THE MOVE OF GOD
Text: II Kings 4:8 thru 17 (NIV)
Review of this morning:
1. Elisha was a man of God who represents for us the Move of God, or the Presence of God that passes by in our daily lives. If you look closely, you can often see God coming from the distance. But you need to be watching and expecting.
No doubt but that we should always come to the House of God with expectancy to see Him.
Why else would we come?
2. The Shunamite woman living in the Unknown Town. The only way anyone would have ever known about the Unknown Town would be if they were traveling between Carmel and Samaria.
Some may think sometimes that they are being forgotten by God. Out in the middle of nowhere…
This Shunamite woman lived right on the busy road between these two towns. She occasionally saw Elisha walk past her home and each time sensed the presence of God. This Shunamite woman was a successful and well-to-do lady.
With her all of the influence, wealth and prosperity, she was impressed with Elisha, the man of God, as he journeyed by.
She convinced her husband that they needed to invite Elisha to visit, their home.
We also learned that we must invite and make welcome the Presence of God to come and dwell with us in our home and in our lives. Amen?
The problem was that Shunamite woman was never quite sure when the man of God, Elisha, would be coming. So I sure she had to watch for him.
Likewise, we don’t know when the Lord is coming.
But we do expect Him any moment.
What should we do until we see the Lord coming?
Mark 13:32-33
32?"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
33?"Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.
Are you expecting the Lord to come soon. We have to be ready and pray and watch for Him.
For me, that’s half the fun of being a Christian. It’s the excitement of knowing that He is coming soon…His coming won’t be much longer…I can’t wait ! Amen?
The other ½ is making sure I am all that God wants me to be.
1. We all aspire for the different challenges we face in life:
A) Aspire to Graduate from High School – Accomplishment #1
B) Aspire to Graduate from college - Failure #1
C) Aspire to Find the perfect girl to marry and have a family – Accomplishment #2
D) Aspire to Learn a vocation, and to make a living, and to pay for the baby diapers, and feed my family – Accomplishment #3
E) Aspire to build a career and make a living – Accomplishment #4
F) Etc – etc
All of the while (over those many years) God was often in the background of our lives…in the shadows… On the sidelines waiting and having Mercy on our foolishness. Then He speaks, “Jim.. A Word please…”
2. We equally should consider our holiness to God as being even more important than our own personal ASPIRATIONS
I Peter 1:14 – 16
As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had…but just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all that you do; for it is written “Be holy, because I am Holy.”
We should have desire (a passion) for God’s holiness.
We must accept the duty (commitment) to serve.
Holiness has everything to do with those 2 emotions!
As an example:
(in the scriptures we read last week) The Shunamite woman convinced Elisha, and his servant, Gehazi, to move in with her and her husband.
And she made certain that Elisha was well taken care of. Elisha and his servant were made comfortable in their new home.
Here are 4 examples of Holiness:
The Shunamite woman gave Elisha a few personal items to make them welcome and not want to leave.
This is what she gave him.
BED – Elisha needed rest. Perhaps, you may be tired tonight. What you need is to enter into God’s rest.
Is your life full of ambition and accomplishments?
Hebrews 4 :10 says,
For he who has entered His (God’s) rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.
If God can take out time to stop what he is doing with His works, so can you. Stop trying to get everything done. Stop being so busy doing things. Slow down and allow yourself time to spend with the Lord.
Daniel 12:4 describes the culture we live in that interferes with our living in Holiness.
“…end time, many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.”
Technology is quickly advancing and consuming our lives. Our society has become very busy with our self indulgence.
TABLE -
1 Corinthians 10:21 says that we are to ~
“…partake of the Lord’s table…”
That means that the Lord will provide all of your needs when we hunger and thirst after His righteousness.
Best food anywhere is found on the Lord’s table.
When you eat there, you’ll never hunger or thirst again.
Psalms 23:5
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies…
We need to break bread with Jesus. When you make more room for God’s presence you will be invited to the “Marriage Supper of the Lamb”.
Jesus came to see to visit His disciples 3 days after He was resurrected from the grave. He knew the disciples would be hungry, so he started fire and fixed some bread and some fish. What did He then tell them?
He said, “Come and dine.”
That day - Jesus was Cook, Servor and Friend.
Listen. God knows when you are hungry.
STOOL/CHAIR – If you were to look at the Hebrew translation of this word you will see an expensive throne with a canopy over it. The Shunammite woman gave the Holy Man of God the finest chair available.
Psalm 22 You are Holy O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel
Ephesians 2:6 God hath raised us up with Christ
You should know your place with the Kingdom of God!
Hebrews 8:1-2
1?Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,
2?a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.
Jesus deserves the best seat in the house.
He is our High Priest seated on His throne.
High and might is He.
He is clothed in His righteousness.
We will worship Him on His throne forever.
CANDLESTICK – When you Make More Room for the Presence of God, there will always be the illuminating Light from God placed in the midst of our dark world.
1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
God has not destined you to live in the Darkness of this world.
You may be living in your darkest hour, but God has assured us that He is there with you. When you Make Room and experience the awesome Presence of God, you will see the faces of the saints of God that shine and radiate His love. NO MATTER HOW DARK YOUR WORLD MAY SEEM!
People who were once lost in darkness have been miraculously changed.
Matthew 5:14 thru 16
14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
15?"Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
16?"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Ephesians 5:8
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light
A bed, a table, a chair, a candlestick. These are the personal things that were once very dear to the woman.
Do you have things you are hanging on to that you know God has wanted from you all along.
Notice the response of Elisha to the Shunamite woman.
In verse 13
'Look, you have been concerned for us with all this care.
What can I do for you?
If we will honor the Lord with our time and energy and our possessions, He will ask you what He asked that Shunammite,
“What can I do for you?”
God wants to meet your need. He delights in ministering in the greatest needs in your life.
For the Shunammite woman, she had always wanted a child. She needed New Life brought to her old life.
Did you know this is the greatest need in your life?
That Shunammite woman was a great woman of faith. She proved this in her faithfulness, that is, in the things she did and said for the Lord. The result was a blessing beyond anything she had ever imagined.
A new life for her and her husband. With all of the money and prominence, nothing could ever mean more to her than the New Life prophesied and promised.
When you Make Room for God, your faith will grow and you will become even more faithful in the things of God.
Elisha recognized the faithfulness of the Shunammite woman. She blessed the man of God unconditionally.
Likewise we must bless God (Himself) unconditionally.
Faithfulness requires us to put our faith to work without there necessarily being an immediate response or reward from God.
This means we will be doing things for the Lord for only one reason. We sincerely love God and we want to serve Him.
This is all about our doing things with our heart and pure motives, pure intentions and pure praise to Him.
You see, the woman never asked Elisha for any special favors. She chose to demonstrate her faith with her hospitality.
She became God’s servant, and if we look closely at the story, we will see that there is an undetermined length of time that Elisha was there in this upper room. A few days or a few months?
The Shunammite woman was patient for Elisha to meet her needs. Elisha sensed her faithfulness and blessed her.
Likewise, God knows what He is doing in your life tonight. Hebrews 4 tells us that He is the “discerner of your thoughts and intentions of your heart.”
The point is this. If we are faithful with what we give God (in sincerity and honesty), He will bless us.
What is even more exciting is that He will often bless us in areas of our lives that we may not be expecting.
This Shunammite couple was old and never had expected the Lord to give them such a great blessing. It may have been the farthest thought they could have ever had. As far as they were concerned, giving birth to a new life was impossible.
There are no doubt blessings in your life that come to you that you did not even ask for.
Nevertheless, God wants to bring honor to you with a new life.
The Shunammite woman was given a promise that required her to continue being faithful. Notice, she would have to wait a year. Not 9 months. God has timing for each of His blessings for our lives.
There is more on God’s mind for us than just giving us what we are wanting.
He will continue to mold us and prepare us for greater things to come.
I want a heart like the Shunammite woman. A heart that says I love you Lord and I will wait however long you want me to wait. I will trust in the sovereign hand of God.
Closing –
I wonder how long that woman had that desire in her heart for a child of her own. Perhaps, you may have thought that God has forgotten your desire.
Question:
• What do I expect from the Lord today?
• Are my personal needs more important that my willingness to praise and bless the name of the Lord?
• Do I find myself distracted with my personal needs and wants so much so that they interfere with my praising and exalting the Lord?
