Another weapon we must use against the devil and forces of darkness is the truth. Again, this is the weapon which must be wielded in faith and through the power of the Holy Spirit. It can reduce the stoutest stronghold of sin and er ror. The devil never has an answer for the truth of God. That is why the study of the Bible is so essen tial. The god of this world, who is Satan, has blinded the minds of those who believe not, "lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them" (II Corin thians 4:4). God's true illumination dispels erroneous conceptions and wrong ideas. It is like a sword discerning and discovering the thoughts and the intents of the heart. It is like a hammer demol ishing all resistance. Prayer is another vital weapon which has been provided for us. We are reminded to be "praying always with all prayer and suppli cation in the Spirit and watching thereunto will all perseverance and supplication for all saints" (Ephes ians 6:18). Our intercession is to be of every kind, whether worship, confession, thanksgiving, supplica tion or simple communion. We must claim the power of the cross as we employ through prayer all of the resources which are ours by virtue of the union we enjoy with Jesus Christ. Prayer can open blind eyes to the truth, defeating the devil in his endeavor to obscure God's righteousness. Prayer pre pares the soil of the heart so that the truth will fall onto good ground and bring forth real fruit. Let us, as believers, never fail to use all of the spiritual weapons which have been entrusted to us. Page 41
the only way to maturity. Every thought, deed and plan has to be brought under the Lord's sover eign sway. Every fugitive thought must be taken into total obed ience to Jesus Christ. If we do not do this we will be at the mercy of external circumstances and in fluences. All of this cannot be achieved without a definite and persistent, trustful dependency upon the Holy Spirit. You see, “ the weapons of our warfare are not carnal." They are not the same as would be used in a human conflict. One of the tremendous weapons is certainly the cross of Christ. I am not refer ring to the external wearing of this familiar symbol but rather using it as a spiritual weapon. It is unfor tunately easier to pay more atten tion to organizations, methods, techniques and legislation than in the irresistible dynamic of the cross. When facing problems and crises do we rely more on conference than we do on the cross? Do we bring the cross onto the field of battle? There is nothing the devil fears so much as the intelligent appropriation and application of the power which was generated and released by the cross, as well as the resurrection of our Lord. He will do all in his power to divert us from wielding this weapon in the secret place of prayer. Paul certainly learned this lesson well (I Corinthians 2:2). His only desire was to know Christ and Him cru cified. It is the preaching of the cross which is the power of Cod (I Corinthians 1:18). Paul was not interested in the wisdom of man's words lest the cross of Christ be made of non-effect. This is basi cally the acid test of all preaching.
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