Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust the Lord with all our heart and lean not on your own understanding, but in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight

Main Point: If we want to see total victory in our lives, it starts with engaging God and obeying Him.

2 Kings 13:14-19 Now Elisha had been suffering from the illness from which he died. Jehoash king of Israel went down to see him and wept over him. “My father! My father!” he cried. “The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” 15 Elisha said, “Get a bow and some arrows,” and he did so. 16 “Take the bow in your hands,” he said to the king of Israel. When he had taken it, Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands. 17 “Open the east window,” he said, and he opened it. “Shoot!” Elisha said, and he shot. “The LORD’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram!” Elisha declared. “You will completely destroy the Arameans at Aphek.” 18 Then he said, “Take the arrows,” and the king took them. Elisha told him, “Strike the ground.” He struck it three times and stopped. 19 The man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck the ground five or six times; then you would have defeated Aram and completely destroyed it. But now you will defeat it only three times.”

Engagement: To allow all spheres of a person’s life to be completely aligned right beside God.

Obedience: To hear and to act accordingly.

Victory: To overcome or win in a competition or struggle over an opponent or difficult problem.

1. The Bible tells us that king Joash grabbed the bow, he grabbed an arrow and shot the first arrow out the window (v. 14-17). He did the first part right.

2. Joash hears the word of the Lord: that he will have total and complete victory over Syria by obeying God’s word and striking the ground with his arrows.

3. The Bible mentions that after three times king Joash stops shooting and the prophet Elijah gets angry with him!

King Joash was given a word that required both engagement and obedience. He needed to fully participate in what God was saying in order to obtain complete victory!

God desires our engagement with Him.

King Joash would only receive partial victory because of his partial obedience.

Another example is found in King Saul’s disobedience.

1 Samuel 15:22 Obedience is better than sacrifice.

“Saul’s partial obedience and limited engagement gave him short-term victories, but lost him his legacy.” – Pastor Trevor

King Joash should have kept on shooting his arrows and striking the ground! It wasn’t his job to figure out the logistics, it was his job to obey and engage!

The victory was not just for Joash, but for his kingdom and his legacy

Jesus the Example: What would have happened if in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus Christ chose not to obey?

Do you want total victory or partial victory in your life? That will depend upon you total or partial obedience.

First, we need to engage with God. The Bible encourages us to actively and fervently seek God. To Till the ground by remaining in prayer! Don’t stop just because you don’t get the answer you want or you don’t see immediate results. He is not giving out microwave-responses; God is asking for fervency-continual prayer and seeking. This is not a one-time event, but a lifestyle.

Secondly, obey. Practicing what God is saying in His word. When God is telling you what to do, are you doing it?

If you want to see a life-change, it starts with a daily response! Example, If you want to get physically stronger, it starts with less processed food, better food choices, and working out. The same goes with living obedient lives; start by engaging God daily.

The Challenge:
1. Engage God (prayer, word, worship-getting to know the Lover of your soul).
2. Obey God (What has God asked of you? Are you doing that?)
3. Lifestyle of Engaging and Obeying will bring about Victory (Victory is not just conquering the enemy, but seeing God’s Will and purpose fulfilled in your life).

God wants not only to give us complete victory, but to give our legacy victory.