Leading with a Sharpened Sword

Men, your family needs a shepherd—not tomorrow, but today. The battle isn’t coming, it’s here. Are you sharpening your sword daily, or are you stepping into the fight unprepared?

▶️ Click Here to Watch On YouTube

God’s Promise

1 John 1:7 – “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

I once read that Arnold Schwarzenegger said working out was so ingrained in his life that he would train even when sick, up until the day he dies. That kind of commitment stuck with me. Not because it’s about lifting weights, but because it mirrors something deeper—training for the real battles of life.

Sylvester Stallone put it another way, calling church “the gym of the soul.” And he’s right. If you want to be battle-ready as a man of God, shepherding your family well, you need to train daily—spiritually, mentally, and emotionally.

Real-life soldiers don’t practice once a week. They drill every single day, sometimes multiple times a day. Why? Because the moment of battle isn’t the time to start training. You either know how to fight, or you don’t. As men of the Shepherd, we can’t afford to be weak, passive, or caught off guard.

I’ve seen this truth play out in my own home. My children, Christopher and Angelina, don’t just go to church—they are the church. Prayer, worship, and fellowship aren’t things they “fit in”—it’s who they are. And as their father, nothing fills me with greater joy than seeing them stand strong in their faith. That didn’t happen by accident. It happened through daily sharpening, daily devotion, and daily reliance on the Holy Spirit.

Now, what happens if we neglect this? If we don’t train, don’t stay in the Word, don’t stay accountable to other men? It’s like skipping workouts, eating junk food, and wondering why we’re weak. Worse yet, we become blind to our own sin.

Oswald Chambers put it this way: “The worst thing that can happen is the unconscious reality of the constant and regular presence of sin in your life.”
It means that you are unconsciously living a lie.

Without daily sharpening, sin becomes so familiar we no longer recognize it. We drift. We stop leading. We stop shepherding. We let the world set the tone in our homes instead of Christ.

But we don’t have to live that way. The Holy Spirit is our power. The Word of God is our sword. And we’ve been called to sharpen it daily—not just for ourselves, but for our families, our wives, our children, and those around us.

So here’s the challenge: Get in the fight. Read your Bible. Pray. Surround yourself with other men who are sharpening their swords too. We were never meant to fight alone. We need brothers in Christ who will challenge us, hold us accountable, and stand beside us in the trenches. Join a men’s group, seek out real fellowship, and build relationships that push you closer to Christ. Stop relying on “good intentions” and start training with purpose. Motivate and encourage each other because a lone warrior is a vulnerable one. Shepherd your home like a warrior who knows the battle is already here.

Today’s “Shepherding in Action” Value: Sharpen

Discipline strengthens our faith and prepares us to lead our families well. A sharpened sword is ready for battle—a dull one is useless.

Reflection Questions:

1. In what areas of your life have you become “spiritually untrained”? Where do you need to start sharpening your sword again?
2. How can you build a habit of daily prayer, Scripture, and fellowship that strengthens your role as a shepherd?
3. What “sin blindness” might be creeping into your life? What steps can you take to walk fully in the light of Christ?

Bible References:

• 1 John 1:7 – “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”
• Proverbs 27:17 – “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.”
• Ephesians 6:10-11 – “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.”

Prayer for the Man of the Shepherd

Lord, sharpen me today. Make me battle-ready. Strengthen my faith, my discipline, and my leadership in my home. Let me walk in Your light and be a shepherd who protects, guides, and serves my family. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

My Personal Journey

These weekday reflections flow from my time in God’s Word. I invite you to join me and other Men of the Shepherd in building Christ-centered homes—leading, discipling, and serving like Jesus. If these reflections encourage you, please like, share, and pass them on so more men can grow in their calling.

To follow along with the weekday readings, check out our Weekday Reflections Playlist on YouTube or subscribe to the YouTube channel here.

#MenOfTheShepherd #menofgod #ironsharpensiron #mensministry #discipleship

Sharpen