Take the Sword

Thank God for the battle verses in the Bible. We go into the unknown every day of our lives, and especially every Monday morning, for the week is sure to be a battlefield, outwardly and inwardly in the unseen life of the spirit, which is often by far the sternest battlefield for souls. Either way, the Lord your God goes before you, He shall fight for you! – Amy Carmichael

As a young Irish girl, Amy prayed for blue eyes. It wasn’t until she answered God’s call to India that she finally understood why God gave her brown eyes. Disguised with dark stained skin, draped in a long fabric sari, Amy Carmichael rescued and ministered to orphaned children. She served as a missionary in India for over 50 years.

Amy Carmichael suffered chronic pain and was bed-ridden for much of her life as a missionary. She was persecuted yet stayed the course and sacrificed the care and comforts of home. Characterized by a never-give-up spirit, her faith was in the God that goes before us as we face trials of many kinds.

There are so many things we don’t understand as God unfolds the stories of our lives. Whether we are an outcast, or weary by the condition of our failing bodies, or even that we are persecuted for the sake of Christ – one thing we can know for certain, the Word of God wins battles.

Your battle may not be in another land, with failing health or the persecution of your faith, but we fight with the same weapon.

Take the sword.

We can go to battle with human reason and logic. We can work tirelessly to overcome pain and sorrow. And we can go to war with a heart of pride.  When we fail, we can numb our wounds with bitterness and addiction. Or we can pick up the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, and fight.

“Take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Ephesians 6:17

I have my favorite battle verses, the ones I’ve worked at memorizing to help me overcome hard times. When I start to doubt, or fear, God’s word rescues my thoughts from being held captive by lies and gives me hope.  I often wonder why it is we can’t just memorize the “right” verses, and like magic we are spared an ugly fight or healed from our wounds.

It is not our own.

The power of God’s Word is not our own. Though it is up to us to take the sword, we do not wield it.  The sword belongs to the Spirit. We must merely enlist as a soldier with the Savior. Though we may suffer, it is by his grace that we endure. The power of the sword is not in us, it is in Christ Jesus.

“And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.” 1 Thessalonians 2:13

The battle is not yours either.

The word of God came to Jehoshaphat as he prepared for battle. He was afraid and turned to the Lord for help. And the Spirit of God spoke to him, “Listen…

Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s… You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf. Do not be afraid and dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.” 2 Chronicles 20:15-17

Without the word of God, the heart Jehoshaphat and his army would have remained unchanged and afraid.

God’s word gives us hope and the assurance that he fights our battles. He’s not just wielding the sword, he is on the front line. Because of his word, we can stand firm as we go out to the battle field. He is with us.

Thank God for the battle verses.

This world may make you feel captive by circumstances and sorrow, but the Word of God is not bound. It is living and active, revealing the truth that changes hearts and wins battles.

“For which I am bound with chains as a criminal, but the word of God is not bound!” 2 Timothy 2:9

It is my prayer that you too know the power of God’s life-giving word. If you are like me, it is likely that your Monday is the start of a yet another battle. Dear friend, we can walk with the same confidence that God is with us in the battle! Pick up the sword, trust that his word is at work in you and that he will fight for you.

Join me on social media this week as I share my favorite battle verses. Take the Sword!