Key Truths for Families - Sword of the Spirit

Good morning, Five Minute Families. Thank you, Jojo, for getting us started. We are Kim and Jim from Clear View Retreat. We are parents to 5 boys, 3 of which are still at home with us. We have seen the spectrum of child rearing. Some things we could have done better, of course; some things we have done and continue to do well that have outweighed any of our misgivings. The best thing we have done is promote our Lord Jesus Christ and His Word in our home; what a huge difference it makes when we are encouraging our family to walk with Him. We can read in 1 Corinthians 3:11: “For no one can a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” And, John 1:1 reads: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Jesus is our foundation since the beginning of time.” We have come to the last piece of the traditional whole armor of God but not our last message for this series. Ephesians chapter 6 is our passage for the Truth for Families series that we have embarked upon. Ephesians 6 is full of great wisdom for all of us, especially for helping our families grow in Christ. Check our website, clearviewretreat.org for past episodes and how to connect with our ministry. Our verse today is again verse 17: “And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” The sword is another gift, much like our salvation, that we can take freely. No cost. This word is a gift from God. Let’s explore five points about the sword of the Spirit: 1. First, note the word take; just as with salvation, we have to pick up our swords and be ready. A soldier who gets dressed in his best battle ready uniform yet leaves his weapon behind is ineffective for real battle. Take your Sword with you whether it is literally carrying your Bible with you on your travels or having hidden His word in your heart as you rise up and go about your day. 2. Second, the sword is an active piece of armor. Hands on. Even if you remember to grab your sword, you have to kn