Welcome back! I apologize for the brief pause in my posting schedule, it’s been a busy week leading into a busy weekend. Regardless, the Lord has still gifted me fresh revelation to share, and I pray it blesses you as it blessed me:
Something I’ve become more cognizant of in my walk is wielding the Sword of the Spirit, aka the Word. When the Word of God is used in tandem with the shield of faith, you’re not only repelling or quenching the darts of the enemy, but you’re actively resisting him. The Word says submit to God and resist the devil, and he will flee (James 4:7). Not he “might”, or he “may” flee, but he will flee. Why? As you fill yourself more with the Word of God and gain an understanding of Scripture, you become more akin to praying powerful prayers that are less about asking and more about proclaiming what the Word says. It’s less of you and more of the Holy Spirit bringing back to your remembrance Scripture to use against the enemy.
When you’re faced with the storms and pressures of life, the Word you put in you is what will come out and help you to endure and overcome. As you begin to declare the Word of God and place your faith in Him, you’ll notice how what was once overpowering will now be cowering. Remember Romans 10:17 “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God”; spend some time in the Word on a consistent basis and I can assure you, you’ll level up spiritually.
Psalm 119:105 proclaims “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path” (NIV), meaning that when times seem dark, the Word of God can illuminate situations, allowing you to see clearly. The more Word you get on the inside of you, the more you’ll be able to see and discern and the more you’ll know about the Lord. Sometimes simply knowing who God is alleviates the stress of a situation or takes the pressure out of a decision you have to make. The Word has all the encouragement you could ever want and need, which is why the enemy does anything he can to stop you from reading it; how else would you know we already have the victory in Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57)?
Familiarizing yourself with Scripture is akin to familiarizing yourself with a weapon. I know for myself when I was first handed a sword (stage fight sword back in high school theater) all I knew how to do was twirl it about. I had to be instructed in how to use it properly, from how to hold it to how to thrust and parry. Eventually I learned enough to choreograph a fighting scene with flourish and wield the sword in a more competent and professional capacity, but it took some time. It’s the same when reading Scripture, the more you spend time you spend in the Word of God, the better you become in incorporating Scripture into your prayers, in your thoughts, and even in your conversation with others. Eventually you’ll be the person who encourages others with a Scripture you read in your alone time with God. In the spiritual, every time you’re praying and speaking the Word of God it’s like you’re swinging a flaming sword at the enemy, slicing though doubt, fears, worry and whatever else the enemy tries to send your way. In tandem with the shield of faith, aka your faith in the Word of God which can’t return to Him void (Isaiah 55:11) you fully step into your role as a warrior in the army of God.
Be encouraged and take it one day at a time. Ask the Holy Spirit to gift you revelation as you spend time in the Word, and I can assure you that you’ll find what you need when you need it. Continue to persevere, putting aside any distractions and remember to cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).
Until next time!
–JB
Rnt with JB 