The Old Weapons Still Work

The Old Weapons Still Work

“And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”

(Acts 2:42)

In 1 and 2 Samuel we find the story of Saul and David.  David, anointed the next king of Israel by the prophet Samuel, had been asked by his father to check on his brothers in battle.  Arriving there, he quickly surveyed the humiliating situation between the people of God and the Philistines, (and their Goliath).  Realizing that there was a great cause (I Samuel 17:29), he fights and defeats the giant.  This great feat was done with a slingshot and just one smooth stone.  He rushed and cut off the head of the giant using Goliath’s own sword.

“…But there was no sword in the hand of David.  Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith…” (I Samuel 17:50-51).

David’s victory, and popularity among the people, caused Saul to become very jealous.  Women would come out of the cities of Israel and sing and dance meeting King Saul.  To his surprise, they would sing to one another, “Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.”  This caused Saul to be very angry and displeased.  He said, “…what can he have more but the kingdom?”  Saul eyed David from that day forward.  (I Samuel 18:6-10)  All of the people loved David.  Saul understood that the Lord was with David (I Samuel 18:28) and knew that the Lord was not with himself (I Samuel 18:12).  This could mean only one thing, that the Lord was going to replace him and give the throne to David.  Saul’s jealousy, as cruel as the grave, increased until David had to flee for his own life.  He actually could have stayed and used the strength of popularity to fight against Saul.  However, David would never touch the Lord’s anointed.  Thus, he decided to run for his life.  After making a covenant with his best friend, Jonathan, he departed.  David ran to a priest and told him, “The king hath commanded me a business…” (I Samuel 21:2).  In his haste of leaving Saul, he realizes that he doesn’t have any weapons.

Some Time Later

“And David said unto Ahimelech, And is there not here under thine hand spear or sword?  For I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king’s business required haste.  And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of Elah, behold it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod:  if thou wilt take that, take it:  for there is no other save that here.  And David said, There is none like that: give it me.”  (I Samuel 21:8-9)

When David was offered the sword of Goliath he gladly took it.  He knew that there was none like it.  He had a task to do and the king’s business does require haste.  This business will require weapons.  It is good to know that the old weapons still work.

Many Years Later

Many years later another king-to-be was hidden in the house of God for six years.  He had been saved from the massacre of Athaliah as she jealously destroyed all of the seed royal.  This young boy was only seven years old when he began to reign.  The captains were given David’s swords and spears. They used these weapons and installed the rightful king to the throne.

“And the captains over hundreds did the priest give king David’s spears and shields, that were in the temple of the Lord.  And the guard stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, round about the king, from the right corner of the temple to the left corner of the temple, along by the altar, and the temple. And he brought forth the king’s son, and put the crown upon him, and gave him the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands and said, ‘God save the king’”  (2 Kings 11:10-12).

From this story we see that the old weapons still work!

We are also in a battle between good and evil.  Our battle is not with flesh and blood, but with principalities and powers.  Our enemy is not a man, but the devil, with his army.  “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”  (Ephesians 6:12)

Our weapons are not spears and shields but spiritual weapons: “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.”

(2 Corinthians 10:3)

These spiritual weapons were hidden in the temple of the Lord when Jesus won the battle for the control of our heart.  Our mission is to cause the devil to flee, advance the kingdom of God, and reveal Jesus Christ as the King of Kings. Once again, we see that the old weapons still work.

We know that the entrance requirements to being part of the army of the Lord are found in Acts 2:38. Through repentance, baptism in Jesus’ name, and the infilling of the Holy Spirit, we have been enlisted as a good soldier, able to endure hardness (II Timothy 2:3-4).

What are some of the old weapons that still work?

q  Prayer

Acts 1:14; 3:1; 6:4; 10:31; 12:5; 16:13; 27:33; Ephesians 6:18; I Corinthians 7:5; Colossians 4:2

q  Fasting

Matthew 17:21; Acts 10:30; 13:2-3; 14:23; 27:33; I Corinthians 7:5; Esther 4:16; Isaiah 58:5-6.

q  Boldness

Proverbs 28:1; Acts 13:46; 9:26; 4:29-31;

Hebrews 4:16.

q  Humility

Acts 20:19; 3; Proverbs 15:33

q  Praise and Worship

Joshua 6:20; 2 Chronicles 20:19-22;

Acts 2:47; 16:25

q  Unity

Psalm 133:1; Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; Mark 3:25;

Acts 4:24

q  Gifts of the Spirit

Acts 8:5-7; 26:18; I Corinthians 12-14

q  Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Isaiah 59:19; Acts 1:8

q  Blood of Jesus

Acts 20:28, 1 John 1:7

“I plead the blood of Jesus!”

q  The Name of Jesus

Acts 3:6,16; 4:7,10,17-18; 4:12; 16:19;

Colossians 3:17

q  Word of God

Hebrews 4:12; Ephesians 6:17; Acts 4:31; 8:4.

q  Hearing the Spirit

John 16:13; Acts 8:29; 10:19; 16:7; 21:4.