Key Truths for Families - Sword of the Spirit

Good morning, Five Minute Families. Thank you, Jojo, for getting us started. We are Kim and Jim from Clear View Retreat. We are parents to 5 boys, 3 of which are still at home with us. We have seen the spectrum of child rearing. Some things we could have done better, of course; some things we have done and continue to do well that have outweighed any of our misgivings. The best thing we have done is promote our Lord Jesus Christ and His Word in our home; what a huge difference it makes when we are encouraging our family to walk with Him. We can read in 1 Corinthians 3:11: “For no one can a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” And, John 1:1 reads: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Jesus is our foundation since the beginning of time.”We have come to the last piece of the traditional whole armor of God but not our last message for this series. Ephesians chapter 6 is our passage for the Truth for Families series that we have embarked upon. Ephesians 6 is full of great wisdom for all of us, especially for helping our families grow in Christ. Check our website, clearviewretreat.org for past episodes and how to connect with our ministry. Our verse today is again verse 17: “And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” The sword is another gift, much like our salvation, that we can take freely. No cost. This word is a gift from God. Let’s explore five points about the sword of the Spirit:1. First, note the word take; just as with salvation, we have to pick up our swords and be ready. A soldier who gets dressed in his best battle ready uniform yet leaves his weapon behind is ineffective for real battle. Take your Sword with you whether it is literally carrying your Bible with you on your travels or having hidden His word in your heart as you rise up and go about your day. 2. Second, the sword is an active piece of armor. Hands on. Even if you remember to grab your sword, you have to know how to use it. That does require training and discipline. For families, you can share your training directly, which for parents is your primary responsibility. Training and discipleship is why we started CVR; we want to help families learn how to use the sword of the spirit in each moment of the day.3. Third, Hebrews 4:12 tells us, “For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, even penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” The sword divides and exposes sin. The sword separates our selfish thoughts from Truth and helps us actually focus on truth. 4. Fourth, we need to promote confidence in the Word within our family. Here is a great quote by Voddie Baucham in why we can believe the Bible, “It's a reliable collection of historical documents written by eyewitnesses during the lifetime of other eyewitnesses, they report supernatural events that took place in fulfillment of specific prophecies and claim that their writings are divine rather than human in origin.”5. And, fifth, the wise counsel of this sword - this word of God - is applicable to daily life and beneficial for living a holy and righteous life. We must bring the Truth of God’s Word, not our own opinions, into our families. When we challenge ourselves and our families to seek the historical, linguistic, and cultural contexts of the Bible, we learn more about the depth and validly of God’s Word. We see in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man or woman of God may be fully capable, equipped for every good work.”We may feel unable, incapable, and not well trained. But, take that first step and then continue to take baby steps, big steps, and all the steps in between. Sword training in the Word is discipleship. We have to engage in the process and be open, but God, thankfully, is faithful to complete what He has begun. For as Philippians 1:6 reminds us, “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work among you will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus.”Thank you for joining us today. May God shine His light upon the Truth you and yours need today to face the norms or storms that are coming your way. Be blessed!