Passage to Ponder: 2 Kings 13:14-20
But the man of God was angry with him. “You should have struck the ground five or six times!” he exclaimed. “Then you would have beaten Aram until it was entirely destroyed. Now you will be victorious only three times.” --2 Kings 13:19 (NLT)
These are the last words of the great Prophet Elisha, words spoken to King Jehoash of Israel. The Arameans were invading the land and the king sought the man of God for a word from the Lord. On his deathbed, Elisha told the king to open the window in the prophet’s room which was facing east. He told Jehoash to take his bow and notch an arrow. Then Elisha placed his hands over the king’s hands which were holding the bow. He commanded the king to shoot the arrow eastward out the window. Then Elisha said in verse 17, “This is the LORD’s arrow, an arrow of victory over Aram, for you will completely conquer the Arameans at Aphek.”
The arrow flew, but Elisha wasn’t finished. In verse 18, he then went on to say to Jehoash, “Now pick up the other arrows and strike them against the ground.” That verse goes on to record, “So the king picked them up and struck the ground three times.” From the response of anger in Elisha noted in verse 19, we get the idea that Elisha commanded the king to strike the arrows on the ground a bunch of times with a lot of force. King Jehoash must have been very timid and only gently brushed the ground just three times with his arrows. Do you understand why Elisha was so frustrated with the king?
The king’s actions demonstrated his uncertainty in God’s promise to give victory over the enemy. He had no confidence that God was going to grant a favorable outcome in the battle. God kept His promise, but there would only be three victorious battles instead of the complete destruction of the enemy. In other words, there would be future battles against the Arameans because the king was going to allow them to hang around instead of getting rid of them completely.
Do your actions of faith match your words of faith? You can pray for rain, but unless you take an umbrella with you, do you really believe God is going to answer your prayer? Jesus said in Matthew 21:22, “And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” Pay close attention here: God answers prayer in accordance to His will; if you ask outside of God’s will, for selfish reasons, then your request to God is not going to be granted—that is a topic for another day. This is what I want you to carry in your heart from this devotional today…when you pray, ask God to keep His promise; believe the God has already done it; and, your actions will show if you really believe.
I am not advocating you “tempt the Lord your God” by being foolish in this pandemic. Taking precautions and being careful is NOT a lack of faith…it is being wise! Don’t run around thinking you are bullet proof saying, “God will protect me, my family, my church from getting sick and we are not going to have any problems because I believe God.” You may very well not get sick nor have any problems from this virus. Then again, God may put you through the fire so that you will have an even greater faith.
You are simply being encouraged today to believe God for the victory over this unseen enemy and to let your actions match your words of faith in God. Words of faith without actions to back them up are simply words of false bravado…whistling a tune of self-assurance as you stroll past the tombstones in a cemetery at night. Backing up your words of trust in God with confident action demonstrates the reality of your faith in God.
The arrow flew, but Elisha wasn’t finished. In verse 18, he then went on to say to Jehoash, “Now pick up the other arrows and strike them against the ground.” That verse goes on to record, “So the king picked them up and struck the ground three times.” From the response of anger in Elisha noted in verse 19, we get the idea that Elisha commanded the king to strike the arrows on the ground a bunch of times with a lot of force. King Jehoash must have been very timid and only gently brushed the ground just three times with his arrows. Do you understand why Elisha was so frustrated with the king?
The king’s actions demonstrated his uncertainty in God’s promise to give victory over the enemy. He had no confidence that God was going to grant a favorable outcome in the battle. God kept His promise, but there would only be three victorious battles instead of the complete destruction of the enemy. In other words, there would be future battles against the Arameans because the king was going to allow them to hang around instead of getting rid of them completely.
Do your actions of faith match your words of faith? You can pray for rain, but unless you take an umbrella with you, do you really believe God is going to answer your prayer? Jesus said in Matthew 21:22, “And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” Pay close attention here: God answers prayer in accordance to His will; if you ask outside of God’s will, for selfish reasons, then your request to God is not going to be granted—that is a topic for another day. This is what I want you to carry in your heart from this devotional today…when you pray, ask God to keep His promise; believe the God has already done it; and, your actions will show if you really believe.
I am not advocating you “tempt the Lord your God” by being foolish in this pandemic. Taking precautions and being careful is NOT a lack of faith…it is being wise! Don’t run around thinking you are bullet proof saying, “God will protect me, my family, my church from getting sick and we are not going to have any problems because I believe God.” You may very well not get sick nor have any problems from this virus. Then again, God may put you through the fire so that you will have an even greater faith.
You are simply being encouraged today to believe God for the victory over this unseen enemy and to let your actions match your words of faith in God. Words of faith without actions to back them up are simply words of false bravado…whistling a tune of self-assurance as you stroll past the tombstones in a cemetery at night. Backing up your words of trust in God with confident action demonstrates the reality of your faith in God.
Love,
Pastor Larry
Pastor Larry
(This is from a series of devotionals written during our time of restricted meetings and activities due to the coronavirus.)
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