Don’t quit too soon!

In Old Testament days, the anointing (the presence of God) rested on the priests, prophets and the kings.  The prophet Elisha carried such a strong presence of God that he did double the miracles of his predecessor, Elijah.

The story of how Elisha’s anointing impacted a certain Shunammite woman is recounted in 2 Kings 4:8-17. This woman is in the Bible because of her great hunger and thirst for God’s presence.

Stoke a hunger for God

This “notable woman”, as the Bible describes her, so desperately wanted God’s presence to rest in her home that she asked her husband to build a room for Elisha. That way, the prophet could stay there whenever he came to that area. She never selfishly tried to get things from God through Elisha. Simply and purely, she desired His presence in her life and home.

That should be the focus in our lives as well: A desire for His presence—not what He can do for us. He already knows our need, as demonstrated in this story.

Elisha was so blessed by the loving care this woman showed him that he asked her if she had any needs. She told the prophet that she was okay. But Elisha’s observant servant Gehazi saw that she was childless.

A principle to remember is this: If we make the Lord welcome in our heart and home, He will always meet our needs according to His riches in glory. And since His glory is His presence, we know that the key to having every need met is found in His presence.  It’s not that He doesn’t want us to ask. He does. But our priority is not to see what we can get from God. Our priority is to know Him and be known by Him!

Know the God of the impossible

This woman had buried her unfulfilled desire for a child so long that it may have been too painful to mention. She had put aside her dream. Fortunately for us, God never forgets what He places in our heart. He wants us to conceive the vision and bear fruit. 

Elisha told her that by that time next year she would have a child. The woman got upset, afraid of being disappointed again. She knew that both she and her husband were past the age of child-bearing. Therefore, Elisha’s prophecy was impossible in the natural.

God brings us to that place because He specializes in impossibilities. That is why we can’t give up too soon.  If God said it and we believe it, it will happen for us the way He meant it to. This woman almost gave up but, because she took care of God’s presence, He made her life fruitful. In verse 17, we read that she had her son exactly as Elisha had prophesied.

Yearn for His presence

Like the Shunammite woman, yearn for God’s presence and believe whatever He tells you. We all have a dream we can’t shake and Satan can’t steal. Natural circumstances make it seem impossible, but don’t give up! Yearn for more of God and He will fulfill His purposes in your life because His seed of greatness is in you. God will make sure you give birth to what He has invested in your life.

Psalm 37:4 & 5: “Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.”

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