The Word of God Is Our Weapon

October 13, 2021

The Word of God is our weapon.

The Word of God Is Our Weapon

By Katie Pearson

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” - Hebrews 4:12–16

What is the most precious gift you have ever received? When something holds great value, we call it priceless. When I think of such possessions in my life, I recognize that their worth comes from the giver far more than the gift itself. As I look around my office, I see a painting my oldest daughter created for me in a challenging season of life. Under the window is a chest of drawers adorned with painted birds that belonged to my grandmother. Most would find it a little odd, but to me, it’s a treasure.

The same is true with the Word of God. The Bible is regarded by many as an archaic collection of stories, valuable as a historical document, but not priceless. Any used bookstore has an entire shelf of used Bibles priced at next to nothing.

But believers view God’s Word differently. Why? Because of its source. John opens his Gospel stating that Jesus is the Word of God: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). The Giver is the gift, and through the Bible, we have direct access to God’s wisdom and truth in ways we will never fully understand. Scripture reveals to us that the triune God’s words are more than a means to communicate: they create, impart, and somehow transform us into the very likeness of Jesus.

The Bible is priceless because it is God’s means of showing us just who Jesus is, that we might know him personally and follow him wholeheartedly (John 20:30). Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can also receive counsel and consolation in our pain and suffering. Finally, when we begin to doubt God’s holiness, God’s Word convicts us of sin and guards our confession of faith (Hebrews 4:12-14). Comfort and conviction can go hand in hand.

In our culture of self-focus, it’s easy to get caught up in our own experience. It’s tempting to interpret our lives with our feelings. But God has gifted us with a conclusive and comprehensive training manual for life that supersedes any self-help program. Even if we read passages that leave us with more questions than answers, we can be confident that through the Holy Spirit, our time spent God in his Word isn’t wasted. Isaiah 55:11 assures us:

“So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
It shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”

Reflection:
Holy God, lead me to open the gift of your precious Word daily. Empower me by your Spirit to receive your grace and truth that I might be transformed into the likeness of your Son, Jesus Christ. We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Related Resource:

Let's face it, the Christian life is hard. Relationships take work. Christians forget. Sometimes it is tempting to go back to the days when God was not the center of our lives - to backslide. We are all faced with tremendous pressures to drift away from intimacy with Jesus and the community of the Church. However, the Lord invites us to pay attention, to move forward, to draw near, and to live lives of worship. Draw Near: Hebrews on Christian Worship is a small group Bible study on the Book of Hebrews intended to lead participants into a deeper intimacy with the living God in the context of New Testament worship. Draw nearer to God in authentic worship today!