proper statement of God for the par ticular need we face. It is not the whole Word, but rather the applica ble and definitive statement provid ed for each spiritual need. Finally, one last piece of armour, and it cannot be omitted or over looked. It is mentioned in Ephesians 6:18: "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spir it, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” No soldier would be so fool ish as to move out in the battle field without some kind of directive from headquarters. This would be both foolhardy and ridiculous. There must be proper communications for effec tive warfare. There may be recon naissance planes overhead waiting to relay word on the enemy which they have observed from their van tage point. If a soldier has no con nections, he will soon be cut off, without food or ammunition, and likely perish. The believer must maintain direct communication with the Lord at all times. He needs con tact for spiritual food and to be pro vided with necessary ammunition. Of all of the pieces of armour we wear, these beautiful implements the Lord has provided to protect us from Satan, we can be sure that the devil is looking for those whose communi cation lines with God are down. In other words, he is watching for prayerlessness in the Christian’s life. Unless our contact with God has been established as naturally as breathing, we will be defeated. Prayer is not designed to make God willing to impart His grace to us but rather it is to fit ourselves to receive it. Prayer is not in order to turn a reluctant God toward us, but rather to turn our reluctant selves to a gracious, willing, bountiful Cre ator and Saviour. We are to perse vere in prayer so that we will not be discouraged, and give up even when difficulties press sore about us. The Bible says men ought always to pray and not faint.
fare. It is the sword of the spirit. The Word of God is “Quick and powerful, and sharper than any two- edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and in tents of the heart.” Mentioning a sword, we think of something long and heavy, carried in its scabbard. Usually, however, the foot soldier carried a shorter dagger, sometimes about two feet in length. This he was able to wield more effectively because it wasn’t so cumbersome and was always ready at a moment’s no tice. While it is the Word of God which is this offensive piece of ar-
Dr. and Mrs. Arnold Ehlert (left) librarian and professor of Library Science at Biola, have a time of felowshipwith two of the students of the school, Dave Humphrey, a seniorand Bible major, and his wife, Lois, who was graduated in 1966. Mrs. Humphrey is Athletic Department secretary.
mour, it is up to us to know how to wield it effectively against Satan. We have to be able to take the right dagger from the armory of God's Word. The soldier doesn’t throw his manual at the enemy! He has a mortar, a grenade, a rifle, a machine gun, the proper equipment for the job. How can you fight effectively if you have not studied God’s Word? In the original, we have several terms which we translate word. One is logos which is found in such por tions as John 1:1. In this statement of Ephesians 6, however, it is an other word which means a saying, or an important declaration. This is the
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