Double Edge Sword or Double Barreled Shotgun?

“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”  Hebrews 4:12

I went shooting the other day with my brother.  I brought some of my own targets.  He had lots of weapons to choose from.  Small and powerful.  Big and daunting.  Light and heavy.  Big bullets, little bullets. 

It was interesting that no matter which weapon I chose, as long as I aimed straight and didn’t waiver, the bullet would hit it’s mark and the target would be destroyed.  Sometimes it took just one shot, other times it would take more than one shot to blow the target into tiny pieces.  Lots of times I missed and had to re-group, re-aim and re-shoot(can you re-shoot?).  I did find that I was frustrated when I missed the target or couldn’t hit it.  I would hand the gun to my brother and tell him to shoot it! HA!  He’s a better gunman than I am.

Later that night I contemplated our quick trip to the back country.  I remembered the verse above about the word of God being a double-edged sword and I kinda liked thinking about the word of God being like a double barreled shotgun.  I was in Rambo-woman thought mode and talked to Jesus about how cool it is to think of HIS very word, being like the shotgun I handled today! 

Just like that Shotgun, the word of God is quick and powerful!  It doesn’t waste time getting deep into the soul of a person and rearranging stuff.  Blowing up what isn’t needed anymore and creating room for new life to grow!   It is powerful!!  The Word of God, this double edge sword or double barrel shotgun, is powerful to blow up strongholds, it can open your eyes wide up, it can enter where no other sword can and make a critical dissection.  It divides the soul and the spirit.  The Soul and its habitual prevailing habits, it brings down pride and bestows humility.  It can do some damage.  That Shotgun word of God can really mess things up, in a good way!  Everything that is shot with it can be obliterated.  And just like the shotgun you may need a couple rounds to get the job done.  You may even need to take a break and re-aim. There are even times when you might need to get someone in your life that’s a better gunman to help out.  The word of God is alive and active but sometimes it takes another person to help you sort it out!

And the best part is that it doesn’t matter what form the word of God comes in, it can be a little bible, a little voice, a big word on the side of a barn, or a small whisper…..no matter what it does what it was sent to do!  It does not return void!

God spoke BIG BIG to me with this Shotgun verse a month ago, maybe it will do some good damage to you as well….

2 Chronicles 20:17  You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you