The sword of the Spirit

When Jesus “was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil,” (Matthew 4:1) he used scripture to overcome Satan's temptations. Scripture is our best offensive weapon against the devil, over our lives and the lives of others. Notice in the temptation passage (Matthew 4:1-11) that Satan also used scripture in trying to deceive Jesus.

The passage where Jesus quoted scripture to overcome Satan's temptations has sometimes been used to justify verbal confrontation. It is often used as an example of verbal confrontation where Jesus exercised the word, the Sword of the spirit realm, against Satan.

A closer look shows that scripture does not support this. Satan appeared physically to Jesus in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11). It is fitting that he would talk to a being that appeared physically. The devil even took Jesus on a “tour,” first to the temple, then to a high mountain.

After this experience there is no other account of Jesus quoting scripture to Satan as a way of fighting him. Yet throughout his ministry he was busy confronting and overcoming the enemy in the lives of people. Thus unless the enemy appears to any one of us physically (God forbid) we have no business talking to him verbally.

Even if he were to physically appear to any one of us God may require us to do something else –like just saying, “Away from me, Satan,” (Matthew 4:10). No long verbal confrontations. Quoting any scripture may not be necessary. Our Lord was not setting a formula of using scripture in having conversations with the enemy. What we learn from his experience is that the enemy can use scripture that God gave us to live by. It's only that he twists it in order to deceive us.

The way this deception works is by him planting thoughts in our minds rather than appearing physically. The battle is either lost or won from within as we counteract the temptation and deception with the right scripture -the sword of the spirit realm. Since Satan can also use scripture it becomes a bigger battle when comparing what's true and what's twisted out of context. We have more than enough experiences throughout history where God's people have fallen to lies through misinterpreted scripture. Satan used scripture to justify ungodly acts such as gender abuses, slavery, colonialism, persecution of non-Christians and so on.

Our recent accounts include the erroneous spiritual warfare and deliverance teachings. None of the people that fell to the lies throughout history had any outward conversation or physical encounter with Satan quoting scripture.

Scripture does not direct us to be quoting scripture against Satan in verbal confrontations and assuming that we're wielding the sword of the spirit. The battle is within not outside. God's word hidden in our hearts and minds surfaces whenever we're confronted with opposing beliefs and matters. God's word in our hearts and minds is among our major indirect weapons of spiritual warfare and deliverance ministry.

7) All kinds of prayers

After he described the various elements of the spiritual armor, Paul said that we are to be in constant prayer. Prayer is part of our spiritual warfare. “Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” Praying implies talking to God, not to Satan. All kinds of prayers and requests include:

1) Prayers of deliverance and protection (spiritually, socially, physically or materially),

2) Prayers of agreement,

3) Prayers of intercession,

4) Prayers of inquiry,

5) Prayers of importunity, supplication, appeal or petition,

6) Prayers of consecration/dedication/commitment,

7) Prayers of repentance,

8) Prayers in the word (praying with the scriptures),

9) Prayers of worship/adoration and thanksgiving,

Weapons of Spiritual Warfare –

Other passages that cover on the armor for spiritual battle include 1 Thessalonians 5:8 and Isaiah 59:17. In 1 Thessalonians 5:8 faith and love comprise the breastplate. Associating the weapons of spiritual warfare to specific areas of the Roman armor is therefore less important than knowing the weapons and using them.

1 Thessalonians 5:8 shows that love is among the major weapons of spiritual warfare. Like the rest, it is an indirect weapon. The article on the “weapons of spiritual warfare” given in Appendix 1 also shows how the matters we exercise in our fellowship with God act as indirect weapons against Satan.