PORT AUSTIN – A few years ago, the ladies in our church did an incredible study on the armor of God from Ephesians. It was one of those passages that I had heard and read about my whole Christian life, but it wasn’t until we did that study together that I realized how real spiritual warfare is and how powerful the armor of God is to fight it.
Now, I’m not one of those people who believes there’s a demon behind every bush. But, when I realized that we have a real enemy who “prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour,” my eyes were really opened to his evil schemes.
One of the pieces of armor that specifically stood out to me was the sword of the Spirit, which the Bible says is the Word of God. For me personally, a common area the enemy tries to get at me is my thoughts. Late at night when I can’t fall asleep, I replay a situation over and over, analyzing every detail, or I’m overtaken by fears of the future.
These are just a few examples of ways my thoughts can consume me. But what is so powerful about the sword of the Spirit is we are literally using God’s Word as a weapon to fight those anxious thoughts. When the devil tried to tempt Jesus in the wilderness, we know in an instant He could have just defeated the devil with a flick of his finger. But what did He do instead? He quoted Scripture to fight him. How powerful! We have the same weapon available to us and can use the Word of God to fight the lies of the enemy.
Here are just a few ways using the Word as a weapon has helped me:
1. Take every thought captive.
II Corinthians 10:5 says “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.”
When we immediately take our thoughts captive and recognize that it’s from the enemy and not God, we have the power to fight that thought with His Word and not spiral into worse thinking.
2. Trade anxious thoughts for prayer and gratitude.
Philippians 4:6-7 says “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Sometimes it’s hard if our anxious thoughts take over and won’t leave, even after we try to take them captive. Replacing them with praise and thanksgiving to God helps realign our focus.
3. Filter my thoughts through Scripture.
I like to look at the rest of the Philippians passage and analyze every thought through this verse. Are my fears true? Are my thoughts lovely or honorable, etc.? Usually not. So, I want to be reminded of God’s promises and that what He says IS true. (Philippians 4:8-9)
Having a weapon as powerful as the Word of God is as good as it gets to win this spiritual battle. We need to be utilizing this amazing power God gave us to fight the enemy’s schemes and lies. As James 4:7 says “Submit yourself therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
His Word is a weapon. Use it!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shannon Goforth is a pastor’s wife in the thumb of Michigan. She works part time as a social media manager and serves alongside her husband Michael, as he pastors Mercy Hill Church in Port Austin, MI. This includes singing on the worship team, helping in children’s church, teaming up with other women in their church to help lead their summer women’s Bible study, and more. Shannon and Michael have been married for nine years and are expecting their first child, a baby girl due this May, and are very excited to become first time parents.