Thank you, Kara. And while I
was listening to that song, I thought, all of my hope of
salvation is in that statement the Lord made, when I see the
blood, I will pass over you. That, my dear friends, is the
gospel, isn't it? I'd like to read from Ephesians
chapter six, verse 17. This is the last piece of armor
that Paul tells us about in Ephesians chapter six, verse 17. And take the helmet of salvation
and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. Let's pray. Lord, we ask in Christ's name that you would make your word to bring forth life in these
hearts of ours, that we might be enabled to behold the beauty
of thy son and inquire in his temple. Lord, Bless us for Christ's
sake, speak in power from your word. Enable us to worship. We ask that you would forgive
us of our sins, that you'd cleanse us from our sins, that you'd
give us grace to love you more and to love one another more.
We pray for our world at this time. We pray that your will
would be done with regard to this pandemic, that you would
be pleased to use it as we know you will. for your glory and
our good, and we pray for your guidance upon our leaders, that
your will would be done. Lord, we would again remember
the Fortner family and the Clarks. We pray for your comfort to them. Bless us for Christ's sake, in
his name we pray, amen. I've entitled this message, The
sword of the spirit, the word of God. Now, Paul has given us
these first five pieces already, and we wouldn't know anything
about these five pieces without the sword of the spirit, the
word of God. He gives us the belt of truth. And the Lord said, thy word is
truth. He speaks of the breastplate
of righteousness. And that's speaking of the righteousness
of Jesus Christ, having the very righteousness of Christ as our
personal righteousness. How would we know anything about
that without the word of God? And he speaks of our feet being
sawed with the preparation or the readiness of the gospel of
peace. Now the only thing that makes
me ready is the gospel of peace, how Christ is my peace with God. How would I know that without
the Word of God? And then he tells us to take
the shield of faith that's going to quench all the fiery darts
of the wicked. Now how would I know anything
about faith in Christ, what it is to rest in Christ, what it
is to trust in Christ, without the Word of God? And then he
speaks of the helmet of salvation, that salvation which is by grace. That's what protects the head.
Salvation is of the Lord, but how would I know that without
the word of God? And then he gives us this sixth
piece of armor, the sword of the spirit, which is the word
of God. Now, this is interesting that
the sword is the only piece of armor used for offense. All of the other pieces are used
for defense, to protect us, but the sword is used for offense.
This is the message we bring to this world, the word of God. Now, the sword is used for defense
as well, to protect you from blows. That's the way the Lord
used it when he was being tempted by Satan in the Garden of Eden. With every temptation, Satan
hurled his way. He answered it with a, it is
written. And that's the way we're to answer
everything. Look at the high value the Lord put on the word
of God when he said to Satan, it is written. But the sword is also used as
offense. It is the message of the scripture. Now I'm gonna read a couple of
passages of scripture from the book of Revelation, where we
read of the sword of the word of God coming out of Christ's
mouth. Look in verse 13 of Revelation chapter one. And in the midst
of the seven candlesticks, one like unto the son of man, clothed
with a garment down to the foot, and gird about the paps with
a golden girdle, his head and his hairs were white. like wool
as white as snow, and his eyes were as a flame of fire, and
his feet like undefined brass as if they burned in a furnace,
and his voice as the sound of many waters like the roaring
of the ocean in its strength, and he had in his right hand
seven stars, and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword. Now that sharp two-edged sword
is his word, the word of God. That's not talking about a literal
sword coming out of his mouth. That's speaking of his word,
the sharp two-edged sword. And we read also in Revelation
chapter 19, this description of Christ. John says, and I saw
heaven opened and behold, a white horse. And he that sat upon him
was called faithful and true. and in righteousness he doth
judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire
and on his head were many crowns. And he had a name written that
no man knew but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture
dipped in blood and his name is called the Word of God. And the armies which were in
heaven followed him upon white horses clothed in fine linen,
white and clean, and out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword. There we have that again, that
with it he should smite the nations. Out of his mouth is a sharp sword. Now I'd like to read a passage
of scripture from Galatians that I believe lets us know something
of the awesomeness of the scriptures. what the scriptures are. In Galatians
chapter three, verse eight, we read, and the scripture, foreseeing
that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before
the gospel unto Abraham, saying, in thee shall all nations be
blessed. Now the scripture would not be
written for some 400 to 450 years when this statement was made.
This was God himself speaking to Abraham. It's God who foresees
what will take place because he's determined what will take
place. But here it says the scripture. Now this is the high honor of
scripture. God said this, but when Paul
is speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he says,
for the scripture foreseeing that God would justify the heathen
through faith preached before the gospel unto Abraham. And
what about in Romans chapter nine, verse 17? For the scripture
saith unto Pharaoh, even for this purpose have I raised thee
up. Now, the scripture, once again,
had not yet been written. But when Paul is inspired by
the spirit of God to quote God himself, he says, for the scripture
saith unto Pharaoh, even for this same purpose have I raised
thee up. Now the word of God, the scriptures,
the holy scriptures, is written by God himself, by the spirit
of God. Now it's true he used men, he
used their personalities, but every word is inspired by God. It came through these men, but
it was all inspired by God. 2 Timothy 3, verse 16 says, all
scripture is given by inspiration of God. Literally, God breathed. Peter tells us in 2 Peter 1 that
holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Every word of Scripture is inspired
by God. It is the inspired, inerrant
Word of God. Now, I realize that every one
of us at one time or the other has balked at this. How could
the Bible be the inspired word of God when men are the ones
who made the copies of it? We don't have an original copy
of the scriptures in the first place. How can we know that men
haven't changed it? How can we know that the Bible
is the inspired word of God? How can we believe this to be
true? Well, do you believe God created the universe? Sure you
do. Sure you do. Nobody that's an
atheist started out as an atheist. They became an atheist because
they did not like the implications of God. So they took a leap in
the dark. They did something that was actually
quite irrational and illogical. Now they may have been very intelligent
people. I'm not questioning their intelligence,
but talking about a blind leap in the dark to deny that God
created the universe or to say there is no God. That's foolishness
and no one is born that way. We all know naturally that somebody
made this world and nobody made him. He is eternal. Now this one who has the ability
to create the universe as an act of his will has the ability
to inspire a book and keep it without error. The God that created
the universe has the power to inspire men to write this book. Now, somebody may object, well,
I believe that, but we don't have an original copy. And that's
true, we do not have an original copy. And I'm thankful we don't
have an original copy because if we had an original copy, can
you imagine how men would worship it rather than worshiping the
God of glory? They would make an idol out of
it. This is an original copy without paying attention to what
it said. But we do have a copy of the original copy, an exact
copy. of the original copy so we know
exactly what was in the original and God is able to cause that
to happen. I love what the Lord said to
Sarah when she laughed at what he said. Is anything too hard
for the Lord? Is it too hard for the Lord to
inspire men to write a book and keep it preserved as true throughout
the centuries? No, it's not. Nothing is too
hard for the Lord. In Isaiah chapter 55, beginning
in verse eight, we read from my thoughts. This is God speaking. For my thoughts are not your
thoughts. I love that. You know they're
not. He's other. He's altogether unique. My thoughts are not your thoughts. Neither are your ways my ways,
saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher
than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my
thoughts higher than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down and
the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the
earth, and maketh it bring forth, and bud that it may give seed
to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that
goeth forth out of my mouth. It shall not return unto me void,
but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall
prosper in the thing whereunto I have said it. Now that is true
with regard to the written word. That is true with regard to the
living word. And that is true with regard
to the preached word. The word of God will accomplish
whatever God has sent it to do. Now, we read of an inspired revelation
and we need an inspired revelation. You talk about the scriptures
and our need of the scriptures. What if we didn't have an inspired
revelation? Inerrant. Well, what could we
use to know if we're hearing the truth? We wouldn't know.
I could say something to you, and it might make sense to you,
it might be true, it might not. Somebody else can say something
that's the opposite, and it might make sense to you, it might be
true, and it might not, and we would be left in a labyrinth,
a maze, never having anything. But oh, we can be Like the noble
Bereans, who when they heard Paul preach, the scripture says,
they searched the scriptures daily, whether these things be
so. Now in preaching, I want you
to see if what I'm saying is what the Bible actually teaches. That's all that counts. Now,
all of God's people have a reverence for the word of God. Every single
one of them. Our Lord put it this way, In
John chapter eight, he that is of God, heareth God's words. Everybody that's of God, they're
gonna hear. They're going to receive. They're
going to embrace God's words. I don't care what the doctrine
is. He that's of God, heareth God's words. And then he said
to those very same people, you therefore hear the not because
you're not of God. He that's of God, heareth God's
words. The Lord said in John chapter
eight, verse 31, if you continue in my word, then are you my disciples
indeed. He said, if a man loved me, he
will keep my words. He that loveth me not, keepeth
not my sayings. Now in John chapter 6, the Lord
miraculously fed 5,000 men, not counting women and children,
with five biscuits and two sardines. He brought matter into existence,
food into existence, which had not been there before. He demonstrated
his creative power as the God of glory. And these people ate
and they were filled. And they followed the Lord. They
said, as a matter of fact, they said, we want to make him king.
This is who we need to be king, somebody that can keep us fed.
Now, he went on in John chapter six to preach a message to these
same people. who wanted to make him king.
You see, if you think you can make him king, you don't even
know who he is. He already is king. You don't
make him king. But these people thought they could, and they
thought this will be to our advantage. So the Lord brought a message
to them that they did not like. And at the end of that message,
here was their response. These are harsh, hard, austere,
disagreeable, inhumane sayings. They did not like what he said. The word also carries with it
the idea of being dry and parched. They said, this is harsh, dry
doctrine. We do not like what you're saying. And then the Lord replied, did
this offend you? What if you shall see the Son
of Man go back to sin where he was before? What he's saying
is, you see me saying these words from now, you're gonna see that
same person seated at the right hand of the Father saying the
same words. The words never change. You'll
really be offended then. And then he said, the words that
I speak to you, that you call harsh, the words that I speak
unto you, the doctrine of the gospel, their spirit, and their
life. These words that you call harsh,
their spirit and their life. And you know, every single one
of those people left him at that time. They enjoyed the meal,
but they couldn't take these words. And as these people were
leaving, the Lord looked at the 12 and said, will you also go
away? And Peter answered, Lord, to
whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal
life. And we believe and are sure that
thou art that Christ, the son of the living God. Now understand
this with regard to the word of God, spiritual life comes
through his word, the scriptures. the living word, the spoken word
that comes from the word. Spiritual life comes through
the word. James 1.18 says, of his own will
begat he us through the word of truth. Peter said in 1 Peter
1.23, being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible,
by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever. In John
chapter 17, verse 17, the Lord said, sanctify them through thy
truth. Thy word is truth. And then Paul said, faith cometh
by hearing and hearing by the word of God. That's why Peter
said, as newborn babes desire crave the sincere, and that means
the pure milk of the word, the incorruptible word of God, desire
the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby. Now, I would say that a whole
lot of people that have listened to me up to this point would
agree, people in different churches, people who make different professions
would say, Word of God, I believe it's the inspired word of God.
Well, that's good, you should. But did you know that this word,
written in 66 books over a 1,500 year period, has only one message? And if I don't see that it has
only one message, I really have no understanding of this book. The Lord said in John chapter
five, verse 39, you search the scriptures. You're diligent about
reading the Bible and finding out what it has to say. You search
the scriptures for in them, you think you have eternal life.
If I can just learn to do what the Bible says to do, I'll be
all right. And then the Lord said, but they
are they which testify of me. Every one of them. and you will
not come to me that you might have life. I love Luke chapter
24, where the Lord has appeared to the disciples after his resurrection. And he says to the men who were
on the road to Emmaus, he said unto them, O fools, and slow
of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Ought
not Christ to have suffered these things? Was it not necessary
for Christ to suffer these things? My, he's the lamb slain from
the foundation of the world. There was a divine necessity
to it. Ought not Christ to have suffered
these things and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses
and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures,
the things concerning himself. And in this same chapter, Luke
chapter 24, we read beginning in verse 44. And he said unto
them, these are the words which I spake unto you that while I
was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were
written in the law of Moses and in the prophets and in the Psalms
concerning me. Then opened he their understanding
that they might understand the scriptures. And he said unto
them, thus it's written and thus it behooved Christ to suffer
and to rise again the third day. Now it will not profit us to
stand for the inspiration of the scriptures if we don't know
the one message of the scripture, not two. Every scripture is given
to cast some light on this, what Paul said, In first Corinthians
chapter two, verse two, when he said, I determined not to
know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I don't care what scripture
it is. If I don't come to Jesus Christ
and him crucified from that scripture, I have no understanding of that
scripture. The scripture has only one message. You see, he is that treasure. hid in the field, hid in the
field of the Word, always. In Hebrews chapter four, we have
this amazing statement with regard to the Holy Scriptures. In Hebrews
chapter four, verse 12, the writer to the Hebrews says, for the
Word of God, that's what we're talking about, the Scriptures,
the Word of God is quick. That word quick means living.
It doesn't mean fast moving, it means living. Fingernail to
the quick that means you got the living flesh it hurts. That's
the word they use at that time It's living for the Word of God
is living and it's powerful and it's sharper than any two-edged
sword Piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit What's
that mean? Well, there's a difference between
the soul and the spirit The soul is what comes from the natural
man The spirit is what comes from the new man. And it's the
word of God that shows the difference between soul and spirit and of
the joints and marrow. And as a discerner of the thoughts
and intents of the heart, neither is there any creature that is
not manifest in his sight, but all things are naked and open
into the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Now here, the
word of God means the written word. It means the living word. It means the preached word. The word of God is quick and
powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. And we need
the word of God to teach us what he says in the two previous verses. He says in verse nine of Hebrews
chapter four, for there remaineth a rest. a Sabbath of rest for
the people of God, for he that's entered into his rest, he also
hath ceased from his own works as God did from his. Have you
ever done that? Have you ever ceased from your
own works? and look to his work only. When
God ceased from his works, it's because the work was finished
and it was very good. And if I ever see that the work
of Christ is finished and infinitely good, I'll cease from my own
works quick and I'll look to him only. Let us labor therefore
to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example
of unbelief, for the word of God is quick and powerful and
sharper than any two-edged sword. In 1 Thessalonians 2, verse 13,
Paul makes this statement with regard to the word preached.
Listen carefully. For this cause also thank we
God without ceasing, because when you received the word of
God, which you heard of us, you received it not as the word of
men, but as it is in truth. the Word of God, which effectually
worketh in you that believe." Now, it's one thing to hear the
Word as the Word of men, the Word of the preacher, the Word
of that particular denomination, but it's another thing to hear
it as the very Word of God. Paul said in 1 Thessalonians
1, verses 4 and 5, knowing brethren beloved, your election of God
For our gospel came not to you in word only, but in power and
in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance. That's not talking
about assurance of personal salvation. That's talking about assurance
that this is the word of God. This is the gospel. I think of Peter warning of those
who stumble at the word. This is 1 Peter 2.8. They stumble
at the Word. They find it scandalous. They
stumble at the Word, being disobedient, whereunto also they were also
appointed. That's what God's Word says regarding
those who stumble at the Word. I'd like to read the last couple
of verses of the book of Revelation. And it's true with regard to
this book of Revelation and the other 65 books in the Bible. Listen to the words of John in
verse 18. For I testify unto every man
that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, if any
man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues
that are written in this book. Don't you add anything to the
word of God. It's a complete closed revelation. No additions
are needed. This is the complete word of
God. And if you add your own two cents, you're going to be
destroyed. And in verse 19, if any man should
take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, they fail
to preach it. They leave it out because of
what they're afraid would happen if they did. If any man should
take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God should
take away his part out of the book of life and out of the holy
city and from the things which are written in this book. What
a warning. We're not there to add or to
take anything from the Word of God. Now I want to end this message
by looking at Paul's charge to Timothy. In 2 Timothy 4, verse
6, he tells us, I am now ready to be offered. Poured out like
a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I love the way he calls death
a departure. It's my departure. I'm ready to enter in to glory. So remember, that's the setting
when he makes this charge to Timothy. And look what he says
in 2 Timothy 4, verse one, I charge thee, therefore, before God and
the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick, the living,
and the dead, and his appearing, and his kingdom. Now here's the
charge. Preach the word. And that's his charge to me,
and that's his charge to you. Preach, publicly declare, without
apology, without adding anything to it, without subtracting anything
from it. The Word. Does the Word claim
inspiration? Preach it. Does the Word proclaim God as
God who doeth according to his will in the armies of heaven
and among the inhabitants of the earth and none can say his
name or say unto him, what doest thou? Does the Word proclaim
God as the absolute sovereign God? Preach it. Don't apologize
for it. Don't try to soften it. Preach
it. Does the Word declare that Christ
is the Lamb slain from before the foundation of the world?
That's what we know about eternity past. Christ is the Lamb slain
from the very foundation of the world. Then preach it in all
that means. God created the world for the
cross. God purposed the fall for the
cross. Before there was ever a sinner,
there was a Savior. Christ is the Lamb slain, literally
having been slain from the foundation of the world. That puts the whole
Bible in perspective. This is God's purpose. Preach
it. Don't try to soften this up.
Preach it. The cross is the very purpose
of God, the whole counsel of God. Does the word declare that
God chose who would be saved before time began? Well, Ephesians
1.4 says, according as it chose us in him before the foundation
of the world. Preach it. Preach it. Glory in it. This is who God
is. Does the word Proclaim that men
are dead in sins and cannot do anything to save themselves.
Ephesians 2, 1, and you hath he quickened who were dead in
trespasses and sins. Preach it. The word. declares that there's none righteous.
No, not one. There's none that understands.
There's none that seeketh after God. They've all together become
unprofitable. There's none that doeth good.
No, not one. That's in Psalm 14. That's in
Psalm 53. That's in Romans chapter three.
Preach it. Preach it. Does the Word declare that His
death actually saved? It's not an offer of salvation.
It's not making salvation available. Does the word declare that his
death actually saved? Wherefore, by one offering, he
hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. When he said,
it is finished, everyone he died for was saved. Romans chapter
5 verse 10 says, if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to
God by the death of His Son. Oh, I love to preach the successful
work of Christ on Calvary's tree. He accomplished salvation. Preach
it! Does the Word really teach that
salvation is all of grace? By grace are you saved? And that not ourselves, it's
the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast. Preach
it, preach it. Timothy, preach the word. Does
the word actually teach that God justifies sinners? Now don't, somebody says, yes,
I've seen that scripture. Yeah, but what's it mean? It
means that by the work of Christ, his keeping of the law and his
bloody death and his resurrection, Everybody he died for stands
before God having never sinned. Having never sinned. Perfectly righteous. Who shall
lay anything to the charge of God's elect, it is God that justifieth. Does the Word declare that men
are actually born of God, birthed by God, given life as an act
of God's will. To as many as received Him, to
them gave He the power to become the sons of God, even to them
which believe on His name, which were born, which were birthed,
not of blood, not of the will of the flesh, not of the will
of man, but of God. Does the Word really teach justification
by faith? Having been justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. What's
the evidence of justification? Believing the Gospel. Is that
what the Word actually teaches? To him that worketh not, but
believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is canon
for righteousness. Preach it. Does the Word really
teach that any man who comes to Christ will be received, no
matter how sinful he is, no matter how far off he is, no matter
how ignorant he is? The Lord says, him that cometh
to me, all that the Father giveth me shall come to me, and him
that cometh to me I will in no wise, for no reason whatsoever
cast away. All who come to him are received. Preach it. Does the Word really
teach God preserves those who come to Christ all the way to
the end, that we're, as Peter says, kept by the power of God
through faith unto salvation. Now unto him that's able to keep
you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence
of his glory with exceeding joy. Preach it. Does the word teach his successful
intercession? Wherefore He is able to save
them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever
liveth to make intercession for them. Does the Word teach that
He's coming back? Oh, every eye shall see Him. Behold, He cometh with the clouds. Preach it. Does the Word teach
that there'll be a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth
righteousness? Preach it. Preach. The Word. This is the sword of
the Spirit. This is all God uses. Not our gimmicks. Not our method. It is still please God by the
foolishness of preaching. Preaching the Word to save them
that believe. Now if you would read Psalm 119.
It's the longest psalm in the Bible, 176 verses. And every verse has something
to do with the word of God. It's truly the word psalm. Let
me give you some things David says in the writing of this psalm.
He said, wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking
heed thereto according to thy word. Thy word have I hid in
my heart that I might not sin against thee. Establish thy word
into thy servant who is devoted to thy fear. And I believe perhaps
my favorite verse, I love them all, all 176 of them, but I love
the last verse where David says, I've gone astray. like a lost
sheep. Seek thy servant, for I also
do not forget thy commandments, thy words. Take willingly the sword of the
spirit, which is the word of God. Now, when David was wanting
the sword of Goliath to be given to him by a Biathar for his protection. David said regarding this sword,
there's none like it. There's nothing like this word.
There's none like it. Give it to me. May that be the
prayer of every single one of us. Let's pray together. Lord, how we thank you for your
word that's quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged
sword. And we pray that you would enable us to take this sword
of the Spirit that teaches us thy truth and of thy righteousness
and of the gospel of peace and of the shield of faith and the
helmet of salvation Oh Lord, help us to take this sword of
the spirit, which is your word. Bless this word for Christ's
sake. In his name we pray. Amen. Blind unbelief is sure to wear
and scan his