GOD CAN USE YOU TO SOLVE YOUR OWN PROBLEMS

Picture the 4 lepers that were cast out of the city and were living outside the gate. Picture their white leprosy stricken bodies and broken limbs. Picture their hunger afflicted bodies during a deadly famine that was causing women to eat their sons. Imagine their grief written faces as each day passed and they knew the inevitable awaited them. They were going to die not from leprosy but from hunger. Not only were they going to die but even their fellow Israelites were facing the same fate for, famine doesn’t choose who to kill. The rich and healthy together with the poor and sick are the same when famine strikes, no one is special. Problems don’t really care whom they affect, they respect no persons.

On this unusual day, these 4 men were struck by something new in their souls. (Strike me Lord) All of them held the same sentiments – they were not going to sit there and wait to die, why should they? Be with the like-minded if you are to do sometime drastic, something you have never done before. They will encourage you to do it. In this case, they will do it with you because they are also sick and tired of doing nothing about their situation. Not only were they like-minded, but they had heeded the call of the Word of God that fell from the Prophet’s mouth in 2 Kings 7v1. God’s Word doesn’t fall to the ground. It found these 4 who had nothing to lose when obeying its daring lead. They had to do something they would never have dreamt of doing but such is the powerful effect of the Word of God. It takes us to new heights. It is not an ordinary Word please.

So, these men resolved that they would no longer do nothing about their situation. They were going to die trying something if it came to that. Those of you who have been troubled will know that sitting without taking any action only serves to worsen the situation. The heart becomes sicker. You might even be killed by depression. So they decided they were going to march into the enemy’s camp for food. If the enemy exercised mercy, they would be let alive but fed, if not, the enemy would kill them and frankly speaking, it would not have made any difference because they were going to die anyway. There comes a time in our lives where we should not fear death. A time must come where we are not even ashamed of our attempts to become better and do better. Surely time must come where what we desire is more important than death. There, we will become unstoppable.  

Do you see them being unstoppable the moment they decided death was nothing and that it was not strong enough to stop them? They defeated it the moment they discounted its effect. It made no difference really. At once they arose headed to the Syrian camp with their leprosy ridden bodies, broken limbs and all. What they didn’t know was that above them was a God who watches over His Word to perform it. They didn’t know that God had already released His Word which was looking for agents to use in order for it to come to pass. They had become such agents so their movement was carefully orchestrated by God Almighty, the Man of War – Jehovah. He took their footsteps and put them in His Hands and their sound changed. Thank You Jesus! The 8 footsteps of weak men sounded like horse hooves and chariots of war because the weak in the Hands of a Mighty God are stronger than the mighty. They also sounded like a mighty combined army that the Syrians perceived would have included the Egyptians and Hittites armies hired by Israel to join them in attacking them. Don’t play with God. He can make any sound He wants to cause your enemies to flee. Make them Lord!

To cut the long story short, by the time these 4 arrived in the Syrian camp, there was no one except unbelievable abundant loot. There were signs that they had left in a hurry out of fear because the sounds were real. They were not just in the spirit but they were loud enough in the flesh, instilling enough fear for the enemy to be destabilized, displaced and dispossessed. Is there anyone sitting on your stuff? Well, God can use your actions to cause them to flee and also to release what belongs to you. It doesn’t matter how weak and frail you think you are, the slightest action taken in and by faith will move the Hand of God. You surely aren’t as weak as these 4 broken and famished men and if these could pull off a sound, you too surely can. What is it that you can do? What is it that you can give to God to multiply? He can use you to solve not just your problems but the problems of the rest of the people connected to you because God is not shortsighted. Whenever you get a break it doesn’t just end with you but in it is abundance to cater for those linked to you. Also, God is delighted in working with you because you are His workmanship created for good works in Christ Jesus – Ephesians 2v10.

Check this story in 2 Kings 7v1-11. You can also study the effects of unbelief hidden within it. It was so common that even the King struggled to believe these events. Sad what trouble can do!

I sign off by telling you that the solution is hidden in your decision to get up and do something. It’s never too far from you.

Pastor Mel!