FAILURE OF A BLUNT CUTTING EDGE
By : Ng Wah Lok
Text : 2 Kings 13 :14-21
Introduction.
We lose our cutting edge when we become comfortable in our Christian life. Our lives become blunt and ineffective. We drift along instead of aiming for God’s goals. King Joash was such a man.
We have lost our cutting edge when you :-
1. FAIL TO UNDERSTAND THE SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING
FAITH IS THE DARING OF THE SOUL TO GO
FARTHER THAN IT CAN SEE
2 Kings 13:17 Then Elisha said “Shoot”; and he shot. And he said, “The arrow of the Lords deliverance and the arrow of deliverance from Syria; for you must strike the Syrians at Aphek till you have utterly destroyed them”
a) The arrow speaks of the Lord’s deliverance.
b) Striking speaks of striking Syria.
c) East – Syria was east of Israel
d) Shooting the arrow – faith must be followed with action.
Examples :
- Asian 1997 economic crisis
- 9/11 terrorist attacks
- Second Iraq war
-
We need to see with the eyes of the Holy Spirit what God is doing. Many are only seeing with natural eyes.
2. FAIL TO CAPITALIZE ON A GOD GIVE OPPORTUNITY
OUR DESTINY IS NOT DETERMINED BY
FATE BUT BY FAITH
2 Kings 13:18,19 The he said “Take the arrows”; so he took them. And he said to the king of Israel. “Strike the ground”, so he struck the ground three times, and stopped. Then 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”.
a) v14 – Elisha had become sick with illness of which he would die.
This is probably one of his last prophecy and miracle. There would be no further opportunities from this prophet.
b) Elisha was a great prophet and miracle worker.
c) Elisha was called “The chariots of Israel and their horse man”.
Opportunity has been described as a bald headed man with a lock of hair in the front. If you don’t grab it as it approaches, you can’t grab it at all.
Examples of lost opportunities:
First Iraq war – America missed the chance of totally defeating Saddam Hussein.
Israel’s promise land – missed because of belief in the 10 spies.
Missed opportunities to serve God ? Back sliden for many years ?
Opportunities for missions when door are opened ? eg. Cambodia ? China ? Nepal ?
Do not criticize when you do not understand. It is better to seek God for his revelation otherwise we could be judged for all the careless words we speak.
Eg. Israel remained silent while marching around the walls of Jericho.
3. FAIL TO CAPTURE THE ANOINTING OF THE MAN OF GOD.
2 Kings 13:21 and when the man was let down and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet.
Even after his death, there was a residual anointing on his body. Such was the anointing on Elisha’s life.
While Elisha was alive and ministered around King Joash, he did not capture or understand the degree of the anointing on Elisha. Many times, Christian miss out when great men of God are around. They miss the blessings these men could bring.
RESULTS OF A BLUNT CUTTING EDGE - 2 Kings 6:1-7
2 Kings 6:1-5
6:1 The company of the prophets said to Elisha, "Look, the place where we meet with you is too small for us. 2 Let us go to the Jordan, where each of us can get a pole; and let us build a place there for us to live."
And he said, "Go." 3 Then one of them said, "Won’t you please come with your servants?" "I will," Elisha replied. 4 And he went with them. They went to the Jordan and began to cut down trees. 5 As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron axhead fell into the water. "Oh, my lord," he cried out, "it was borrowed!"
2 Kings 6:5 But as one was cutting down a tree, the ax head fell into the water, and he cried out and said, “Alas master, For it was borrowed”.
In this passage, we see a group of prophets trying to build a house with a blunt axe. They were cutting down a tree.
a) The place is too small – v1
b) Make a place where we may dwell – v2
c) The ax head fell into the water – v5
d) For it was borrowed – v5
If we are spiritually blunt, the following can happen to us:-
a) We will remain small ( v1)
b) We will never have enough ( had to borrow – V5)
c) We will work hard but have little results ( house was never built – v5)
It is our responsibility to sharpen our spiritual axe head, otherwise, we will be swinging away ineffectively in our ministries. God has given us gifts but we must maintain our spiritual lives so we remain spiritually sharp.
Ecc 10:10 If the ax is dull, and one does not sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but wisdom brings success.
Conclusion.
Are you living in a spiritual cutting edge ?
Fail to understand – Don’t’ See it !
Fail to Capitalize – Don’t Say it !
Fail to Capture – Don’t Seize it.
When we are in a spiritual cutting edge, we will See it ! Say it ! Seize it !
