2 Kings 13:14-19

Intro:

Joash the King of Israel came weeping and blubbering because at that time the enemy, (Syria) was greatly bothering Samaria, (God’s people). Not being able to stand it anymore. He came to the old aging prophet. This, in fact was the prophets’ last prophecy before dying. He said, “The chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof.” (Which was his way of asking, “Where is the protection of God when we need it most?”) Good question! If we are God’s people why is the enemy constantly attacking us? The prophet gave him a solution to defeat his enemy permanently. It is the same solution for you and me today.

1. Pick up Your Bow and Arrows:

This means you are going to fight. Some say, “God you promised me the victory, therefore, take this battle away. God has promised the victory, in 1 Corinthians 15:57. That guarantees that you will have to fight. How can you experience victory without a battle? Thanks be to God that he has provided everything needed. Pick up your weapons just as the king was told to do so. Our weapons are not carnal but spiritual. [2 Corinthians 10:4]

· Don’t get upset if someone else doesn’t fight your battle. It is your battle. Remember it is also your victory!

· The prophet put his hands on the king’s hands. That means that there will be someone to help you, lay hands on you, give you direction and instruction. That’s what church, preaching and other believers will do. They will help and agree with you, but make no mistake, you must be willing to take up your weapons and do spiritual warfare!

2. Open the Window Eastward:

Why did he ask him to open the window eastward and shoot an arrow in that direction?

· Because that is where Syria was! They were toward the east. God wants you to aim your attack at the enemy.

· Many believers fight, but they fight the wrong enemy. Your enemy is not your husband, wife, children, friends, boss, etc. Ephesians 6:10-13 says that we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against spiritual wickedness in celestial regions.

· If your enemy is human, remember he has flesh and blood. Therefore, he is not your enemy. Your battle is spiritual. Fight with spiritual weapons! When gossiped against, don’t gossip back.

· Love those that hate you, bless those that curse you, pray for those who dispitefully use you. Matthew 5:44.

· Romans 12:21: “Overcome evil with good”.

· The world says, “Fight fire with fire!” But true Christianity extinguishes fire with water!

· Aiming eastward for the King was to send his attack spiritually against his enemy. Toward the east was where his enemy was. This message will help you aim your Spiritual weapons against your enemy and really attack him where it hurts him most, in the Spirit.

3. Complete Victory:

The word of the Lord came through the Prophet. You will completely destroy your enemy! What a marvelous prophecy! That means you will have complete, victory. 100% victory!

· This is God’s will for you too. Complete victory, not half or partial victory. God desires you to live in complete victory from the enemy.

· Jesus himself fought and provided for this victory when he defeated Satan by dying on the cross and rising from the dead.

· When Napoleon defeated the Austrian army, he moved into the great palace of Schonbrunn and mounted two eagles, symbols of his empire, on each side of the main entrance. He was soon dislodged and the palace returned to Austrian hands. But the eagles looked so good there, nobody ever bothered to take them down. They are still there today. The devil has been defeated in the life of the believer, but it is possible we may still carry some of his insignia. If so, we ought to get rid of it at once.

· You have victory! That is God’s will for you! He paid for it, now you must take the arrows in your hands and live in that victory!

· The last battle of the American Revolution was the Battle of Blue Licks, fought at the stream that bears that name. It was a battle that should never have been fought, for it was fought after the war was over! News traveled slowly in those days. Blue Licks is in Kentucky, and there was no means of quick communication over the Appalachian mountains. No one knew the war was over. In that same way, Christ won the victory over evil at Calvary. Some are not aware of it. It’s up to us to let them know the good news!

4. Only Three Victories:

He asked the king to take the rest of the arrows in his hand and smite the ground. This was symbolic of his taking authority over his enemy. The arrows represent God’s authority over our enemy. (Psalms 7:13, Psalm 18:14, Psalm 45:5)

· The prophet told him to smite the ground with the arrows. Take God’s authority in your hand and smite the enemy with them!

· He smote 3 times and stopped! “Now you’ll only have 3 victories!” In other words, you won’t have complete victory. You’ll only have 3 victories.

· Smiting 3 times, and getting 3 victories means you get out of it what you put into it!

· First he said “You’ll have complete victory (completely defeat your enemy), and now he says only 3 victories.

· Did God change his mind? Was the prophet old and senile? Why did he change his prophecy?

5. He Held Back:

The scriptures say that he smote three times and stopped. That means he held back.

· “If you would have smitten 5 or 6 times. It is time to double our efforts! Don’t hold back if you want complete victory.

· Some people will never have complete victory because they hold back. What you put into it, you’ll get out of it.

· If you live a one, two, three, life, you’ll have a one, two, three, victory. If you want to completely destroy the attack of the enemy in your life and live in the 100% victory God desires for you, then Don’t hold Back!

6. Don’t Hold Back:

· In your giving: In remote poverty stricken area of Mexico a Pastor told me his people were challenged to sacrifice what they had to build a sanctuary to worship God. He asked a church member, “If you had two pieces of land would you be willing to give one of them?” “Yes”, answered the man. “If you had two tractors would you be willing to give one of them?” “Yes”, said the man. “If you had two houses would you be willing to give one of them?” “Of course”, answered the man. “If you had two cows would you be willing to give one of them?” “I don’t think so”, answered the man. “Why not?” asked the pastor. “Because I really do have two cows” answered the man.

· The other night in Garden Grove a lady put an offering in my hand and also bought a cassette. She came back about 20 minutes later and asked for it back with tears in her eyes. I assumed she really needed it more than I so I returned it to her. It was a 20dollar bill. When I gave it back she said, “I’m going to obey God and not miss out on my blessing.” With that she put a hundred dollar bill in my hand. God knows we needed it and it was an answered prayer.

· A wealthy man gave weekly a sizable amount of money to his church. A poor widow was a member of the same church. She worked hard to support herself and her six children. Her income was small She also gave regularly out of her scant earnings. One day the man said to the pastor: “The poor widow ought not to give anything to the church. I will increase my weekly contributions, adding the amount the widow has been giving on every Lord’s day.” The minister told the widow what the wealthy member had said he would do. Tears came to her eyes. She said, “Does he want to take from me the comfort I experience in giving to the Lord’s work? Think of how much I owe him! My health is good. My children keep well. I receive so many blessings that I feel I couldn’t live if I did not give my offering to Jesus each week!

· If you want complete victory in your finances, “Don’t Hold Back!” Not one, two, three, but four, five, six! In other words double your efforts! Go the second mile