It was late and I was exhausted. My head hit the pillow and I was ready for a good night of sleep. I closed my eyes and exhaled. Ahhhh Finally some rest. But then it happened. My mind was suddenly assaulted with thoughts that came flooding in unannounced. Worry, fear, and anxiety gripped my heart as my mind wandered into various unsolved challenges I was facing in my life.
I knew there was nothing I could do to solve any of those real-life problems right then. But the reality of the situations seemed overwhelming at the moment and everything in me wanted to obsessively think about it. I tried shutting my brain down, but my thoughts wouldn’t slow down.
As the temptation grew stronger to continue worrying about these things, a gentle reminder nudged my heart — engage in the battle. I was immediately reminded that I didn’t have to lay there and helplessly give into these sinful thoughts.
I could fight against these fears with the power of God’s Word.
And that’s exactly what I did. I battled those thoughts with my invisible sword (God’s truth), slicing through the many lies, worries, and unknowns that wanted to claim victory. I chose to fight against the temptation with God’s Word until the truth had won in my heart.
Hebrews 4:12a says, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword…”
Just like a real sword, God’s Word offers the same protection, defense, and power in our lives.
There’s only one catch. In order for this sword to work well, we have to know how to use it.
As I’ve thought about this area of my life, my deepest desire is this: that I would be a woman who knows how to use my Sword well.
God’s Word is living and active and has the power to change our lives. The Bible isn’t just another religious book; it’s a book about God Himself. It’s a book that tells us the truth about who God is and who we are. As author Jen Wilkin says, “The Bible is a book that boldly and clearly reveals who God is on every page. From beginning to end, the Bible is a book about God.”
The more we read the Bible, the more we’ll get to know God. And the more we learn about our perfect God, the more we’ll see our own sin and darkness. And the more we see our own sin and darkness, the more we are driven to Him as the source for our victory.
Using our Swords in everyday life is the key to victory.
Here’s one example of how the power of God’s Word could work in your everyday life:
Imagine you just got off the phone after having a rough conversation with your best friend. She said some rude things to you and you’re not sure how to handle it. All you want to do is turn on your music full blast and shove Cheetos in your mouth to drown out your anger.
However, things are different this time.
You’ve been studying God’s Word and you’re no longer fighting these battles in the flesh. You open up your Bible (your Sword of truth) and turn to a familiar passage in Ephesians that you studied this week:
“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1-3).
God’s Word reminds you of how you should respond to your friend (humility, gentleness, patience, etc.), and why you should respond that way (walk in a manner worthy of the calling). God’s Word changes your thinking int hat moment, which redirects your emotions, and you handle this situation in a God honoring way.
That is the power of the Sword in action.
Or how about this scenario:
You’re lying in your bed at night scrolling through your phone when you suddenly feel extremely tempted to look up inappropriate sexual images. In the past, this was always a losing battle for you.
However, things are different this time.
You’ve been studying God’s Word and you’re no longer fighting these battles in the flesh. You quickly put your phone down and open up your Bible to Psalm 51:10 (a verse you recently memorized).
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”
You repeat this verse over and over in your mind, praying it to God.
You cry out to God and ask Him to give you the strength to overcome your sexual temptation. Through God’s power, you end up conquering this temptation by using your Sword. That is the power of the Sword in action.
Here’s one more scenario:
You’re checking out at the grocery when the rack of magazines catches your eye. You stare at the “perfect” woman featured on the front and instantly begin comparing yourself to her. In the past, you would have left the store feeling depressed and ugly.
But things are different this time.
You’ve been studying God’s Word and you’re no longer fighting these battles in the flesh. You remember reading something in Psalm 139 that was really encouraging. You pull out your bible (via the app on your phone), and scroll through Psalm 139.
When you reach verses 13 and 14 you’re reminded of this powerful truth:
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”
You’re instantly reminded of the fact that God handcrafted you to look just the way you do, and He says you’re fearfully and wonderfully made. You’re reminded that your worth and value doesn’t come from looking “perfect,” but from your identity as a child of God. Instead of leaving the store depressed, you leave the store thanking God for creating you for His glory.
Those are just a few real life examples of how the power of the Sword works in everyday life.
I want to challenge you to the same challenge I gave myself: that you would be a woman who knows how to use your Sword well.
If you spend time getting to know God (through His word) on a personal level this year, you will be a changed girl by the end of this year. You will be a girl with the power of God on your side.
Instead of living our lives in helpless defeat, it’s high time we picked up our Swords and lived as victorious women empowered by Christ’s strength!
“…in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Romans 8:37).
For practical tips on how to study God’s Word for yourself, check out these helpful posts:
5 Easy Ways to Read Your Bible This Week
How to Study Your Bible and Love it!
What We Do For Our Personal Bible Time
I pray we will each become women who know how to use our Swords well. Women who are ready for the battle! Women who are more than conquerors through Christ.
I’d love to hear from you below.
- On a scale of 1 – 10 (1 being the flesh and 10 being the Sword), where are you when it comes to fighting your battles?
- In what ways do you personally want to know God’s Word better this year?
