09/01/13

Are you ready with your sword?

Nehemiah 4:18 - For the builders, everyone had his sword girded by his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me.


In the book of Nehemiah the Israelite men were building the wall of Jerusalem and while they were doing the building each one of them had a sword girded by his side. We also read Nehemiah kept the man with the trumpet besides him so that at the right time he would call for blowing the trumpet to warn all and then they would draw their swords and be ready to fight.

As I grew in the Lord I was told scriptures are like a sword and we need to speak them to our situation to overcome them. I know many people who keep repeating scriptures continually in time of problems and they do this over long periods of time. When I came to understand faith I saw that this and faith do not go together. Then my question came, are scriptures a sword?

The first mention of a sword is in the book of Genesis when God drives man out of the Garden of Eden and places a flaming sword to keep man out of the garden. What is interesting to note is that God placed the sword only to the east of the garden, what about the west, north and south, God not bothered to protect it from those directions. God is not that bad a strategist that He would ignore or make such a blunder.

God knew what ever could enter Eden would come only from the east and form nowhere else for He put not only a flaming sword but also Cherubs and when we know what a Cherub is, and then we would understand what God was keeping out of the Garden and the Garden is. [Note there are 2 gardens in Genesis 1 and 2 not 1 as people perceive, and Adam had access to both].

Thus the flaming sword was not a real sword or what people show in illustration but symbolic. It was His Word that would destroy anyone who would go against it. We know scriptures are the Word of God but we should understand God could have used the term spear or arrow instead of a sword for they too kill but He chose to use s sword to symbolize His Word.

Unlike a spear or arrow a sword needs to be held by hand always. One does not throw swords but holds them during a battle. One need to be in control of it and treat it like it is an extension of one's hand.

When I saw people speaking scriptures to their problem they were throwing swords at the enemy and the chances of the sword hitting the enemy or doing much harm is very less hence the results are not good.

The Lord is telling is unless we do not have hold or understanding of His Word it will not become an effect weapon for battle against our situations or enemy. We need to speak scriptures not to the enemy but to ourselves so that we understand them and get hold of them and once we get hold of the sword the victory is already won for the enemy very rarely dares to confront in such situations.

People lack understanding of scriptures therefore fail in the result, like in the case Jesus said faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains yet we see people struggle to move small rocks even though they have great faith. That is because they do not understand what Jesus spoke. Jesus chose a mustard seed as an example not because it was the smallest seed but because of its unique property. Unlike other seeds the mustard seed has no air pocket in it. Jesus wanted to say even if our faith is small but if is pure (without doubt) we will be able to achieve greatest of things.

The Lord is telling us today not to use His Word like a spear or arrow but as a sword. Even if our sword is not big but small, yet we will be able to bring down great giants with it. So let us concentrate on understanding His Word getting deeper into it. He is also saying the trumpet is with Him and when He blows it we need to be ready with our swords and a time for this may be at hand.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord, Your Kingdom is not about quantity but of quality that is why the gate to your Kingdom is narrow and only a few enter. Lord, help us be more effect Christians and not to be popular Christians. Help us pursue flame and not fame, a flame that cleanses, that purifies. Lord, as we speak your Word unto ourselves help us get hold of it and be armed with it...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scriptures ]
Genesis 1:7-8
7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
8 And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in [of] Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.

Genesis 3:23-24
23 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.
24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)