Ephesians 6:14

Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; withal taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Which is the word of God ... These last six words are descriptive, not merely of the sword of the Spirit, but of the whole armor of God, and of each several part of it also. Note the following:

TRUTH ... What is this, if it is not the sacred word?

RIGHTEOUSNESS ... The Biblical definition of righteousness is "all the commandments of God" (Psalms 119:172).

THE GOSPEL OF PEACE ... This is the word of God.

FAITH ... "Faith comes by hearing God's word" (Romans 10:17).

SALVATION ... Paul wrote to Timothy that "From a babe thou hast learned the sacred writings which are able to make thee wise unto salvation" (2 Timothy 3:15). Thus salvation comes only of the sacred writings which are the word of God.

THE WORD OF GOD ... This is also the sword of the Spirit.

No passage in all the Bible any more dramatically teaches the absolute necessity of the Christian's thorough knowledge of the word of God. Not having it, he is naked, barefooted, bare-headed and helpless before the enemy.

From Pilgrim's Progress, it will be recalled that the armor with which the Christian was outfitted in the House Beautiful had no protection for his back. Christians are not protected if they flee from the foe; they are expected to stand against every attack.

The sword of the Spirit ... It should be noted, especially, that the word of God is the means by which God's Spirit enables Christians to stand against the enemy and overcome. There is nothing here to support the view that God's Spirit, apart from the word of God, will ever enable the child of God to overcome. Our generation needs to return to the word of God.