No Weapon

This is a topic I touched on in "Gift of Faith" but wanted to expound upon it in this post.

"No weapon formed against you shall be able to prosper..."(Isa 54:17)

This is a verse that I constantly heard, read, seized upon during the multiple seasons of illness. It was supposed to encourage me, give me faith to know that these light and momentary afflictions were indeed producing in me a weight of glory that far surpasses them all (ref. 2 Cor 4:17) That, though outwardly I was wasting aways, inwardly I was being renewed day by day and that the good plans the Lord had for me would come to pass. (ref. 2 Cor 4:16; Jer. 29:11) However, following this last "crash", I started to wonder. Despite the prayers and faith, my problem still remained. The above verse is a promise from the Lord to His Children. If it's a promise, then the faithful God, is supposed to keep it, right? It sure didn't look like that in my situation. So, knowing the Truth of God's Word, I had to take a closer look at this verse.

In context, it reads:

" 'Behold, I Myself have created the smith who blows the fire of coals and brings out a weapon for its work; and I have created the destroyer to ruin. No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their vindication is from Me,' declares the LORD. " (vs 16-17)

In other words, God is Sovereign. He is in charge of the destroyer and the black smith. He has the last say. If the destroyer has come against His servant, God has the final word. And His word is that the weapons formed against His servants will not prosper; that is their right, their heritage, and God's promised vindication. "Well, that's great, Lord." I said, a little flustered at the seeming inconsistency between this verse and my life, "But I am still dealing with my problem. I keep getting sick and it sure looks to me like this weapon is prospering." Then He showed me something. Look at the verse again.

"No weapon formed shall be able to prosper..."

Prosper means: "to be successful or fortunate; thrive; flourish; grow stronger." What God's promise is that the weapons formed will not be able to "succeed, thrive, flourish, or grow stronger" in preventing you from doing all that God has called you to do. He does NOT say, that the weapons will not be formed, or that the weapons formed will go away. In fact, Jesus promised that we would have trouble in this world. (ref Jn 16:33) However, God is saying that these weapons will not succeed in defeating us or preventing us from being all that God has called us to be.

In personal application, I may be dealing with health limitations in this season of my life, but these illnesses will not prevent me from becoming all that God has destined me to be. He has used these illnesses to direct my steps, to sit at His feet and learn of His ways, to receive His comfort so that I may, in turn, comfort others who face their own seasons of suffering. Sure, these afflictions have hindered me from doing all that I have wanted to do, but they will not prevent me from doing all that God has called me to do.

If you are facing some seemingly endless messes or trials; take heart. These weapons formed against you will not be able to prosper-prevent you from doing what God has destined you to do. They may be there, and they may rear their heads more than once...but they will not thrive in their purposes. Rather the Lord's purposes for their presence will thrive in the directing, shaping, and empowering of you, His Servant, making you more than a conqueror in Christ Who gives you strength. (ref. Rom 8:37; Phil 4:13)