Don't Forget Your Sword

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two- edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Hebrews 4:12

Sometimes, I think that we forget how important the Bible is to our lives. It show us so much about the character of our Lord. It can show us so much about our own character, things that might even surprise us.

How often are we training with it? Yes, I said training. We have been given our armor, and this is our weapon. Do we think our weapon is to be picked up just once a week to take it to church? NO! We should be practicing with it, being ready to fight off the devil and his minions without any notice.

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where the devil continued to tempt Him for 40 days. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over, He was hungry.

The devil said to Him, "If You're God's Son, tell this stone to become a loaf of bread."

"It is written," Jesus answered him, "'A man doesn't live on bread alone.'"

The devil took Him up and in a moment showed Him all the kingdoms of the world. "I'll give You all this power and glory," the devil told Him, "Because it was given to me and I can give it to anyone I please. So, if you will worship me, all this will be Yours."

"It is written," Jesus answered him, "'Worship the Lord, your God, and serve Him only."

The devil took him into Jerusalem and had Him stand on the edge of the temple. "If You're God's Son," he told Him, "Jump down from here. It is written: 'He will order His angels to watch carefully over you. they will carry you in their hands and never let you stub your foot against a stone."

"It is written," Jesus answered him, "'Don't test the Lord your God.'" When the devil had finished every way of tempting Him, he left Him until another opportunity would come.
Luke 4:1-13

Every time the devil tempted Jesus, Jesus had a scriptural answer. His answers came out of the book of Deuteronomy, verses 8:3, 6:13, 6:16.

Now, if Jesus took the time to answer with the Word of God, don't you think that He was trying to show us something? I mean, did Jesus EVER do anything without a point? I mean, this was the SON OF GOD, filled with the Holy Spirit. Couldn't He just say "Be gone!" and the devil would have to listen to Him?

He is showing us the way to send the enemy running, yet we leave our sword to gather dust on shelf, only to take it out once a week. You are missing out on so much if that is what you are doing.

Pick it up and give it some exercise.

Sam