Note: Today’s Flash Fiction Story is a Special Edition. This story was written by my youngest son.

All You Need is Jesus

by Z. Barr

A seemingly never ending column of men stood before Archangel Gabriel, who stood at the pass to the wide open battlefield. Gabriel saw men wearing armor and swords and carrying shields. The men passed Gabriel, trudging with the weight of their armor.

As a new group of men passed Gabriel, a new sight caught his attention. “Why do you carry guns?”

One of the men hefted his gun. “These are what we need to eliminate the enemy, faster than those swords and shields. Those are but toys.”

The other men laughed.

Gabriel shrugged. Only he knew what the enemy was and what it took to destroy the enemy on the battlefield. He said, “You may pass.” He watched as the men, still, chuckling, went through the pass.

At the end of the line, walking all by himself, was a young man dressed in torn clothing. The young man stopped before Gabriel.

“You don’t have weaponry,” Gabriel mused.

“I don’t know how to use one. But Jesus called me, and so I … I came.” The young man lowered his head. “I guess I am here just to pull the dead from the battlefield. But I couldn’t ignore Him. I had to come.”

As the young man talked, Gabriel noticed that when the man moved, something on him sparkled like a star.

“But all I have is Jesus.”

Then Gabriel saw it—the young man wore armor. It was inconspicuous, but he was wearing spiritual armor. “Lad,” Gabriel said, “you may pass. All you need is Jesus. Go forth.”

The young man left Gabriel.

* * *

On the battlefield, the men stood in lines. They waited and waited, but there was no sign of the enemy.

“There is no enemy! We’ve been tricked!” These words rippled through the lines.

Gabriel watched the young man. He stood alone, staring off into the distance. Gabriel’s eyes moved to the young man’s line of sight, where blackness met the horizon, rapidly approaching.

The young man shouted, “The demons are coming! That is the enemy!”

The other men looked but saw nothing except the Archangel and the lad.

“What you men brought won’t work against demons,” the young man said. “We need to pray.” With that, the young man dropped to his knees. His spiritual armor started to glow and become more visible. His sword of prayer materialized in his hands.

Several minutes passed and the young man remained on his knees, praying.

Now the demons were closer than ever. Suddenly, an amazing thing happened. Blue tongues of fire fell from the sky devouring the demons. Blue flame formed a halo around the young man.

The battle was won, with the prayer of just one man.

Only one man passed the test.

He had faith … in his Saviour.