Ecclesiastes 10;10 (NET): “If an iron axhead is blunt and a workman does not sharpen its edge, he must exert a great deal of effort; so wisdom has the advantage of giving success.”
The Living Bible states it simply: “A dull ax requires great strength; be wise and sharpen the blade.”
In other words, if the woodsman’s axe blade is blunt, he must use a lot more strength to cut through the wood. If the arrows are blunt, the bow will need to be much stronger.
Blunt weapons are a problem to God because they cannot inflict maximum damage to the enemy’s kingdom. Hebrews 4:12 says: “For the word of God is quick (alive), and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
There is no problem with the sharpness of God’s Word. However, the one who speaks it must be skilled and sharp to speak it forth. 1 Timothy 3:2 says that a bishop or elder must be capable or able to teach the Word.
In 1 Samuel 17 we read how King Saul and all his army fled before the taunting giant, Goliath. Both morning and evening, for 40 days, the giant presented himself. There was no one in all of Saul’s army who was physically or spiritually strong and sharp enough to take on this giant and defeat him.
However, God has in His quiver a spiritually sharp young man. The spiritual man of strength will always supersede the natural man of strength.
Goliath was the best the devil could offer, but David was the best that God could offer. The devil sharpened Goliath, but God sharpened David. And we know the end of the story!
People who are spiritually sharp will always win. The Christ that is in us is by far shaper than any devil in the world.
2 Timothy 2:15: “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
God will always choose a spiritually sharp arrow over a blunt one, even if the blunt one looks bigger or better.
Fathers, we must make sure that our whole family (each one of our children) are trained in spiritual warfare. Each one of us face many giants as individuals and families. I do too.
Let’s all be wise and sharpen the blades of our arrows.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell