We have a war to win

I love a good swashbuckling movie.

It's always entertaining to see the protagonist of the story dueling blades with the villain with the fate of the quest/world/universe hanging in the balance.  Many great movies centered around such an action piece, including all the Star Wars films, Pirates of the Caribbean and even the Errol Flynn movies of yesteryear.

There's just something poetic and artful about a good saber duel.

You can see the give and take.  Parry and stab.  Slash and block.  It's elegant, almost whimsical.  Of course, in most movies, the good guy prevails.

In the real world, that's not always the case.  Sometimes the villain wins.  Make no mistake, though, we are engaged in sword fights all the time.

In Ephesians 6, Paul closes out his Armor of God analogy by telling us to take up the Sword of the Spirit.  The sword is the only offensive weapon in the armor of God.  It is our only device for striking out at Satan in the spiritual battles we fight.

The sword of the spirit is God's word.  God's word is a comfort to believers.  To non-believers, it can be an instrument of judgment and execution.  It reminds us we don't measure up to God's standards, but comforts us by showing that Jesus did that for us. 

Wielding the sword of the spirit gives us great power.  The Word of God cuts like a double-edged sword.  It reveals truths - even truths we may not want to see.

While it gives us great power, it also protects from the strikes from Satan.  He may twist scripture or spew lies, and only through God's Holy Word can we see the truth.

You see, a sword is both an offensive and a defensive weapon.  We just need to know how to use it.

How exactly is that?  By trusting in Jesus and putting on the whole armor of God.  Only by completely selling out to Christ can we be properly armed for battle.  Nothing can take away your salvation, but Satan can wound you and force you out of the battle.  It's our job to keep our selves righteous and ready to fight.  That means taking up the whole armor of God so we can be ready for war.

The good news is Jesus wins.  If we fight with him, we are on the winning side.  The bad news is even winning a war leaves casualties.  Be careful.  Take up the armor of God.  Be ready to fight. 

So grip your sword, buckle the chin strap on your helmet, grab your shield, tighten your belt, tie your shoes and position the breastplate.  We have a war to win.

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