OUR GOD MAY CHOOSE TO GO AGAINST THE STATUS QUO

“He (Elisha) went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD. And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm.
Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.” (2 Kings 4:33-35)

When we think of the unconventional manner in which Elisha was used by God to resurrect the son of the Shunammite woman, (2 Kings 4:33-35) we cannot help but conclude as with other incidents that the Most High God is master of every circumstance and therefore He may choose to act differently in situations which may be the same or similar and produce the same glorious outcome. With this in mind, we think of how some healings are straight forward in that someone lays hands on the sick and they are instantly healed whereas other healings may take time.
The way the Lord would choose to heal someone may be unusual or unconventional but the result manifests as would a “normal” healing process; a glorious testimony of the healing of God.
Some examples in scripture include when

I. Jesus spat on clay and placed it on the eyes of a blind man and he regained his sight (John 9:5-6)

II. Naaman had expected Elisha (2 Kings 5:1-12) to heal him in the way he approved of and felt was appropriate. As a man well esteemed in Aram, he was used to being elevated and had a great measure of self pride.

THE “NATURAL” MAN RESISTS OBEDIENCE
Naaman was offended that Elisha did not come to heal him by waving his hand on the spot where he had leprosy and calling on the name of The Lord, instead he sent a messenger to tell him to go and wash himself seven times in the Jordan.
Naaman was also offended by the choice of the river which was Jordan in Israelite territory. He initially refused to wash in the Jordan for he deemed it an inferior river in comparison to those of Damascus until his servant persuaded him to obey the prophet.

Naaman’s resistance was due to the fact that he judged by his natural mind; because of the debased value he attached to the river Jordan compared to the rivers of Damascus, he automatically concluded that the Lord could not or should not use it to heal him.
“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinth. 2:14-16)

This account shows us the dangers of resisting what God wants to do in our lives. Resistance occurs because people do not discern that He is at work as events taking place do not appear normal or they go against the status quo.

“Father we pray that you would grant us the gift of discerning of spirits, your wisdom and knowledge so that we would know when you are at work and also see things the way that you see them, in Jesus’ name Amen”

FAITH, PATIENCE AND TRUST IN A GOD WHO IS IN ABSOLUTE CONTROL
When the Shunammite woman and Elisha (2 Kings 4:8-37) arrived at her house after the servant, she discovered that despite the servant obediently laying Elisha’s staff on her son, he did not rise from the dead.
However she did not complain, she was a woman of faith and therefore had confidence in Elisha; after all did not the Lord give her this son through the prophet Elisha (2 Kings 4:8-16)? She also believed that God would revival her son through this same prophet which is why she hastily went to see him when he died.
The woman had faith in the man of God and served him and God made her fruitful, giving her a son, likewise as as we have faith in the Lord and serve Him, we are guaranteed to bear lasting fruit (John 15). As the Shunammite woman, we too must exercise our faith and be patient, trusting that the Lord will fulfill that which He has promised however long it takes.

“For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper [in the thing] whereto I sent it.” (Isa.55:10-11)
We praise God that He is a God of second chances who breaths life into all the “dead” areas of the life of His children.
“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” (John 8:12KJV)

You are blessed, determine to stay blessed.

Deborah Esther x

©Deborah E. Nyamekye 12/11/2015