In 2020, through many hardships and trials, God taught me to pick up Five Smooth Stones…
In a previous article I wrote about Five Giants that were slayed by King David and his team. Before slaying the Giant Goliath with one smooth stone, David actually picked up FIVE SMOOTH STONES…
In this article, I want to share with you what these Five Smooth Stones represent to me at this time in my life and ministry…
From an early age I felt a strong call to ministry. I’ve always felt that God called me to work in the extension of His Kingdom through making disciples, developing leaders and planting churches
Through engaging this work, I and team members have been in many battles and sometimes lost skirmishes and team members along the way…
I’ve always had a clear sense of ‘what to do’…which has come through a keen sense of listening to God first thing in the morning, journaling and writing down prophetic words given by others
I’ve also had a strong sense of urgency that has come in relation to prophetic words that came repeatedly about A Coming Wave; that we have a 10-15 year Window of Opportunity between 2010-2025 to ‘Work While It’s Still Day’ in Britain and Europe in relation to Disciple & Church Multiplication Movements arising in the harvest (see more on this HERE)
However, it’s not just about ‘what we do’ but ‘the way in which we do it’ as outlined in my previous article on Carrying the Presence of God
That’s when, after a period of working at full speed modelling, training and sending out workers into the harvest to multiply disciples and churches, literally everything in my life and ministry fell apart!
God then led me to what he allegorically described to me as Five Smooth Stones…
In my life, theses 5 Smooth Stones that God was telling me to pick up represent:
-HUMILITY
–GENTLENESS
-KINDNESS
-COMPASSION
-PATIENCE
When things go wrong in my life, or in my relationships, whether that be with my wife or with fellow team members…when we steer off course in relation to preparing for and riding The Great Wave, rather than doing what Uzzah did when he reached out his hand to steady The Ark of God’s presence in his own strength (see previous article), I endeavor to pick up and launch these Five Stones…
As Jesus said, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone”
And like the apostle Paul, I acknowledge that I am in fact; the worst of sinners! So if I throw any stone in response to an unstable situation, or giant opposition, I want it to be one of the 5 Smooth Stones that David; a man after God’s own heart, gathered in his pouch (1 Samuel 17:40)
The Apostle Paul mentions three of these five stones in Ephesians 4:1-2
‘Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of our calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.’
In view of his calling as an apostle, preacher and teacher to the Gentiles, Paul took up those three stones and called others to do the same.
However, Paul goes further in the Book of Colossians where his language progresses from that of being called to being chosen. It is here he outlines all 5 Smooth Stones;
‘Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience‘ – Colossians 2:12
A friend said to me recently; ‘That sounds like a very practical expression of God’s love’, and I suppose it is!
What’s your response to unstable situations and strong opposition?
Will you join me by carrying these Five Stones around with you in your pouch?
