By Pastor Elijah,
Associate Pastor, Fedha Church KAG
2 Kings 7:3-8
The Siege Lifted
3 Now there were four men with leprosy at the entrance of the city gate. They said to each other, “Why stay here until we die? 4 If we say, ‘We’ll go into the city’—the famine is there, and we will die. And if we stay here, we will die. So let’s go over to the camp of the Arameans and surrender. If they spare us, we live; if they kill us, then we die.”
5 At dusk they got up and went to the camp of the Arameans. When they reached the edge of the camp, no one was there, 6 for the Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots and horses and a great army, so that they said to one another, “Look, the king of Israel has hired the Hittite and Egyptian kings to attack us!” 7 So they got up and fled in the dusk and abandoned their tents and their horses and donkeys. They left the camp as it was and ran for their lives.
8 The men who had leprosy reached the edge of the camp, entered one of the tents and ate and drank. Then they took silver, gold and clothes, and went off and hid them. They returned and entered another tent and took some things from it and hid them also.
• Faith requires we pray and act.,We ought to pray and act. Faith without action is dead.
• As we pray we have to do what is within our power and is wise.
We need to do our best and make use of every God given opportunity. Trusting in God is not doing nothing and waiting for God to do everything but doing your best and leaving the rest to God. It requires our active participation.
Background
In chapter 6:24-33. Ben-Hadad king of Syria besieged Samaria the capital of Israel.
The gates of the city were totally closed and there was no one going in outward of the city. The city was on a total lock down. Even the king and the Prophet were on a lockdown.
Remember the farms were out in the field and so no supply of food or even essential services
The famine was so serious that a donkeys head was very expensive even a dog's dung was up for sale.
It became so bad that women started eating their children. There was no hope inside the city.
Outside the city it was even dangerous because of the danger of the enemy.
But there were these four lepers at the entrance who were locked outside.
a) They were insecure, sick, hungry and without shelter.
b) They were locked out.
c) They stood no chance of survival. If the enemy struck they would be the first one to die.
d) While everyone inside just waited and hoped the government will help, these four lepers acted and made a difference.
e) Though their situation was the worst, they came out the best. This is because they acted in faith and wisdom.
Three things you need to do
1. Analyze your situation.
“If we stay here, we will die”.
Proverbs 14:8 the wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception.
2. Weigh your options
a) Do I sell my plot?
b) Do I start a business?
c) Do I go up country or send the family up country.
3. Prayerfully pick the most appropriate option
James 1:5 But if any of you lack wisdom, you should pray to God, who will give it to you; because God gives generously and graciously to all.
4. Put your option to action
• At twilight they arose and went into the camp Syrians. And miracles happen.
V8 they were secure (enemy gone)
• They ate and drunk, got clothes, enough Gold and silver, hid extra saving, gave the extra to the city and they were honored
John 13:17
17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
Associate Pastor, Fedha Church KAG
2 Kings 7:3-8
The Siege Lifted
3 Now there were four men with leprosy at the entrance of the city gate. They said to each other, “Why stay here until we die? 4 If we say, ‘We’ll go into the city’—the famine is there, and we will die. And if we stay here, we will die. So let’s go over to the camp of the Arameans and surrender. If they spare us, we live; if they kill us, then we die.”
5 At dusk they got up and went to the camp of the Arameans. When they reached the edge of the camp, no one was there, 6 for the Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots and horses and a great army, so that they said to one another, “Look, the king of Israel has hired the Hittite and Egyptian kings to attack us!” 7 So they got up and fled in the dusk and abandoned their tents and their horses and donkeys. They left the camp as it was and ran for their lives.
8 The men who had leprosy reached the edge of the camp, entered one of the tents and ate and drank. Then they took silver, gold and clothes, and went off and hid them. They returned and entered another tent and took some things from it and hid them also.
• Faith requires we pray and act.,We ought to pray and act. Faith without action is dead.
• As we pray we have to do what is within our power and is wise.
We need to do our best and make use of every God given opportunity. Trusting in God is not doing nothing and waiting for God to do everything but doing your best and leaving the rest to God. It requires our active participation.
Background
In chapter 6:24-33. Ben-Hadad king of Syria besieged Samaria the capital of Israel.
The gates of the city were totally closed and there was no one going in outward of the city. The city was on a total lock down. Even the king and the Prophet were on a lockdown.
Remember the farms were out in the field and so no supply of food or even essential services
The famine was so serious that a donkeys head was very expensive even a dog's dung was up for sale.
It became so bad that women started eating their children. There was no hope inside the city.
Outside the city it was even dangerous because of the danger of the enemy.
But there were these four lepers at the entrance who were locked outside.
a) They were insecure, sick, hungry and without shelter.
b) They were locked out.
c) They stood no chance of survival. If the enemy struck they would be the first one to die.
d) While everyone inside just waited and hoped the government will help, these four lepers acted and made a difference.
e) Though their situation was the worst, they came out the best. This is because they acted in faith and wisdom.
- We are almost in the same situation. No going in and out of Nairobi and other counties. No going to farm in our fields. Some jobs have closed and businesses shut.
- Beyond prayers what do we do? Do you just wait and hope serikali itatushughulikia.
- We can learn from these lepers what we need to da to change our situation.
- They made a difference and brought a change.
Three things you need to do
1. Analyze your situation.
“If we stay here, we will die”.
- They analyzed their situation and concluded they were in a dying situation.
- After what happened, they found themselves staying outside and helpless.
- They asked themselves questions that every one of us need to ask.
- How is my situation
- How am i doing? From the way things are do I have hope. Is it a good situation or a bad situation? If I continue this way what will happen.
Proverbs 14:8 the wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception.
- When you analyze your situation you come to a conclusion. You see the need to act or to change.
2. Weigh your options
- If we stay here we die if we go to the city we die with famine.
- If we go to the Syrians they will either kill us or spare us.
- No matter where you are. There are always options. Way your options.
a) Do I sell my plot?
b) Do I start a business?
c) Do I go up country or send the family up country.
- Be open minded and look beyond the familiar options like facing the Syrians.
- Put all the options on the table no matter how ridiculously they are and way them.
3. Prayerfully pick the most appropriate option
- Pick the most promising options not the easiest. Having looked at the viability of your options, do go for the easiest.
- People rarely want to take risks. They prefer to remain in comfort zones.
- Many people lost good jobs but now they are hawking masks. Your reputation stand dying but you stand a chance of feeding your family.
James 1:5 But if any of you lack wisdom, you should pray to God, who will give it to you; because God gives generously and graciously to all.
- So let's go over to the camp of the Arameans and surrender. If they spare us, we live; if they kill us, then we die."
- Be willing to take unfamiliar path doing these unfamiliar times.
- Eccl 11:4 whoever watches the wind will not plant, whoever looks at the clouds will not reap
4. Put your option to action
• At twilight they arose and went into the camp Syrians. And miracles happen.
V8 they were secure (enemy gone)
• They ate and drunk, got clothes, enough Gold and silver, hid extra saving, gave the extra to the city and they were honored
John 13:17
17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
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