In this verse, “God’s word” does not refer to all of scripture. There are two words used in Scripture for “God’s word.” There is the familiar word, logos, which is used in the opening verse of John’s Gospel account: “In the beginning was the Word (Logos), and the Word (Logos) was with God, and the Word (Logos) was God” (John 1:1). But there is another word, rhema, which is different in meaning.
Logos refers to the total utterance of God, the complete revelation of what God has said. Rhema refers to a specific saying of God, a passage or a verse that has special application to an immediate situation. Rhema is the Word of God applied to experience.
Rhema is the “indispensable weapon” described here. Surely, we have had the experience where we read passages of Scripture and the words suddenly seemed to come alive, take on flesh and bones, leap off of the page at us. Perhaps we’ve experienced this in some moment of temptation or doubt, but it was answered immediately by a passage of Scripture that flashed to mind—something we had not been thinking of at all, but meets the need. It is God’s specific revelation to help us resist the Tempter, who comes to discourage, defeat, deceive, or mislead us in some way.
The more we are exposed to Scripture, the more the Spirit can use this mighty sword in our lives. If we never read or study scripture, we are terribly exposed to defeat and despair. We have no defense. Thus, we are urged to read our Bibles regularly.
And what is the responsibility of the Christian when the Spirit places one of these sayings in our minds on some appropriate occasion? Paul says, “Take it! Heed it! Obey it! Do not reject it. Take it seriously. The Spirit of God has brought it to mind for a purpose; therefore, give heed to it, obey it.”
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