In times of battle, modern-day warriors would surely choose a machine gun with heavy ammunition over a sling and a stone. But spiritual warriors would do well to adopt the mindset of a slinger.
While the enemy is throwing fiery darts and his puppets are slinging mud on the saints, Davidic warriors who know when to worship and when to run to the battle line are slinging stones and defeating every foe. Indeed, the Bible highlights the warfare ministry of the slingers over and again, and demonstrates the power of the sling.
In a season when the spirit of assassination is working through believers to backbite, accuse and otherwise tear down, the Lord is calling the slingers to arise and face down giants in the spirit. These giants include slander, offense and sabotage, but the slinger can take out any foe the Holy Spirit leads them to battle.
Pick Up Your Slingshot
You’ve probably seen a slingshot. It’s essentially a forked stick with a rubber band. It does not look imposing or intimidating when compared to other battle gear. But it packs a punch–especially when the Holy Spirit’s power propels the stone toward the giant.
David could have faced down Goliath with a full coat of armor but he chose the sling and the stone. I don’t believe it was only because he hadn’t tested Saul’s armor. I believe it was because David was so dependent on God that he didn’t feel the need heavy artillery to take down his enemy. David knew His God was stronger than the Goliath. For all Goliath’s empty threats, David defeated him with a sling and a stone (1 Samuel 17:50)
Of course, slingers need spiritual accuracy. David understood who his enemy was before he ran to the battle line. He was accurate in spirit and accurate with his slingshot. Many warriors today lack accuracy in discerning the real foe and the weaponry demanded to defeat them.
Our aim is to rise up in the spirit of the warriors in Judges 20:16: “Out of all these people there were seven hundred specially chosen men who were left-handed, all of whom could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.”
A Company of Slingers Arising
We know one can put 1,000 to fight and two can put 10,000 to flight (see Deut. 32:20). With that concept in mind, it’s important to understand the power of slinger companies in battle.
When the kings of Israel, Judah and Edom went to battle against the Moabites. First Kings 3:25 tells us, “They demolished the cities, and on every good piece of land every man threw a stone and filled it with stones, and they stopped every spring of water and cut down every good tree. Only in Kir Hareseth did the stones in the wall remain, until the slingers surrounded it and struck it.”
When you go to battle, take the whole armor of God. Take the sword of the Spirit (see Eph. 6). Understand the weapons of your warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God to pull down strongholds (see 2 Cor. 10:4). And don’t forget your sling.
Remember the king’s winning strategy in 2 Chronicles 26:14: “Uzziah prepared for the entire army shields, long spears, helmets, scale armor, bows, and slings for stones.” And when you can’t defeat your enemy along, call for the slingers to surround him.