Been a while since I wrote a blog. I am suffering from writers flood. lol. So many things running through my feeble mind I don't know which one to devote time to.
I chose this one cuz well it affects me alot and I can describe it easily.
Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
So straight away from that scripture we see that the sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. Now we often refer to our bibles as swords and some even have sword symbolism on them.
The trap that we often fall into (Myself Included) is thinking that WE own the sword. So we go swinging it from left to right at any whim and fancy! We don't own the word. The Spirit of God does... and only the SPIRIT OF GOD has the authourity to use it.
CONTEXT
Let's go into an example:
John Doe studies the Word of God a lot and makes conclusions based on what he has studies in reference to present day culture. So when John tries to apply the word to his life he is applying the word based upon HIS LIFE, CULTURE, UPBRINGING AND SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT. Therefore John would be swinging the sword how he want's it to be swung. What would happen is that John would either hurt someone badly or hurt himself badly (think of ninja now learning to use his weapon... the master gives him a stick first). So the end product is the word out of context and understanding. I would go into one of many examples I can choose from.
"Render your heart and not your garments"
This is commonly used in arguements where someone comes to church in garments that may not be deemed "acceptable" the offending person would respond with the statement "The bible says render your heart and not your garments". Since it is logical and fits into the LIFE, CULTURE, UPBRINGING AND SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT that the involved parties are in it is accepted as "gospel".
In actuality the scripture that is being misquoted is from Joel.
Joe 2:13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.
In the context of this prophecy Joel was refering to the ppl of Israel to turn to God with your heart and not your external exhibitions of brokenness.
Brokenness
Now when the Israelites were in mourning for something of if they were fasting they often tore off their clothes and put on ashes and sackcloth as a form of penitence to themself to show that they were in mourning before the Lord and seeking his face for comfort.
Examples:
Mordecai
Est 4:1 When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry;
Mordecai was crying out before the Lord because he was the only person he could go to to vent his plea and ask for help because the king wanted to kill all the Jews.
Daniel
Dan 9:3 And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:
Daniel was a man of God who always sought the face of God and would not compromise and when hwe was fasting he use sackcloth and ashes as a form of penitence to show humility before God.
So what we see was rend(or rent) your heart would really mean surrender or tear your heart before the Lord and submit yourself to him instead of outward empty rituals.
So the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT as it is quoted in Ephesians is for the Spirit of God to use. Unless you properly research a scripture in it's context and understand what God was saying through it via prayer and meditation you are in grave danger of trying to swing the sword for yourself.
JUSTIFICATOIN
Another thing we have to be carefull about is the usage of scripture to justify things that we are already doing. The word of God can only mean what it was intended to mean to it's original readers and therefore can't mean something else cuz we read it in THIS DAY AND AGE. How we are supposed to apply it by understanding how God wanted the Israelites to and Early Chruch to do things based on their culture and ADAPT THE PRINCIPLE. The times and places may change, but the principle of the teachings will always stand.
The only the principle can be understood or applied is through the Spirit of God.
How do we allow the Spirit of God to do that?
- Read the Bible to behold GOD... not just to gain knowledge and quote him. In a song from Trip Lee - "Eyes Open" (I think), a line goes:
I don't read God's word so that I can quote him// I read it so I can behold him.
Yes it is true that the bible is a historical book and many things can be learnt from it. The Bible is however more of a living book than it is historical. It is organic and provides revelations.... but only once the true owner of it uses it. That is the Spirit of God...... cuz he is the only one who has the right to swing the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT.
This would entail reading and meditating on it and seeking God through ferverent prayer. The spirit of God will then reveal what YOU NEED TO BE REVEALED TO YOU.
- Don't take what cliche's that go around for the "Word of God" at face value. As a believer, we are commanded... .yes commanded to seach out the Word of God and study it. Not just hear it from people.
2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
so we study it, but UNTO GOD. When you study the word of God, it is not unto man or to please or justify man... but is for God to approve and reveal as he pleases.
Now as I said I am guilty of this at times and I thought it fit to share this revelation about the sword of the Spirit so that we could see things in perspective.
