August 17, 2009, "He is The Resurrection"

TRIUMPHANT VICTORIOUS REMINDERS
Inspired by the Holy Spirit
Written By: Teresa Criswell

"Jesus said to her, 'I Am the Resurrection and the Life...'"
~ John 11:25 ~

Last night for the first time I was watching Stuvall Weems who was on The Church Channel and I listened to him teach out of II Kings 4:8-37. It was regarding the wealthy woman from Shunem and the prophet of God named, Elisha.

As I re-read this amazing story this morning of Elisha the prophet and the wealthy woman from Shunem who had one dream, and her dream was to have a son. One of her circumstances that hindered her from having a son, was that it states in chapter four her husband was of old age.

This woman of great wealth had invited this man of God, Elisha into her home and would feed him. She saw the power of God in his life and one day took it a step further as she told her husband she wanted to build Elisha a room on the roof of their home. She not only built him a room, but she also furnished it with a bed, a table, a chair and a lamp. So that every time he passed through her town, she expected him to stay in their home.

I love how God provided provision for His prophet Elisha through this woman of wealth. She celebrated the gifts of God in His life and wanted to be a part of being a blessing. However, in that moment that she was a blessing to Elisha, God made sure that she would receive the greatest dream that she desired, and that was to have a child. She had great wealth, but even in that wealth it could not provide her greatest dream; and that was to have a baby.

Elisha looked at this woman and spoke to her as he heard from the Lord, "You are going to have a son this time next year." She said with sadness, "O lord, please do not get my hopes up. Do not say this to me." Then shortly after his prophecy over her life, sure enough she became pregnant.

The dream that she dreamed, became a reality. She took hold of that dream, and no matter what the doubts in her mind would say, she held onto that word. No matter what her friends might have said, she held onto that word. No matter what the doctors might have said regarding her chances of having a baby; she held onto that word. As she held onto the word from God through this prophet, her dream became a reality she gave birth to a son.

As time passed, and after the boy was older he went to visit his dad in the fields. Suddenly, he complained, "My head hurts! My head hurts!" His father had one of the servants carry him home. The servant I am sure told the mother what had happened and the mother held him on her lap, but around noontime he died.

In a matter of a moment, everything that was so clear and so amazing, became hazy, confusing and her dream suddenly died. After he died, she carried her son up to the prophets room and laid him on Elisha's bed, walked out of the room and shut the door behind her. She then sent a message to her husband to send one of their servants with a donkey so that she could hurry to the man of God and come right back. Her husband of course, had to know why on God's green earth she would need to do such a thing. What was the occasion? None of it made any sense. In the middle of her dream being ripped from her life, she replied back calmly, "It's all right."

After she had arrived where the prophet was, the prophet, Elisha saw her coming. He told his servant, "Find out if everything is ok with the Shunem woman's husband, herself and her child." Now notice this, she didn't tell her husband that their son died. Now the servant of the prophet asks her how everything is and she tells him, "Everything is fine." Isn't that interesting? She knew who to share her burdens with; and she chose not to share it with her husband, because she must have known, faith would not have been present in the midst of her husband, as he would have immediately mourned the death of their son. HOWEVER, when she came to the man of God at the mountain where he was she fell to the ground before him and caught hold of his feet. The servant of Elisha tried to get her away from him, but Elisha said, "Leave her alone, something is troubling her deeply, and the Lord has not told me what it is."

She then with I imagine with great anger and sadness says to Elisha, "You said that I would have a son. And didn't I tell you not to raise my hopes?" He then tells his servant to saddle up his donkey to go to this woman's home and lay his staff on the child's face. BUT the boy's mother said, "As surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I won't go home unless you go with me." So Elisha returned with her.

When Elisha arrives to the woman's house, they see that undoubtedly the child is dead. Elisha shuts the door so it is only the child on his bed and him. He gets on top of the child. Places first his mouth upon his mouth, then his eyes on the child's eyes, and his hands on the child's hands. And the child's body began to grow warm again! Elisha got up and walked back and forth in the room a few times. Then he stretched himself out again on the child. This time the child sneezed seven times and opened his eyes!

He told his servant to get the mother. He said, "Here take your son!" She fell at his feet overwhelmed with gratitude. She picked up her son and carried him downstairs."

Did you notice several things that happened?
The dream that was ripped from her arms; she didn't draw near to hopelessness. She didn't draw near to having a funeral, she didn't draw near to despair; she drew near to God at that very moment.

I notice also that she was careful who she shared her despair with. We all have dreams that seem dead. We have circumstances that whisper repetitively how we don't have a chance. We have the dream killers that surround us with their shouts of, "It can't be done." Instead she knew who to share the despair with. She knew that in the midst of her 'suddenly' moment, that the prophet of God would 'suddenly' rise up with faith in God and remind her of who was more powerful.

I love how she said, "Everything is fine", when all was not fine. Wow! What a woman that was reminded of how awesome her God was.

Your dream may seem dead. But run to the Restorer of the ruined dreams. Run to the Redeemer of what may seem gone forever. Run to the Resurrection and the Life! God resurrected this dead boy and gave him life. God resurrected the mother's dream as she picked up her dream and carried him.

Notice the order as Stuvall Weems gave a great analogy as we notice the order and placement of Elisha's mouth, eyes and hands:
When we line up our words with God's Word we will start to
see through God's eyes and when we see through God's eyes,
our hands will do what He wants us to do. Hallelujah!

I want to be like the woman from Shunem. She didn't plan for a funeral, she planned for a resurrection. She didn't run to people who would mourn with her, she ran to the person who would rejoice with her and see what she had to believe for; RESURRECTION in the midst of death. Your dreams may seem dead, but they are waiting to resurrect.

Let our words line up with His Word, so that we may start to see God's vision and as we see through His eyes, our hands will do what He wants us to do.