WINNING WITH THE WORD

“Winning with the Word” is a weekly blog that will help you to be a winner in life by applying God’s principles for living the abundant life as found in the Bible, God’s manual for life.

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Hello and Happy Day! This is Dr. MaryAnn Diorio, novelist and life coach, welcoming you to another episode of Winning with the Word. Today is Monday, April 24, 2023, and this is Episode #17 of Series 2023. This episode is titled "Are You Wielding Your Two-Edged Sword?"

Throughout the Bible, there are numerous references to a weapon called a two-edged sword. This is a spiritual weapon that God has provided for every Christ-follower, and it is used to fight off Satan and his demons as we engage in spiritual warfare against them. But few of us know how to use this weapon. So, today, we are going to explore what the two-edged sword is and how we can wield it effectively.

First of all, what is a two-edged sword?

The term two-edged comes from two Greek words: di, which means two, and stomos, which means mouth. In Greek, the two words put together make the word distomos, which means two mouths. Thus, when these two words are merged into one (distomos), they describe something that is two-mouthed, or has two mouths. Would you agree, however, that this meaning seems a little strange?

So, why would the Bible refer to the Word of God repeatedly as a “two-edged sword” or, literally, a “two-mouthed sword”, a sword having two mouths? What do two mouths have to do with the two edges of a sword? 

Let's look more closely. 

One verse in the Bible, Hebrews 4: 12, uses the expression two-edged sword to describe the Word of God. The verse says this: "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword.…" Hebrews 4: 12

Very interesting, no? if we apply our definition of two-edged as having two mouths, we come up with a sword with two mouths. Well, what could that mean? 

In the Book of Revelation 1: 16, the Word of God says this in describing Jesus: “And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword...."  Notice: the two-edged sword was not in Jesus' hand but in His mouth. Why?

The message being conveyed in this image is that the two-edged sword represents the Word of God. Ephesians 6:17 calls God's Word the "sword of the Spirit." It is the sword of truth that we are to use to drive the lies of Satan out of our lives.

Indeed, Jesus Himself is the Word of God. And out of His mouth comes forth a two-edged sword, which represents His Word. It is this Word coming out of God's mouth that has power to destroy the lies of Satan with its sharp and powerful truth. God's Word that came forth from God's mouth and that is now recorded for us in the Bible is one side or one edge of the two-edged sword.

Now here comes the good part for us as Christ-followers. In giving us His Word, Jesus gave us His sword, for they are one and the same thing. And we can use that same sword to drive out the lies of the enemy from our lives!  When we do, we are implementing the second side or the second edge of the sword.