Paul writing in the letter to the Ephesians (6:17) refers to the Sword of the Spirit. The writer to the Hebrews refers to the Word of God being sharper than a two-edged sword (4:12). Connecting these two statements is 2 Timothy 3:16 which states that all Scripture is God-breathed, that is, inspired by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will not contradict Scripture and Jesus when tempted by the Devil answered him with the statement “It is written.” Many Christians when they hear of the Holy Spirit being likened to a sword think “Great, I can use it on my enemies.” Unfortunately this tends to include many of their fellow Christians. This is clearly a misunderstanding as the role of the Holy Spirit is build up believers rather than attack and destroy them. Ephesians chapter 6 is about spiritual weapons beings used against spiritual enemies. But a two-edged sword cuts both ways. When you study the history of revivals, outpourings of the Holy Spirit, they usually start with a small nucleus of believers who humble themselves before God. They find themselves becoming hypersensitive to sin. Personal agendas are put aside. The Sword of the Spirit was cutting them to the very bone spiritually. It is only then that revival breaks out. Revival, genuine revival at least, does not but break out by one group of Christians slagging off another group of Christians, or even unbelievers. Unity of purpose is another key factor in revivals. Though every revival has had its detractors from other sections of the church who will descry it. With allusions to Matthew 7:3-5, people see the Sword of the Spirit cutting out the speck of sawdust out of their fellow believer’s eye rather than the plank out of their own eye which the Holy Spirit sees as the bigger problem. A two-edged sword has to cut both ways.

David G. Rose, 2013.