For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12

Last night Patrina and I engaged in a conversation at some friend’s house about the authority of the Word of God and how we are to live out our faith according to God’s word especially when others are encouraging us to soften our stance.

When Paul challenges the Ephesians to pick up “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6: 17b), it is the first time that he speaks of a weapon that is generally considered a weapon of offense. It was with the Word of God that Jesus answered the enemy of our souls during his time of temptation (Matthew 4).

And it is that same Word of God that many find offensive and according to the writer of Hebrews, we should. Michael Youseff wrote these words concerning the power of God’s word –

“In our minds and hearts, we try to justify our sins and rationalize our behaviors. But when confronted with the truth of God’s Word, there can be no more pretending. When we see God’s commands in front of us, we cannot hide from our sins, our faults, and our pride. Just like a medical x-ray shows what is hidden in the body, the Scripture shows us the true status of our spiritual health.”

Before we can hope to wield the power of God’s word in a spiritual battle, those “living and active” words must have the power to confront us and our way of thinking, our way of living. Only then will we have the power to be the one who stands when the battle is over.