“Now pick up the other arrows,” said Elisha. He picked them up. Then he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground.” The king struck the ground three times and then quit. The Holy Man became angry with him: “Why didn’t you hit the ground five or six times? Then you would beat Aram until he was finished. As it is, you’ll defeat him three times only.” 2 Kings 13:18-19 (MSG)
The king struck the ground three times and then quit.
And he struck three times and stopped.
The king picked them up and hit the floor three times.
In whichever translation you look at it again,
The bottom line is that the king aimed low, shallow.
How high are your expectations of victory today and for the rest of this year?
This king in our text was so much absorbed about the facts of the opposing army against him, and when he had the lifetime opportunity of winning the battles forever, he took only 3 feeble shots at victory. ( 2 Kings 13: 14-21)
Whose report are you relying on today to make your requests before God?
The 12 spies had two reports (majority and minority reports) Numbers 13:30-33
Joshua and Caleb held on to what they know about God hence they outlived all the other spies in that espionage.
Don’t let the circumstances of what you are going through limit your expectations from God
He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep
Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. Psalm 121:4 (AMPC)
God is always ahead of your enemies, and He keeps you and your interests safe and secure at all times.
He not only warned but prevented Abimelech from touching Abraham’s wife. “But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said, Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken [as your own], for she is a man’s wife.” Genesis 20:3 (AMPC)
When Laban was plotting against Jacob, He appeared and ensured no harm came to him.“ But God came to Laban the Syrian [Aramean] in a dream by night and said to him, Be careful that you do not speak from good to bad to Jacob [peaceably, then violently].” Genesis 31:24 (AMPC)
God appeared to Paul in a dream and told him that neither he nor the people will come to any harm.“But [even] now I beg you to be in good spirits and take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you but only of the ship.” Acts 27:22 (AMPC)
Paul also told Timothy that all is well with him as he entrusts all to God for safekeeping. “The confidence of my calling enables me to overcome every difficulty without shame, for I have an intimate revelation of this God. And my faith in him convinces me that he is more than able to keep all that I’ve placed in his hands safe and secure until the fullness of his appearing.” 2 Timothy 1:12 (TPT)
There is no need for you to be anxious or worried about an issue once you have committed it to God’s hand.
He got you covered.
He is more than able to keep all that you put in His care
“And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to inquire of the LORD. And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; the elder shall serve the younger.” Genesis 25:22-23 (KJV)
Rebecca went directly to God to inquire about what she was experiencing.
She needed no intermediary between her and God.
God responded by speaking and explaining to her what was going on in her life.
You too can directly hear from God if you are indeed a child of God.
God speaks to us clearly and communicates with us at our level of understanding Him.
Today many of us behave like the children of Israel in the wilderness who told Moses that they did not want to hear from God directly they preferred Moses to be their intermediary.
Once you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you have access to God through your redemption.
He has bridged the gap between us God.
Today you do not need a prayer “contractor” to help you pray and hear from God.
Hannah and Daniel are examples of people who also talked to God directly, and God answered them.
The Holy Spirit is available in the life of every believer, and He will guide you on how to pray to God based on the Bible.
However, the fact that you can pray directly to God does not mean you operate as a one-man squad.
The Bible encourages you to fellowship, pray and praise with other believers (Hebrews 10:25)
As God answered Rebecca so also, He will answer you when you inquire directly from Him.
“Then he sent forth a dove to see if the waters had decreased from the surface of the ground. But the dove found no resting-place on which to roost, and she returned to him to the ark, for the waters were [yet] on the face of the whole land. So he put forth his hand and drew her to him into the ark. He waited another seven days and again sent forth the dove out of the ark. And the dove came back to him in the evening, and behold, in her mouth was a newly sprouted and freshly plucked olive leaf! So Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the land. Then he waited another seven days and sent forth the dove, but she did not return to him anymore.” Genesis 8:6-12 (AMPC)
The dove did not return to Noah anymore.
Noah did not sulk or complain to every other human being or other animals remaining in the ark that the dove did not return.
Learn to release people who God has sent into your life or compliment your assignments for a season.
It is possible that the dove was possibly hatched in the ark during the period it was raining and logically “owed” its life to Noah.
However, there comes a time that people sent to you may find their assignments and purpose in life in the course of carrying out the tasks you assigned them to do.
Once they find their fulfillment release them with your blessings and move on as Noah did.
Has somebody being part of your assignments and did not return?
Thank God for them and joyfully accomplish the rest of your great assignments in life.
“While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, Separate now for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Acts 13:2 (AMPC)
The fellowship and the worship were so great and enjoyable, but there came a time Paul and Silas had to be released for their own purposeful life. They did not return to the routine they were once used to.
They went on to find fulfillment, and they were indeed a blessing to the church.
“And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them.” Judges 8:4 (KJV)
Gideon’s 300 men approved of God were physically tired and thoroughly exhausted, but they did not give up in their pursuit of conquest.
Jacob wrestled with the angel of God all night and by daybreak was tired but did not let go until he got the victory. (Genesis 32:22-32)
Elijah after the victorious battle with the prophets of Baal prayed for the actual manifestation of rain on the earth and not until the seventh time before his servant saw a small sign of the cloud. He did not give up (1Kings18: 44)
Whatsoever goal you are yet to achieve in this year 2018 don’t give up.
It’s the tenth month of the year, and your five senses are possibly telling you that you are tired and it is not worth believing God for anymore.
Please don’t give up.
You may feel faint but still, pursue.
Remember Elisha in his very old age was still getting things done for God’s people who requested him. He did not say he was sick and tired. Israel even got victory through his ministry (2kings 13:14-19)
Jesus prayed through at Gethsemane and had complete success.
Hence He was able to face the cross. (Matthew 26:36-46)
Paul pursued his goals relentlessly. (Philippians 3:13)
He fought the good fight of faith till the very end. (2 Timothy 4:7)
Don’t give up on yourself, your dreams, and aspirations.
“Do you see someone who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for them.” Proverbs 29:20 (NIV)
You know somebody that speaks hastily?
Is that You?
Stop doing that.
Esau spoke hastily when he was hungry and gave up his birthright because he was hungry and angry. (Genesis 25:32-33)
Jacob sputtered in anger to Laban not knowing that it was Rachael that stole the god Laban was looking for and unknowingly pronounced her early death. (Genesis 31:32)
Moses reacted to the provocation by the Israelites and ended up seeing but not entering the promised land God used him to deliver to them.
(Numbers 20:8-12)
Jephthah made a vow hastily of sacrificing the first thing that meets him after a guaranteed victory. He did not think it through that it was his daughter that will meet him first. (Judges 11:30)
Peter hastily wished Christ would not need to go to the Cross. The Lord rebuked the satan that tried to speak through him. (Matthew 16:23)
Again rather than pray, pray, and pray he hastily made a promise that he would not deny Christ. (Luke 22:34)
Today pause, think, reflect before you speak especially when angry and hungry!!!.
Let the Holy Spirit in you guide you at all times before you open your mouth to speak.
“Don’t shoot off your mouth, or speak before you think.
Don’t be too quick to tell God what you think he wants to hear.
God’s in charge, not you—the less you speak, the better.” Ecclesiastes 5:2 (MSG)
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