1094) Weapons and U.S. citizens’ rights are in the news frequently. The debate is often more about whether weapons make volatile situations better or worse than working on the problem of crime itself. When the dust of this controversy settles, when weapons are needed, if you don’t know how to use them, they can be a hinderance rather than a help.

Ephesians 6:17 tells us God’s children have a spiritual weapon, it is the sword of the spirit–which is the word of God. Paul writes of the importance of using this weapon to defeat the enemy whenever and wherever he shows up.

Jesus uses this sword during the temptation, as portrayed in Matthew 4:1-11. Anytime Satan worked at destroying him,  Jesus uses the sword of the spirit to thwart the evil one.

Following Jesus’ example, when we are tempted to do things we know are wrong, we should use this sword. It is powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword.  (Hebrews 4:12)