Victory is an Intentional Thing

Daily Scripture Threshing for Today, Saturday, August 30, 2025

Today's Text: 2 Kings 13:14-19

Key Verse: 2 Kings 13:19 (NLT): "And the man of God was angry with him, and said, 'You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck down Aram until you had destroyed it! But now you will strike Aram only three times.'"

The text of our meditation today is set during the reign of King Jehoash of Israel, who ruled from approximately 798 to 783 BCE. The biblical account describes Jehoash's encounter with the prophet Elisha, who was nearing the end of his life. It was no doubt a never to be missed apostolic and prophetic encounter between Elisha and the king. And each destiny encounter comes with specific instruction.

The instruction for Jehoash was to shoot an arrow out of the window, symbolizing God's deliverance and victory over the Arameans. However, his (king Jehoash's) half-hearted attempt, shooting only three arrows and stopping, is seen as a reflection of his limited faith and incomplete obedience, which resulted in a limited victory for him and the nation he leads. As the Spirit's searchlight focuses us on this passage, God is calling our attention to the place of intentional faith and perfect obedience in receiving His full blessings and promises.

Imagine you've been given a powerful tool to overcome a major obstacle, but you only use it partially, or with a half-hearted effort. The results you get are limited, not because the tool was flawed, but because your action was lacking. King Jehoash was given a divine blueprint for victory but failed to fully execute it.

This story is here for our example: so that we may be reminded that God's promises are often tied to our intentional and persistent actions. Jehoash, the king of Israel, was given two specific, symbolic instructions. First, he was told to shoot an arrow out the east window, declaring it the "arrow of the Lord's victory." The second command was to take the remaining arrows and strike the ground. The king, however, only struck the ground three times and then stopped, indicating lack of perseverance and partial effort.

Ask yourself: if my actions today were spiritual import of faith, would they pass for impartial effort, or would they result in a partial victory? Victory for all God’s people isn't a passive waiting game; it's the result of our intentional partnership with God's plan, power and program. Jehoash's half-hearted obedience led to a partial victory. He followed the instructions but lacked the zeal and faith to see the task through. We often find ourselves in a similar position, doing the bare minimum in our spiritual walk. God gives us His Word and His Spirit to guide us, but we must fully engage with them to see the fullness of His promises. Are you holding back in certain areas of your life, or are you satisfied with a limited victory when God desires to give you a complete one?

We have heard the saying: actions speak louder than words. Yes, whatever we do in pusuance of God are physical manifestation of our faith. Stopping a few strikes reveals Jehoash's underlying doubt and limited expectations. Isn't his lack of perseverance symptomatic of our lack of faith also? When God gives a command, we are called to act with bold faith, not with the weakness of human skepticism. How you respond to God's word in your life is a direct measure of your faith in prophetic words.

Our limited efforts have far-reaching consequences. They affect not just us, but our entire generation. His failure to fully obey God limited the number of victories God had planned for him and entire nation of Israel. Our actions and choices, or lack thereof, can have a ripple effect. Are you limiting God's work in your life and the lives of those around you because of a lack of courage or perseverance? Our faith isn't just a personal matter; it can impact our community and our nation.

Persistence and perseverance are vital to our journey of faith. The spiritual consequences of Jehoash's response underscored the importance of seeing a spiritual task through to its conclusion. The king should have continued striking the ground until the prophet told him to stop. In our own lives, we must learn to persist in faith. As we commit to daily praying, we are striking the ground with unwavering persistence, and we will not give up after just a few half-hearted attempts. We are persuaded that full victory requires persistent effort and an unshakeable faith in God's promises.

Action Steps: Examine your life for areas where you're holding back from full effort. Identify where you've been settling for partial victories. Ask God for the faith and perseverance to go all-in with His commands. Pray for the courage to act boldly and consistently on His promises, knowing that your intentional efforts can bring about lasting and complete victory.

Quote for the Day: "Victory isn't given; it's claimed through intentional action, persistent faith, and complete obedience to God's commands." (Simon Olatunji #quotablequote)

Let Us Pray: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the promise of victory. Help me to be a person of intentional action and unwavering faith. Forgive me for the times I've settled for partial victories due to my lack of perseverance. Strengthen me to strike the ground with boldness and to partner with You for complete triumph in every area of my life — in Jesus's most glorious name. Amen.

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Thank you for being part of this journey. For additional reading on today's meditation, read: Matthew 7:7, Luke 18:1-8, and Romans 12:12.

With all my love and prayers,

Rev Simon Wale Olatunji, Ph.D.

Your Darling Bishop (DaBishop)

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