The apostle Paul likened our life as Christians to that of soldiers engaged in hand-to-hand combat. Of course, the war we fight is spiritual, not literal. Even so, our enemies are real. Satan and the demons are skilled warriors with vast experience. At first glance, our prospects may seem bleak. Young Christians in particular may appear to be vulnerable. How can they hope to win against superhuman, wicked spirit forces? The fact is, young ones can win, and they are winning! Why? Because they “go on acquiring power in the Lord.” But they do more than draw on God’s power. They are dressed for battle. Like well-trained soldiers, they have “put on the complete suit of armor from God.” (Eph. 6:10-12) When developing his illustration, Paul perhaps had in mind the armor worn by Roman legionnaires.​—Acts 28:16. w18.05 27 ¶1-2

Jesus’ story showed that a Samaritan could teach the Jews the meaning of true neighborly love. (Luke 10:25-37) To fulfill their commission, Jesus’ disciples needed to conquer the pride and prejudice they had. Before ascending to heaven, he assigned them to bear witness to “all Judea and Samaria, and to the most distant part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) Jesus had earlier prepared them for such an extensive assignment by drawing their attention to good qualities in foreigners. He praised a foreign army officer for his outstanding faith. (Matt. 8:5-10) In his hometown of Nazareth, Jesus spoke of how Jehovah had favored foreigners, such as the Phoenician widow from Zarephath and the Syrian leper Naaman. (Luke 4:25-27) And Jesus not only preached to a Samaritan woman but he spent two days in a Samaritan town because of the people’s interest in his message.​—John 4:21-24, 40. w18.06 10 ¶10-11

As you advance toward Christian maturity, you will find that principles become more important to you. That is because laws may apply to a specific situation, whereas principles are far broader in application. For example, a young child does not understand the dangers of bad associations, so a discerning parent will set rules to protect him. (1 Cor. 15:33) But as the child matures, his thinking ability develops, and he is able to reason on Bible-based principles. Thus, he can increasingly make wise decisions in choosing his associates. (1 Cor. 13:11; 14:20) When we reason on godly principles, our conscience increasingly becomes a more reliable guide, attuned to God’s thinking. Do we have everything we need to make wise decisions that please Jehovah? Yes. By making skilled use of the laws and principles found in God’s Word, we will be “fully competent, completely equipped for every good work.”​—2 Tim. 3:16, 17. w18.06 19 ¶14; 20 ¶16-17

When faced with frustrating situations or recurring personality conflicts, do we control our lips and our temper? (Prov. 10:19; Matt. 5:22) When provoked by others, we need to learn to “yield place to the wrath.” Whose wrath? Jehovah’s wrath. (Rom. 12:17-21) If we keep looking to Jehovah, we will show him due respect by yielding to his wrath, patiently waiting for him to take action when he deems it necessary. To do otherwise and avenge ourselves in some way would be tantamount to disrespecting Jehovah. Do we faithfully follow the latest directions that Jehovah has given us? If so, we will not rely on always doing things the way we have done them in the past. Rather, we will be quick to follow any new direction that Jehovah provides through his organization. (Heb. 13:17) At the same time, we will be careful that we “do not go beyond the things that are written.” (1 Cor. 4:6) In so doing, we keep our eyes fixed on Jehovah. w18.07 15-16 ¶17-18