A Polished Shaft
Every member of the Body of Christ has the potential to be used as a mighty instrument in the hands of God. We are His vessels on the earth to be used for Kingdom authority. This requires less of our will and much of His will to be effective. The weapons of the world cannot even be compared to ours, which “are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds” of the enemy. (II Corinthians 10:4).
It is through God that we become mighty vessels for Kingdom use. He shapes and forms us as we yield to His will. “And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hide me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me; (Isaiah 49:2). We must remember as we have become sons of God, we are continually in a process, “with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (II Corinthian 3:18). The transformation requires the changing of our outward as well as inward parts into another by the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit.
The key to this operation is the ability to give up your will for the perfect will of the Father. Remember He is the Creator and we are His creation. He is the potter and we are the clay formed out of the dust of the earth. “Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold He wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.” (Jeremiah 18:3-4). The marred vessel is our entrance into the world in which sin has increased since the fall of Adam. The acceptance of Jesus as Lord and Savior, allows the Master potter to reform and shape the clay.
We are His work in His hands to be made into whatever He needs for the work of the Kingdom. A note of caution for those who assume that you cannot be used because of whatever may have occurred in your past or even present. You may have been marred and ruined, but you were still in His hands. The word says that it “seemed good to the potter to make it again another.” The same clay, same person, reformed and molded again with a difference known to the potter, yet to be revealed to the world. It is a pleasure to God to remake you for His purpose as you yield to the forming process of His hands. Polishing requires hand movement with friction bringing about a smooth gloss or shine. If it is good to Him, who is El Roi, the God who sees me, does it really mater what and how the rest of His creation thinks?
As you meditate on Isaiah 49:2, think about the instrument, which is dual. The finished work is a polished shaft, but also a shard sword. The work for the polished shaft begins with the mouth. Think and visualize an arrow, with the tip as the mouth. This is the part that will enter first. The authority of God is in the mouth of the Believer. Take the letter “s” off of the word sword and you become a sharp word! Speaking the word with power and authority demonstrates the power of God in you and the ability to operate in the supernatural level. See the Word of God as arrows in your mouth being shot at the enemy!
Becoming a polished shaft requires that you do not speak the word of the enemy. His words are a deceptively attractive device used as a mechanism to entangle you, preventing your effectiveness in warfare. “Thou are snared with words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.” (Proverbs 6:2). The enemy uses your mouth to speak against yourself and not against him because he knows the power of the word of God in your mouth more than your do! He knows who you are and your role in the Kingdom. Let God fill your mouth with the ammunition that is needed to pierce the darkness of the enemy for his defeat. “Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it.” (Psalm 81:10).
Fire is also a necessary component for forging the tip of the polished shaft. “And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the Lord and his hands full of incense beaten small, and bring it within the veil.” (Leviticus 16:12). This is the part where your mouth is processed for submission to God, as it is the most effective and creative tool. In Isaiah 6:1-7, when Isaiah was in the presence of the Lord behind the veil, the first thing that he was concerned about was his mouth. A live coal was laid on his lips to cleanse him for service. Jesus is the high priest that will take you before the Lord behind the veil to be hidden in His quiver.
All of the necessary preparations are being made for you to be used by God to shoot you at the enemy. Elisha used arrows as a prophetic example in II Kings: 14-19, to demonstrate a strategy of the Lord’s deliverance for His people. You must smite the enemy until he is consumed and defeated. Be bold, fierce, and persistent with no hesitation in warfare. The attempts of the enemy are not futile, but focused to “steal, kill, and destroy.” (John 10:10). If God has you hidden as a secret weapon in development resting in His quiver to be used at the appointed time, strike suddenly and continuously for a swift victory.
“But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded. So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: all that see them shall flee away.” (Psalm 64:7-8 KJV).
But without hesitation the True God will shoot at them; His arrow willsurely wound them.
He will use their very own words to bring them to destruction; all who see will be appalled at what happens to them. (The Voice)
©
2006
