As believers we should not be concerned as to whether or not the Word of God is going to work in our situation. Yet we do it all the time. Why? Evidently we sometimes doubt the Word because we have not placed our confidence in it, and perhaps that comes from a lack of experience or employment. We haven't employed it enough to build reliance upon it.
There are many reasons we can find ourselves in a mental and spiritual state of not being 100% sure that our weapon is going to work. How confident are we that the Word is going to work in our situation? Have we allowed the Word to prove itself faithful? Have we proven ourselves faithful to it? Maybe we ought to make a new bumper sticker: "The Word of God, don't leave home without it." We try a lot of different means, particularly in our American culture. I'm going to go out on a limb here, but I'm going to say it anyway. We act as though we have no need of God. It's almost like, "I've got this, God." Many times we don't express a need for Him until we find ourselves at the bottom of a hole, and then we want to cry out to Him. Meanwhile, we can't figure out why He will sometimes let us dig our own way out of it. Why? Because we think we deserve instant gratification or instant success.
Our foolishness gets us to the bottom of the pit, but we're expecting God's mercy to somehow land on us. We think that God might even throw us a lifeline; let us call a friend, or even worse, do an audience poll! Oh yeah, that's a good one, rely on the audience.
How familiar are we with our weapon, the Sword? Eleazar mastered his by constant use. I want to encourage you to use the Sword! Use your weapon! Put the Word of God to work in your life. I am sure that this warrior practiced with his sword for hours on end. It's kind of like shooting a weapon. I did not realize how bad a shot I was until I picked up a gun after not firing one for some thirty or thirty-five years, and I couldn't hit a target! It was embarrassing. I couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. Now God did give me some gratification while up at Moravian Falls. I had my son and my grandson up there with me. And Tony said, "Papa, I bet you can't hit the cap off that bottle across the pond over there." So I whirled around, shot the pistol, and knocked the cap right off it. I think God did that just so I could impress my grandson. That was total mercy; it had nothing to do with my ability.
Eleazar was very acquainted with his weapon. He knew how the sword would cut; he knew how much force was required to swing it. He knew how to use it both defensively and offensively. He was comfortable with the sword. The sword had essentially become an extension of his arm. So the question is: How familiar are we with our weapon? The Word of God . . . is it an extension of our lives? Do we know it well enough to have unflinching confidence in it? How much do we truly trust the Word of God for healing, deliverance, provision, or anything else? The Bible is God's Word to us, and God is not a man that He should lie, nor a man that He should repent. He said it, and it is true, and it is to be trusted by those who call themselves by His name.
No matter how many times you hear me say it, I realize that I can't convince anybody. It's not my job. Preachers think that they're anointed to be in the convincing business. I learned a lesson years and years ago in ministry. I would try to persuade people to get saved. I soon came to the realization that I couldn't persuade anybody to get saved. It requires revelation that can only come by the Holy Spirit. And God wants to reveal to us, not only our need for the Word, but revelation regarding that Word so we can truly walk in victory in every realm of our lives. It's not just coming into church and shouting "hallelujah," even as precious and priceless as that experience is.
Are we experiencing the presence out there? I've been working really hard this week, and I've been saying to Him, "Lord, it is so awesome that I can experience Your presence right here. With all of this going on around me, and boom, there's Your presence. And as I'm talking to God, I'm aware that His presence is just as real out there as it is in our church.
I'm going to stop here for now, but I have a bit more that I want to share regarding "The Weapon of the Lord in our Hand." I'll wrap up this topic in a few days. As a believer, be sure to pursue becoming even more acquainted with your weapon: the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God.
~ PG
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