We are going to start with a story in the Old Testament. The northern ten tribes were surrounded by the Assyrians. There was a blockade and people were starving. People were eating their own children and so desperate for food that they were paying money for animal dung!
And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die?
2 Kings 7:3
The four lepers were sitting at the gate of Samaria. People inside the city were starving. It was a pretty hopeless situation. These four men decided to do something other than just sitting around waiting to die.
There are people in the Church that desperately need a change. It could even be so bad that they will not make it unless something changes. This was the situations the lepers found themselves in.
And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die. If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there: and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die.
2 Kings 7:3-4
The city was under siege, people were starving, and only four lepers at the gate decided to do something. I always enjoy reading their statement, “if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die”. These men decided to step out and do something.
Many of us want to experience the miraculous but are not willing to step out and do something. We let fear keep us from stepping out to the place that will require a miracle. In a sense we are like the disciples sitting in the boat when Jesus walked up. In that situation the water was filling up the boat. Only Peter stepped out of the boat and experienced a miracle.
There are people who will read this post that live unfulfilled lives. They know their life is not what God planned it but are afraid of change. What do they have to lose? These lepers were starving at the gate when they decided to do something. What will it take to get us to do something big for God?
Time is short and I want my life to count, do you? We can go through the motions day after day waiting to reach the end or make a decision to be bold and step out of the boat.
If you can’t look at your life as it is and be thankful then you are dying. How long are you going to wait to do something? What is the worst that can happen if we step out? I used to be afraid of failure until the Holy Spirit showed me my life was already a failure!
And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.
1 Kings 17:1
Elijah delivered the word given him by God. This required him to step out of his “comfort zone”. Ahab had killed all of the prophets of God and Elijah did not know what would happen. After he delivered the message the word of the Lord came directing him to his place of provision.
And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying. Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.
1 Kings 17:2-4
This word followed his audience with Ahab. The brook Cherith was miles long but how did Elijah know where to go? The Lord had already commanded the ravens to feed him “there”. Ravens can fly faster than a man can walk. One of the ways he knew he was in the right place was that the supply was already “there”.
Many people struggle because God has sent their supply to where He called them instead of where they are. He commanded the ravens to feed Elijah “there” but not where he was. What would have happened if he had not gone to the brook Cherith? He would not have found his supply!
God was faithful to supply Elijah’s needs but the provision was not where he was. This is similar to what happens when a quarterback throws a football. He does not throw it to where the receiver is. A good quarterback is able to foresee where the receiver will be and then throw the ball there.
We have to be going to catch the ball of God’s provision. People will often say that they are waiting for the provision before stepping out. That is not the way God works. We have to step out and then we will find the provision waiting!
“I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.”
Many times we do not experience the provision because we are not where it is. God is faithful. He supplies our every need but like Elijah we must go where that supply is. The key to the prosperous life is obedience to what God called us to do.
It would be better to do something wrong for God than to do nothing. People allow fear of the unknown and fear of making a mistake keep them from the plan of God. We must allow ourselves to be motivated by faith. God can bless a mistake made in faith more than He can bless a mistake made in fear!
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