The priest replied, "The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, is here; it is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you want it, take it; there is now sword here but that one." David said, "There is none like it; give it to me." 1 Samuel 21:19
With one stone, David knocked the giant to the ground. Yet the weapon that sealed Goliath's fate wasn't David's. It was Goliath's own sword that was used against him.
Isn't it interesting that the very sword the enemy uses to try and kill us can sometimes become a source of protection - a means of success? There are so many weapons the enemy has used over the years. Yet so much good can come if a weapon is placed in the right hands - in the hands of the Healer. By taking a weapon from the enemy, we gain understanding of it. We can use what we learn to heal, not harm.
A man who has struggled with honesty can oftentimes easily identify what isn't true. A man once trapped by lust can see the sadness in another man's eyes that comes from feeding them for hours on end. A man who has lost his loved ones over his rage can usually sense the deep anger another man tries to hide. The very things that once threatened us can be used to save those who are in the clutches of the enemy. And strengthening a brother gives us someone else to watch our backs.
We are in a battle, and too many men are afraid to reveal their greatest wounds. Yet banding together with those who understand the pain can keep us on the battlefield.
Lord, I know there are many good things that can result from the wounds I carry - if only I would let You use them. Help me to pick up the enemy's weapons then to use them against him. Give me eyes to see others who carry the same wounds. Thank You for sending men into my life who are not afraid to defend me.