A Half-Hearted Effort
The Bible tells the story of a certain King who was instructed to open his window and shoot his arrows into the open ground just below, as a declaration of victory over the enemies of his nation. He shot a total of three arrows, which secured the certain victory of three future battles for his people.
This seemed like great news, something to be celebrated indeed! Instead, he was criticized for his lack of faith, for having shot only three, instead of five or six arrows. The Bible doesn’t say how many arrows were in his quiver – whether he failed to empty it, or whether he shot his three and was admonished for not picking them up and shooting them again. Nor does it tell us why he failed to shoot more arrows – whether for lack of hope, or for weariness and despair.
But either way, there is lesson we can learn from his mistake.
In truth, I believe his was a mistake we often make in our own lives. When we ask God for the things we need, we tend to only see our immediate need, and therefore seek only temporary and immediate relief. But hidden within our need is a greater blessing, a bigger prize to be won. Instead of winning just a battle, God desires to grant us victory over the entire war.
Take Up Your Weapons
Consider the arrows in your quiver to be the promises of God, and determine in your heart to shoot them all. Don’t just empty your quiver, releasing the ones within your reach, but go back and remember the ones you’ve already released. Pick them up again, and send them out once more into the open space before you.
Grab a notebook or a sticky note pad and scribble every promise you can think of. Begin declaring them out loud, especially in the face of worry or fear or the threat of defeat. Believe God for a greater victory than you can sense right now!
And ask God to expand your vision. Instead of just praying for your family to be rescued from some sin or danger, ask for all the families around you. Ask for the families of future generations to be set free from whatever is plaguing yours in this hour. And with your asking, declare His Word over not just your own heart, but every heart that God wants to bless through you.
This is a Biblical pattern we can trust. God blesses the one to be a blessing to the many. Your victories are meant to impact multitudes. The unfolding of that blessing is up to God. But the faith to secure the blessing has been entrusted to you, and your arrows.
Too Much To Lose
The victories Joash secured weren’t just for himself. Neither was the greater victory he lost just a personal loss. A nation suffered for his failure to see beyond the immediate need and temporary relief he sought.
Let’s not make the same mistake, friends. Let us take up our promises, aim them at the open spaces which lie beyond our own little worlds (and quite possibly beyond our own ability to see – which makes it a matter of faith and not sight), and watch expectantly to see what God will do with such faith.
Together, we can make a world of difference as we believe God for more, and release the spiritual weapons He has given us. Don’t stop short! There is much to lose if we do, but there is much more God wants us to gain, if we will only shoot!
So take your aim, and draw your strength from the One Who promises to be and to give all we need today. Women of God, arise and release what has been entrusted to you. Let’s let our arrows fly into the lies and threats and attacks of the enemy, declaring that it is God’s Word and God’s favor over us which will stand. His Word will be the last Word over every situation we are facing, and we won’t stop until we see it accomplished!
She Dances Over Graves 