About ten years ago as I was praying, I had an intense vision of sorts. I have had very few of these since becoming a Christian almost thirty years ago. As I was standing praying, suddenly I found myself plunged beneath a river and lying on my back on the river bed as the waters ran over me. The water was not deep, it covered my face by just a few inched but it was fast flowing and I was lying on the river bed which consisted of small smooth stones. I immediately panicked and held my breath thinking I was going to drown. I could not get up, but right away the Holy Spirit told me to “breathe.” Against all reason and with fear in my heart, I opened my mouth and took a breath and found that I could breathe.

Without any words, the Holy Spirit conveyed to me that these were the waters of life and that I had to submit to these fast flowing waters. They would, over time, take all the rough edges off me and I would become like the smooth stones upon which I lay. Only over time has it been possible to see the full picture of what the Lord was doing and showing me. The waters were the circumstances of life, the trials and tribulations that come upon us, the testings of our faith, the obstacles and the refining fires that forge us and shape us into useful weapons of righteousness in the hands of the Lord.

In 1 Sam chapter 17 we see the encounter that David has with Goliath. David was only a young man but even by that time he had been working for many years. And over those years as a shepherd boy he had encountered many wild animals that sought to kill and destroy the flock over which he had been called to watch over. He had proven himself loyal and faithful to his calling and in the course of events he had even killed a lion and a bear with the help of the Lord his God. David could not have known he was being prepared for this day and the days to come when he would become king.

When David announces that he would fight the giant, the world attempts to equip David by giving him the finest set or armor available, the kings own armor. David knows right away that these weapons of war were carnal and they would do him no good in the coming fight, he had no idea what to do with these weapons. Instead David goes to the river and takes five smooth stones from the riverbed. These stones were David’s weapons of righteousness. One of these stones would kill what was probably the foremost warrior in all the world. A simple stone from the riverbed becomes a weapon would take down the most formidable foe.

Right now as we speak, God is preparing a remnant army. They are not being prepared for war in any conventional sense. Maybe you can relate to the trials and the testings of life that has taken the rough edges from your life. You have been shaped by circumstances. God Himself, the sovereign Lord of all is trying you and testing you. Many times you have wondered what it has all been about. You might look back at your life and think “was it all worth it, I seemed to have achieved very little.” Can I encourage you today saints, God knows. He knows how to assemble an army that marches on its knees. He knows how to hone a weapon of warfare that is not carnal but mighty in the realms of the Spirit, able, in the right hand, His hand, of taking down seeming invincible enemies. You are His smooth stones and you must wait patiently in the river for the day that God has chosen for the army to arise. The day is coming. The enemy has been arrayed on the battle-field. Can you hear his loud boastings? Can you hear his army laugh and ridicule and scorn? On the other side of this battle God is raising up a fearless, indignant army who will overcome by the Blood of the Lamb, the word of their testimony and most importantly, because of their love and passion for God, they loved not their lives unto death. 

When Joshua, that great warrior of Israel, miraculously passed over the river Jordan he ordered 12 stones to be taken from the dry river bed. These were undoubtedly smooth stones. They were arranged in a circle and called Gilgal. This was a reminder and a monument to the miraculous. Every time these smooth stones were seen the people would know that they worshiped a mighty miracle-working God who would go to any lengths to deliver His people. God is now raising up an army that in and of itself will testify to the fact that God is a miracle-working God who takes the foolish things of this world and He uses that to overcome the might and the those who are wise in their own estimations. Praise the Living God today.