The Sword of the Spirit.
By Dwight L. Moody
We find in Ephesians 6:17, these words: "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." If we don't know how to use a sword, what is the good of it? We may have the word, but if we haven't the Spirit of God, and are not taught by the Spirit of God how to handle the word, we don't accomplish our work. But if the word of God is hid in our hearts, and the Spirit of God teaches us how to use it, then it is that the word is sharper than a two-edged sword. If we can only just get hold of this word in our prayer-meetings and in our churches, we shall become a living power. What are ten thousand soldiers good for if they don't know how to use their weapons? An army of five hundred, or even one hundred, could rout ten thousand if they didn't know how to use their arms. Let us have the spirit of this word, and if we understand it "from back to back" we can meet these infidels who talk so loudly against the gospel of Christ. People talk about studying books to meet them! All the book you want is the word of God. God will come forth out of his own book and confound them. You can't meet men with your opinion. Give up your opinions and just give them the word of God. He will take care of his word. It will cut down deep. They may fight and kick, and talk and swear, but just give them the word, and the Spirit will do his own work. I have seen men come into the inquiry room just to talk and discuss and get up an argument. Some men live on argument. Well, I generally take the Bible and give them a few verses. "But," they say, "I don't believe the Bible." Then I give them more verses, and they say the same thing, but I just keep on giving them the word of God. I am no match for infidels, but this word is; this word tells all about them. There have been infidels for six thousand years, and probably will be until the millennium. The only way to meet infidels is to meet them with the word of God; then they have got to settle all questions with the Spirit himself.—Moody.