Shoot Your Arrows of Victory
Now Elisha had been suffering from the illness from which he died. Jehoash king of Israel went to see him and wept over him, "My father! My father!" he cried, "The chariots and horsemen of Israel!"
Elisha said, "Get a bow and some arrows," and he did so. "Take the bow in your hands," he said to the king of Israel. When he had taken it, Elisha put his hands on the king's hands. "Open the east window," he said, and he opened it. "Shoot!" Elisha said, and he shot. "The LORD's arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram!" Elisha declared. "You will completely destroy the Arameans at Aphek."
Then he said, "Take the arrows," and the king took them. Elisha told him, "Strike the ground." He struck it three times and stopped. The man of God was angry with him and said, "You should have struck the ground five or six times; then you would have defeated Aram and completely destroyed it. But now you will defeat it only three times."
2 Kings 13:14-19
Elisha said, "Get a bow and some arrows," and he did so. "Take the bow in your hands," he said to the king of Israel. When he had taken it, Elisha put his hands on the king's hands. "Open the east window," he said, and he opened it. "Shoot!" Elisha said, and he shot. "The LORD's arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram!" Elisha declared. "You will completely destroy the Arameans at Aphek."
Then he said, "Take the arrows," and the king took them. Elisha told him, "Strike the ground." He struck it three times and stopped. The man of God was angry with him and said, "You should have struck the ground five or six times; then you would have defeated Aram and completely destroyed it. But now you will defeat it only three times."
2 Kings 13:14-19
This is a rather fascinating story in Scripture. Elisha was dying from an illness but the awesome power of God was still working through him. Elisha had been invaluable to the kings of Israel, telling them whenever the Arameans planned to attack them including their battle plans. But he was about to die and the king of Israel was already lamenting that Elisha was no longer going to be there as "The chariot and horsemen of Israel."
But Elisha wanted to secure some divine assurance of victory for the king over his enemies, even after his death. He gave the king the opportunity by asking him to strike the ground. The king struck only three times and he stopped. Elisha was angry because he knew that a great opportunity had been missed to secure total victory by Israel over Aram.
There is an insight which is easy to miss: As children of God, every earthly victory we attain is secured first in the spirit realm. That arrow through the east window was directed at the territory controlled by the Arameans. It wasn't just an arrow shot without purpose. It was a symbolic spiritual act that was to precede the actual physical battle that was to take place later.
By the same token, striking the ground with the arrow was a spiritual act that had to precede the actual battle to be fought later. The king's moderate enthusiasm, as shown by his striking the ground only three times, caused Elisha to be angry. Elisha was angry because a great opportunity had been passed on! Striking the ground numerous times and forcefully would have signified that the king wanted total defeat over his enemies.
It is interesting that God asked Joshua and the Israelites to march around the wall of Jericho seven times. That seemingly "foolish" order, secured the victory for Israel even before they entered Jericho to fight physically.
God's dealings with His children has not changed. Every victory we secure in the earthly realm is first secured in the heavenlies because Scripture tells us that we have been blessed with every blessing in the heavenly realms through Christ.
Whatever situation you face on earth must be tackled with massive prayer and faith in the spirit realm. Tackle it with intensive prayer, the word of God, and faith. Spend time to knock your problems and "opposition" down mercilessly in the spirit realm before you even step out to take any "earthly" measures. Shoot your spiritual arrows of faith and strike your spiritual arrows of victory numerous times and the earthly path to victory will be made easier.
But Elisha wanted to secure some divine assurance of victory for the king over his enemies, even after his death. He gave the king the opportunity by asking him to strike the ground. The king struck only three times and he stopped. Elisha was angry because he knew that a great opportunity had been missed to secure total victory by Israel over Aram.
There is an insight which is easy to miss: As children of God, every earthly victory we attain is secured first in the spirit realm. That arrow through the east window was directed at the territory controlled by the Arameans. It wasn't just an arrow shot without purpose. It was a symbolic spiritual act that was to precede the actual physical battle that was to take place later.
By the same token, striking the ground with the arrow was a spiritual act that had to precede the actual battle to be fought later. The king's moderate enthusiasm, as shown by his striking the ground only three times, caused Elisha to be angry. Elisha was angry because a great opportunity had been passed on! Striking the ground numerous times and forcefully would have signified that the king wanted total defeat over his enemies.
It is interesting that God asked Joshua and the Israelites to march around the wall of Jericho seven times. That seemingly "foolish" order, secured the victory for Israel even before they entered Jericho to fight physically.
God's dealings with His children has not changed. Every victory we secure in the earthly realm is first secured in the heavenlies because Scripture tells us that we have been blessed with every blessing in the heavenly realms through Christ.
Whatever situation you face on earth must be tackled with massive prayer and faith in the spirit realm. Tackle it with intensive prayer, the word of God, and faith. Spend time to knock your problems and "opposition" down mercilessly in the spirit realm before you even step out to take any "earthly" measures. Shoot your spiritual arrows of faith and strike your spiritual arrows of victory numerous times and the earthly path to victory will be made easier.
Prayer: Lord, I thank you for the provision you have made in the heavenly realms for my earthly needs and battles. Please help me to effectively utilize the spiritual resources I have. Amen.
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