Isaiah 49:2, 3: “And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me; And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”
Men, when it comes to being sharp swords we have to endure the grinding or we we remain blunt. Discipline and trials are all part of the grinding.
Ecclesiastes 10;10 states: “If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength.” The Living Bible paraphrases it: “A dull axe requires great strength; be wise and sharpen the blade.”
No one in any successful business wants to hire someone who is inefficient, does not know what they are doing, and who does not have a sharp edge about their conduct. How can we offer our great God and King our lives as blunt axes and swords? Can God use blunt swords in this day of battle? I do not think so. Revelation 19:15 says of Christ: “And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations.”
Moses had to go to the back side of the desert for 40 years to be sharpened (Exodus 2:15 and Acts 7:30).
Israel had to go through the wilderness for 40 years before they were sharp enough to fight and win the battles of the Lord in the land of Canaan.
Our walk with God on this earth is really a boot camp to sharpen us up for the time when we will conquer and win the entire earth under the leadership of Christ in His millennial reign (1 Corinthians 6:2, 3).
Men, we must not only sharpen ourselves, but teach our children these truths lest they remain blunt.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell