Most people can sing along with 90 percent of the songs on their favorite radio station. Most of my life, I have been a huge country fan. With the exception of Rascal Flatts’ newer music, I can sing all of their songs to you by heart.

Maybe that’s not the case for you, maybe you know the Cavaliers’ rosters, stats and records for the last 10-plus years. When someone starts a conversation about the Cavaliers’ championship win this year, what is on the tip of a Cleveland fan’s tongue? Lebron’s stats, the team’s record throughout the final series against Golden State, how many years they have been waiting for this and so on. That person knows these things by heart.

Athlete, what if God’s Word was ready in our minds like our favorite music or facts about our favorite sports team?

Think about it: how cool would it be to have God’s word ready for anything that is happening in your life or in the lives of people around you? In Ephesians 6:10-20, the writer tells us how to prepare to fight battles in the spiritual world.

Want to know what he said our sword was? God’s Word. Our sword is the Bible.

God’s Word is your defense weapon. It doesn’t just comfort you (John 14:26-27), but it also checks you (Psalm 139:23). It shows you who God is (Hebrews 13:8). It shows you who you are as God’s child (John 1:12). It provides an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope you have (1 Peter 3:15). It is a light to your path (Psalm 119:105).

Challenge: Memorize one verse a week to add to what you know by heart.