March 21, 2017 WWJWMTD By Otis and Sue Davis
The Principle of Sharpening
A prophetic & theological word from Otis & Sue Davis
"The Israelites had to go to the Philistines to get their plows, hoes, axes, and sickles sharpened”.— 1 Samuel 13:20 gntd
We are engaged in a great war with the Philistines of evil. Every weapon within our reach must be used. Preaching, teaching, praying, giving, all must be brought into action, and talents which not thought to serve as weapons, must now be employed. Plow points, hoes, axes, and sickles, may all be useful in slaying Philistines; rough tools may deal hard blows, and killing need not be elegantly done, so long as it is done effectually.
Each moment of time, in season or out of season; each fragment of ability, educated or untutored; each opportunity, favorable or unfavorable, must be used, for our foes are many and our force is small in size. Most of our tools want sharpening; we need quickness of perception, tact, energy, promptness, in a word, complete adaptation for the Lord’s work. Practical common sense is a very scarce thing among the conductors of Christian enterprises. We might learn from our enemies if we would, and so make the Philistines sharpen our weapons.
This morning let us determine to sharpen our zeal during this day by the aid of the Holy Spirit. See the energy of our enemies, how they travel the sea and land to promote their evil. Are they alone to exhibit patience and self-sacrifice? Observe the prince of darkness, how persevering in his endeavors, how unabashed in his attempts, how daring in his plans, how thoughtful in his plots, how energetic in all! The devils are united as one man in their infamous rebellion, while we believers in Jesus are divided in our service of God, and scarcely ever work together. By Satan’s diabolical industry we may learn to go about like good Samaritans, seeking whom we may bless! (March 2, AM from Spurgeon’s Morning & Evening, Electronic Database. Copyright © 1997, 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)
“All things work together for good, for those who love God and are called according to his purpose.” John 8.28 Even our enemies do us good, because often we do not do until we are adequately motivated, energized which sometimes only our enemies provide. We prepare, plan, train, develop strategy and tactics, sharpen our weapons, oil our shields, work to strengthen ourselves—Most importantly draw close to the Lord, learn of him, know him, ask him —we can do nothing without him, but with him all things are possible. He can use anything and anybody; even the jawbone of an ass or the talking ass.
By being connected to the true vine; abiding in him we are in the life flow producing healthy ripe fruit in season. We engage our god given “Sound Mind” 2 Timothy 1.7 in searching, seeking, thinking, asking, and finding creative solutions for meeting the challenges and opportunities ahead. Coming In —-Abiding in Peace, rest, Joy, re-charging, and then wanting to go out. Going out to engage, to fight the Battle with others being united thru Christ and living the Word of God. We are satisfied when things change, then new issues arise, dynamic comes, but we are able to continue to overcome evil with good with Holy Spirit by the Word and the authority of Christ.
Christ’s authority –We enter on this through yielding to the authority of Christ. The essence of the eternal life is not endless existence. That might be a curse rather than a blessing. This is eternal life — to enter into the light and freedom and blessedness of a true knowledge of God as He is revealed in Christ. It is the life of the spirit which can never taste of death.
God has given His Son authority to win us by love, not to sway us by force. "Knock and it shall be opened unto you." Matt 7:7; Luke 11:9. There is the knocker. Now, when we go to God and plead the name of Christ, its means that we plead the authority of Christ, that we ask of God as though we were in Christ’s stead, and expect Him to give it to us as if He were giving it to Jesus and like Jesus such requests must be in accordance with the Father as in John 5:19 “So Jesus answered them, “I tell you the truth; the Son can do nothing on his own; he does only what he sees his Father doing.”
Pleading the promise gives such a knock at the gate of heaven that must be opened in God’s perfect timing and will. The great knocker is the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Biblical Illustrator Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2006 Ages Software, Inc.; Biblesoft, Inc. (Written by Otis and Sue Davis)
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