By Joyce Braganza
2 Kings 4:14-35. So he asked Gehazi, “What can I do for her?” Gehazi replied, “She has no son, and her husband is old.” Elisha told him, “Ask her to come here.” So he did so and she came and stood in the doorway. He said, “About this time next year you will be holding a son.” She said, “No, my master! O prophet, do not lie to your servant!” The woman did conceive, and at the specified time the next year she gave birth to a son, just as Elisha had told her. The boy grew and one day he went out to see his father who was with the harvest workers. He said to his father, “My head! My head!” His father told a servant, “Carry him to his mother.” So he picked him up and took him to his mother. He sat on her lap until noon and then died. She went up and laid him down on the prophet’s bed. She shut the door behind her and left. She called to her husband, “Send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, so I can go see the prophet quickly and then return.” He said, “Why do you want to go see him today? It is not the new moon or the Sabbath.” She said, “Everything’s fine.” She saddled the donkey and told her servant, “Lead on. Do not stop unless I say so.” So she went to visit the prophet at Mount Carmel. When he saw her at a distance, he said to his servant Gehazi, “Look, it’s the Shunammite woman. Now, run to meet her and ask her, ‘Are you well? Are your husband and the boy well?’” She told Gehazi, “Everything’s fine.” But when she reached the prophet on the mountain, she grabbed hold of his feet. Gehazi came near to push her away, but the prophet said, “Leave her alone, for she is very upset. The Lord has kept the matter hidden from me; he didn’t tell me about it.” She said, “Did I ask my master for a son? Didn’t I say, ‘Don’t mislead me?’” Elisha told Gehazi, “Tuck your robes into your belt, take my staff, and go! Don’t stop to exchange greetings with anyone! Place my staff on the child’s face.” The mother of the child said, “As certainly as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So Elisha got up and followed her back. Now Gehazi went on ahead of them. He placed the staff on the child’s face, but there was no sound or response. When he came back to Elisha he told him, “The child did not wake up.” When Elisha arrived at the house, there was the child lying dead on his bed. He went in by himself and closed the door. Then he prayed to the Lord. He got up on the bed and spread his body out over the boy; he put his mouth on the boy’s mouth, his eyes over the boy’s eyes, and the palms of his hands against the boy’s palms. He bent down over him, and the boy’s skin grew warm. Elisha went back and walked around in the house. Then he got up on the bed again and bent down over him. The child sneezed seven times and opened his eyes.
Avoid Occasions & People That Give Rise To Negativity: In 2 Kings 4:14-35 we read about the Shunammite woman’s test of faith. She holds in her arms the corpse of her only son when she sends word to her husband in the field that she’s in urgent need of a donkey and a servant that she may quickly go to Elisha the man of God. Her response that ‘it is well’ to her husband’s query as to why she wants to visit the man of God for it is neither the New Moon nor Sabbath reveals the character of this woman. She was so unlike any other ordinary woman who in such extremely difficult times would have first sought the comfort of her husband. She was strong both emotionally and spiritually and knew that only God was the answer, the comfort and strength that she desperately needed at this hour. She did not look for trivial human comfort but went straight to the Lord for help fully knowing that God was able to change situations. Later when Gehazi, Elisha’s servant meets her on the way and inquires if all is well with her, her husband and son, again she confidently replies, “It is well.” She does not allow her emotions to betray her faith. This woman truly knows the ways of God and things in the spiritual realm.
In Job 22:28 it is written, ‘you shall declare a thing and it shall be established for you and light will shine in your path.’ Again Proverbs 18:21 says ‘death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love its use will eat its fruit.’ This woman did not give any room for any negative conversation about her situation. As many times as she was asked about herself she only calmly replied “It is well.” She knew fully well, that nothing was well with her because her only son lay dead at home and she also knew very well that words carry the power of life and death. So she was careful to not let emotions rule over faith because she dared to believe that as she declared she will also see if she does not waver in her confession.
We learn this important lesson in Hebrews 10:35-36. ‘So do not throw away your confidence (by expressing how you feel), because it has great reward. For you need endurance in order to do God’s will and so receive what is promised.’ The Shunammite woman held firmly on to her confession of faith without wavering knowing that it has great reward for without endurance in doing God’s will it’s impossible to receive His promise.
The same might be your situation and maybe everything has reached a dead end, yet as the Shunammite woman dared to confess that ‘it is well’ even though your heart might scream that nothing is well, sing with me…. It is well in the name of Jesus, it is well in my life today.
Do Not Worry: Anxieties, doubts and fears avail nothing good but more grief shutting doors for divine intervention and opening doors to constant demonic intervention. Therefore, Jesus said in Matthew 6:31-32, “So then, don’t worry saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For the gentiles pursue these things, but your heavenly Father knows that you need them.” Anxieties, doubts and fears come from the devil. It is Satan’s key that he gives to us to open the door of our lives to him and it strongly opposes faith. Therefore, Jesus commands us not to be afraid or worried, but to believe. Fear brings grief whereas faith brings the glory of God.
Again in John 14:1, Jesus says, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in Me.” In Luke 18:1 Jesus said, “Men ought to pray always and never lose heart.”
Apostle Paul instructs us in Phil. 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Again he instructs in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 to ‘Always rejoice, pray unceasingly, in everything give thanks. For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.’
It’s a common saying in the world – ‘easier said than done!’ Truly these things seem to be easy to teach and preach and we have all heard it several times. But these are not just empty sayings therefore, we must practice it every day so that in hard times it becomes as natural as breathing to live it.
Living His Word: Let’s dissect Philippians 4:6-7 and 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 for it is not a choice to be ignored rather a commandment to be obeyed on which depend miracles and victory in every situation.
‘Do not be anxious about anything’ means we are to trust rather than be anxious for anxiety is powerless to help, change or deliver us from our situations rather makes things worse for us.
Only God is able to deliver us.
‘In every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God.’ Thanksgiving is an assured vehicle that takes our prayer and petition piercing through the evil forces in the second heavens to God’s throne.
‘And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.’ Prayer of thanksgiving brings forth God’s perfect peace beyond human understanding to help us triumph in our situation and to guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus that we might not destroy ourselves in our grief as those who lack faith do.
‘Always rejoice’ means make deliberate efforts to rejoice in the Lord when situations are contrary to rejoicing. You might need to put on worship music and dance and sing unto the Lord through your tears until grief become rejoicing in the Lord.
‘Pray unceasingly’ means don’t be bored, tired, distracted with other things and don’t give up, pray wherever you are, in whatever situation and in the midst of anything you might be doing.
‘In everything give thanks’ means turn away your attention from your situation to God’s love for you, His power and willingness to set all things right for you and thank and praise Him.
‘This is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.’ God’s will is our commandment not a choice, therefore, we must always be ready to obey Him wholeheartedly that we might be blessed according to the infinite goodness and live victoriously in Christ Jesus.
Walk By Faith: It’s true that life is full of occasions of anxieties, doubts and fears when believing becomes very difficult and sometimes impossible. Yet as children of God we are called to walk by faith and not by sight irrespective of situations and feelings. ‘To walk by faith’ means to do or obey God’s commands and contrary is ‘to walk by sight’ which means to ignore God’s commands and do whatever pleases oneself.
Faith Relies On Obedience: Faith does not rely on feelings or logic, for we might not really feel thankful and joyful in difficult situations, human reasoning might be contrary to what we are called to do for faith requires that we thank God in everything and be joyful in Him always. It is quite natural to feel disappointed, fearful, angry or sorrowful it is also natural for all reasoning to be completely contrary to what people of faith are expected to do and might invite the ridicule of onlookers. God does not condemn us for the way we feel in our circumstances, therefore, let us not be ashamed or guilty of our feelings only don’t let your feelings trample your faith and defeat you rather surrender your feelings to the Lord and let your faith overcome your feelings.
I said ‘faith does not depend on feelings or logic’, what then does faith depend on? Faith depends on obedience to the word of God as written in Proverbs 3:5 ‘trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.’ In other words, boldly and wholeheartedly obey God’s commands as a little child without questioning for our finite understanding limits us to what we have learnt, seen, heard and experienced, but sincere confidence in the Lord enlarges and prepares us for God’s infinite glory. Whatever be the situation, we must always remember that we can never see or understand as God does and there’s nothing that can compare with His perfect understanding.
Dare To Be Different: Faith dares to do, speak and go where others fear to tread. Not everyone can walk the path of faith for it requires willingness to die to self and live for Christ which means readiness to be ridiculed or in worldly terms to take risks. Those who fear being ridiculed can never truly walk in faith. As in the case of this Shunnamite woman, her faith challenged her to dare to be different and she was not afraid of losing for having lost her only son, did she have anything more to lose than her reputation? That’s right! Walking in faith is a reputation test. The point is, are you willing to risk your reputation, to be misunderstood and ridiculed? If yes, you have faith that dares to be different! Praise God for you can boldly say ‘it is well’ no matter how things are today and soon possess your miracles for God’s glory in Jesus name. AMEN.
• O Lord give me faith that dares to be different in Jesus’ mighty name.
• It is well in my life today in Jesus’ mighty name.
The writer is an evangelist who ministers among prisoners in Mumbai.
