Whatever It Takes

As athletes we have all been there.
One last set.
One last rep.
One last sprint.
We have been busting our butts all workout and are minutes away from being done.
So of course, we go hard and finish strong.
We push out that last set of squats.
We run that last 100 meter sprint with everything we got.
We embrace the moment of doing whatever it takes to prepare ourselves for future victories.

Or do we?

As athletes we have all been there.
One last set.
One last rep.
One last sprint.
We have been busting our butts all workout and are minutes away from being done.

So we question if this last set of squats really matter.

I mean jogging on this last sprint really won’t make a difference.
So we sell ourselves short, we don’t finish strong, we fail in preparing ourselves for future victories.

II Kings 13:14-19 is the of story of a king who didn’t finish strong. A king who was content with having partial victory instead of full victory. A king who was not willing to do whatever it took to win.

The Prophet Elisha was sick and about to die, when King Jehoash came to visit him crying out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” Jehoash was scared because Israel was in trouble, they were facing being overtaken. So out of fear, he comes asking Elisha for help.

Elisha instructs him, “Get a bow and some arrows”. So Jehoash grabs a bow and some arrows. “Put your hand on the bow” and Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands. “Open the eastern window”. Jehoash opens the window. “Shoot!” Jehoash shoots an arrow. Elisha said, “This is the Lord’s arrow, an arrow of victory over Aram, for you will completely conquer the Arameans at Aphek.” Then Elisha told him, “Now pick up the other arrows and strike them against the ground”

King Jehoash took the other arrows and struck the ground.

Bam!

Bam!

Bam!

Three times and stopped.

Seeing this, Elisha became angry and says “You should have struck the ground five or six times! Then you would have beaten Aram until it was entirely destroyed. Now you will only be victorious three times.’’

Elisha never told Jehoash how many times he needed to strike the ground. So maybe Jehoash thought, I already shot the arrow and Elisha said that it was “the Lord’s arrow of victory”, that’s got to be good enough. I really don’t need to strike the ground that many times. We already won, right?

Maybe the striking the ground with the arrows represented Jehoash’s faith, and the fact he came up short showed his lack of faith in God and fully defeating Aram. Whatever his thinking was, it cost him. It cost him Israel’s future freedom.

If Jehoash wanted to see true victory he should have struck the ground with the arrows until his arms fell off, until there was a hole in the ground where he was striking, or until until the arrows broke. Wanting to see complete victory means doing whatever it takes, not just doing what’s asked or what’s comfortable, but going beyond.

How do we apply this to our life? Ask yourself these questions…

What is my Aram? The area of my life where I am wanting complete freedom and victory. Am I content with only seeing small wins in this area? What am I willing to do to see true victory? Is my lack of faith holding me back? Am I willing to go beyond what’s comfortable to see God move in my life?

Life was never intended to be easy, we are to fight daily for the freedom and calling God has given us. Whatever you may be facing, don’t stop striking. It’s going to be hard, heavy, tiring, and draining but there is complete victory on the other side. Seek God like never before, let Him drive your faith to finish strong.

So when life throws that last set your way.
That last rep.
That last sprint.
Take a deep breath, trust the Lord, and don’t stop striking.

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Written by: Ramses Larobina
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Countdown 

3 Instant Joys

• Tacos
• Fried catfish
• Seeing other people winning in life

2 Hobbies

• Fishing
• Cooking

1 Favorite Verse or Passage 

• I Kings 18
• Psalms