Protecting Your Hope: Why the Sword of the Spirit Matters More Than You Think
“And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” — Ephesians 6:17
Have you ever been given a promise by a doctor that encouraged you to set higher expectations for the recovery of your loved one? Maybe you’ve received a message from an old friend you’ve fallen out with and suddenly you’re anticipating reconciliation and reuniting with them. There’s something wonderful about hope and the possibilities that exist on the other side of a fulfilled promise or the bright destination of the hope that we carry.
Sometimes we stake our whole future on nothing more than hope even if it feels like vague optimism..
Jesus made a promise too - a promise to save all who would turn their hearts from this world of darkness to him.
If you are a follower of Christ, have you ever felt like that Hope was being attacked relentlessly? You start wondering why God hasn’t done for you what you’ve seen Him do for others. Maybe that’s where doubts start to creep in. Maybe you’ve experienced a loss so painful that the question of if God is even real has actually flashed across your mind, or maybe your doubts come from seeing so many terrible things happening in the world around you.
You don’t have to look very far to see how the darkness of this world works. Just scroll through social media. Turn on the TV. Flip through the radio. Darkness is always looking for those vulnerable places in our life, the soft spots, and it aims its arrows center mass, hoping to destroy your hope in Christ.
But the object of our salvation is not vague optimism, it’s a promise given to us by Jesus Christ himself. Our hope is anchored firmly in the gospel of Jesus Christ, the good news that he did not come to condemn the world, but to save it. The knowledge that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever, believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Hope that God did all this because his intention is not to condemn us, but just save us. (John 3:16 & 17)
This is where things get practical. Let’s say a doctor tells you your loved one is going to recover. But days turn into weeks, and weeks into months - and your loved one is still lying in the hospital bed and has shown hardly any improvement. Doubts starts to creep in - you remember what the doctor said months ago, but you’re wondering if it’s true. After all, you only heard him say it that one time months ago and so much has happened since you heard him say it. Could it still be true?
What would you do?
Do you just sit there hoping it all works out? OR, do you go find that doctor and ask for some assurances? I’ve been in that situation more than once, and I can tell you, it seemed my hope for mu loved one rested on every syllable out of that doctor’s mouth.
So how do we protect the helmet of salvation - the hope that we have in Christ?
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” — Hebrews 4:12
If your Hope is under attack, you need to defend yourself and go on the offense. And that’s what swords are for. So what you need to do is hear from God. So put your phone on silent, get away from the noise, and pick up your Sword - your Bible. And when you do, start reading the gospels and hang on every last syllable.
And then go back and do it again, day after day. Whether you only get a few minutes or a few hours, you need to get face-to-face with God in His word and let Him speak Truth to you.
#Christian #unashamed-