Sunday morning. Quiet house. Pondering these two sentences:

“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him.” (John 6:44)

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)

I can’t get to Jesus unless the Father draws me to Him, and I can’t get to the Father unless I come to Jesus first. Of all of the spiritual truths, this one is the great tenderizer of my heart.

God built a cross and put His Son on it because of the sin that separated us. Then He chased me down by drawing me to Jesus so that Jesus could make things right between me and my Father. Everything that was done was done because my Father wanted me with Him. I will never get over that. Ever.

And I grieve because of how many Christians find no rest in the truth. So many are still trying to win God’s approval, still trying to prove themselves worthy. Keeping Him at a distance, trying to figure out if He can be trusted.

And that is why the Word of God is a sword.

On this day especially, when fathers are being celebrated, many of you have a bitter taste in your mouth that has made its way to your heart, because not all earthly fathers are good. Sad fact of a fallen world: good parenting is hard to do and some just couldn’t do it and it turned children into victims, and the enemy knows an opportunity when he sees one.

So here’s a question: How is the enemy using that bitter taste in you to his advantage?

Maybe it’s keeping you from forgiving, which makes it hard to receive forgiveness. Maybe it’s protecting a victim mentality that makes everyone around you suspect of trying to hurt you. Every slight, real or imagined, sends you into a tailspin. It’s possible that your bitterness is being used to force you into a continual cycle of trying to get approval from others and then crashing into depression because you just can’t get enough approval to make something in you feel better. Maybe you punish yourself because you weren’t worthy to be loved well by your father. Maybe you’re just angry. Like, all the time. Those are all fallouts from trauma, but honestly? I don’t think any of that is your enemy’s actual goal.

His perfect outcome is to draw a straight line from your earthly father to God.

I believe he could care less how you feel about your earthly dad, just as long as your relationship with God suffers because you have used your earthly father to judge your heavenly Father. But here is the truth that the enemy will never whisper to your heart:

There is only One who is the exact representation of the Father and His name is Jesus. He is the only One who can walk that straight line to God. Every other single person on this earth has to go through the cross.

Today, of all days, calls for a sword. Truth to break lies that are so dang strong. Love that will conquer a heart that’s been hurt. A heavenly perspective that will change how we see a fallen world with fallen people.

Truth can help us choose forgiveness, choose to move on, choose to let go. The Word of God can tear down the lies that keep us imprisoned in our childhoods (and our adulthoods), where we re-live our wounding on a regular basis.

Truth reminds us that God cannot be measured by earthly fathers; that all goodness starts with Him, not with us.

The sword of the Spirit declares with every swing that God is good and that you can trust that the whole reason He built a cross for His Son and drew you to it is because you are loved and wanted by Him.

Today, raise your sword. Close the door of opportunity. Take back the advantage. Fight, beloved, fight the good fight of faith.