Narnia and spiritual warfare
“Quick! Quick!" shouted the voice of Aslan. "Centaurs! Eagles! I see another wolf in the thickets. There - behind you. He has just darted away. After him, all of you. He will be going to his mistress. Now is your chance to find the Witch and rescue the fourth Son of Adam." And instantly with a thunder of hoofs and beating of wings a dozen or so of the swiftest creatures disappeared into the gathering darkness.
Peter, still out of breath, turned and saw Aslan close at hand.
“You have forgotten to clean your sword," said Aslan.
It was true. Peter blushed when he looked at the bright blade and saw it all smeared with the Wolf's hair and blood. He stooped down and wiped it quite clean on the grass, and then wiped it quite dry on his coat.
Perhaps you know by now that this is an excerpt from C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The scene mentioned above comes from Peter’s first battle. I love Aslan’s words to Peter: “You have forgotten to clean your sword.”
Later Aslan also says, “And, whatever happens, never forget to wipe your sword.”
The sword of the Spirit
With this scene, I believe that Lewis profoundly expressed truths concerning spiritual warfare. The Apostle Paul commanded the Ephesians to put on the whole armor of God so that they could stand against the schemes of the devil (Eph. 6:11). We should also know that the weapon we are called to fight with is the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Eph. 6:17).
We may understand that we face battles, but why does Aslan say to Peter, “And, whatever happens, never forget to wipe your sword”? I believe there are two reasons that Christians ought to remember to wipe our sword.
Our enemy never quits
First, cleaning one’s sword demonstrates that you are expecting another battle. We read in 1 Peter, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1 Pet. 5:8) We have an enemy that doesn’t quit. We may have seen victory in one area, but that doesn’t mean that our lives will be free from temptation in another. Our enemy is prowling around like a roaring lion, and he is waiting for us to feel comfortable and perhaps complacent. We must always remember that there is a war raging every day; may we not be caught off guard.
A neglected sword is an ineffective weapon
Second, cleaning one’s sword means that your weapon is prepared for battle. If Peter would’ve kept the wolf’s hair & blood on his sword, it could have rusted. This would make the blade dull and ineffective for battle. How do we keep the sword cleaned and ready for battle? I believe it’s through the consistent study & memorization of God’s Word. What did David sing in Psalm 119? He said, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.” (Ps. 119:9)
We must look no further than the way Christ fought temptation in the wilderness. His weapon of choice was the Scriptures. When we are tempted and tried, may our blades be cleaned and sharp.
Josh Chambers is the lead pastor of Pleasant Street Baptist Church in Worcester, MA. He blogs regularly at https://thereformedlife.net. You can follow him on Instagram @jchambers5 and on Twitter @josh_chambers5.