defensive paraphernalia as listed in Ephesians 6:14-17. Of all the seven pieces of this armour, only one is for the offensive and that’s the sword of the Spirit. The sword of the Spirit is the Word or “Rhema” of God. Rhema is the Greek translated, “word” in this verse.
Rhema is a now word—a personal word for the moment concerning you. It’s different from the Logos of God, which is God’s Word in general. The Bible admonishes us to take Rhema and win with it. How? By talking. Rhema is the spoken Word; it is the inspired utterance of the Word of God from your mouth, whereas Logos, by comparison, is more reasoned than inspired.
The Bible describes the “Rhema” of God as “the sword of the Spirit.” A sword symbolizes judgment and a readiness to attack. It’s thus an offensive weapon that you direct, not at yourself but towards the adversary.
In our opening verse, Paul shows us how to use Rhema to wage a good warfare: he says, “...Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” This is a different kind of Rhema; it’s a Rhema of war! When the Bible tells us to take the sword of the Spirit, that’s a militant expression. He’s letting us know we’re not just supposed to be on the defensive but to constantly mount attacks on the forces of evil.
As we pray always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, we utter words of faith directed towards whatever it is we want to effect changes in, and also against the forces of darkness and the powers of evil.
Is your organization mounting pressure on you to take a position against God’s Word? Is the government in your country enacting policies that are unfavourable to the Gospel? Don’t give up; don’t get worn out. You’re the one to wear the devil out. Resist him with the spoken Word.
CONFESSION
"I exercise dominion over the forces of darkness, and I cut down their activities in my city and nation. I take charge from the realm of the spirit today, speaking words of victory, prosperity, health and strength. With the Word of God in my mouth, I triumph gloriously, reigning and prevailing over all circumstances in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen."
FURTHER STUDY:
1 John 4:4; Joshua 1:8; Hebrews 4:12
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN:
Matthew 11:1-30 & Genesis 36-37
2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN:
Acts 9:21-31 & Job 1-2