Beth and I have spent the past several days packing and repacking our checked baggage. Dear senders: because of your generosity, we have 4 bags each weighing between 40-50 pounds of donated supplies! I can only imagine how lives will be changed by these gifts, tangible representations of God’s love and care for the children of Uganda.
This also means that, with the exception of items forbidden in carry-on baggage, all of our personal items are in one overhead-sized bag and a small daypack...quite a feat for 2 weeks in Africa. I am glad God’s armor is not heavy, for it is part of our “carry-on” gear.
The sixth piece of armor is a sword. Though it aids in defense, the sword is primarily an offensive weapon. The Roman soldier’s sword was short and double-edged, forged for hand-to-hand battle. No doubt we have all seen swords that are beautiful and intimidating, but useless in battle were it in our own hand. Perhaps its weight would be too much, as Saul’s armor was for David when he prepared to meet Goliath. Or perhaps its edge is not sharp, dulled by use or design according to its decorative purpose.
According to Ephesians 6:17, the sword of the Christian is the word of God. All Scripture is God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16) and thus each verse of the Bible is the Sword of the Spirit of God. Hebrews 4:12 describes the word of God as “living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” What a weapon!
The key to handling this precious blade is to open God’s word and read it, meditate on it, memorize it, and study it. Only after doing so have I found it to be sharp, sufficient, and immediately useful in the midst of attack. God has given us His very great and precious promises, and they are for our faithful application. May we all take this Sword of the Spirit and wield it well!
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It is an axiom of the Christian life that no victories are achieved in the battles against the world, the flesh and the devil apart from our wielding the Sprit's sword, the Word of the living God. May you depend upon this weapon, more than anything else, in your missionary journey. Follow the pattern of the apostle Paul in Acts 14 through 28 as an example of how the Spirit's sword accomplishes God's purposes in the world. We are on the winning side!
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