Wielding Scripture for Daily Victory
By ANNIE WESCHE
And take … the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.
Ephesians 6:17
For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12
Be anxious for nothing, be anxious for nothing … nothing. Not even this.
For several days this had been the refrain quieting my distressed heart. I trust You, Lord — I have no need to be anxious. I trust that I am safe in Your hands. I will be anxious for nothing.
My body had been sounding an alarm that something was seriously off, and my symptoms were growing increasingly strange. What began as a small rash had grown into an unsettling set of problems: numbness in my toes, tingling in my hands and feet, sharp and quick bursts of nerve pain throughout my body — it felt like my nervous system had been turned up to high. While laying down, my heart would pound and I felt like I was breathing through a filter.
Lord, is this an emergency? Show me what I should do. Should I go in to urgent care? … Or should I just rest? You say that You will lead me and instruct me in the way I should go with Your eye upon me. (See Psalm 32:8.) You know what is going on, even if I don’t. Lead me as You have promised. Please help my body and quiet my heart. Show me what to do.
For six days I walked through gradually-worsening symptoms — my only firm footing of peace being in God’s Word and in choosing faith over fear. With each wave of anxiousness I would recite His Word. The truths from Philippians 4:6–7 and Psalm 32:8 comforted and assured me — I didn’t need to be anxious and God would lead me. I didn’t yet feel that I required urgent care and, as I held tightly to His Word, I kept sensing that I was safe and simply needed to rest. I had just come off of an especially full work season and a very packed trip. I knew my body was exhausted and although something else was clearly going on, each time I prayed I felt a peaceful assurance to continue resting in the Lord’s care and … be anxious for nothing.
After a full week, God brought an answer to prayer through a sudden realization. I remembered that seven days prior I had started taking a new supplement. It was one my dad had taken for years without issue, but I thought, Could I be having an allergic reaction? I quickly went online to investigate and, sure enough, right there in black and white: “In rare cases, an allergic reaction can occur.”
Needless to say, I promptly stopped taking that supplement. And as I walked through the following days and weeks that it took my body to recover and my symptoms to fully subside, I was overwhelmed by the evident goodness and sweet mercy of the Lord throughout my health scare. He had led me with peace and brought insight into what was happening. But even before the insight came, He strengthened me through His Word, quieted me with His love, kept me in His perfect peace, protected me, gave me rest, and drew me to Himself. (See Psalm 119:28, Zephaniah 3:17, Isaiah 26:3, Psalm 32:7, Matthew 11:28, Psalm 73:28.)
His Word was my weapon throughout that health battle. Each blow of anxiety was struck down by wielding His Word. Each mysterious shadow of “the unknown” was driven back by the assurance of Scripture.
As I stroll back through the halls of my memory, I can recall countless other moments in my life where God’s Word was my weapon in battle. And as I grow in the Word, saturating my heart and mind with Scripture, I continue to see the very real and powerful change it brings to my life in the daily “battle moments” I face — overthrowing selfishness, destroying doubts, defeating apathy, driving back anxieties, silencing temptations, tearing down strongholds, and putting to death the flesh. It is also the same weapon by which I can walk in the Christian’s victories of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control — fruits of the same Spirit that has given us this mighty sword.
As you read this, perhaps your own battles come to mind. Are you hearing the call of your Almighty Captain to take up the sword of the Spirit? I want to encourage you with five truths to hold to as you arm yourself:
The Word of God is the highest authority. We wield a weapon that carries the authority of Almighty God — His Word, His authority — and there is none higher. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God…” (2 Tim. 3:16). “Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power and the glory, the victory and the majesty; for all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and You are exalted as head over all” (1 Chron. 29:11).
The Word of God is true. Whatever comes against us, whatever our emotions say, and whatever earthly circumstances may unfold — God’s Word is true and trustworthy. If we hold anything above His Word (even our own emotions or feelings), it will ultimately and undoubtedly fail us. But if we train our hearts to trust His Word above all else, we will find its aim to be unfailingly true! “Thy Word is truth” (John 17:17 KJV). “For the Word of the Lord is right; and all His work is done in truth” (Ps. 33:4).
The Word of God is powerful. We wield a weapon that doesn’t rely on our own strength and battle skill — lest any of us could boast — but its power comes from God. His Word wields the power, authority, and precision we need, so even in our most frail state we can wield this glorious gift! “For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb. 4:12). This weapon is mighty in God! (See 2 Corinthians 10:4.)
The Word of God is unchanging and eternal. His Word stands true, powerful, and applicable throughout the changing times and for all eternity. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away” (Matt. 24:35). “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever” (Isa. 40:8). “Forever, O Lord, Your Word is settled in heaven” (Ps. 119:89).
The Word of God is our defense against sin. Christ Himself wielded the Word when Satan brought before Him various temptations. (See Matthew 4:1–11.) So, too, for us, our mightiest weapon — whether we fight an enemy without or within — is God’s Word. “Your Word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (Ps. 119:11).
Reader, we are commanded to take the sword of the Spirit. We must actually lay hold of it, wrap our grip of faith around it, and wield it! His victory will come when we put our confidence in what our God has wisely and lovingly supplied for us as soldiers of the Cross. Read the imploring words of Charles Spurgeon in this excerpt from a sermon he gave on the sword of the Spirit from Ephesians 6:17:
To be a Christian is to be a warrior …
The Captain’s voice is clear as a trumpet — “take the sword!” No Christian man here will have been obedient to our text unless with clear, sharp, and decisive firmness, courage, and resolve, he takes the sword. We must go to heaven sword in hand, all the way. “Take the sword.” May the
Holy Spirit help me!…
Dear brethren, is it not a very high honor put upon you, as soldiers of the cross, that you should be allowed, nay commanded to take the sword of the Spirit? The raw recruit is not trusted with the general’s sword; but here are you armed with the weapon of God the Holy Ghost, and called upon to bear that sacred sword which is so gloriously wielded by the Lord God Himself.
Does the timid heart enquire, “Wherewithal, my Master, shall I meet my adversaries?” “Here,” saith the Holy Ghost, “take this! This is My own sword; I have done great marvels with it; take it, and nothing shall stand against you.”
— Charles Spurgeon, Excerpts from
his sermon on April 19, 1981
Armed for Battle
In my own personal battle of overcoming crippling anxiety and fear, it was the Word of God which brought me hope and victory. The Lord led me to memorize several “Battle Scriptures” that I could quote when a wave of anxiety would come. I found overcoming strength and enabling grace as I would trust in His Word and advance into whatever was causing anxiety or fear — with faith in Him and His trusted Word.
Whatever battle you are presently fighting, look to His Word and arm yourself with the heavenly weapon He has given you. You could write out key verses on notecards and set them around your house. Or spend time each day committing a few needed Battle Scriptures to memory. I typed out several verses on a half-sheet of paper and tucked them into my Bible for quick reference. However you feel inspired, whatever battle you are facing … take the sword. Here’s just a place to start:
Battle for Peace and Faith · overcome fear and anxiety
Isaiah 41:10 — “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you. I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”
Deuteronomy 33:27 — “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.”
Proverbs 29:25 — “The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.”
Psalm 94:19 — “In the multitude of anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul.”
Isaiah 26:3 — “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.”
2 Timothy 1:7 — “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
Battle for Joy · overcome sadness and despair
1 Thessalonians 5:16 — “Be joyful always…”
Psalm 5:11 — “Let those who love Your name be joyful in You.”
Psalm 30:5 — “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.”
Psalm 118:24 — “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
Nehemiah 8:10b — “Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Psalm 16:11 — “You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
Battle for Purity · overcome impurity and wordly affections
Psalm 119:9, 11 — “How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your Word … Your Word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You.”
Psalm 51:10 — “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
Romans 13:14 — “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”
Psalm 119:37 — “Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in Your ways.”
Philippians 4:8 — “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy — meditate on these things.“
This article was originally published in Issue 44.
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