Sharper Than Any Two-Edged Sword

Hebrews 4:12 – “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

A minister in Illinois offered to give any impenitent sinner ten dollars if he would read a chapter a day from the Bible while on his knees every morning for three months, and would begin each day with this prayer: “O God, send thy Holy Spirit to convict me of sin, and to lead me in the way of truth.”  A boastful infidel accepted the offer.  After a few days he sent for the preacher to come and pray for him.  After a night of pleading, the infidel found peace with God.  Such is the power of God’s Holy Word. 

Quick means it’s alive.  God’s Word is a living, breathing entity.  And those who surround themselves with it – saturate themselves in it – soon partake of its life-giving richness.  Christ himself tells us in John 5:39, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life; and they are they which testify of me.”  The living Word gives eternal life.

Powerful means it has all of God’s omnipotence backing it up.  Romans 1:16 reveals that “it is the power of God unto salvation.”  That word “power” comes from the Greek word dunamos, from which we get our word “dynamite.”   Can you grasp that concept?  God’s Word is the only power, the dynamite that can blast us apart from our sinful ways.  I heard one preacher say, “Even the initials for the New Testament, TNT, signify the explosive power of the gospel.”

Sharper than any two-edged sword means to us that the scriptures can plunge deep into our hearts and cut away the filth and worldliness that lurks there.  It’s through the “foolishness of preaching” the Word of God that the gospel of Christ is spread.  One preacher gave the following quote:  “After Paul was converted, he no longer had a sword in his hand to persecute the truth, but he was wielding the sword of truth to perpetuate the gospel.”  He simply traded one sword for another. 

To Overcome The Wicked One

To overcome the wicked one Should daily be our task.

There’s no greater goal at hand That we could think or ask.

The Lord above abides within Each one who claims His Name,

And there’s no other avenue His promises to claim.

He said that He’d be with us here In all we say and do.

As long as we do put Him first, He guards our souls so true.

That wicked one doth have no sway O’er souls that trust the Lord.

He must give way to everyone Who wields the Holy sword.

That Holy sword is God’s true Word, And with it we can win

O’er all that Satan throws at us And all our carnal sin.

So, to the Lord be grateful, now, For all His holy love,

To overcome the wicked one And tune our hearts above.

© 2006 Paul Stultz

The Word is the only offensive weapon we have in this spiritual warfare.  Ephesians 6:17 tells us to “take . . . the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:”  In Isaiah 55:11, God proclaims, “. . . My word . . . shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”  It cuts – it slices – it hacks its way through the muck and mire of this world – it pierces – through to the soul – it lays open the raw truth of God’s eternal purpose for each and every one of us.  It was through wielding the sword of God’s Word that Christ defeated Satan in the wilderness.  And it will always help us to overcome the wicked one.

Quote – “[The Word of God] is the best offense in service to God, for once it is proclaimed it does not return without accomplishing its purpose.” William Ellis

"Lord, Help us to love your Word more and more each day.  Help us to read it - to study it - to memorize it - to obey it.  And Lord, give us the wisdom to understand it.  Amen."