While there is little debate within the body of Christ on the fact that we are to take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, and having done all, to STAND (Eph. 6:13 and 17), there is considerable debate about what exactly Paul means when he says “the Word of God.”

In the Greek, the word for “word” used here is “rhema,” as opposed to “logos,” which is the word for “Word” in John 1:1. The big issue is that some more traditional believers hold that there is no real difference between “rhema” and “logos,” and that the two are used interchangeably throughout the New Testament.

Charismatics and Pentecostals, on the other hand, believe that the “Logos” is the whole Bible, and revealed word of God, with the person of Jesus as the Living Word, and the “rhema” being a personal, timely Scripture that is highlighted and “lit up” to the individual believer as he reads the “Logos.” As Dr. Bill Hamon says (see below), it is a word from the Word.

Being a daily reader of the Bible, my personal testimony is that many times, just when I have needed it, the Holy Spirit has brought a verse to my attention that is just what I need for a particular time. A good example was when I felt God was telling me to leave a certain city (where I was very successful) and go to live in another place south of where I was then living.

It made no sense in the natural, but as I started to read my Bible, I read Deuteronomy 1:6-8. Those verses “lit up” to me, and I had goose bumps on my goose bumps! Look those verses up and see if you think that it was just a coincidence—remembering that I read the Bible sequentially through from Genesis to Revelation, so I couldn’t just “happen” to open up at that page! Indeed, that “rhema” gave me the courage to trust and obey God, and set my feet on a whole new path that I am still traveling on as I write this today. When I was a young Christian, there was a popular saying that went: “I know because I know because I know.” Well, for me it is like that—I understand the intellectual grounds for the debate, but I also know what I experienced then, back some 20-plus years ago, and what I experience day by day as I open the Word and receive my “daily bread.”

Understanding Logos And Rhema

Dr. Bill Hamon, in his book Prophets and Personal Prophecy—God’s Prophetic Voice Today, puts it like this: “When we use the word ‘logos’ we refer to the ‘Word of Truth,’ the Scriptures, the Holy Bible (2 Tim. 2:15). St John also speaks of the ‘Word’ that was in the beginning, that was with God, that was God, and that was made flesh and dwelt among us—none other than our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus was the eternal Word revealed and manifest immortal flesh (John 1:1, 14).

“The Logos is the consistent, absolute standard by which all other expressions, concepts, revelations, doctrines, preachings, and prophecies are measured.

“The Rhema Word, on the other hand, might be called ‘a word from the Word.’ ‘Rhema’ denotes that which is spoken, what is uttered in speech and writing; in the singular, a word. The significance of Rhema (as distinct from Logos) is exemplified in the injunction to take the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word (Rhema) of God.

“A Rhema, then, is that timely, Holy Spirit-inspired Word from the Logos that brings life, power and faith to perform and fulfill it. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word (Rhema) of God (Rom. 10:17.) The Rhema must be received with faith by the hearer in order for it to fulfill its mission.

“To summarize: When we use the term ‘Logos,’ we mean the Scriptures as a whole. When we use ‘Rhema,’ we mean a specific word from the Lord that applies to us individually. No true Rhema spoken by a present-day prophet will be in conflict with the spirit and context of the Logos.”

I have always believed that it is misleading to take any verse out of the Bible without reference to its context—and therefore, in looking more deeply into the logos/rhema dichotomy, let’s allow the Word of God itself to settle the issue.

Logos And Rhema In The Bible

1. Logos:

• “In the beginning was the Word (logos) and the Word (logos) was with God and the Word (logos) was God.” (John 1:1)
• “The seed is the word (logos) of God.” (Luke 8:11)
• “The sower sows the word (logos).” (Mark 4:14)
• “Holding fast the word (logos) of life …” (Phil. 2:16)
• “Be diligent to show yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word (logos) of truth.” (2 Tim. 2:15)
• “He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word (logos) of God.” (Rev. 19:13)
• “Having been born again, not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible, through the word (logos) of God which lives and abides forever.” (1 Pet. 1:23)

2. Rhema:

• “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word (rhema) of God.” (Rom. 10:17)
• “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word (rhema) of God.” (Eph. 6:17)
• “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it; that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word (rhema).” (Eph. 5:25-27)
• “If you abide in Me, and My words (rhema) abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” (John 15:7)
• “Master, we have toiled all night, and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your Word (rhema), I will let down the net.” (Luke 5:5)
• “Then Mary said, ‘Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to Your word (rhema).” (Luke 1:38)

All of the Bible is inspired—God-breathed by the Holy Spirit. As Paul says, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16).

So the whole Bible (the logos) is the inspired Word of God, as are the individual scriptures (the rhema) lit up to us day by day for our special needs, guiding, empowering and encouraging, as we read the logos faithfully and in faith.

The word of God as we use it is powerful—as we speak it out and “confess” it—exactly the same as when the “sword’ comes out of the mouth of Jesus (Rev. 1:16; 2:12,16; 19:15; 19:21).

Jesus is our example—the word of God in our mouths is just as powerful a weapon, as the word of God appearing as a “sharp, double-edged sword” in the mouth of Jesus. For He said: “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in Me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father” (John 14:12, NIV).

How Jesus Used The Word

Jesus Himself, when he was beset and tempted by the Devil in the wilderness, defeated him by using the sword of the Spirit—He quoted Scripture at him. Each time Satan brought a temptation, Jesus answered, “It is written …” (Luke 4:4, 8, 12). This is a powerful model for us marketplace ministers as we go about our daily business. There are no shortages of temptations to compromise and cut corners—but ever-present is the sword of the Spirit, the rhema word of God, which is “… living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Heb. 4:12).

Like Jesus, we just stand in faith and speak out the scriptures the Holy Spirit has given us for that particular situation. Each morning as we read the Word, we will be strengthened and protected as we put on the whole armor of God (Eph. 6:13-18).

When we are dressed in God’s armor—the armor of Light—we look just like Jesus to the devil and his demons. We present a pretty formidable sight, with the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the strong belt of truth, our feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace, holding up the shield of faith (that will blunt all the arrows the devil sends at us), and—most importantly—taking up the Sword of the Spirit.

As well as speaking out the Word, we can also sing the Word (Acts 16:25-34), answer questions from the Word (Acts 13:46-48), pray the Word (Acts 4:24-31) and of course, preach the Word (Acts 13:38-43). The Holy Spirit will give us creative ways to use the Word, if we daily ask Him for guidance and illumination. We can pray, with David, “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path—Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your law” (Ps. 119:105 and 18, NIV).

In fact, spending some time in Psalm 119 is one of the best ways to understand the power of the Word, as David—a man after God’s own heart—continually pours forth his wonder and awe, promising to trust and obey the Word, asking for the Word to teach him and direct his way, and putting all his hope in the Word as his refuge and his shield..

You can picture David in your mind’s eye holding up his arms in reverent adoration, as he says: “… How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your Word … I have hidden your Word in my heart … I will not neglect Your Word … I will obey Your Word … Strengthen me according to Your Word … I trust in Your Word … Remember Your Word to Your servant, for You have given me hope … Do good to Your servant according to Your Word, O lord … teach me … teach me … I have put my hope in Your Word ...You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in Your Word … Direct my footsteps according to your Word; let no sin rule over me … I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in Your Word.”

The Guiding Of The Word

Allow me to beseech you: If Jesus could get up before the light of day to pray and commune with His Father, so can we. God speaks to us in a “still, small voice,” He very rarely shouts in a voice of thunder. So unless we are prepared to come into a quiet place and listen, we will not hear Him.

He wants to speak to us—He is that voice behind us, saying, “This is the way, walk ye in it” (Is. 30:21, KJV). But if we are too busy to give the first and best part of our day to Him, we will continue to wander around the wilderness wondering why God isn’t speaking to us anymore like He used to.

When you were a new Christian, when Jesus was your “first love,” it was no trouble to spend time in His presence. But now you are too busy—maybe doing good things for God. But He wants us, not our performance and our busyness. He wants our hearts and our minds open to Him, so He can teach us “to profit” and lead us “in the way we should go” (Is. 48:17).

He says: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you” (Ps. 32:8, NIV). He says: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight” (Prov. 3:5-6).

If we trust and obey His Word, we will have prosperity and favor, long life, riches and honor (Prov. 3:2, 4, 16), because if we “get Wisdom” (and Jesus—the Living Word is also both the power and wisdom of God—1 Cor. 1:24) then the promise is that if we seek Him and love Him, He will bestow wealth, blessing and favor on us, making our treasuries full, and offering “riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity” (Prov. 8:17-21, 32-35).

The Word of God—the Sword of the Spirit. The Logos and the Rhema:

“In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp double-edged sword … these are the words of Him who has the sharp, double-edged sword …” (Rev. 1:16, 2:12)

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ …” (2 Cor. 10:3-5).