Prophetic Instruction: 'Don't Take the Edge off My Sword'

The unadulterated Word of God cuts. (Pxhere)

Have you ever had Holy Spirit speak something to you that did not make sense at the time, but later it was evidently a crystal-clear word from the Lord? It happened to me a few weeks ago as I was going about my day. I was not thinking about swords—or any weapon for that matter—and I heard the Lord say to me, "Don't take the edge off My sword." I tucked it away in my memory, and it was not until the next day that I realized what He was trying to say.

Though I recognize this applies to the entire body of Christ, I want to address the prophetic voices in this hour, the prophets. As a prophetic voice myself, I soberly recognize the weight of words, especially words stamped with God's name. We should not take it lightly when we release a word while attaching His name to it. Though prophetic words are meant to edify, exhort and comfort (1 Cor. 14:3), a five-fold prophet carries a spiritual legislative weight to their words, manifesting in correction at appointed times. An authentic prophet carries the heart of the Father as well as the sword of the Spirit.

Hebrews 4:12 says,

"For the word of God is alive, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intents of the heart."

The Passion Translation says, "For we have the living Word of God, which is full of energy, and it pierces more sharply than a two-edged sword. It will even penetrate to the very core of our being where soul and spirit, bone and marrow meet! It interprets and reveals the true thoughts and secret motives of our hearts." This word came to me right before an attack against my prophetic voice. As I thought on what the Lord was saying to me, I realized He had spoken this to me because the powers of darkness did not like the fact that I was armed with a sharp sword, and the enemy wanted me to dull the blade.

The Danger of a Blunt Sword

The unadulterated Word of God cuts. It leaves a mark showing that God has been with us and that transformation has occurred in us. When His Word is written on your heart, it is placed there by way of His sword. Though a natural blade dulls with repetitive use, His untampered Word never dulls, but keeps its cutting edge. When His Word gets in you and me, it sharpens us so that we are never dull before others. Problems arise when we surrender to the urge to alter the blade.

Prophet, when you deliver the word of the Lord, it is to align with His Word and to leave His mark. I am not saying that we go around "cutting" people with our words. However, the church must recognize that authentic prophetic ministry does not come to play, but it comes to pierce so as to bring reformation for His glory. There can be a temptation to dull the blade, or to blunt the blade out of fear and intimidation. People as a whole do not enjoy being cut or pierced with conviction or correction.

Many times, we do not want to deliver a difficult word because of the repercussions that could ensue, but removing the edge from the sword is not the solution. A blunted blade loses its ability to cut and to pierce. If the words we release are not cutting and penetrating to the "very core of our being where soul and spirit meet," then we have to be humble enough to admit that we have tampered with the blade, and we are not leaving God's mark on the hearts of men.

On the flip side, a dull blade is more dangerous because a blunted blade requires more pressure in order to make a cut. This increases the likelihood that the blade will slip with great force behind it. When we remove the cutting edge of the sword, we tamper with the Word in such a way that it now depends upon our own strength to see something happen. When the utility of the sword is based upon our weight and our strength, we spiritually maim others in the process because our own applied pressure caused the blade to slip and inflict more damage to the body. Let me tell you something: The Word of God is powerful. It does not need our presumptuous clout to be effective. His Word simply needs us to yield to His delivery and to His sword in its original state.

The Cut That Defines

It is vital that we as believers, and particularly the prophets of God, do not take the edge off His sword. In times past, we have seen a blunted blade that never left a mark on the hearts of men out of fear of persecution or rejection. That same blunted blade has also inflicted such a blow that it fatally wounded others in the spiritual sense, causing people to misunderstand and turn from the heart of Abba Father. Jesus said He did not come to bring peace, but a sword (Matt. 10:34). Jesus is the Word, and His love wants to leave a mark on us. The True Sword will penetrate, and it will cause us to evaluate holy from unholy. It will bring correction and division. It does not bring hatred, but rather it brings a great love desiring to see radical transformation and reformation.

For those of you who have contemplated dulling your blade so as to not offend, refuse to compromise. Keep your edge while leaning on your Beloved. We are accountable for the words we release. When we dull the blade, we lose reverence for the Lord. We make it all about us, and it is not about us. We are representing another kingdom, and it's not our kingdom.

For those who have dulled the blade and are ministering out of frustration, relinquish yourself back to the Blacksmith, and allow Him to sharpen the Word within you so that His Word is no longer rendered ineffective through you. God does not want to destroy people, but He wants to define people with His Word, and it is His pure cut that defines and transforms.

Dawn Hill is a Christ-follower and a freelance writer. She writes a blog called "Lovesick Scribe."

This article originally appeared at lovesickscribe.com.


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