The Sword of The Spirit
A Sermon on Ephesians 6:17
Originally preached June 24, 1962
Scripture
17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
Sermon Description
How do Christians use the “sword of the Spirit”? In this sermon on Ephesians 6:17 titled “The Sword of the Spirit,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains that the sword of the Spirit differs from the other pieces in three ways: it does not protect any part of the body, it is a defensive weapon, and it is also an offensive weapon. The devil can terrorize people into hopelessness but the sword is the antidote. It is possible to resist the devil and cause him to flee. The Spirit is not the sword but provides the sword—the biblical Scriptures—and enables the Christian to use it correctly. A general attack upon the truth is a strategy of the enemy to shake God’s people from the truth. This is done in many ways, including philosophy (humanity can encompass truth and find God out of their own ability and intellect) and knowledge (any knowledge that humanity has, but science in particular). The more one understands Scripture, the better they can identify the errors lobbed at them. If one doubts the truth and authority of the Bible, it is like having a broken sword in hand and they are already defeated by the enemy. Knowing Scripture in a detailed manner and being soaked in the whole of it is necessary to effectively reply to someone who calls truth into question.
Sermon Breakdown
- The passage under consideration is Ephesians 6:17 - "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."
- The sword of the Spirit refers to the Bible, the Word of God. It is not referring to words that come to us or messages we receive.
- The Bible is the sword provided by the Spirit. The Spirit inspired the writers and guided them in recording the revelation without error.
- The Spirit enables us to understand, interpret, and properly use the Bible. We cannot do any of this on our own without the Spirit.
- This shows the close relationship between the Spirit and the Word. We must keep them together. If we separate them, we will encounter problems.
- Jesus used Scripture to resist temptation by the devil, showing us the example to follow. We are to use the Bible to stand against error and false teaching.
- Philosophy, knowledge, and science are used by the enemy to attack the truth. The only way to withstand these attacks is by using the sword of the Spirit, the Bible.
- The Bible was key to the Reformation and key Protestant doctrines. The Roman Catholic church had kept the Bible from people for centuries but now encourages reading it because Protestants have undermined confidence in it through criticism.
- We must know the Bible in detail, not just general truths. We must know specific Scriptures to apply in specific situations, as Jesus did when tempted.
- We must read and study the whole Bible to be steeped in knowledge of the truth so we have an answer ready in any situation. The Spirit will bring the right Scripture to mind as needed.
- God uses the humble and uneducated who know the Bible. Knowledge and learning are not required. The Spirit enables any believer to know and use the Bible.
Sermon Q&A
What Does Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Teach About the Sword of the Spirit?
What is the sword of the Spirit according to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the sword of the Spirit is specifically the Word of God - the Bible, the Scriptures. He clarifies that it isn't merely "words that come from God" as some newer translations suggest, but the actual written Scripture. As he states: "What he's saying is this, take up the sword which the spirit himself provides for you. What is that? It is the word of God. In other words, the scriptures, the Bible."
How does the sword of the Spirit differ from the other pieces of spiritual armor?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies three key differences: 1. It doesn't protect any particular part of the body like the other pieces do 2. It keeps back the enemy as a whole rather than protecting against a specific type of attack 3. It's both defensive and offensive, whereas the other armor pieces are purely defensive
As he explains: "It protects us in the sense that it helps us to hold back the enemy himself, as it were, rather than some particular action on his part... This is also an offensive weapon. And this is, of course, its particular uniqueness."
What example did Jesus set in using the sword of the Spirit?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones points to Jesus' temptation in the wilderness as the primary example of wielding the sword of the Spirit. Jesus, filled with the Spirit, resisted Satan by quoting Scripture. Lloyd-Jones states: "How did our Lord, filled with the spirit in this way, resist the temptations of the devil? And you remember the answer. He did so by quoting the scriptures." Jesus knew exactly which Scripture to apply to each temptation.
What relationship does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe between the Holy Spirit and the Word of God?
Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that the Spirit and the Word must be kept together. He identifies several connections: 1. The Spirit inspired the Scriptures 2. The Spirit alone enables us to understand Scripture 3. The Spirit alone enables us to interpret Scripture correctly 4. The Spirit alone enables us to use Scripture properly in spiritual warfare
As he warns: "This relationship between the spirit and the word is an all important one. Failure to realize that has accounted for many troubles in the long history of the Christian church. People always put the emphasis on one exclusively or else on the other. And the moment you separate the spirit and the word, you're in trouble."
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones suggest Christians should combat modern attacks on truth?
Lloyd-Jones teaches that the only effective way to combat attacks on biblical truth - whether from philosophy, science, or other religions - is through the proper use of Scripture. He points to historical examples like Martin Luther who stood against the entire Roman Catholic Church using Scripture alone.
He advises: "Don't dabble in philosophy. Don't try and meet them on their own ground. Take your ground... Take up the thing that you can use, the word of God. Here is something that is available to every one of us, and if you know this, you'll be able to answer philosophy, science, anything that may come against you."
What practical advice does Dr. Lloyd-Jones give for effectively using the sword of the Spirit?
Lloyd-Jones stresses the importance of detailed knowledge of Scripture, not just general familiarity. He urges believers to: 1. Know the whole Bible thoroughly ("We must be soaked in it") 2. Study Scripture deeply, not just read daily passages 3. Be able to recall specific verses appropriate to specific situations 4. Rely on the Spirit to bring Scripture to mind when needed
He notes: "We must read the whole of the Bible, cover to cover, be really steeped in the knowledge of this truth, so that at any given moment, at any given point, we will know the word. We'll have the appropriate answer, and the enemy will not only be repelled, he'll be discomforted, he'll flee from us."
The Book of Ephesians
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.