Drawing Swords…He is enough
When I was in youth group, we played a game called Drawing Swords. Everyone was given the same scripture, and the first to find it in the Bible won.
Jesus, just prior to His betrayal and crucifixion, tells His disciples to invest in a Sword. I believe He was referring to the Sword of the Spirit, His Word, Himself. After this exhortation, he urged them to pray that they would not fall into temptation. He knew the battles they would face. He reminded them that He had historically been enough and would continue to be enough.
And He said to them, When I sent you out with no purse or [provision] bag or sandals, did you lack anything? They answered, Nothing! Then He said to them, But now let him who has a purse take it, and also [his provision] bag; and let him who has no sword sell his mantle and buy a sword. And they said, Look, Lord! Here are two Swords. And He said to them, It is enough. And when He came to the Place, He said to them, pray that you may not [at all] enter into temptation. Luke 22:35-36, 38, 40 AMPC
… be strong in the Lord [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him [that strength which His boundless might provides]. Put on God’s whole armor [the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and the deceits of the devil. For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere. Therefore put on God’s complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day [of danger], and, having done all [the crisis demands], to stand [firmly in your place]. Stand therefore [hold your ground], having tightened the belt of truth around your loins and having put on the breastplate of integrity and of moral rectitude and right standing with God, And having shod your feet in preparation [to face the enemy with the firm-footed stability, the promptness, and the readiness produced by the good news] of the Gospel of peace. [Isa. 52:7.] Lift up over All the [covering] shield of saving faith, upon which you can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked [one]. And take the helmet of salvation and the Sword that the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God. Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God’s consecrated people). Ephesians 6:10-18 AMPC
Jesus’ sufficiency does not change.
Its a story as old as time. We need Jesus to stand in the gap when we find ourselves in the dark.
Today was Passover. Passover celebrates and anticipates the deliverance of God in the darkness.
During the time of the prophet Hezekiah, Israel and Judah found themselves in the dark . They had not been recognizing and celebrating the Passover because there had not been enough consecrated priests to conduct the feast.
So HEZEKIAH, stood in the gap and sent invitations to the king and his princes to call the people together to celebrate the Passover to the Lord, and then he lifted his voice in Prayer to the Spirit of God, “saying, O Israelites, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that He may return to those left of you… May the good Lord pardon everyone Who sets his heart to seek and yearn for God–the Lord, the God of his fathers–even though not complying with the purification regulations of the sanctuary. And the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah and healed the people. Then the priests and Levites arose and blessed the people; and their voice was heard and their prayer came up to [God’s] holy habitation in heaven. 2 Chronicles 30: 18-20 AMPC
Lift up your hearts, lift up your voices
Take up your Sword…He is enough
It’s what family does, for each other.