The Sword of the Lord

I was praying last week and received the glimpse of a vision of a two edged sword. Following that this scripture was given to me:

Matthew 10:34-39 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. 37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

Jesus’ cross killed Him, and yours must kill you

God has always required a separating out of His people from the people of the world

Romans 2:28-29 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

2 Corinthians 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

2 Corinthians 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,   Under Levitical Law, pigs were unclean, a pig will eat most anything. Under New Covenant, you don’t have a common union with people that eat anything: Mindsets/ thinking/ doing….

There are scriptures that we are familiar with that refer to the word of God as a sword:

The Spirit has a sword, it is the word of God!

Ephesians 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

And then the Hebrews passage refers to God’s word as a twoedged sword.

Hebrews 4:12 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.

People have differing opinions about what the adjective—two edged means, but it is the word that is being described, which is God’s truth, and we know that the truth does at least two things: 1) it convicts but 2) also makes free. For those that respond to conviction by faith it heals and sets free, and for those who rebel against God’s truth, it results in Judgment and condemnation.

The sword of our Lord judges the rebellious:

Revelation 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

The Hebrews passage tells us that the sword of God’s word discerns thoughts, intents, and reveals the motives of the heart. The word of God, like a piercing sword shines a light into the interior of the person, it’s the word of truth that the Spirit of God uses to shine the light in the dark corners of our hearts, and then He says to us, who belong to Him, “Hey, what are we going to do with that right there?”

This message today is really about those who want to be or say that they are the people of God

1 Corinthians 6:8-11. Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren. 9 -- Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

That’s one edge of the sword—conviction, but I have to tell you that there is also the restoration or setting free side of the sword of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit has a sword and it’s the word of God. The Spirit’s sword has supernatural power when its truth is released. I want to say that another way. The power of the Spirit’s sword works directly through its truth. It’s when people embrace the truth of God’s word that they get set free. People can mishandle the word and use it for their own purposes and nothing changes, but when people allow the truth of the word to have its way with them, then freedom comes, because Jesus said so:

John 8:31-32. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

John 8:33 They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?

These religious Jews are not allowing the sword to have its way in their lives. The conviction of the truth reveals then follows repentance and once that happens, then comes the result of freedom. But people bound by a religious spirit, or in a place where they’re enjoying sin right now love, refuse to bring it to the light where it can be exposed and dealt with, and until they do, they can’t be healed.

Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

John 8:33. They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?

I’m sorry but that’s just a lie. What are you talking about that Abraham’s seed has never been in bondage to any man: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, and right now, Caesar’s face is all over your coinage and your paying excessive taxes to him. You were God’s people. The blessings spoken on the mountain before you entered the Promised Land stated that if you stayed true to His word, you would be the head and not the tail, above and not beneath and that your storehouses would over flow. But as a people you treated God’s word as a common thing and rebelled against it, and now you’re in bondage.

Matt 13:3-23 parable of the sower—hostility

Matt 13:24-30 tares and wheat

Matt 13:31-32 Mustard Tree—seems insignificant

Matt 13:33 Leaven—such a small thing has such a large effect

Matt 13:36-43 interprets parable of the tares at disciple’s request

Matt 13:44 Treasure in a field—believed and realized it was the most important thing

Matt 13:45,46 Pearl of great price

Matt13:47-50 parable of the net and the fish

Matt 25:31-34 Goats and sheep

Matt 25:1-13 parable of the virgins—“I know you not” watch therefore for you know not what hour He comes

Matt 22:1-14 For many are called, but few are chosen

2 Timothy 2:20-21. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. 21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.

Ephesians 1:6-7 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;