Striking Arrows

Are you familiar with this Bible story?

Elisha had become sick with the illness of which he would die. Then Joash the king of Israel came down to him, and wept over his face, and said, "O my father, my father, the chariots of Israel and their horsemen!" And Elisha said to him, "Take a bow and some arrows." So he took himself a bow and some arrows. Then he said to the king of Israel, "Put your hand on the bow." So he put his hand on it, and Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands. And he said, "Open the east window"; and he opened it. Then Elisha said, "Shoot"; and he shot. And he said, "The arrow of the LORD’S deliverance and the arrow of deliverance from Syria; for you must strike the Syrians at Aphek till you have destroyed them." Then he said, "Take the arrows"; so he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, "Strike the ground"; so he struck three times, and stopped. And the man of God was angry with him, and said, "You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck Syria till you had destroyed it! But now you will strike Syria only three times." (2 Kings 13:14-19, NKJV)

King Joash held back. The man of God commanded him to strike the ground with his arrows and he held back. He didn’t think of victory, he thought of restraint. Civility, perhaps. A tame response. Elisha rebuked him.

This morning God told me to “strike some arrows” in regards to my writing. I won’t share the details, but suffice it to say He showed me what to do and as I was about to only give a little, He opened my eyes and directed me to give everything I had and then pray over what I gave.

Is there an area in your life that you’ve been waiting for victory on? That you’ve prayed about again and again? Watch for the opportunity to “strike arrows” and when it comes:

~ Discern it as the opportunity that it is.

~ Follow through above and beyond restraints.

~ Pray over your response and God’s follow-up.

~ Rejoice. God trusts His servants with opportunities like this!

~ Watch for victory!

Don’t be afraid to strike those arrows. Victory is yours when you do.

Annette