The Master Marksman

The Master Marksman
An Effective Life
The Sword/Mouth Connection
(please read through before reading the endnotes)

Please print the free 4-page PDF here for a more easily-read format with space for your own writing. 

— What is the Word of God?

Psalm 138:2
"I will bow down toward Your holy temple and give thanks to Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth for You have magnified Your Word above all Your Name."

The Word of God is the expression of His heart that reflects His character.
His Word through us is the expression of His heart that reflects His character.

— God’s Word on the Mark – The Sword/Mouth Connection

Revelation 1:10-16 – John’s Vision on the Isle of Patmos
“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet saying, “Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches…” Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a Son of man^[1] clothed in a robe reaching to the feet and girded across His chest with a golden sash. His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow, and His eyes were like a flame of fire. His feet were like burnished bronze when it has been made to glow in a furnace,^[2] and His voice was like the sound of many waters. In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and His face was like the sun shining in its strength…”

          I wondered why a sharp two-edged sword came from His mouth. Then I recalled other Scripture.  

Deuteronomy 8:3 
“Man does not live by bread alone but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.”

John 1:14     
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”  

          Jesus is the Word, the Sword of the Spirit.

Luke 2:34-35
“And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, ‘Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel and for a sign to be opposed, and a sword will pierce even your own soul to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.’”               

          Jesus reveals hearts.

Matthew 5:2
“He opened His mouth and began to teach them saying,…”

          Jesus opened His mouth and a sword came out.^[3]

Hebrews 4:12
“For the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit of both joints and marrow and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

God’s Word that comes from His mouth is sharp, perfect, timely, targeted, effective and successful. God, through our earthen vessels, wields His sword as we walk by His Spirit.

Isaiah 55:10-11
“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there without watering the earth and making it bear and sprout and furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 
So will My Word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty without accomplishing what I desire and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.”

God’s Word that comes from His mouth is sharp, perfect, timely, targeted, effective and successful.

Psalm 45:2-5
“You are fairer than the sons of men; Grace is poured upon Your lips. Therefore, God has blessed You forever. Gird Your sword on Your thigh, O Mighty One in Your splendor and Your majesty!
And in Your majesty, ride on victoriously for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness!                       Let Your right hand teach You awesome things. Your arrows are sharp; The peoples fall under You; Your arrows are in the heart of the King’s enemies.”

These verses are a prophecy of Jesus the Messiah. The words from His lips (coming from His mouth) are beautiful and pour forth with grace and power.

The word “teach” is the Hebrew yârâh meaning to throw, cast, hurl, flow or shoot with a strong sense of control by the subject. Yârâh often refers to shooting arrows, but here is refers to the teaching that flows from Jesus’ mouth like arrows, as well as the words that fell His foes!
As Jesus teaches, His eye is on the target. His instruction is effective through to completion. Jesus is patient with us until we understand. His powerful, right hand casts truth that succeeds when we trust and receive it. His Word awesomely, fearfully accomplishes what He desires and does not return empty.

God’s Word that comes from His mouth is sharp, perfect, timely, targeted, effective and successful.

Ephesians 6:17
“And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”

John 8:31-32
“If you abide in My Word, then you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

John 15:7,8,11
“If you abide in Me and My Words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. In this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples.”
“These things I have spoken to you that My joy may be in you, and your joy may be full.”

2 Corinthians 10:3-5
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, because the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but are divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations [all man’s reasonings and thoughts outside of the Spirit] and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.”

We war with His Word. His Word is our weapon against the enemy. This is our practice, our protection, as well as our purification. Our fight is to abide and rest in His Word each day.

Holy Spirit, give me hunger for Your Word, and help me to use Your Word effectively.
Your Word is sharp, perfect, timely, targeted, effective and successful.

Jeremiah 15:16
“Your words were found and I ate them, and Your words became a joy to me and the delight of my heart for I have been called by Your name, Lord God of hosts [heavenly armies].” ^[4]

 — Questions for Personal and Group Reflection

• Can you think of an example of how you used the Word of God as a sword when faced with temptation or life situations?                                                                                                                                                                                                     
• Can you remember a time when someone spoke God’s truth to you, and it was like a two-edged sword in its effectiveness?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
• David was able to kill Goliath because he had practiced keeping his sheep in line by slinging small stones accurately that brushed just on the edge of their wool. His steady practice enabled him to slay the giant with one stone. Using our sword takes practice. Can you share ways you can practice wielding the sword of the Spirit in targeted, effective ways? How do you practice using God’s Word?
                                                                                                                                                                                            
• If you were confronted by a someone trying to harm you and you didn’t have a gun, what word would you speak?                                                                                                                                                                                                  
• Read each verse above and mark those God highlights to you. Write down questions you may have and offer them to God. Wait patiently as He answers you in the next moments and days.
• Share your thoughts, questions, and what you have learned with your friends or Bible study group.

 — Sub-Explosions (endnotes) 

(What I call Sub-Explosions are better known as rabbit trails, a diversion from the main point being shared. As I read through the study, my heart exploded with other wonder from His Word that I’ve added as endnotes at the end with further questions and thoughts for group sharing.)

^[1]   In John’s vision of Jesus in Revelation 1:10-16, our glorified, risen Savior walks in the midst of the lampstands (the churches). He walks through the good, the holy, the hungry, as well as the hypocritical, apathetic, and prideful. This glorious One moves among us with His purifying eyes; He is El Roi, the God Who sees. He moves like the wind (John 3:8) through our spaces, seeking those who worship Him in Spirit and truth (John 4:23-24; 2 Chronicles 16:9a)
      As you move through your day, He is present with you, lovingly watching you, gently guiding.

^[2]   What would you do if you were in the presence of the One Who raised your brother from the dead, the One Who would have feet like burnished bronze glowing in the furnace? What would your posture be? What would your heart do?... if you knew He was the One high and lifted up, the Lamb on the Throne of heaven? Mary of Bethany understood the enormity of this reality when she sat at His feet listening with extreme intensity and when she bowed over His feet with a mixture of the costliest ointment and her own tears, covering His feet and her hair… the feet that would soon be bloodied and marred, nailed to a cross… and then infused with vibrant, translucent new life. If you knew, what would you do?

^[3]   For more on the importance of Matthew 5:2, please see the writings HIS SIGWORK - Principle No. 8, Original Languages and Bible Translations (scroll down to Matthew 5:2) and Heart Absorption at Shale Fragments.com

^[4]   Eating God’s Word.
      The prophet Ezekiel (Chapter 3) was asked to eat a scroll symbolizing the consuming of God’s Word. The Apostle John was also asked to do the same for they were to carry God’s message to the people and God wanted them to feel the effects of the message before they gave it.

      Jeremiah spoke words that have resonated with me for decades since I first read them and placed them on the front page of my Bible, “Your words were found and I ate them, and Your words became a joy to me and the delight of my heart for I have been called by Your name, Lord God of hosts [heavenly armies].”

      Not only is God’s Word a mighty sword, but it is our food, our very life!

      The words of Jesus recorded in the book of John 6:48-58 are astounding. Read them slowly. What do they mean? In light of our discussion in The Master Marksman and John 6:63b (“The words that I have spoken to you are Spirit and are life.”), let’s look at this verse more closely –

“He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life…”

These words mean that we are to daily consume the message of His sacrifice. That rough, wooden Roman execution pole we call the cross is the symbol of the highest love anyone could or will ever give. The weight of the sin of the entire world fell on Jesus. He paid the penalty. He gave everything for us. We live and move in this reality. His life is our food and sharing His life is our food. We remember that Jesus said after speaking with the woman at the well and setting her free, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to accomplish His work.” (John 4:34)

How do we live in the reality of His sacrifice?

                  
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