Then there is the sword of the Spirit. How important is this? God magnifies his Word. The sword of the Spirit is transitional. Here is a piece of armour that is both defensive and offensive. Jesus used it defensively. He used it when he was tempted by Satan: It is written! It is written! It is written! The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. And that is how you get Satan to fall back. It is by having the Word of God in your mind, in your soul. Bringing it forward to bear.
It is a beautiful part of Christian’s Pilgrim Progress. I am sure you are familiar with it. Remember when Christian goes down into the valley of the shadow of death, and Apollyon, the Devil, meets him there. And Apollyon throws him on his back and Apollyon is ready to fetch his last blows, says Bunyan, to kill Christian once and for all. And there seems to be no hope. But, at the last moment, Bunyan says:
Christian nimbly stretches forth his hand for his sword.As you remember it is the Bible, the Word of God.And he catches it and says: Rejoice not against me, O my enemy, for when I fall, I shall arise again.And with that,says Bunyan,he gave him a deadly thrust with the sword, which made Satan get back. As one that had received a mortal wound.Christian receiving that, made at him again saying:Nay, in all these things, Satan, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.And with that Apollyon spread forth his dragon wings and sped away.Satan cannot stand up against the Word of God. The promises of God. When you use that sword against him, you have the most effective means. That is what Jesus did. That is what you are to do. But what is so meek about this illustration of Bunyan, is that, the first statement that Bunyan quotes from Scripture here, he quotes defensively. He gets Satan to back away. And then he goes after Satan offensively, with that very same Word. And so, that is how we need to go and fight against Satan. With the Bible in hand. With the Bible in heart. With the Bible in mind. Fighting defensively and offensively, assailing him, running at him, routing him, driving him from the field.1
Joel Beeke
17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,