Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

King David was no wimp or slouch. When it came to fighting his enemies he “stuck to his guns.”

Although he began his reign well, David’s predecessor, King Saul, did not have the patience and stickability to wait for the prophet, Samuel (1 Samuel 13:11). When Samuel eventually arrived, he said to Saul: “What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed . . . I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering." In other words, he did not stick to what God told him.

David did not learn stickability from King Saul, especially relating to God’s commands. Where did he learn bravery, tenacity, and stickability? If he learned it from his father, Jesse, how come his older brothers failed the test when they appeared before Samuel? They all had the same father.

God was not looking for the outward physical display of character traits. God was looking for a man who was “a man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13;14 and Acts 13;22).

It is possible to have a fine intellect, physical prowess, outward character qualities, and look like a great leader, but still not be what God looks for when choosing a king. God looked for a man after His own heart. He looked for a man who loved Him with all his heart. He looked for a man who would obey Him.

God wants a man who has stickability in his heart concerning the things of God.

David did not get the victory over the Philistine’s just because he had so much courage, bravery, and intellect. David was a deeply spiritual man.

David saw the giant defying the armies of the living God as a demonically inspired evil giant of war. He was insulting the God who David deeply loved. He looked past the bigness of the giant, because He knew His God was bigger. Listen to his faith in God as he challenges the giant:

“Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcasses of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel” (1 Samuel 17:45, 46).

David would have only been a quarter the size of the giant. Goliath was a physical giant, but David was a spiritual giant. We know which is more powerful.

As you read the Psalms of David, you see that he was a deep spiritual worshipper. He played anointed worship on his harp as he sang the songs God gave him. David also deeply loved the people of Israel and prayed much for them. I believe he learned to develop his strength of spirit out in the wilderness, watching over the sheep.

God always favors those who are large in spirit. The stickability of the flesh can never match the stickability of the spirit. A small stone slung from the sling of a young man who has his heart in tune with God will always hit its mark and destroy the evil giants of this world.

God’s arrows and stones require spiritual hearts to be effective and stick fast.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

The Lord wrought a great victory. All the other men of Israel fled the scene and only returned to pick up the spoil.

“His hand cleaved unto the sword.” Obviously, his hand had become so weary slaying the enemy that he was too weak to release the sword. Or possibly God supernaturally cramped his hand to the sword so that others had to pry his fingers loose.

No one can say that Eleazar didn’t have stickability. I think stickability was built into every fiber of his being. I am sure that Eleazar went home that night praising God for the strength, courage, and bravery that God gave him to slay so many Philistines.

I wonder how the other men of Israel felt as they began picking up all the spoils from off the dead corpses. The spoils would have included their battle shields, knives, swords, and money.

The men of Israel came back and get the spoils but Eleazar got the victory and fame for his valor. Eleazar got the respect of all King David’s men that day. No wonder he was one of the “three mighties.”

Men, we must teach our children that valor that comes through NEVER GIVING UP, NEVER QUITTING, STANDING FIRM, and having done all, to KEEP ON STANDING.

God is not in the business of raising wimps, retreaters, and children without stomach and backbone.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

1. The Son of God goes forth to war
A kingly crown to gain.
His blood-red banner streams afar;
Who follows in His train?
Who best can drink His cup of woe,
Triumphant over pain,
Who patient bears his cross below--
He follows in His train.

2. The martyr first whose eagle eye
Could pierce beyond the grave,
Who saw His Master in the sky
And called on Him to save.
Like Him, with pardon on His tongue,
In midst of mortal pain,
He prayed for them that did the wrong--
Who follows in his train?

3. A glorious band, the chosen few,
On whom the Spirit came,
Twelve valiant saints; their hope they knew
And mocked the cross and flame.
They met the tyrant's brandished steel,
The lion's gory mane;
They bowed their necks the death to feel--
Who follows in their train?

4. A noble army, men and boys,
The matron and the maid,
Around the Savior's throne rejoice,
In robes of light arrayed.
They climbed the steep ascent of heav'n
Thro' peril, toil, and pain.
O God, to us may grace be giv'n
To follow in their train!

Israel means “A Prince of God.” What an amazing name. Just think. There would be no Israel if Jacob had not the stickability to wrestle with the angel of the Lord all night long.

How we need men of this caliber of character today. Jacob was a wrestling prayer warrior who would not let go of the angel unto he received the answer he desperately needed. He knew that as he got closer to his homeland, he would have to face his angry brother, Esau (Genesis 27:41, 42).

The angel said: “As a prince hast thou power with God and with men.” One cannot have prevailing power over an army of 400 men that Essau had marching with him unless he first prevailed with God.

Immediately after the blessing “Jacob lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him 400 men.” Jacob knew that he would have been killed by his brother because he had stolen his eldest brother’s birthright and blessing. However, he prevailed over the anger of his brother and Esau’s heart melted.

Genesis 33:4 tells us: “And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.” What an amazing miracle, all because of Jacob’s stickability in wrestling prayer.

This incident teaches us that prayer can be a wrestling match. God the Father wanted His servant, Jacob, to prove himself to be a prevailing prince with God first, and secondly to prevail with man.

This was a generational blessing to all his future generations—that if in their time of need they would wrestle with God in earnest prayer they would prevail with God and man. This passage of Scripture has always been a tremendous challenge and blessing to me throughout my life.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

God’s arrows stick to the course. They are stickers, not quarters. They will never “throw in the towel” and like a wimpy boxer slink back to their corner of the ring.

If one arrows doesn’t fell the giant, they keep on shooting the “sticking fast” arrows. Eventually he will fall. Giving up is not a part of their vocabulary. Come hell or high water, God’s arrows will never give up.

Paul said in 2 Timothy 4:7: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.”

We read a sad Scripture in Psalm 78:9: “The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.” Ephraim was one of the main tribes of Israel. When Israel was divided, Ephraim represented the ten northern tribes and Judah represented the two tribes in Jerusalem.

Why would Ephraim do such a thing? Psalm 78:10, 11 gives us the answer:

1. “They did not keep the covenant of God.”
2. “They refused to walk in His law.”
3. “They forgot his works, and his wonders that he had showed them.”

These three things resulted in their inability to “stick fast” in the day of battle.

As parents, we must never quit imparting God’s truth to our children. If we quit, who else will fire the arrows of truth into them?

The whole church of God desperately needs a revival of “never-quitting, never-giving in, and never compromising” regarding daily family devotions. These are the times when arrows of truth penetrate into our sons and daughters. We must never be casual about this because our children determine the future of our nation, both morally and spiritually.

Remember Deuteronomy 6:6, 7 (AMP): “And these words which I am commanding you this day shall be (first) in your (own) minds and hearts; (then) You shall whet and sharpen them so as to make them penetrate, and teach and impress them diligently upon the minds and hearts of your children . . . “

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Numbers 33: 55, 56 (HCSB) says: “But if you don’t drive out the inhabitants of the land before you, those you allow to remain will become thorns in your eyes and in your sides; they will harass you in the land where you will live. And what I had planned to do to them, I will do to you.”

Do you realize that the kingdom for which we fight, shooting forth our arrows, is the kingdom that will eventually rule the whole earth?

We read in Daniel 2:1-49 of a dream the heathen king, Nebuchadnezzar received in the second year of his reign. Even though the king could not remember the dream, he knew it was very important, for his spirit was troubled and he could not sleep any more. Therefore, the king commanded his magicians, astrologers, sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dream.

After reasoning with the king concerning his unreasonable request to reveal his forgotten dream, the king became very angry. He then commanded all the so-called wise men of Babylon to be destroyed and their houses to be made a dunghill!

However, God showed Daniel, a Jew from Judah, the king’s dream as well as the interpretation, which saved not only his life and the lives of his three Jewish friends, but the lives and families of all the so-called wise man of Babylon.

We read part of the interpretation in Verses 44, 45: “And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, WHICH SHALL NEVER BE DESTROYED: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it SHALL STAND FOREVER. For as much as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain and the interpretation thereof sure.”

We notice that the stone, cut from the mountains without man’s hands, broke in pieces and consumed all the kingdoms represented in the image and became an everlasting kingdom.

We can be assured of this eternal truth that no matter how powerful, glorious, and wise the kingdoms of man may be, they will, without doubt, be broken and utterly destroyed by the kingdom represented by the stone, cut out of the mountain without hands.

This stone or rock is none other than Jesus Christ who is the “rock of ages (Exodus 33:22).” He is the rock upon which the He builds the church (Matthew 16:18). Jesus Christ is the rock on which those who hear His words and obey them will never fall (Matthew 7:24-27).

True believers are the arrows of this ETERNAL CONQUERING KINGDOM.

God’s arrows are meant to destroy ALL the enemies of Christ’s kingdom. 1 John 3:8 says: “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”

King Saul was way too casual with the explicit command of God regarding the Amalekites to “UTTERLY DESTROY ALL THAT THEY HAVE, AND SPARE THEM NOT” (1 Samuel 15:3).

Because he only obeyed partly, but did not destroy them all, God said to Saul through the prophet Samuel: “Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken that the ft of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king” (1 Samuel 15:22,23).

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Destroying arrows can only be launched through prayer. It is very important for all those who call themselves Christians to realize that the teaching of warfare in the New Testament is primarily spiritual. The only exception where physical warfare is permissible is through the righteous, judicial system of government. This is for the protection and welfare of the nation’s citizens’ rights and privileges.

All Christians are exhorted to be subject to the higher powers (Romans 13:1-7). Romans 13:1 tells us that governmental powers are ordained of God and verse 2 tells that we should not resist them.

However, we must resist them if they are acting unrighteously, yet we must use righteous means to do so for verse 4 says “for he beareth not the sword in vain.”

Spiritual warfare is to destroy spiritual forces that are behind all physical evil (1 Corinthians 10:4, 5). Spiritual warfare is also very effective in enabling physical warfare to win the victory.

Psalm 20:7 states: “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: bu we will remember the name of the LORD our God.”

The physical warfare our nation conducts in the battle fields of this world would be much more effective if we would do their part in spiritual warfare. We must put our trust in the name of the Lord our God. His name, when it comes to the battle, is the Lord of hosts “who is mighty in battle.”

Psalm 24:8, 10 says: “Who is the King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle . . . Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory.”

Psalm 33:16, 17: “There is no king saved by the multitude of a host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength. A horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.”

Spiritual warfare is primarily conducted through the avenue of prayer. This is why it is so extremely important for all Christians to engage in prayer. The devil who is the Christian’s arch enemy is not afraid of Christianity per se, but he is very afraid of praying Christians.

The devil is a spirit and the head of all demonic spiritual beings. We can only defeat him through spiritual warfare and this means we must learn the art of praying.

If praying is not a major part of our parenting, then we are setting our families up for failure. Why are families suffering the destructive influence of marriage failure? Because we have not learned how to pray effectively? Why are members of our families being dragged away from being spiritual arrows? Because we have not educated them in prayer.

Every time we offer up earnest, wrestling, fervent, persevering prayers against God’s enemies (who are also our enemies) the devil has to flee (James 4:7). It is only through taking a strong stand in prayer that our arrows will destroy him.

The question remains: will the 21st century Christian church, along with its families, take a strong hold of this truth?

Jeremiah 17:5-8: “Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. For he shall be like a heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.

“Blessed in the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruity.”

We only engage in the battle to defeat the enemy when we go to prayer. Prayer is our greatest means of resistance.

The difference between defeat or victory is how much did we pray?

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

I believe that God is not interested in parading His arrows so the world can see what amazing arrows He has in His quiver. No, the above Scripture speaks of active arrows. They are shooting arrows.

None of God’s arrows are for the purpose of ornamentation. I think a lot of churches are more interested in parading arrows rather than being on the front lines—shooting and destroying enemies.

How we love our magnificent church cathedrals with all their ornamental grandeur, our fine Sunday suits, hairdos, and dresses. The church was never meant to be a fancy dress ball (although sometimes today it’s like going to the beach!)

No enemies of the Lord have ever been, nor will they ever be destroyed by such a false representation of the Lord who is “mighty in battle.” The Lord of Hosts is His name. And this name means “the Lord of armies.”

Psalm 24:8: “Who is the King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.”

To be continued.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Added to this, there is a new brand of extreme leftists who will be involved in ruling the new democratic agenda. This will make it more difficult for the Republican White House and Senate to advance their more conservative agenda during the next two years.

Globalism, with its ideology of a one world socialist, progressive, communistic style government has already been approved by many nations of the world. They just wait for USA to ratify.

There is one problem. USA still has many people who do not support handing over the United States of America to a one world government. The extreme leftists of the Democratic party, plus some RINOs in the Republican party would gladly support this notion. However, our president is a pure nationalist and believes the United States of America should never surrender its sovereignty to any world governing body.

Prophetically, it is an advent that is going to happen (Revelation 13;1-18), but through the intense prayers of Gods’ people resisting the evil forces of darkness we can overcome. Daniel 7:1-8 appears to mean that the eagle (USA) may not be part of the new world order.

Apart from the above-mentioned fight for America, I sense we must fight for the spiritual lives of our homes and families and churches. I am becoming increasingly aware of the inroads the devil is making on many Christian marriages. We cannot let him have the victory.

Let’s take hold of the words in Nehemiah 4:14: “Be not afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.”

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

The following is a message from a dear friend of my wife and I, Patricia Holmes. She lived in a community near us and was part of our weekly prayer meeting. Many years ago, Patricia moved to serve the Lord Jesus Christ among the Indian people in the mountains of Panama, South America.

Financially it has been very challenging for her and she has many health problems, but Patricia is a fighter and will not quit, no matter what.

This lady hears from God and over the years has shared words she has received. I believe this message is powerful and right on the mark as to what God is saying. I believe with all my heart that 2019 is to be a year of intense spiritual warfare.

We must pray for our president with renewed zeal for there are many hyenas attacking him from all quarter. There is a big battle raging spiritually for the heart and soul of America. If we all pray, we could see the greatest breakthrough ever.

~ Colin Campbell

“I have long been a critter-lover. But there is one critter that I find to be disgusting, both in appearance and habits. I find no socially redeeming qualities in this creepy critter!

Recently, I saw a picture of an old lion sitting and surrounded by a pack of 20 hyenas . . . despicable hyenas! The lion was in real trouble, and he knew it. The hyenas had not yet attacked the lion, but they were closing in for the kill. To be sure, the lion would be able to take down a few of the hyenas, but what was left of the pack would take down the lion.

In his extremity the lion called out. Thankfully, another lion came to his aid. The hyenas knew that to attack two lions . . . they could do it but would lose many of their pack (an “unacceptable loss” to the pack). Instead, they withdrew and let the lions go.

I immediately thought of our president, Donald Trump . . . and the hyena pack surrounding him in Washington. No matter which way he turns, no matter what he does, the “pack” attacks him. Why? Because Mr. Trump is a Nationalist, and the “pack” are Globalists.

As I looked at the picture and learned of the arrival of the second lion (that rescued the first), I began to pray for Mr. Trump. I prayed that God will give him great wisdom and that God will send another lion to “cover his back.”

As I thought on this, I “saw” a mental picture (of sorts) of a group of lions surrounding the first two . . . and the hyenas backed further away. Then, in the picture I saw the circle of lions became flames . . . a wall of fire (the prayers of the saints?) around the old lion and his rescuer. The hyenas were (by
then) nowhere to be seen.

Dear ones, America is hanging in the balance. If the "Deep State" is able to take down Mr. Trump, it is likely that they will take down America too. After all, they're Globalists: their purpose is to bring about a New World Order (a one-world system), replacing the old system of nation-states. (As Angela Merkel recently said: "Nations must be prepared to give up their national sovereignty." Angela Merkel is a Globalist.)

Not long ago, this thought came to me (and I believe it was from Holy Spirit): "What they are now doing to Trump, they will do to you who are Christians." That is, relentless and unending enemy attacks from all sides!

Folks, we'd better get ready! We need to pray such that our prayers build a “wall of fire” (Zechariah 2:5) around the President, and around each other! We better live in a state of continual repentance and drawing close to God. Daily, daily, daily. And we'd better pray as if our nation depended upon it.

It does!

~ Patricia Holmes * This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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