You have been challenged to a duel
A match of wits and wisdom with weapons wielded; a sword fight in the streets. Do you know how to win? Are you practiced? Are you ready? If it were me, I’m not so sure. I mean, I’ve watched a few fencing matches on TV, so maybe I could imitate some of the moves, lunging forward and back, advancing and defending with my rapier. But those swords are the bendy type that aren’t sharpened to a lethal point like in a real duel. Those swords aren’t so heavy as to wear your arm out while you swing wildly to defend yourself from the oncoming blows of your opponent.
And what about the outcome? Consider that. The duel you face today won’t be for some judge to give points to the player with the best form and the most strikes. This will be a life and death matter with real blood, real flesh wounds, and a real corpse to deal with in the end.
So grab your sword, Warrior
because it’s about to begin. Or has it already? Remember the guy in the sports car this morning… the one on the way to work? The one who gave you that one-fingered wave after you slid in front of him to catch the green turn arrow. Remember how he honked and raged-on like a wildman because you slowed him down by… what 14 seconds? Whether you realize it or not, in that moment you were challenged to a duel. At first, you tried to laugh it off, but he still got under your skin all the way to work… just tiny nicks and cuts but they still stung.
And then there were the words you heard whispered inside as you scrolled through your Facebook feed at lunch. That critical voice that began it’s daily duel, “Why didn’t you take your kids to the park this weekend like ‘she’ did? You’re so selfish for getting a manicure instead. What kind of Mom are you turning out to be?”
You’re in it and swinging wildly
The duel is on and your opponent snuck in a cheap shot. He’s not holding back, cutting right to the heart of your deepest insecurity, and he doesn’t seem to be backing off.
And just when you thought you had everything wrapped up at work, ready to relax and enjoy your evening, your computer crashed, deleting an entire day’s work. This was the fatal blow. You didn’t see it coming… but when do we. You were weakened by the first wounds, distracted by the busyness of the day and undone by your insecurities. And now you’re ready to give up. Your frustration is at its peak. “What was the point of getting out of bed today?” you whisper to yourself, and “How can I possibly get a decent dinner together in time for my family now?”
But you aren’t’ prepared for it
It’s a war that rages all around us, even when we cannot see it. Yet we suffer wounds that build until finally, we’re ready to give in and give up our faith. We find ourselves hopeless and helpless, worn out and wandering.
Like it or not, Warrior we’re in the fight of our lives and the damage is real. But all too often, we get so busy and distracted that we’re not tuned in to the world of the unseen. This is the spiritual realm that co-exists around us, where the battles for good and evil are waged. Paul explains this best to us in Ephesians 6:12
For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
But fortunately, God does not leave us on our own to figure this out and die trying. That’s why He calls us to be Warriors and gives us the Armor of God.
A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. Ephesians 6:10-11
So the sword fight is on!
And one of the best defenses is a good offense. Yes, that’s right, Warrior. We need to become more aggressive with the weapons that God has given us for this battle. Why should we sit back and let the enemy take from us… our joy, our happiness, our love, our security, and our peace? Why should we let him take anything good that God desires us to have? We need to begin defending ourselves.
We have a weapon, Warrior and we need to pick it up, learning how to wield it well. One of the best weapons God gives us is the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God… the Bible.
For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12
Think about that, Warrior. I mean, really think about it. God armed us with a heavy, double-edged sword. This is a weapon that can do serious damage. This is a weapon that can kill. But how often do we really see it that way?
Mostly, we make these pretty Instagram posts with mountain scenery and click hearts to ‘like’ it. Now I’m not telling you to stop doing that. But that’s not the weapon that God armed us with. That’s not using it to the fullest extent of its power!
So what if, instead…
We speak it over our day before it begins.
Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.” Deuteronomy 31:8 NLT
We speak it over the man who waves at us in traffic.
Bless all his skills, Lord, and be pleased with the work of his hands. Deuteronomy 33:11 NIV
We speak it over our friend who posts pictures of her family at the park.
A friend loves at all times… Proverbs 17:17 NIV
We speak it over our own family that we long to appreciate.
But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them sing joyful praises forever.
Spread your protection over them, that all who love your name may be filled with joy. Psalm 5:11 NLT
We speak it over our work that we want to complete and do with excellence.
Stay on the path that the Lord your God has commanded you to follow. Then you will live long and prosperous lives in the land you are about to enter and occupy. Deuteronomy 5:33 NLT
Now that’s the way to wield our weapon well! That’s how to win a duel and see victory! The Sword of the Spirit is meant to be SPOKEN. That’s when it has the most power!
Consider when God created the heavens and the earth… He opened His mouth and spoke the universe into existence. His word spoken aloud… and BOOM! Pretty powerful, huh? Same goes for us. If we are to have power in our lives, we need to speak the Word of God aloud as well.
So where can you begin?
How exactly does anyone get to the point of being able to duel this well? I mean, you don’t just pick up a sword and instinctively know how to use it. But I’ve got a plan, Warrior, and I’m here and ready to help.
We can either carry a Bible with us all day long. (Not a bad idea, actually) But we’d have to have it bookmarked and at the ready for any situation. OR… we can have a number of verses memorized and ready to be spoken out loud to help us when a duel arises. That’s how Jesus overcame temptation in the wilderness.
I’ve memorized scripture before and found it very helpful. But I know doing that on your own can sometimes be a tough thing to stick to. So I’d like to help you get prepared for your next duel… training if you will, to get Warrior ready for the battle. If you stick with me, over the course of the next few weeks I will share with you some tips and hacks to overcome the obstacles that typically get in our way when it comes to Bible memorization.
It’s going to be in the form of a challenge, Warrior! I want to equip you with six verses that will help you stand firm and have victory in your next duel! You can SIGN UP today… and start next week. Together we will memorize six verses over six weeks… one each week. Will you join me?
I have gathered some great resources to encourage and support you in this. You won’t be alone. This, I’m sure will be the first of many successful steps toward realizing the Warrior within!
SIGN UP TODAY!
What you’ll receive:
√ My ebook: 7 Surefire Ways to Sharpen Your Bible Memory Skills
√ 5 Categorized Verse Lists from which to choose YOUR six verses
√ Weekly emails of support and encouragement with additional tips and hacks
√ Watercolor Warrior Lined Verse Cards to write your verses
√ Confidence when your next Duel arises as you speak the Word of God aloud!
If you enjoyed this post, you may also like: Spiritual Warfare: 3 Signs Your Standing in the Middle of It.
