There is nothing more powerful than the words of God. The words of God can impart eternal life and take you to heaven. Knowing the word of God, taking up the sword is the only offensive weapon that we are given. We fight the devil knowing the word of God. The reason we are defeated in our battle against Satan is because of prayerlessness. It’s through prayer that the devil’s schemes are defeated because “The devil trembles when he sees the weakest Christian on his knees.”
On the first Sunday in the series, we looked knowing the tactics of the devil. The more awareness you have of the tactics the more likely you are to be able to defend against the devil’s schemes. Then last Sunday we walked through the 5 defensive pieces of the Armour. Today we’re going to pick up the rest of the verse and walk through the rest of this passage. Last Sunday we talked about the 5 defensive pieces of the Armour of God. This time we are going to talk about the one piece that we use on the offence. The sword of the Spirit of God.
We are also going to be spending some time in prayer at the end of the service. We’re going to be spending some time praying specifically because the battle against the devil and his schemes is won when we get down on our knees in prayer. The devil shakes when even the weakest Christian gets on his knees or her knees. If you are brand-new to the faith or you have been on this journey for 40 years or 50 years, whenever you get on your knees to pray devil shakes. Because it is the weapon that we used in order to fight and defend against his schemes.
Ephesians 6:17-20 (NLT)
17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
The Sword of the Spirit
The sword of the spirit is the word of God that is “12 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
Paul may very well have intended to mean by the term word (rhema) of God the sacred Scriptures of Judaism that Jesus had used so effectively at the time of his own temptation.
Matt 4 – Jesus' temptation
“People do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” Deuteronomy 8:3
The same word is used in Eph 5:26, however, to connote words spoken at the time of baptism. If the latter is the intended sense, then the word of God is any helpful word from God in the moment of need.
A local Catholic Priest noted: “When I sense the devil is near, I begin quoting Scripture, and the oppression I feel lifts.” We resist the devil the way Jesus did in the wilderness, by quoting Scripture. We don’t just wave a Bible at our enemy; we use Scripture as an instrument to tear down strongholds. Proclaiming God’s word is an act of aggression against the powers of evil.
However, we are not fully armed if we lack a basic knowledge of the Bible. A believer who is biblically illiterate is virtually unarmed. Paul tells Timothy, “ Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.” (2 Tim 2:15). That means with understanding. Are we proficient in our swordsmanship? We need to saturate our minds with Scripture.
I remember as a kid in Sunday School having “sword drills.” The teacher would give a reference, and we would be the first to find it. Are we able to deal with the devil with the word of God? We need to be trained in our God-given weapon system--the Sword of the Spirit!
Zechariah 4:6, “It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”
Ephesians 6:18-20 (NLT)
18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.[a]
Always
We are called to pray at all times…
On every occasion…
for all believers…
Intercession is our priestly duty. Some of you may never stand in front of a group of people and perform a sacred act that the priest was called to do. You may not feel confident upfront. But I guarantee you, your greatest gift, your strongest weapon, where you will make the most impactful change is when you pray.
This is not optional; it’s a sacred obligation and a precious privilege of all who say they are a follower of Jesus. We have the honour of going before the most high on behalf of others.
The weapon God has given
God is waiting for you to pray.
Ephesians 6:19 And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike.[b] 20 I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.
God sees everything. There is nothing with which it escapes him. God has an emotional reaction to what he sees. Make no mistake, God hates every evil and every selfish act.
This is why God wants to answer our prayers against evil. He’s on our side. We pray because we know God is not pleased with the way things are and is willing to bring change.
We might wonder why God hasn’t done anything about this evil. Surely there is something he can do? Couldn’t he stop what’s happening? Why would the Almighty God need someone to intervene when he could do it himself?
But God is asking you a question… “Where are the Christians? How can they be doing nothing?” He is astonished that there is no one interceding.
God has established certain revocable principles in the universe. He will move in the affairs of mankind according to the degree and how specifically we pray. This is why God is looking for someone to intercede. This is why he is amazed when none can be found. God has all power. He has the love and is fully willing to bring change into the world. But he stands astonished, even shocked when we don’t pray. God is crying out to his people: “I want to move. I want to bless. I want to save. I want to protect, provide, and stop injustice. Why won’t you intercede?”
Prayer changes things. It makes a difference unlike anything else we can do. Prayer changes things because God answers prayer. When we pray, God moves. God knows what he wants to do in the earth and in the lives of people around us. God is not limited, unable to do anything without man’s prayers. God can do whatever he wants. He is sovereign. He is not bound by us. However, it seems that God has chosen to include us in the responsibility and authority of this planet. He has chosen to move in the affairs of mankind to the degree that we pray. There are certain areas in which God will not move unless we pray.
Why don’t we pray more? I believe it’s because we're not convinced that our prayers really make a difference.
How does it work?
How do we wage spiritual warfare? The primary method is through intercession. Prayer!
1 Timothy 2:1 I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.
The apostle Paul put prayer at the top of the list of priorities for his protégé Timothy. Every significant event and movement in church history began with prayer.
Paul makes it clear that we are to pray for all people, he says “Ask God to help them”. Keep on asking God. Never get tired of asking. God encourages it. As long as we ask with the right motives, we should always feel free to pray for others.
The Greek word “intercede” here means seeking the presence and hearing of God on behalf of others
The also says that we should intercede for others. The word intercede means to “pray on behalf of”. The Bible says that Jesus intercedes for us. Jesus prays on our behalf (Hebrews 7:25). It’s our job to pray on behalf of others and model the same kind of prayer that Jesus does for us.
The word also means to “come between”. There are times when we will pray on behalf of others who are unable to pray. And there are times when we come between someone and the devil. We make specific requests for blessing (protection, care, provision). Not that we can do more than God can. But we ask God to do only what he can do on behalf of others or to defeat the devil.
We are a threat to the devil when we pray.
An intercessor’s job is to stand between the devil and the people for whom we are praying. This keeps Satan from doing what he wants to do. We are able to turn away his attacks, diminish the effectiveness and keep his plans from being completed.
Spiritual warfare is not something we just talk about. We do it.
How do we do it? By breaking all the destructive vows-both conscious and unconscious-that lie over the lives of people. Some people have curses laying over them from generations, curse of alcoholism, mental illness, physical emotional or spiritual oppression. We are able to break it, in the name of Jesus.
How do we do that? We do it by taking authority over the sicknesses of mind and body and spirit. Sickness is an enemy, and we are to fight against it.
The method is not important. The important thing is that you believe that you have the authority in Jesus Christ. Through Jesus I have received authority for my heavenly father has given Jesus Christ the authority. And he looks at his disciples and said, “now I give you all authority to go in my name.”
How does Jesus use that authority?
• As a servant king.
• As a merciful King.
• As a forgiving King.
• As a compassionate King.
Not for his own glory but for his heavenly father’s.
And we are called to do the same. The authority that Jesus gives us is to be used as a servant, in a merciful way, in a forgiving way and to show compassion. To get down on our knees, in between, for the other, and say “Lord in your name Jesus I demand that these evil forces flee and that you break the chains of this.”
How do we do it? We do it by coming against every “mountain” that keeps us from progressing in our relationship with God. We command fears of all kinds to leave and never return. We stand against evil thoughts and suspicions and distortions of every sort. We bind the spirit of anger and jealousy and gossip and release the spirit of forgiveness and love and faith.
Many of you have experienced this. God brings us through a process of learning, growing and serving. And when we get through that process of learning growing and serving, he wants us now to go deeper in our faith through another process of learning, growing and serving.
What’s keeping us from going to the next level is often, “The Mountain”. That journey from one level of learning, growing and serving to the other is often blocked by the mountain. The mountain is something that resides within you that keeps you from going to that next level.
God needs you to pray against it, to pray through it, and to pray that God will lead you to that next level. That mountain is often a sin. If you are going to go deeper and conquer the mountain you’ve got to deal with this sin.
For some of you, it's tithing.
You’re like “God wants me to tithe?” “God wants me to give 10%? That’ll never happen. I don’t have that kind of money.” God’s reaction is, “look, if you give, I’ll provide for you. I Want you to trust me long enough to do that.
For some of you, it’s addiction.
That addiction is your mountain, it stands in front of you, and you need to deal with that. You think, “I can’t deal with it.” If You want to go to that deeper level, it’s now time to get on your knees in the name of Jesus pray against it. Ask for God’s power to fight the devil and his schemes.
How do we do it? We do it by coming against all social evil and institutional injustice. We oppose unjust laws that demean and dehumanize those for whom Christ died. We give to the poor, we feed the hungry, and we shelter the homeless. Sometimes it’s social or institutional evil.
We see people who are espousing hatred and we get on our knees and stand between the devil who he is trying to impact in an evil way and we say in the name of Jesus, “Lord, breakdown this stronghold, remove the devil and the influence he has, in the powerful name of Jesus Christ.” He has given us the authority in Jesus Christ.
How do we do it? We do it by demon expulsion.
Wherever we find evil forces at work, we firmly demand that they leave. We are in charge, not they. In the ministry of power, we take authority over whatever is opposed to our life in the kingdom of God. Sometimes It’s Demons.
70% of the population doesn’t believe the devil exists. He is real, I’m here to tell you he’s real and he’s nasty. And he wants only evil for you. His minions are no funny little creatures. When you sense evil, know that there’s a demon present. Whenever you sense evil you are to get on your knees and say, “In the name of Jesus Christ, I know there is evil and the devil is present and you must flee.” That is your authority in Jesus Christ. You have this authority.
So what I want you to do now is I want you to practice that with me. I told you this was an interactive sermon in your notes in front of you is a prayer. If you do not have a copy of the notes, please get close to someone who you can read it with. This is your authority in Jesus Christ, I want you to see and hear what it sounds like to claim your authority in humility before the Lord.
And if you don’t want to say this out loud you don’t have to but I would encourage you to say this out loud. You may listen and say it in your mind, but I want you to read along with me because it’s important that you see the words. what were going to do right after this is we will go into a time of prayer.
All of this work can be done only in the spirit of deepest prayer and greatest humility, for we are trusting in the power of God, not our cleverness.
Closing prayer
"In the strong name of Jesus Christ, I stand against the world, the flesh, and the devil. I resist every force that would seek to distract me from my centre in God. I reject the distorted concepts and ideas that make sin plausible and desirable. I oppose every attempt to keep me from knowing full fellowship with God.
By the power of the Holy Spirit, I speak directly to the thoughts, emotions, and desires of my heart and command you to find your satisfaction in the infinite variety of God’s love rather than the bland diet of sin. I call upon the good, the true, and the beautiful to rise up within me and the evil to subside. I asked for an increase of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
By the authority of Almighty God, I tear down Satan’s strongholds in my life, in the lives of those I love, and in the society in which I live. I take into myself the weapons of truth, righteousness, peace, salvation, the word of God, and prayer. I command every evil influence to leave; you have no right here and I allow you know point of entry. I asked for an increase of faith, hope, and love so that, by the power of God, I can be a light set on a hill, causing truth and justice to flourish.
These things I pray for the sake of him who loved me and gave himself for me. Amen!" (Richard J Foster, Authoritative Prayer)
