Introduction

To kill and eat, you must have a weapon – the sword. A sword is a weapon with a long blade for cutting or thrusting. It contains a) pommel; b) hilt; c) guard; d) blade. The sword is both an offensive and defensive weapon and used to protect oneself from harm or to attack the enemy to overcome or kill him. In both cases it was necessary for a soldier to get rigid training on the proper use of the sword to get maximum protection. Do you as a Christian have a sword?

Main Points:

Luke 22:35-36

And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing. Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take {it}, and likewise {his} scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.

Have you bought your sword? If not, you must buy one. You have to sell your cloak though. A cloak is a type of loose garment worn over clothing. This means you are already wearing an undercoat armour (clothing) like a Roman soldier, so the overcoat cloak is not a defensive or offensive weapon, so not enough against the enemy. You must sell it and buy a sword! Which sword, you may ask?

• The sword of the Spirit: The "sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God
  Ephesians 6:17

  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

  so that we can stand our ground against evil
  Ephesians 6:13

  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. {having...: or, having overcome all}

  . The Word of God is the double-edged sword
  Hebrews 4:12

  For the word of God {is} quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and {is} a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

  . The Roman sword was commonly made in this manner – two edges to penetrate and cut in every way. The Word of God must cut to the heart of the matter. It must demolish strongholds.
• Spiritual strength through the Word: The purpose of the sword of the Spirit—the Word—is to make us strong and able to withstand the evil onslaughts of our enemy
  Psalm 119:11,33-40,99-105

  Verse text not found

  . The Holy Spirit uses the power of the Word to give spiritual strength. The word creates mature soldiers for the Lord in fighting. The more we know and understand the Word of God, the more useful in doing God's Will.
• The literal physical sword: The literal physical sword, we must be prepared to carry, in form of defensives measures so as to defend ourselves against the plunderers. Peter took up a sword to defend Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus told him to put away his sword – it was not really the time for that: "for all who draw the sword will die by the sword"
  Matthew 26:52

  Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?

  . We must be prepared one day to lay down our lives to protect our faith and defeat the enemy – those who invaded the church and massacred worshippers on that faithful Sunday must not be allowed to do so again!

Memory Verse

You must be prepared for warfare. King David praised God for training his hands for war, his fingers for battle. Godly men must train themselves, for the thief can only subdue your house by first binding the strong man of the house. You are the strongman.