Letters From Grandpa #496

• LETTERS FROM GRANDPA
• 496

Dearest grandchild,

Today’s letter will be about Ephesians 6:17–18: “Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayer and requests.” While every part of the Christian’s armor is important, today we will only focus on the “helmet”, the “sword”, and “prayer.” I pray that these thoughts will help you to have victory in your daily struggles.

Paul wrote this inspired letter as a prisoner in Rome. At the same time he also wrote prison letters to Philemon, and the churches in Philippi and Colosse. Even though he wrote them as a prisoner, not one negative thought is found in any of these four letters. Instead Paul optimistically wrote: “Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.” (Philippians 1:212-14) His “salvation”, that is, his relationship with Christ, protected his mind like a “helmet.” A right relationship with Christ can also do the same for you! Nothing can do more for your mental health than a right relationship with Jesus!

The Greek word used in our text, for “sword” is “machaira.” This is a short sword, or dagger, made famous by the Roman legions. It was designed for face to face combat. The Latin word for sword is “gladius” from which we get our word “gladiator”. The encyclopedia informs us: “Roman soldiers used short swords like the gladius because they were highly effective in the close quarters combat typical of ancient warfare. The gladius was designed for thrusting and stabbing, making it ideal for the Roman fighting style, which emphasized speed, precision, and close formation tactics. In contrast, the long swords used in medieval times were better suited for slashing and cutting, which was more effective in the open-field combat characteristic of that era. Additionally, the gladius was easier to wield in the tight formations of Roman legions, allowing soldiers to fight effectively in close proximity to one another.”

The Holy Spirit used two different Greek words that are translated as “word” in the Bible. The first is “logos.” This is the “word” used by John to describe Jesus: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1) This is an important word and many English words are derived from it – logic, logical, analogous, analog, etc.

The second “word” is “rhema” which refers to a word that is “spoken.” This is the word that is used in Romans 10:17: “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.” The point is, the devil is not defeated by a “word” that is on a shelf in a library, but one that is spoken to the devil’s face!

Please consider - immediately after Jesus was baptized He was driven into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. It seems that our temptations come in three categories. “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” (1 John 2:16) Eve was tempted in these three ways in the Garden of Eden. The forbidden tree was (1) Good for food. (2) Pleasing to the eye. (3) Desirable for gaining wisdom (Genesis 2:6). So Jesus was also tempted in three ways: (1) Turn stones into bread. (2) Become famous

by leaping from the top of the temple. (3) Own everything He could see by falling down and worshiping the devil (Matthew 4:1-11).

In each instance Jesus defeated the devil with the “sword of the Spirit”. He said: “it is written” and then “spoke” the Scripture. The Sword of the Spirit is not the Bible on a shelf, it is the spoken Word! A Bible on your shelf is no more effective than a sword in its sheath! The devil is a spiritual enemy and cannot be defeated by a physical weapon. A ball bat or a bullet have no effect upon the devil! That’s why Paul wrote: “The weapons of our warfare are not carnal.” (2 Cor. 10:4) When we resist the devil with the Word of God he will flee (James 4:7). That’s one reason why you need to be familiar with the Bible. It took from 4 months to 2 years of training before a gladiator was allowed to compete in the arena. Similarly, you also must become familiar with Word of God before you can use it effectively. Studying the Bible is more important than brushing your teeth or taking a bath and needs to be an integral part of your daily routine!

If you have an infection it is a common practice to send a sample to the lab to see what antibiotics will help! With reference to defeating the devil God gives us two prescriptions in this passage: (1) The Word of God. (2) Prayer. Both are prescribed by God to give you victory over the devil. “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) Revelation 19:11-16 describes a rider on a white horse whose name was the “Word of God” and a sharp sword was coming out of his mouth. If you are properly prepared, a sharp sword can also come out of your mouth!

Your prayers can also help gain the victory and accomplish “Immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.” (Ephesians 3:20)

Please study the Scriptures and pray,

Grandpa Boyce