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An axe-head floats

6 The company of the prophets said to Elisha, ‘Look, the place where we meet with you is too small for us. ² Let us go to the Jordan, where each of us can get a pole; and let us build a place there for us to meet.’

And he said, ‘Go.’ 2 Kings 6

Elisha did have fellowship with ‘the company of prophets’ and it happened regularly because they’d outgrown the place where they met. It’s noteworthy that it was the prophets who wanted to expand the meeting place. They were obviously being blessed by their gatherings together. Are we coming to a time today when the Church is going to begin to expand dramatically? I believe the answer is yes!

The Jordan River is the lowest place on earth and it’s dry and hot down there, but that was where they decided to build the new prophetic meeting centre. They worked together on the task, but then disaster struck one man. We aren’t told whether the enemy was opposing the work or if it was simply an accident, but it hindered the work and upset the person involved.

⁴ And he went with them.

They went to the Jordan and began to cut down trees. ⁵ As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron axe-head fell into the water. ‘Oh no, my lord!’ he cried out. ‘It was borrowed!’ 2 Kings 6

Perhaps Elisha had gone with them for this very reason but the prophet did a miracle which enabled the man to retrieve the borrowed axe-head.

⁶ The man of God asked, ‘Where did it fall?’ When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it there, and made the iron float. ⁷ ‘Lift it out,’ he said. THEN THE MAN REACHED OUT HIS HAND AND TOOK IT.

Elisha reversed the laws of nature and made the metal come to the surface and float on top of water. Then the man reached out his hand and took it. Elisha retrieved the situation and the man was no longer upset. My question today is does God want to help you retrieve something in your life that is lost? We are called to rule and reign over adverse events in Christ. Seek God today for the reversal of adverse events and watch for His answers to come in unexpected ways.

¹⁷ (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and CALLS THOSE THINGS WHICH BE NOT AS THOUGH THEY WERE. Romans 4 KJV

This is a day when the Kingdom is advancing on earth and God is moving powerfully on behalf of His people. He can reverse disappointment as we stand in faith before Him. Amen

May the Lord bless and keep you today. Immanuel, God is with us.

 

¹⁶ The prophet answered, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept a thing.’ And even though Naaman urged him, he refused. 2 Kings 5

Elisha had come out to greet Naaman and his retinue when he returned to his house healed from the skin disease. Naaman was genuinely grateful for his healing and his heart had changed completely towards the Lord and the prophet, now he wanted to show Elisha gratitude. Naaman, the foreigner, came back to Elisha to give thanks to God for his healing.

¹⁷ Jesus asked, ‘Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? ¹⁸ Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?’ ¹⁹ Then he said to him, ‘Rise and go; your faith has made you well.’ Luke 17

Jesus later noted that only one cleansed leper out of ten returned to give thanks and praise God for his healing and like Naaman he was a foreigner. Can it really be that people who haven’t known the Lord are more grateful for His goodness to them than believers? On both occasions in the scriptures it was the foreigners who returned to show their gratitude. God’s people should always remember to thank Him for His many acts of kindness to us, it’s the least we can do to show our appreciation to Him.

¹⁹ ‘Go in peace,’ Elisha said. (Elisha blessed Naaman as he left the land)

After Naaman had travelled some distance, ²⁰ Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said to himself, ‘My master was too easy on Naaman, this Aramean, by not accepting from him what he brought. As surely as the Lord lives, I will run after him and get something from him.’ 2 Kings 5

Now we come to the saddest part of this whole account. Gehazi, Elisha’s servant decided to, ‘get something for himself’. He’d seen the valuable gifts Naaman was carrying and in his heart he craved for some of those valuables. (It’s interesting that the origin of the word ‘crave’ in Old English is to ‘demand, or claim as a right’) Gehazi felt HE WAS ENTITLED TO TAKE SOMETHING FROM THIS FOREIGNER. He took advantage of Naaman’s good intentions and scorned him because of his non Jewish background. How many times do people justify the shabby treatment of others because they are not as one of us? Every person is made in God’s image and we shouldn’t think we are better than others.

Gehazi followed Naaman and lied that Elisha had sent him to get a gift for some visiting prophets. He tainted Elisha’s name and the name of the prophets to take the valuables for himself. However, in this instance retribution was swift and terrible,

²⁶ But Elisha said to him, ‘Was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to take money or to accept clothes – or olive groves and vineyards, or flocks and herds, or male and female slaves? ²⁷ Naaman’s leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants for ever.’ Then Gehazi went from Elisha’s presence and his skin was leprous – it had become as white as snow. 2 Kings 5

Gratitude for all God’s blessings and the Fear of the Lord are still much needed by believers today.

²⁷ “So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.” Numbers 6

¹⁷ ‘If you will not (Accept a Gift),’ said Naaman, ‘please let me, your servant, be given as much earth as a pair of mules can carry, for your servant will never again make burnt offerings and sacrifices TO ANY OTHER GOD BUT THE LORD. 2 Kings 5

The Lord changed Naaman’s heart and he became a worshipper of Yahweh, God of Israel. He’d followed the trail from the young Israeli maiden who served his wife, to the house of Elisha and now his heart had been forever changed. He hadn’t any such intention when he started on his journey, he’d just come for healing and then he would be on his way again. GOD IS A MASTER STRATEGIST who is working out His Plans and Purposes every day through people’s lives.

Quote from Ana Werner, Seeing behind the veil, page 154

“GOD HAS A PLAN FOR YOU. A friend of mine says, “If you have a pulse, God has a purpose for you,”  and I believe that phrase is true. No matter where you find yourself today, God has a plan and purpose for your life. Although you might not understand why you are going through what you are, or where God’s purpose is in what you are currently doing, let me reassure you, HIS HANDS ARE ALWAYS GUIDING AND LEADING. HE IS BEHIND YOU AND BESIDE YOU AND KNOWS YOUR FUTURE. (Capitals Added)”

God is always seeking to draw our hearts to Himself and the world is always trying to draw us away from Him into deception and even destruction. Once we’ve found God’s path for our lives we need to stay on it, no matter the twists and turns we face on it. Naaman foresaw a stumbling block straight away when he returned to his king and country. He knew what would be demanded of him there and confessed it before Elisha and all with him. Naaman was a new convert and his heart was sensitive towards the things of God.

¹⁸ But may the Lord forgive your servant for this one thing: when my master enters the temple of Rimmon to bow down and he is leaning on my arm and I have to bow there also – when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord forgive your servant for this.’

¹⁹ ‘Go in peace,’ Elisha said. 2 Kings 5

Naaman’s honest confession was accepted by Elisha and he blessed him for his return to his own country. Many believers in this world may still have to follow the demands of anti Christian cultures, but God understands and knows their hearts. We must find God’s purposes for our lives and be faithful to Him, just as Naaman had chosen to be.

May the Lord bless and keep you today. Immanuel, God is with us.

¹⁴ So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy. 2 Kings 5

Naaman finally, reluctantly obeyed Elisha’s instructions (WE SHOULD BE READY TO OBEY QUICKLY AND NOT DITHER!) and his skin was healed, he had perfect skin like that of a young boy. It wasn’t just his skin that was healed, but all the pride and arrogance left his soul as well. Both the external sickness and the internal pride were gone in the same moment. God was gracious to this foreigner who’d come such a long way on the word of one young Israeli slave girl. God sees into people’s souls and wants to draw out the good, if we’re willing to let Him. Sometimes with the unlikeliest people.

¹⁵ Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God. He stood before him and said, ‘NOW I KNOW (NAAMAN PUBLICLY CONFESSED HIS NEW FAITH IN THE LIVING GOD) that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. So please accept a gift from your servant.’ 2 Kings 5

Our confession often binds us to the things we speak of, ‘Out of the heart the mouth speaks’. Luke 6:45 Naaman had all the same people with him when he returned to Elisha’s house but this time there was no bravado, he came back in humility. He’d met with God and would be a changed person for the rest of his life. When Jacob wrestled with God in the nighttime, Genesis 32:28, it says, ‘he wrestled with God and man and had overcome’, but God touched his hip, his natural strength and he always walked after that with a limp. I’ve heard Believers say, ‘never trust a man who doesn’t walk with a limp’. Never trust someone whom God hasn’t broken their natural strength, who still walk according to the flesh and live by the old nature. Such people constantly speak about their ego and use words like ‘I, me and mine’ all the time. They are living for and from themselves, not to serve the Lord and His people.

Naaman wanted to give Elisha a gift, this time from pure motives, but Elisha would have none of it. He too had heard from God and refused any payment for what God had done for Naaman. No matter how pure people’s motives may be and how much we need the gift, we must still obey God first.

¹⁶ The prophet answered, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept a thing.’ And even though Naaman urged him, he refused. 2 Kings 5

The gift Naaman offered willingly and with honest motives would become a snare to another person, before this miraculous affair concluded. Surely a warning that when God’s Spirit moves in power we mustn’t try to take things for ourselves. DON’T TOUCH THE GLORY.

May the Lord bless and keep you today. Immanuel, God is with us.

 

⁶ The letter that he took to the king of Israel read: ‘With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may cure him of his leprosy.’ 2 Kings 5

The King of Aram spoke to the King of Israel by letter on behalf of Naaman, king to king, but it only brought confusion. Neither king had authority to heal, Naaman had come to the wrong address. The wise men who came a long way to worship the baby Jesus also called with King Herod to get directions but they could have caused His death. We’ll never get God’s answers by consulting the wisdom or power of this world! They are totally incompatible.

⁸ When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message: ‘Why have you torn your robes? Make the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.’ ⁹ So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house. 

Elisha intervened, he had authority from God to deal with the situation and provide the healing Naaman so badly needed. Naaman made a Grand Entrance to the prophet’s house, but all his pomp was ignored. Elisha, no doubt at the Lord’s instruction, didn’t even come out to greet him. Yet he told Naaman what he must do to receive his healing.

¹⁰ Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, ‘Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.’

Naaman was infuriated by the prophet’s lack of courtesy and went off in a rage. We’ve often quoted before that God will, ‘offend the mind to reveal the heart’. Naaman had to humble himself before he could receive his healing, in fact he had to dip or bow seven times to receive his miracle. God is the creator and ruler of our world and He won’t let the proud stand before Him.

¹³ Naaman’s servants went to him and said, ‘My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, “Wash and be cleansed”!’ ¹⁴ SO HE WENT DOWN AND DIPPED HIMSELF IN THE JORDAN SEVEN TIMES, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy. 

Naaman struggled with his reception by the prophet Elisha, but in the end he followed Elisha’s instructions and was healed. God will often take us along paths that our flesh resists, then we’re faced with a choice. Do we obey God and receive our requests or do we stand our ground and miss out? Naaman learned a deep lesson, but after humbling himself he was a changed man for the rest of his life. He received much more than just his physical healing. God often wants to bless us more than we can imagine when our hearts align with His.

May the Lord bless and keep you today. Immanuel, God is with us.

 

⁵ ‘By all means, go,’ the king of Aram replied. ‘I will send a letter to the king of Israel.’ SO NAAMAN LEFT, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold and ten sets of clothing. 2 Kings 5

It’s one thing to hear a message or a word from the Lord but another thing to ENGAGE AND ACT UPON IT! The New Testament teaching on this is found in the Book of James,

²² Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. ²³ Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror ²⁴ and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. James 1

THE BLESSING IS IN THE DOING OR OBEYING.

Naaman LEFT HIS HOUSE and went to Israel to seek his healing, but God had much more for him. We may be drawn to God one way, but He wants to change us in far more important ways. Naaman had to leave the familiar and move. WE MAY HAVE TO CHANGE OUR STANCE OR VIEWPOINT ON SOMETHING TO ALIGN WITH GOD’S UNDERSTANDING. We have all been brought up in an imperfect world and exposed to its influences far more than most of us realise. God may be trying to shift our mindsets today and the first step may be ‘TO LEAVE OUR HOUSE’ and step into something new and unfamiliar.

I think it may have been Graham Cooke who said, ‘What we think about God is the most important thing in our lives’. Since we’ve been born into this world and lived with it’s people we all have baggage that needs to be dumped.

⁵ ‘By all means, go,’ the king of Aram replied. ‘I will send a letter to the king of Israel.’ So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold and ten sets of clothing. 2 Kings 5

Naaman brought some of the riches he’d accumulated as a gift to the servant of the Lord, but on this occasion it wasn’t received. Many times we think that the things we treasure in our old nature will be of value to the Lord and the Church, but often the opposite is true. This is often a powerful mindset in religious people, we’re bringing something of value from ourselves into the things of God, but they don’t mix. They say the only thing we’ll take with us after this life is our name, nothing else.

We have to get rid of earthly thinking concerning matters of the Kingdom and many of us are being called to step out of those mindsets, that’s LIKE LEAVING OUR HOUSE. Stepping out of what we’ve constructed to cope with life here and moving on to Kingdom thinking and living during our brief sojourn here.

May the Lord bless and keep you today. Immanuel, God is with us.

 

5 Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because THROUGH HIM the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy. 2 Kings 5

Naaman (In Hebrew verb naem means ‘to be pleasant’) was an army commander who had found FAVOUR WITH GOD and God gave him victory. He was a valiant soldier and the initial Bible account speaks well of Naaman. In Old Testament times God was working with people in the nations beyond Israel. He’s still working out His purposes throughout the whole world today, even among people who don’t know Him. However, the Bible records that despite favour with his King, Naaman had a skin disease, which must have been very embarrassing for a great leader.

² Now bands of raiders from Aram had gone out and had taken captive A YOUNG CAPTIVE GIRL FROM ISRAEL, and she served Naaman’s wife. ³ She said to her mistress, ‘If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.’  2 Kings 5

It seems that the young girl from Israel actually cared for her master’s wellbeing and she told her mistress how he might receive his healing. Of course she talked about the things she’d known back in her home nation. God often brings the most unlikely people to speak into our lives and they can bless us if we have ‘ears to hear’. This young girl must have been convincing, or we might say her words carried the anointing. The army commander decided to go and seek the prophet Elisha for healing. Sometimes we may have to take strange paths to find what God has for us, His solutions to our problems.

⁴ Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said. ⁵ ‘BY ALL MEANS, GO,’ the king of Aram replied. ‘I will send a letter to the king of Israel.’

The King agreed that Naaman should GO to Israel to seek healing. If we’re seeking God’s will in a situation and the circumstances become favourable it may indicate that we’re on the right track, although we should continue to seek God’s leading AS WE GO.

God was able to give Naaman military victories, that’s where he functioned. He also used a young Jewish captive to help bring healing to this powerful leader. We live in days when God is going to move in great power, it’s a time when God wants to activate and reactivate callings on people’s lives. God’s people are called to be a blessing and represent Him on this earth, just as this young Jewish girl did.

Lord, use us to represent You in our situation in these days. Hallelujah

May the Lord bless and keep you today. Immanuel, God is with us.

 

⁴¹ Elisha said, ‘Get some flour.’ He put it into the pot and said, ‘SERVE IT TO THE PEOPLE TO EAT.’ And there was nothing harmful in the pot. 2 Kings 4

But Elisha answered, ‘GIVE IT TO THE PEOPLE TO EAT. For this is what the Lord says: “They will eat and have some left over.”’ 2 Kings 4

The prophet Elisha worked two miracles so that others who were hungry could enjoy some food. 2 Kings 4:38 says there was famine in the region of Gilgal where he met with the prophets. God used a prophet to overcome the natural circumstances and feed the people around him. Twice in the ministry of the Lord He worked miracles to feed thousands of hungry people who were with Him in the wilderness. He spoke to edify the souls of men (how fantastic to listen to the Lord directly) and then had compassion on those who’d been with Him a long time and fed them.

We saw yesterday that the Shunammite woman and her son had to leave her land for seven years because of famine and lack. Naomi and her husband left Bethlehem with their two boys to live in Moab, because of food shortages. God eventually brought both back and blessed them, despite all the difficulties they’d lived through.

The main job of the prophet is to speak the Rhema Word of God to the people, but God will also use His prophets to bless and meet people’s needs. 

‘Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in His prophets and you will be successful.’ 2 Chronicles 20:20

There’s an old saying, ‘That where there are no prophets (Profits) there are losses’! The prophetic is something that cannot be controlled by men, in fact religious people often oppose it for this very reason. Another saying is that, ‘God will insult our minds to reveal our hearts’. In the Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis the great lion Aslan is mentioned in all seven books as the King (a type of Christ). Aslan is said to be, ‘GOOD, BUT NOT TAME’. Aslan had the lion’s roar. I believe that we’re living in a time when prophets and the prophetic are about to become much more prevalent again. The Church has been lacking in power for a long time and for the billion soul harvest to be brought in, the Church will be moving in a new level of power, such as when the Holy Spirit came upon the 120 disciples in the Upper Room.

Johnny Enlow said last night on Elijahstreams that the Prophets are, ‘GOD’S WILD CARDS OF THE HOUR’. God will use prophets to help win the battles in coming days. We the Church, need to be open to the prophetic and God’s Spirit moving in much greater measure than before. Many Christians may try and oppose this new era, but there will be much blessing in the days ahead.

May the Lord bless and keep you today. Immanuel, God is with us.

 

8 Now Elisha had said to the woman whose son he had restored to life, ‘Go away with your family and stay for a while wherever you can, because the Lord has decreed a famine in the land that will last seven years.’ 2 Kings 8

Judgement was coming upon Israel and it wasn’t going to be a minor event, seven years of famine had been decreed. However, God spoke through the prophet Elisha to tell the woman to leave her land and go and live somewhere else until the famine had passed. The woman’s faithfulness to the man of God, the Lord’s prophet, was still being acknowledged in the courts of heaven. We should take note, that of all the many people in Israel, this woman and her family, her miracle son, may have been the only ones who were warned to leave and escape the coming shortages. We shouldn’t underestimate the benefits of serving God and His servants when we have opportunities to do so.

¹ Praise the Lord, my soul;
    all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
² Praise the Lord, my soul,
    AND FORGET NOT ALL HIS BENEFITS –
³ who forgives all your sins
    and heals all your diseases,
⁴ who redeems your life from the pit
    and crowns you with love and compassion,
⁵ WHO SATISFIES YOUR DESIRES WITH GOOD THINGS
    SO THAT YOUR YOUTH IS RENEWED LIKE THE EAGLE’S. Psalm 103, by David 

THERE IS STILL MUCH BLESSING FOR THOSE WHO SERVE THE LORD!

The scene changes to the King’s palace where Gehazi, Elisha’s servant is telling the King about the miracles Elisha did, including raising the dead. At that precise moment the widow arrived with her son to petition the King for the return of her land. Like King David she’d gone to live with the Philistines throughout the time of the famine. We may not always want to be where we find ourselves in this life but God is responsible to watch over and keep us as we follow His leading and He’s very good at it. Israel were protected for 400 years in Egypt before God came and brought them out.

Gehazi said, ‘This is the woman, my lord the king, and this is her son whom Elisha restored to life.’ ⁶ The king asked the woman about it, and she told him. 2 Kings 8

Gehazi, the one person who could identify the woman and her son, told the King this is the very woman I’m talking to you about and her resurrected son. Even a king doesn’t meet somebody who has been raised from the dead every day. God’s Favour and timing, perfect as always.

Then he assigned an official to her case and said to him, ‘Give back everything that belonged to her, including all the income from her land from the day she left the country until now.’ 2 Kings 8

The Shunammite and her son had everything restored by the word of the King. She lost nothing during the time she spent out of her inheritance, because she’d obeyed God. We live in days of restoration and God’s people are going to see restitution, getting back more than was stolen from them, in the days ahead. May it come soon Lord.

May the Lord bless and keep you today. Immanuel, God is with us.

 

³² When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his couch. ³³ He went in, shut the door on the two of them and prayed to the Lord. 2 Kings 4

The Shunammite woman had travelled some twenty miles to Mount Carmel to bring Elisha to pray for her dead son. Gehazi had run ahead to touch the boy with Elisha’s staff but he hadn’t responded. Now, Elisha was alone with her son in the room where he’d stayed many times. I’m surmising a bit, but that room must have been filled with the prophet’s prayers and at times the very presence of the Lord Himself. The Shunammite had left her son in the one place in her house flooded with the presence of God. In times of crisis we need to seek the Lord’s presence and not just religious ritual.

³⁴ Then he got on the bed and lay on the boy, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands. As he stretched himself out on him, the boy’s body grew warm. ³⁵ Elisha turned away and walked back and forth in the room and then got on the bed and stretched out on him once more. The boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes. 2 Kings 4

There’s something very significant about close identification with those we’re trying to help. Hudson Taylor, founder of the China Inland Mission (CIM), eventually adopted Chinese dress and customs so that the people could relate with him more easily and eventually all the other missionaries in CIM followed him. This practice gave both the men and women of the mission great favour with the people they sought to serve and win to Christ.

John G Lake was praying and ministering to a woman dying of cancer and he’d left her room for a short time to freshen up. As he returned to her house he heard her crying out in pain and ran to comfort her. He embraced her body in his arms and cried out to God for mercy for her. The Lord heard their cries and the lady was spontaneously healed as he pleaded for her.

In the case of the Shunammite’s son, God also accepted the prayers of the prophet and no doubt the mother, for the life of her child. Elisha had to fully invest himself to save the child he’d prophesied would be born to her and an older husband.

May we always trust God that He is able to keep what He’s given to us, in Jesus Name. Hallelujah

²⁷ ‘So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.’ Numbers 6

May the Lord bless and keep you today. Immanuel, God is with us.