The Whole Armor of God

The Sword of the Spirit

Lesson Two

What is a Two-Edged Sword?

Two-edged swords, like the one Paul refers to, appear throughout the New Testament.

When John received his vision of Jesus, while he was on the isle of Patmos, he said, “And he had in his right hand seven stars; and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword…” Revelation 1:16

A “two-edged” sword came out of Jesus’ mouth!

The phrase two-edged is taken from the Greek word distomos (di-sto-mos), and it is unquestionably one of the oddest words in the entire New Testament.

What’s so odd about it? Because it is a compound of di meaning “two,” and the word stomos (sto-mos), which is the Greek word for ones “mouth.” So when these two words are compounded, they describe something that is two-mouthed.

Therefore a two-edged sword is really a two-mouthed sword. You could accurately translate Rev. 1:16,” … and out of his mouth went a sharp two-mouthed sword.” John tells us this was a sword that had two mouths. Similarly Rev. 2:12 which says “and to the angel of the church in Pergamos write: these things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges.” This has the same translation of two-mouthed sword.

The same identical phrase is found in Heb. 4:12. This verse is a critical one for this study. The writer of Hebrews said, “ For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper then any two-edged sword”

Why is the Word of God repeatedly referred to as a two-edged sword? What is the difference between a two-mouthed sword and a two-edged sword?

Keep in mind the Romans had previously used a very large sword sharpened on only one side. The other side was dull and blunt. To use this gladious effectively, you had to make sure that you were swinging it correctly with the sharpened side exposed to your enemy. If you hit your enemy with the blunt side, though it would give him a bruise, it wouldn’t kill him. Therefore it was not really effective in battle.

The machaira sword, however, was sharp on both sides of the blade. The blade of this special sword, because it was sharp on both sides, made much deeper wounds and gashes then the gladious. It was extremely sharp at the tip and if the soldier twisted it just right and pulled back he would pull his enemies entrails out of his body.

This deadly, two-edged sword if used correctly guaranteed your enemy would not bother you again.

Now the Holy Spirit tells us the Word of God is just like this. It is like a sword with two edges cutting both ways and destroying an aggressor.

One sharpened edge of this sword came into being when the Word of God initially proceeded from the mouth of God. The second edge is added when you speak the Word! Thus the reason the original text calls the Word of God a two mouthed sword.

When God originally spoke the word and had the bible writers record it, it was only a one mouthed sword – although it was powerful because it proceeded from the mouth of God, it was still only a one mouthed sword. You might say the Word of God was like a gladious sword , sharp on one side, but dull on the other. However when you openly took that Word into your spirit and began to meditate on it, and make it a priority in your life you took one of the first steps to giving the Word of God a second edge in your life.

As you are confronted by a challenge from the demonic realm, the Holy Spirit is able to reach down into that reservoir of the Word of God that you have stored in your heart; he is able to pull one of those verses or bible promises right out of your inner man! When those verses are taken by the Holy Spirit, out of your spirit, and you begin to speak them, it becomes a two-mouthed sword.

First, that powerful Word has through God’s mouth thus giving it a sharp edge; second that powerful Word came up from your spirit overcame your understanding and proceeded from your mouth. A second edge was added to it. God’s mouth put one sharpened edge on it; your mouth added the second!

Meditation and Confession

I hope that you can see the importance of meditating on the Word of God and why it is so vital that you confess the Word of God with your mouth. By meditating on God’s word, you allow it to do its marvelous work in you. Heb. 4:12 continues to say, “for the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper then any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of thoughts and intents of the heart.”

When the Word of God begins to work in you, it slices through all the garbage and junk of your mind and emotions. It goes straight to the heart of the matter. In other words, it pierces asunder soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of thoughts and intents of the heart.”

You could say the Word of God has eyes. It sees what human eyes cannot see. It knows what no one knows. And once received into your heart, it begins to renovate the areas of our soul that are off base and wrong. Its exactly why the writer of Hebrews says, “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and open to him with whom we have to do.” Heb. 4:13.

Meditating on the Word of God releases us from the position where our wrong thinking and bondages from the past will continue to exert their authority over us. But when we willfully take the word of God in our lives and allow it to do its supernatural work it is like a surgeon slicing right to the heart of the matter. It does what no one else can do. It divides asunder soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of thoughts and intents of the heart.”

When the Word is finished with this extraordinary work in us we are changed furthermore, we become filled with faith when we allow the Word of God to work in our lives. Why? “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” Rom. 10:17. Once the Word has taken root inside of you, and your mind and emotions have been changed by its power, you are in a position to speak the Word of God from deep inside your heart. Finally your renewed mind will cooperate with your faith and you can speak God’s Word boldly and without any doubt!

One reason people do not get results when they confess the Word of God is because they speak before the Word of God has done its life transforming work in them. Before the Word has had time to take root and renew their minds, they hastily mimic what someone else confesses or what someone else did. Because it was not yet personal revelation to them, it produced no lasting results.

Do not underestimate the importance of study, meditating, and praying over the Word of God. These vital tasks release the Word to become part of us.

When the truth of God’s Word takes root in your soul like this and when it begins to release its transforming power in you then you are positioned to confess the Word of God in such a way that it will release tremendous spiritual power. A confession like this is like raising that two-edged sword in the face of the enemy!

When the Holy Spirit reached into the reservoir deep inside of you, and quickens one of those verses to your memory, it comes up from your inner man, past your mind, and through your mouth. As it proceeds from your mouth, a second edge is miraculously added to it. At that moment, the Word becomes a two edged sword, a two mouthed sword. Some have felt that the need to confess the Word is not needed to have the impact, so they keep the Word to themselves. To stop short of confession will keep you from the victory you desire. It is good to meditate on the Word that is how the mind is renewed. You should get as much of the Word in your mind as you possibly can. It will make you inwardly rich.

However, if this is all you ever do, you will only have a single edged sword, because it only passes from the mouth of God into your heart, and has not come out of your mouth yet. It will be like a blade with only one sharpened edge.

To be sure, that Word will work in you personally, but it will never release its full power until it comes out of your mouth ( the second mouth ), thus adding a second fatal edge to that sword!

When God puts the Word into your spirit, and you speak it out, you have a sword with two edges. It is powerful. It can produce faith in you, and it will come out of your mouth with force!

Interestingly, Jesus who is THE word of God is described as having a sword coming out of his mouth. The Word is not in his hand; it is in His mouth!