There comes a moment in every believer’s life when God begins to move in such a powerful way that the enemy will try and whisper, You might as well give up now.
But the reason the battle intensifies, is because you’re too close to your breakthrough.
The Devil knows that your breakthrough is within reach.
I know that the pressure seem unbearable, but may I tell you that the pressure means that the promise is near.
Somebody shout: I’m too close.
Let me let you in on a secret. The enemy doesn’t attack people who are far away from their promise.
He attacks the ones who are right at the edge of their miracle. Right at the edge of a breakthrough.
You’re too close to quit.
Too close to turn around.
Too close to lose your faith.
You’re too close to the promise to go back now.
You’re too close to the miracle to stop praying.
You’re too close to the victory to throw in the towel.
Look at somebody and say:
Tell your Neighbor, I’m too close now.
Our story is found in 2 Kings 7, during one of the darkest moments in Israel’s history.
The city of Samaria was under siege by the Syrian army.
They had surrounded the city and cut off all of the food supplies.
The famine became so severe that the Bible records horrifying details.
In fact, food was so scarce that people were paying huge amounts of money for things that normally had no value.
Desperation had taken over the city.
But while the people were starving inside the walls…
God had already planned a miracle.
You see, Samaria was the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel during the reign of King Jehoram, the son of Ahab.
Israel had repeatedly turned away from God, and because of this rebellion, God allowed enemies like Syria to oppress them.
The king of Syria, Ben-Hadad, surrounded Samaria with his army.
This siege was strategy designed to starve the people into surrender.
No one could leave, and no
food was allowed to come in.
But God had a prophet in the city by the name of Elisha.
And when things looked impossible, Elisha delivered a prophetic word.
In 2nd Kings 7:1 says:
Tomorrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel.
In other words, Elisha said:
By this time tomorrow the famine will be over.
Now imagine hearing that when people were starving to death.
I know that it sounds impossible. It sound like tomorrow is a long ways off.
In fact, one of the king’s officers mocked the prophecy and said:
Even if the Lord opened windows in heaven, could this happen?
Elisha answered:
You will see it with your eyes, but you will not eat from it.
Here it is. Doubt will make you miss the miracle that is right in front of you.
The one thing I can’t stand is negative people around me, don’t we play negative. Because words are powerful, and once you speak them into the atmosphere then those words are airborne.
As we look at the Text the Bible shifts the scene.
At the entrance of the city sat four lepers.
These men were already outcasts, because of their disease. In fact it was so bad that they were not allowed inside the city.
They were stuck between death, and death.
They were standing between a grave behind them, and a grave in front of them.
They were trapped between starvation inside the city, and swords on the outside of the gate.
Inside the city was famine.
Outside the city was the Syrian army.
And then they asked a powerful question:
Why sit we here until we die?
They Made A Faith Decision the lepers said:
If we stay here, we will die.
If we go into the city we will die.
But if we go to the Syrians, maybe they will spare us.
Church, sometimes faith means moving when the odds look impossible.
Sometimes the miracle is waiting, on the other side of your movement.
Look at somebody and say:
Move anyway.
Come on church shout back me Move anyway.
The Bible says when the lepers started walking toward the Syrian camp, God caused the enemy army to hear the sound of chariots and horses.
They thought a massive army was coming.
And the Syrians ran for their lives.
Watch this. They left behind: food ,silver, gold, and clothing.
May I tell you that God will make your enemies run and God will make your enemies leave you a buffet.
By the time the lepers arrived. The camp was empty.
God had already fought the battle.
Tell your neighbor, I’m Too Close to Turn Around Now. I am at the point of nooooo return.
These men were closer to their miracle than they realized.
All they had to do was take a few steps forward.
Some of us are in that same place this morning.
You’ve been praying.
You’ve been fasting.
You’ve been believing.
And the enemy is whispering:
Quit now.
But the devil is nervous because you’re too close.
Too close to your healing.
Too close to your breakthrough.
Too close to your blessing.
Shout: I’m too close.
The Enemy Attacks When You’re Close
Notice something.
The famine was at its worst right before the miracle came.
That’s how the enemy works.
The pressure gets stronger.
The storm gets louder.
The battle gets harder.
Because the enemy knows something you might not realize.
The enemy knows you’re closer than you think.
So here is a word of advice.
Don’t Stop at the Gate
The miracle happened when the lepers started moving.
Faith isn’t just believing.
Faith is walking toward which God promised.
James says faith without works is dead.
Sometimes you have to step forward even when you don’t see the outcome yet.
Tell somebody: Take the step.
When the lepers arrived, they started eating and hiding treasure.
But then they realized something.
They said: This is a day of good news, and we’re keeping it to ourselves.
So they went back and told the whole city.
Their miracle became everybody’s miracle.
God didn’t just deliver four men.
He delivered an entire nation.
When God Blesses You
When God brings you out…
Don’t keep the testimony to yourself.
Tell somebody tell everybody what God has done.
Tell everybody how God made a way.
Because your testimony will give someone else hope.
Let me ask a question. How close are you
Somebody shout Too close.
You can’t quit now.
I’m reminded of a story of a gold miner during the gold rush.
The miner dug for months and found nothing.
He spent all his money and exhausted himself digging through hard rock.
Finally he became discouraged and quit.
He sold the land and his equipment to another man for almost nothing.
The new owner brought in a mining engineer to inspect the site.
After studying the ground, the engineer said:
You stopped digging three feet from the largest gold vein in the region.
Three feet.
Three feet from wealth.
Three feet from breakthrough.
Three feet from success.
The new owner dug just a little further, and struck gold.
The first man quit because he didn’t know how close he was.
And somebody listening tonight is only three feet from your miracle.
Three prayers from your breakthrough.
Three steps from your promise.
And the enemy is trying to convince you to quit now.
But God sent me to tell you:
Don’t stop digging.
Don’t stop praying.
Don’t stop believing.
Because you are too close.
Lift your hands and shout don’t quit you are too close
