WHEN YOU MOVE GOD MOVES
WHEN YOU MOVE GOD MOVES
2Ki 7:1-10 KJV 1 Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the LORD; Thus saith the LORD, To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria. 2 Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof. 3 And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die? 4 If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there: and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die. 5 And they rose up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the Syrians: and when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria, behold, there was no man there. 6 For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host: and they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us. 7 Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life. 8 And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried thence silver, and gold, and raiment, and went and hid it; and came again, and entered into another tent, and carried thence also, and went and hid it. 9 Then they said one to another, We do not well: this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace: if we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will come upon us: now therefore come, that we may go and tell the king’s household. 10 So they came and called unto the porter of the city: and they told them, saying, We came to the camp of the Syrians, and, behold, there was no man there, neither voice of man, but horses tied, and asses tied, and the tents as they were.
We have noted that God hates stagnancy. He told the children of Israel in Deut chapter one that they have stayed too long on the mountain that they should take up their journey Deut 1: 6-7. In chapter two He repeated the same thing that they had compassed Mount Seir too long Deut 2:3. May the yoke of moving in a circle be broken totally in Jesus name. You will move forward and make progress in Jesus’ name. it is God’s will and it will find expression and fulfillment in Jesus name.
As a prelude to the text we read, there was famine in Samaria. It was very grievous to the extent that women arranged to eat their own children 2 Kg 6: 28-29. This famine was not as a result of lack of rainfall but came up because of the siege laid by the Syrians against Samaria.
Because of the siege there was no economic development, there was no import and export. They could not go outside the city for anything because the host of Syrians had camped outside and laid siege against them.
What is a siege?
A prolonged military assault or a blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by force or attrition. A prolonged assault or attack.
Every siege against you shall be destroyed in Jesus name.
How do you know that someone is under a siege? When nothing is coming and nothing is going out. When expenses are greater than income. When everywhere is blocked, no assistance or help from anyone 2 Chr 16:1, it is just you, it is most likely that there is a siege somewhere. But after this encounter with the Lord Jesus such a siege shall be broken down.
It was because of the siege and the threat of the king against Elisha the man of God in chapter 6 that made him prophesy the end to the siege and God’s divine provisions. He said by this time tomorrow there shall be abundance at the gate of Samaria 2Kg 7: 1. That sounds incredible. How will it happen? By what means? Many of us like to ask such questions when we receive word of prophecy, leave that to God. It is not your business. Every word of prophecy that has been declared over you shall find speedy fulfillment in Jesus name.
The text we read talked about the four lepers that were at the gate of Samaria. Ordinarily a leper is shut out of the city according to the law of Moses in Leviticus and Numbers. They don’t come into the city Num 5: 2 and if they are passing by they have to shout “unclean, unclean” Lev 13: 45 so that no one will come near them and be defiled or contaminated. They are far from family and friends. I pray for you that whatever the enemy is using to shut out anyone is destroyed today in Jesus’ name.
Being a leper is a reproach and a stigma. Every yoke of reproach or whatever people are using to reproach you is wiped off in Jesus name. Such reproach shall turn to testimony in Jesus name.
Elizabeth testified:
Luk 1:25 KJV Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.
She said the Lord has taken away my reproach from among men. That same God will take away your reproach in Jesus name.
God told Joshua in Josh 5: 9 that this day have i roll away the reproach of the Egyptians away from you, i decree and i declare the reproach of unbelievers and the world over you is roll away in Jesus name.
But much more than being shut out was the issue of the famine. They were in a precarious situation. This is what they normally call between the devil and the blue sea.
What will they do? They evaluated their situation and came to an amazing conclusion.
One of the most important things a person must do in order to break free from a seemingly stagnant position is to examine, question and evaluate his or her situation.
There is a place for self examination in Christianity.
1Co 11:28 KJV But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
2Co 13:5 KJV Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
Where am I? What am I doing here? How long have I been here? When am I leaving this place? What happens if I continue to stay here? Am I comfortable here? Is this place the best and God’s plan for me?
I didn’t include “How did I get here?” It doesn’t matter how I got there or even if I was born there.
Many are just going through the motions, trying to fulfill all righteousness and just trying to meet up. Examine your prayer life, church attendance, business growth, spirituality, etc.
Until a man evaluates, examines, addresses, ponders and considers there may not be a notable change in his or her life.
This was their conclusion as seen in verse 3 & 4
2Ki 7:3-4 KJV 3 And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die? 4 If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there: and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die.
They asked themselves questions, Why are we sitting till we die or how long are we going to sit here; until we die?
The word “sit” there in Hebrew is “yashab” It means: to dwell, remain, sit, abide, to sit, sit down, to be set, to remain, stay, have one’s abode and to be inhabited.
You must question yourself and your situations.
They arrived at the conclusion that if they stayed where they were they were going to die and if they went into the city of Samaria, they would die and the people may not even allow them to enter. It was a precarious situation.
It seems there was no way, but you see in every situation, there will always be an alternative. 2Cor 13:10.
The only alternative was for them to go to the Syrians. If they kill us no issue and if they spare our lives we will live.
What are the lessons here?
In order to break free from any ungodly situation:
- Confront your fears:
Where your fear is, is always most of the time where your answer is. What you fear most is most likely the solution to your situation. The worst thing people expect to happen does not sometimes happen. How do I know these?
- Arise and move
The lepers arose. They got up from where they were. One of the reasons why many are stagnated is because they refuse to act on their faith, implement their decision and put to work their meditations. They are like the people of Reuben who continue to ponder, searching of heart,
Jdg 5:16 KJV Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.
Prolong indecision, considering things here and there and never coming to any logical answer they are procrastinators looking for conviction, favourable weather and a balanced economy.
Isiah 60:1 says arise and shine but before you will shine, you have to arise. Whatever is keeping anyone down, tying you down shall let go by fire in Jesus name.
In Luke 15:18, the prodigal son says I will arise and I will go to my father. The power and the will to arise will come upon you, that grace will come upon you in Jesus name.
Here is the miracle and the good news
When the four lepers got to the camp of the Syrians, they didn’t meet anyone, the whole host had run away. What happened? God moved when the lepers moved. He multiplied their feeble feet of the lepers and those Syrian armies heard noise of an army thinking that the king of Israel had hired soldiers against them, they left their camp intact with all the food stuffs and material wealth. The lepers ate and ate, kept goods until they were tired of keeping stuff.
The people that were on the verge of death suddenly became wealthy. There was overnight transformation. May God change your situation. May you receive 24 hours miracles from today in Jesus name.
God used the lepers to fulfill the prophecy of Elisha because they were ready to change their condition even if it meant running into danger.
- There must be holy dissatisfaction
and not envious dissatisfaction about that situation. As long as you are comfortable to resist the change you will remain there. Many people are okay with the small salary and income. They don’t want to go through the wahala, process and discomfort of moving, so they just make up their mind to stay in that small business, refusing to pack from where they are staying and so many other things. The reason why some people stay in the same job, employment, trade, house and situation for a long period of time with beautiful excuses.
They justify the prevailing economic conditions and always say it is common to everybody.
Even as I am talking now, your mind is saying don’t mind the Pastor, he doesn’t know my conditions. He doesn’t know how I tried. It is not my fault.
This dissatisfaction only comes about when one realizes that he can be better than what and who he is presently. That he or she is made for more than he is getting at the moment. And when one is ready to take responsibility for a change and not shifting blames. When someone gets to the point that “I can be better than this”, he will cry out, his attitude will change.
- There has to be holy anger.
The difference between holy anger and normal anger is that normal anger is a result of selfishness and self centeredness. We feel hurt and injurious, we feel they are taking advantage of us and we feel the need to protect ourselves so we become angry at people. Not knowing that the wrath of man does not work the righteousness of God. We open ourselves to the devil when we have such an emotion and misuse it.
However, the holy anger is when we direct our indignation against the devil and against such a situation that has entrapped us. It was holy anger that made Jesus drive the merchants from the temple two times Mt 21: 12 and John 2: 15. He was also angry at unbelief in Mk 3: 5. Instead of being angry at your spouses, kids, neighbours and colleagues why don’t you direct the anger at the devil.
Until there is this provocation in your spirit against such evil, that evil will subsist.
When Paul saw how the city of Athens was given wholly to idolatry in Acts 17: 16, the Bible says his spirit was provoked, irritated, stirred and aroused to anger within him. Something that is unpleasant should provoke you for a change
Psa 97:10 KJV Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.
The word evil in Hebrew is “ra‛ra‛âand it mean: bad, evil, disagreeable, malignant,, unpleasant, evil (giving pain, unhappiness, misery, displeasing.
Case study of Esau.
Jacob had deceived his father and took the birthright of Esau. Esau came back from hunting and to his amazement his father had no more blessings to give him even after he cried and wept. But his father told him something:
Gen 27:40 KJV And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.
The word “the dominion” actually means restlessness, wander and break loose. In order word, you will remain like this and serve your brother until you become dissatisfied and rule that enough is enough.
His father was telling him when you break loose from the mentality that it is your brother that has made you like this, it is the economy situation, it is lack of job or work in town, it is because i don’t have education, it is because i lost my job, it is because i am not working in banks, telecom or oil company that is why my condition is like this, it is because i have nobody. Isaac told Esau that it is when you will break his yoke from off your neck. But as long as you are embittered and frustrated, you will remain under his servitude.
Did Esau eventually have dominion? Yes. After twenty years, he met his brother Jacob. Jacob wanted to please and find favour in his sight by offering him gifts. This is what Esau said:
Gen 33:8-9 KJV 8 And he said, What meanest thou by all this drove which I met? And he said, These are to find grace in the sight of my lord. 9 And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself.
- There has to be a decision to do something right away.
The lepers got up immediately at twilight. Faith is now. Faith without work is dead Jam 2: 20. Arise and step out in faith. Keep moving. Don’t say I am waiting on God whereas God is waiting on you to move so that he can move on your behalf. Paul while waiting on God for directions in Acts 16, he kept moving and working. When the Spirit forbade him in a place, he did n’t just sit down and become paranoid, he kept moving.
Act 16:6-9 KJV 6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, 7 After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. 8 And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.
But look at the story of this man in John 5. He was sick and brought like other people to the pool. Each season the angel comes to trouble the pool and whosoever comes in first will be healed of his diseases but this had stayed there for 38 years when Jesus met him. What was the reason why he stayed so long?
Joh 5:6-7 KJV 6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? 7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.
This is my question. When you know the procedure, your condition and method of healing for many years, why didn’t you hang around the pool edge? Why wait till an angel is stirring up the water before you start coming knowing fully well you can not run like others? Excuse of failure.
Here is my question. Why is it that many people try and make efforts to move but are unable? It is because there is a natural law that tends to keep and maintain the status quo for anything. There are supernatural forces that want the status quo to remain as it is.
Here is what Isaac Newton’s laws of motion says:
Newton’s laws of motion are three basic laws of classical mechanics that describe the relationship between the motion of an object and the forces acting on it. These laws can be paraphrased as follows: A body remains at rest, or in motion at a constant speed in a straight line, unless acted upon by a force
If a man, business, career, job, mariage, ministry is at rest, it will remain in that rest position until a force acts on it.
What can move a man forward in life or cause him to change position?
For an airplane to fly, the law of gravity has to be overcome by the law of lift or aerodynamics. For you to change position there has to be a power that overcomes Newton’s law of motion and supernatural wicked laws of the enemies.
That power or force is the New Testament power of the Holy Spirit and is not external but internal.In Jn 7: 37 the Lord Jesus says out of your belly shall flow rivers of living water. When that power comes upon you or upon your business, career, job it will cause the status quo to change. That power will move you, shake you, propel you and cause you to move.
Samson
Jdg 13:25 KJV And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.
The word “move” is “pam” means to thrust, impel, push, beat persistently, be disturbed, to tap, that is, beat regularly; to impel or agitate: – move, trouble.
Lord Jesus
Mar 1:12 KJV And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness.
Matthew says he was led by the Spirit but I like the way Mark presented it. The word “driveth” is “ekballō”. To cast out, drive out, to send out with the notion of violence. To cause a thing to move straight on its intended goal. To draw out with force, tear out. To expel, bring forth and to eject.
Philip
It is not only in bad situations that the Holy Spirit moves people but even in the midst of success He wants you to move to greater heights. Philip was having a great crusade in Samaria and yet Spirit asked him to leave for another assignment.
After the baptism of the Eunuch, something happened to Philip:
Act 8:39-40 KJV 39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.
He was catapulted from the river side to another town far away. After this encounter somebody will change location in Jesus name
Conclusion is keep moving, if you cannot run, walk, if you cannot walk, crawl, just do something and above all utilize the power of prayer to break free.
Prayers
Every yoke of status quo, stagnancy and moving in a circle be broken over me and my destiny in Jesus name.
Every power holding down and tying down my blessing, breakthrough and miracles receive fire now in Jesus’ name.
I receive power, ability and anointing for upward and forward movement in Jesus name. I refused to be stagnated in Jesus name.