Secret 1

Do you want to be healed?

MEANING:
Have you ever felt unwell and secretly you were glad that you could miss school? Or maybe you were just happy to have so much attention from your parents? Sometimes, being sick can become a weird sort of comfort, and we’d prefer to stay that way instead of take on the responsibilities that come with being well.

In John 5, Jesus saw a paralyzed man lying on the ground. The man had been in this condition for thirty-eight years! Instead of healing him right away, Jesus first asked him if healing was what he wanted. Seems like the answer would be obvious right? Well, maybe. But when we have issues in our lives like unforgiveness, bitterness, pride, or some other unbecoming behavior for which we need healing, we must answer that important question: Is healing what we really want? Because with it will come the responsibility of living up to the gift we’ve been given.

Secret 2

Having received that gift for himself, Rook was determined to help free as many prisoners as possible.

MEANING:
What Rook felt after being freed is what happens when you’ve experienced the joy or benefit of something spectacular for yourself and want to share it with others. For example, have you ever been to an amusement park that you really enjoyed or eaten at a restaurant that was amazingly delicious? One of the first things we like to do after an experience like that is tell someone else so that they can experience it as well. The same is true in our relationship with Jesus. When we’ve really been set free, like Rook was, we should want to spread the news and the joy to as many others as we can. Whom can you share your freedom with today?

Secret 3

Ruwach says to Ivy:
When I give you a task, I will also give you everything you need to complete it.

MEANING:
God will never require you to do something for which He does not also plan to give you the tools to succeed. Never think that you are too young or too short or too naïve or too boring to do what God has called you to do. When He assigns a task to you, He will automatically give you the skills you need to carry it through. So be brave! And move forward in obedience.

Secret 1

Ruwach to the children:
“Yes. Your faith is your shield.”

Kids to Ruwach:
“How can faith be a shield? That’s impossible!”

MEANING:
Ephesians 6 says, “In addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one.” When you utilize the weapon of faith in your life, it hinders the enemy from having victory in your life. Did you know that? Exciting, huh? So you need to know what faith is: Faith is acting like God is telling the truth! Do what God says no matter what others say, how you feel, or whether or not you can see the outcome clearly. Trust God, and the devil will not win.

Secret 2

Nothing Is Impossible.

With God, there is nothing that is impossible for you, Prince Warrior. NOTHING. Jesus said this Himself in Matthew 19:26 and wanted you to know it and remember it for all of your life: “Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible’” (niv).

Secret 1

“Take your seeds back to earth with you,” Ruwach said. “Cultivate them. Protect them. Use them.”

MEANING:
When the Prince Warriors receive their seeds, they are very disappointed and confused. They wanted huge, impressive shields, but all they got were tiny seeds. They didn’t know that these little “skittles” (as Evan called them) contained the defense they needed against the enemy.

Look at this conversation between Jesus and His disciples:
“The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”
“If you have faith the size of a mustard seed,” the Lord said, “you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.” (Luke 17:5–6, hcsb)

Do you see? Jesus didn’t instruct the disciples to go get more faith. He said that even faith the size of a small seed was enough to accomplish great things; because being a faith-filled Prince Warrior is not about how much faith you have but about how powerful the One in whom you have placed it is.

And also remember faith isn’t the same as belief. Faith requires action. The Prince Warriors had to take care of their seeds intentionally in order for them to be effective. Likewise, you’ve got to use your faith and cultivate it in order to experience the benefits of it.

Secret 2

“But there is no power,” Manuel said, irritated. “I’ve already checked. A thousand times. It doesn’t do anything . . . ”

MEANING:
Manuel was frustrated because he’d spent so much time trying to activate his mother’s seed with no positive outcome. It remained a mystery. The truth is your parents’ or grandparents’ faith is not the same as your own. You can learn from it but you can never experience the fullness of what faith was meant to offer until you have your own. Your seed—your faith—must be personal.

Secret 3

Ruwach to the Prince Warriors:
“Remember this: the enemy will do anything to stop you from using the seeds.”

MEANING:
The enemy knows that your seed of faith will be his undoing in your life. So, he will always try to cause you to neglect it. He will seek to make you so afraid and insecure that you won’t trust God and be obedient to what God has asked you to do. While he can never steal your seed of faith from you, he can keep you from receiving the benefits from it. Don’t give him the satisfaction. Trust God! Have faith!

Secret 4

Unscrambling the message that came from The Book:
Ruwach waved his arm again. Before their eyes, the letters rearranged themselves to form a sentence that glowed ever brighter.

If you have faith the size of the smallest seed,
nothing will be impossible for you.
“That’s still so cool,” Evan murmured. Xavier nudged him to be quiet.

MEANING:
Understanding God’s Word is ALWAYS cool! Think about it—the Bible is God’s way of speaking with you personally! The fact that He allows us the privilege to hear from Him and understand what He wants to share with us is an honor that should never become commonplace for us. Every time we read and receive God’s Word we should remember what a phenomenon it really is!

Secret 1

Evan gripped the seed tightly, shut his eyes, and threw it as far as he could into the pond.

MEANING:
Having faith requires a responsibility that some people would rather not deal with. Evan was one of those people. When he heard that the enemy would not be happy that he had it and also that he’d have to take the time needed to really cultivate it, he decided that he’d rather just throw it away than be accountable with it. Fear and insecurity caused him to misuse his faith.

Secret 2

Xavier decided to figure out a safe place to keep his seed. It was so small—he was afraid he would lose it if he just left it on his desk or under his pillow. So, he wanted a “safe faith.”

MEANING:
Following God will require risk. Sometimes it won’t feel comfortable, easy, or safe. But you will only get to enjoy the adventure of faith if you are willing to take the risk of trusting God at any cost! Safety is over-rated. A desire for security caused him to neglect his seed.

Secret 3

Levi was almost asleep when he remembered the seed. Where had he put it? He sat up, suddenly panic-stricken that he’d already lost it. Levi did have a habit of losing things. It wasn’t on purpose; it was just that he would get busy and forget.

MEANING:
Many people get too busy or too lazy and just misplace their faith. Instead of prioritizing it, they let busyness take precedent over it. Like Levi, it can become easy to go to sleep spiritually (EX: stop reading the Bible, stop praying, quit going to church, and quit actively trusting God) and stop being alert and on guard in your faith. Don’t go to sleep on your faith! Misplaced priorities can cause you to neglect your faith.

Secret 4

When Brianna was done decorating her seed, she lifted the box up to the window so she could see the jewels glimmer in the moonlight. There, that was much prettier.

MEANING:
Brianna was more intent on making her seed pretty than on making it useful and effective. Some people treat their faith this way. They are more intent on making it something that impresses people than using it as a weapon against the enemy. Being a person of faith isn’t about wearing Christian t-shirts or participating in religious activity that excites others. It’s about trusting God—being obedient and relying on Him to take care of you through it all. Sometimes faith isn’t pretty. It can be raw, rugged, and messy, but it is always worth it. A desire to impress can cause you to misuse your faith.

Secret 5

Manuel set the little, red seed under the microscope.

MEANING:
Faith is not meant to be dissected or rationalized; it is meant to be used. Now, that isn’t to say that we shouldn’t study God’s Word and understand His truths as best we can. But it does mean that, ultimately, what will allow us to experience faith as a defense against the enemy is using it—not discussing it, studying it, or dissecting it. In fact, “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1, nkjv).

Secret 1

Ruwach said, “But the enemy you face has a knack for—changing tactics. And weapons.”

MEANING:
Satan’s deceptive tactics (and those of his evil entourage) are specifically designed and personalized to keep you from experiencing abundant life. He will do this in whatever way he believes will best discourage you and keep you from experiencing victory. While he may use one tactic for one individual or people group, he’ll employ another one entirely to trip up someone else. He wants to take advantage of your weaknesses and vulnerabilities, so his attacks are personal and specifically designed to trip you up. You have no reason to fear, but you must be on your guard. You have every piece of armor necessary to secure your victory against any attack that he may throw your way.

Secret 2

“You have everything you need,” said Ruwach.

MEANING:
This is Ruwach’s main motto; the one he repeats to the Prince Warriors as much as he possibly can. It’s the same one that the Holy Spirit seeks to impress upon you too. While the enemy wants you to think you are depleted and weak, God wants you to remember that you are strong and powerful in Him. If you believe it, there is nothing you will not be able to accomplish in Christ. Commit these verses to memory to help you remember what Ruwach was trying to teach the Prince Warriors:

And God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8, hcsb)

Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens. (Ephesians 1:3, hcsb)

Secret 3

When instructing the Warriors on how to face Poneros, Ruwach said:
“Show him you will stand. You will not back down.”
“Just . . . stand?” said Levi, looking at the other kids in confusion.

MEANING:
Levi couldn’t believe that the simple act of standing could accomplish victory in the face of impending danger and Poneros’s attack. But there would be more strength in standing firm than he or the other Prince Warriors could ever imagine. The same is true for you, valiant Warrior! Read Ephesians 6:13–14. It says: “having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore . . . ” (nasb). To stand firm means to put on the armor that God has provided for you and then plant your faith firmly on the promises He has given you in His Word. When you stabilize yourself in this way, you cannot be defeated!

Secret 4

“Any shield you make of your own hands cannot withstand the destructive power of the Olethron,” Ruwach said. “But your seed can.”

MEANING:
Manuel didn’t understand how a tiny seed could give him or his friends defense from Poneros. So he created his own man-made shield. His shield was quite impressive and was even convincing enough that Evan wanted to count on it for protection as well. But, in the end, it could not stand up against the Olethron no matter how big and solid it appeared to be. The only shield that could defend against Poneros’ attack was the one given by Ruwach.

The same is true for you and me, Prince Warrior. Read the verse below:

The weapons of our warfare are not worldly, but are powerful through God for the demolition of strongholds. (2 Corinthians 10:4, hcsb)

Physical weapons will not work against spiritual problems. Solutions like money, manipulation, success, connections—these things cannot deal with problems that stem from the spiritual world. You have to use the weapons that God has given you. They are always enough!

Secret 1

The screaming faces of the Olethrons seemed to have hit a wall, an invisible yet wholly impenetrable wall. The shield of tiny, red seeds had repelled the flaming weapons as if they were no more dangerous than flickering birthday candles.

MEANING:
Your faith (trusting God) actually extinguishes the enemy’s flaming darts. Maybe a picture of how this military strategy worked in the first century will help you to visual this defense mechanism: A soldier’s shield was typically two feet wide and four feet long, shaped almost like a door, consisting of planks of wood covered by canvas and leather and fortified with iron. When the enemy was launching the flaming missiles, soldiers would dip their shields in water, then huddle together in a group, hoisting the shields overhead. When formed into a unit like this, their water-soaked shields would create a damp, dense shell of protection above them called the turtle formation. The flaming arrows could penetrate far enough into the shield to be quickly extinguished.

Faith is like this shield. It forms a turtle shell of protection over your life and will extinguish the enemy’s flaming arrows of guilt, accusation, insecurity, and discouragement.

He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. (Proverbs 30:5, hcsb)

Secret 2

But Levi felt nothing. The fire, the smoke, the ash, none of it touched him. He couldn’t even smell anything burning.

MEANING:
You may be familiar with the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They stood up to King Nebuchadnezzar in order to stay true to God. King Nebuchadnezzar was furious that they refused to answer to him, and he had them thrown into a fiery furnace. But, God didn’t allow them to be harmed at all. He protected them. Because they stood firm, God shielded them. Because of their faith, King Nebuchadnezzar realized that their God was the One TRUE God, and Nebuchadnezzar rewarded Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

When the satraps, prefects, governors, and the king’s advisers gathered around, they saw that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men: not a hair of their heads was singed, their robes were unaffected, and there was no smell of fire on them. (Daniel 3:27, hcsb)

Secret 1

Mr. J. Ar explains to the Prince Warriors what is going on with Brianna. His explanation is similar to what Satan hopes to do to anyone who is not wearing the helmet of salvation to protect them:

“Syphers have the ability to twist and contaminate a person’s thoughts. That’s their goal. Ponéros sends them for that purpose. They cannot control a person’s thoughts, but they can make suggestions that are very tempting and attractive. To the point where a person may not be able to distinguish their true thoughts and feelings from those of the Sypher.”

Secret 2

“I cannot stop anyone from making wrong choices. I can only help them make the right ones.” There was deep sadness in Ruwach’s tone, rooted in love, as if he would have done anything to prevent Brianna from suffering the consequences of her choice.

MEANING:
While our God is completely sovereign and omniscient, He has also given humans the gift of free will. He will not make you do what is right. He wants you to choose to do it. However, He promises to empower and support anyone by His Spirit in order to help them make the right choice and stick with it everyday.

Secret 3

Six round, hazy objects floated up from inside the trunk and hovered in the air. At first they looked like white balloons, but as they grew more distinct, the kids could see they were transparent helmets. Smooth and round with extra coverings for the ears and neck. “They look like bike helmets,” Levi muttered, unimpressed. “They’re gonna make us look like dorks.”

MEANING:
“Take the helmet of salvation” (Ephesians 6:17, hcsb).

I thought you might enjoy a closer look at what a real Roman soldier’s helmet looked like in ancient times. Use your imagination to picture a skullcap made of iron and covered with bronze. Its primary function was to protect the soldier’s skull and brain from the swing of the “broadsword”—a three- to four-foot long sword with a massive handle that needed to be cradled by two hands to hit its target. (Yikes.) One strategically aimed blow could completely crush the soldier’s skull, incapacitating him in a split second. Over time, the soldier’s helmet was redesigned to be even more comprehensive in its coverage. Pieces were added, including a flared neck guard and hinged cheek guards. It protected not only the head but also the neck and shoulders.

This is the kind of comprehensive protection that wearing the helmet of salvation can provide for you. But remember, receiving salvation is not the same as applying salvation and wearing the helmet. When you place your faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior, you have salvation; but then you have to live according to it and apply its benefits to your life in order to receive its protection against the enemy. Receiving it redeems us; applying it restores, protects, and shields us daily from the attacks of the enemy. Wearing the helmet of salvation may cause you to look much different from others in the world, but it will also offer you a protection against the enemy’s tactics that others do not have. Read and study Ephesians 1 to discover all the benefits that come from wearing the helmet of salvation.

Secret 1

Why don’t you send Manuel? He’s way smarter. Or Xavier, he’s stronger. . . .”

“Because I am sending you,” Ruwach said. “You are the one for this job, Prince Evan. The only one.”

Evan looked at Xavier, hoping he would speak up, tell Ruwach that he would go in Evan’s place. Isn’t that what big brothers were for?

MEANING:
Evan was the youngest Prince Warrior, and yet he was the one who Ruwach assigned the task of finding the quaritan. He didn’t think he could do it and expected that his big brother or one of the others was better suited for the task. But Ruwach wanted to teach Evan that he could succeed even though he was young. This is a lesson that is taught many times through the Bible. When God gave Jeremiah an assignment, the boy doubted his ability because he was young. Look at God’s response to his fear:

Then the Lord said to me: Do not say, “I am only a youth,” for you will go to everyone I send you to and speak whatever I tell you. Do not be afraid of anyone, for I will be with you to deliver you. This is the Lord’s declaration. Then the Lord reached out His hand, touched my mouth, and told me: I have now filled your mouth with My words. See, I have appointed you today over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and demolish, to build and plant. (Jeremiah 1:7–10, hcsb)

In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul (the same guy who wrote about the Armor of God) reminded a young man named Timothy about this as well:

Let no one despise your youth; instead, you should be an example to the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. (1 Timothy 4:12, hcsb)

Anytime you feel inferior or second rate because of your age, use these verses to remind you that God chose young people in the Bible to do great things. He has chosen you to do amazing things as well!

Secret 2

Ruwach raised up one hand, and the words lifted from the page, floating and rearranging in the air as they had done before.

Tear down strongholds.

Take. Captives.

“What’s a stronghold?” Evan asked, squinting at the word.

“It is the enemy’s fortress built on wickedness and deception,” Ruwach answered. “It must be torn down, demolished.”

“Like the Fortress of Cháos,” Xavier said thoughtfully. “Was that a stronghold? And didn’t we already tear that down?”

“Precisely,” said Ruwach. “Strongholds can be torn down, but they can also be rebuilt. Again and again. And if Ponéros cannot lure you to his stronghold, he’ll try to build one inside of you. 

“What? He can build a fortress inside of people?” Xavier asked.

“Yes. So that you’ll be his captive even if you are not in Skot’os.”

MEANING:
2 Corinthians 10:4 says, “for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses” (nasb). The enemy erects strongholds/fortresses that can only be demolished by weapons that have been empowered by God Himself. These strongholds are made up of lies that take root in your mind. The bigger they get, the more they block out the truth of God. So, you must take the act of tearing them down with the Word of God and the weapons of warfare He has given you seriously.

Secret 1

Ruwach speaking of Evan opening the quaritan:
“He was chosen for the task; therefore he, in fact, is the only one fit to do it.”

MEANING:
God has chosen us for His purpose. He has specific plans for each one of us. Read the following Scriptures that illustrate this very concept.

For He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight. (Ephesians 1:4, hcsb)

“I chose you before I formed you in the womb; I set you before you were born. I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5, hcsb)

“You did not choose Me, but I chose you. I appointed you that you should go out and product fruit and that your fruit should remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you.” (John 15:16, hcsb)

Secret 2

Evan felt a warmth in the center of his chest and looked down—the orb was spinning, glowing. He stopped walking and waited as it began churning words out into the air before him:

You know the plans I have for you.
Plans to help you, not to harm you.

MEANING:
“For I know the plans I have for you” —this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11, hcsb)

Secret 1

During the Ent invasion at the Rec Center:
Levi looked around—the other kids were still skateboarding, still playing their games on the playground, unaware of the danger at hand. Apparently, they could neither see nor hear what was happening.

MEANING:
As a Prince or Princess Warrior, you will have the ability to detect things that others cannot. The enemy—satan—is invisible, and he hopes to disguise himself so cleverly that no one will notice his tactics and deceit. But, because you have God’s Spirit within you, you have the privilege to notice what he is up to and prepare yourself to stand firm against him in advance. This also gives you the chance to warn others. Read 1 Corinthians 2:14:

But the unbeliever does not welcome what comes from God’s Spirit, because it is foolishness to him; he is not able to understand it since it is evaluated spiritually (hcsb).

As you grow and mature in your relationship with the Lord, your spiritual senses will continue to be heightened. The more in tune you are with God’s Spirit, the more clearly you will be able to detect when something is awry. You may have insight as to when the enemy is seeking to bring destruction to a relationship, a church, or even an entire nation.

Secret 2

The orbs of their breastplates spun in unison, churning out words that hung in the air before them. Two words, stark and simple.

Fear not.

MEANING:
The command to “fear not” appears more than three hundred times in the Scriptures. No matter what the enemy seeks to do, do not be afraid of him or his efforts. He cannot prevail against a true Prince Warrior like you.

For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment. (2 Timothy 1:7, hcsb)

Secret 1

“Yeah. We got this,” said Ivy, standing straight. She seemed to be a different girl when she had her armor on—sure and strong, her timidity giving way to a firm confidence.

MEANING:
God’s armor can give you a strong confidence in the face of adversity. On your own, you may feel shy, unsure or afraid. But clothed in the strength of God, you can approach any battle with an attitude of victory. Gideon was an example of this. His story is found in Judges 6–7. Despite his paltry resources and small army, he was able to fight the vast Midianite enemy in the strength of God. He didn’t have much, but God was on his side. And that was enough. Read his whole story when you have time! You’ll love it.

Secret 2

Ivy glanced back at Xavier and Manuel. She’d be a lot safer if she stayed here, in the rec center with them and with Mr. J. Ar. But her assignment was Brianna.

Suddenly, Ivy felt something new opened up inside of her—the inexplicable strength she had only experienced in Ahoratos—and she knew what she had to do. So she, too, squeezed through the doors and ran out after Levi and Brianna.

MEANING:
Have you ever felt like the Lord was asking you to do something that would require you, like Ivy, to break beyond the boundaries of safety and security? Maybe He is encouraging you to make friends with someone at school that no one else likes, or share the good news of the Gospel with the clerk at the grocery store, or (if you are a little bit older) teach a Bible study group even though you don’t feel like you could ever be a good speaker. Sometimes God’s assignments are daunting. In fact, most of the time they will be. But if you are willing to trust God, like Ivy trusted Ruwach, and follow Him wherever His assignment leads, He will take care of you, protect you, and empower you to complete the task.

Secret 1

Evan’s breastplate brightened, the orb spinning, churning out another message into the air before him:

Be strong and courageous. Do not be discouraged. Do not be afraid.

Another instruction he’d gotten days ago on his phone. He wished he’d paid more attention to it then. He would have been more prepared for this moment.

MEANING:
When Joshua was taking Moses’ place as the leader of the children of Israel, this is what God told him:

“Above all, be strong and very courageous to carefully observe the whole instruction My servant Moses commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you will have success wherever you go. This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to recite it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.” (Joshua 1:7–8, hcsb)

Notice that Evan had received this instruction several days earlier but hadn’t paid much attention to it at the time. It didn’t seem to apply to his life then. But now, he realized just how important it was. Sometimes this will happen to you as well. You might be listening to a Sunday school lesson or your pastor preach, or you might just be reading the Bible on your own, and you’ll come across a verse that seems important, but you aren’t quite sure why. It doesn’t seem to apply to anything you are currently facing. When this happens (and it will) assume that God is preparing you for something in the future and is giving you advice and artillery in advance so that you can be encouraged and have victory when the need arises. No word from God is insignificant. If He gives it to you, you can be certain that it will be useful very soon. So record it, remember it, and value it.

Secret 2

Ruwach’s hood nodded slowly. “His ways are mysterious. You may not always understand them. But there is one thing the Source does want you to understand with all your heart: through Him all things are possible. Even the most difficult things.”

MEANING:
Sometimes God asks us to do things that seem totally impossible. Or, He asks us to do something that we can’t make sense of. We have to remember that He knows the future. He already knows what will happen. He has already prepared the way for us, and He will equip us for whatever He is asking us to do. That doesn’t mean it will be easy, but with Him, it means it isn’t impossible.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not My ways.” This is the Lord’s declaration. “For as heaven is higher than earth, so My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8–9, hcsb)

I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13, hcsb)