The Scriptures – Our Weapon
Gleanings from the Scriptures: Matthew 4:1-11
(Bible quotations are from the NLT unless otherwise stated.)
Jesus, at the very beginning of His earthly ministry, undergoes attack by the devil. Three times the devil throws temptations at the Lord for the purpose of causing Jesus to forsake His heavenly calling and destiny. In all three attacks, Jesus does not resort to argumentation or even to His divine power. Jesus did not call upon a host of heavenly angels to fight on His behalf or even call for the fire of heaven to rain down on the devil. No, He utilized a weapon that is so incredibly powerful that it stopped the devil in his tracks and rendered the enemy’s temptations powerless. And here’s an alert – that very same weapon is available to every follower of Jesus Christ!
What is that weapon? It is the Scriptures – the Word of God, the Holy Bible.
Look at the Lord wielding the weapon three times in Matthew 4. (Emphasis added)
4 But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say…”
7 Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say…”
10 Jesus told him, “For the Scriptures say…”
So, Jesus, who is called, “The Word” (John 1:1), uses the Word of God to combat and defeat Satan. That same weapon is available to you and me.
In Paul’s listing of the Armor of God in Ephesians 6, the Word of God is referred to as the “Sword of the Spirit.”
The writer of Hebrews speaks of the power of the Scriptures when he says,
“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 NKJV).
The Scriptures are being inferred to as a spiritual weapon when the Apostle Paul exhorts the believers in the Corinthian church:
4 “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5 NKJV).
Paul exhorted young Timothy regarding the importance of the Bible.
16 “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
As soldiers in the Army of God, we have each been issued the Word of God to use as a weapon when combating the Enemy of our soul just as Jesus our Captain did. Let us read it, study it, hear it, memorize it, meditate on it, know it, assimilate it, live it, and use it! Onward Christian soldier.