THE WEAPON OF PREACHING
By Jemima Rayan

This weapon of attack is specifically related to the preaching of God’s Word. It is no way related to preaching on any other subjects other than what is in the Word of God.

Paul encourages Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:1-2 says, “I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke and exhort with all longsuffering and teaching.”

First of all the word “charge” is a strong term. Notice the word, “I charge you”. This word “I charge” is used in connection with a solemn testimony in a court of law. It is a legal term. Paul tells Timothy that he is to preach the word with equal urgency when circumstances are favorable and when they are not. It is given in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, in the light of the fact that Christ will judge the living and the dead and in view of His appearing in His kingdom. It is one of the most solemn charges ever given to any servant of God.

Secondly, the charge is to preach the Word. It takes into account the responsibility of the preacher for what he preaches. Jesus will judge the living and the dead indicates the preacher will give an account for the messages he preaches. It is a warning not to preach what the listeners want to hear but instead to preach the truth in love. Paul says in Acts 20:20, “I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house”. In spite of opposition and criticism, the charge is to preach the Word of God.

God’s Word is a Weapon:

There is so much to say about the power and effectiveness of God’s word. There is dynamite power in the preached Word of God. Its results are guaranteed. It will not return empty. It is like a hammer that will break in pieces every rock that opposes the purposes of God. It is like a sharp sword that pierces to the innermost recesses of the human personality and exposes the intentions of men’s hearts and minds.

Isaiah 55:11, “So shall My word that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”

Jeremiah 23:29, “Is not My word like a fire?” says the Lord, “And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?

Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

Ministry of Paul in Ephesus:

Acts 19:8-10, “And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God. But when some were hardened and did not believe but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyranus. And this continued for two years so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks”.

Paul did an intense, continual and extensive teaching of the Word, which is so important for a breakthrough. Preaching of Paul was intense in the sense that he spoke boldly without reservations. His preaching was continuous. He preached everyday for two years. He did not preach the Word on and off. It was extensive in the sense that his teaching reached out to the whole of the province of Asia.

The first result was supernatural attestation. The Scripture says that God will confirm His Word. He does not confirm human theories. He will confirm that He has said in His Word. Acts 19:11-12 says, “God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them”. I love the word “extraordinary miracles.” Do you know what that implies?

The second result was that the evil spirits were driven out into the open. Acts19: 13-16 says, “Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists book it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches. Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus know, and Paul I know, but who are you?” Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, over powered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.” This account is like a backhanded compliment when the representatives of the Devil say about a preacher. In effect Satan’s agents were saying, ‘This preacher is achieving something’.

The third result of Paul’s preaching was the occult domination over the entire city was broken. Acts 19:17-19, “This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified, And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver”.

Even in the church world today, we see a lot of folks having one foot in the Kingdom of God and the other in the enemy’s kingdom. These folks need to see the demonstration of the reality of Satan’s power. When Paul preached, the believers brought the books and burned them publicly. The value of the books was fifty thousand silver. One silver is a day’s wages. If you estimate a day’s wage at about $50, then, 50 thousand silver is $2,500,000. What a transformation it will be if the same thing happens in every city in the U.S! Acts 19:20, “The Word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed”. The tremendous power behind all this is the preached word of God. Paul’s ministry had no reservations and no compromise. That is the kind of preaching of the Word of God that accomplishes similar effects. Oh! How much we need that kind of preaching today.

May the Lord raise up Pauls in the body of Christ in Jesus name. Amen.

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