If Beggars Can Win, You Too Can

**fennywest** Wed 26 May 2010, 12:26 pm

2Ki:7:3: 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?
2Ki:7:4: 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.
2Ki:7:5: And they rose up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the Syrians: and when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria, behold, there was no man there.
2Ki:7:6: For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host: and they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us.
2Ki:7:7: Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life.
2Ki:7:8: And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried thence silver, and gold, and raiment, and went and hid it; and came again, and entered into another tent, and carried thence also, and went and hid it.
2Ki:7:9: Then they said one to another, We do not well: this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace: if we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will come upon us: now therefore come, that we may go and tell the king's household.
2Ki:7:10: So they came and called unto the porter of the city: and they told them, saying, We came to the camp of the Syrians, and, behold, there was no man there, neither voice of man, but horses tied, and asses tied, and the tents as they were.
2Ki:7:11: And he called the porters; and they told it to the king's house within.

[b][i]Often we are hemmed in a corner; we face a wall, hit rock bottom. We stand between a rock and a hard place. It is like a point of no return. We are completely licked. We have come to the end of ourselves- beaten, battered and broken.

We know at such points that unless the Lord shows up, we are completely finished, vanquished, at the mercy of the adversary

This was the situation that the four lepers faced. They knew they would die if they remained where they were, in their leprous destitute and hopeless condition. They would starve and die a slow painful death.

If they went into the city, there was famine waiting for them there like an armed robber lurking to dispossess them of their life.
If they went into the enemy’s camp they were looking for, not just trouble but certain death, as it were.

So what should they do?

They decided ‘Let us rise and go to the enemy’s camp. If they kill us, they kill us, we die. It is the same death. If they have compassion then we shall live.

‘We shall not sit here and die.
Let us do something, take a step of faith. If we die we die. Who knows we may find favour and if so, we will live.

Esther came to this place when she said,

Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. Esther4:16

The lives of her people were in danger. This would have been the first holocaust. Rather than stay in the comfort of her palace enjoying all the luxuries, she put her life on the line and approached the King. This was boldness, faith and God stepped in and turned the wheel in favour of Israel. God had positioned her there for that time and her uncle, Mordecai, reminded her of the reason for her strategic placement and she took notice.

You have been also place where you are for a reason. Do not sit down and watch others die and go to hell. Tell them the good news that you have heard. Yes, they may have ignored you, made fun of you before, so what? Do not get tired of shearing the good news you have received, the Bread from heaven you have received, the cure for sin-sickness you have received. Do not be tired of sharing the good sweet music of forgiveness you have heard and received. It is by grace we are saved through faith, not of works lest any man should boast.

Make your move, play your part and God will do the rest. For some, you will be watering the seed sown by someone else. Another person may harvest. For other, you will harvest what others may have sown and watered. Remember, some plant, others water, but it is God Who gives the increase.

When You are Weak, God is Strong

Another truth that comes from this story is that so long as we are strong in ourselves- in the natural- the supernatural is hindered. But when we come to the end of ourselves and we look up, the supernatural will break forth on the scene to the glory of God. God is not pleased with the strength of a horse or the legs of a man. He will not share His glory with anyone.

So have you come to the end of yourself? Then you are a candidate for supernatural intervention. Fall into the hands of God. When God is all you have, you have all that you need.

Play Your Part and God Will Play His

The third lesson from this passage is that God expects us to play our part. Esther fasted and prayed and went to the King even though she was not supposed to go uninvited. That was a step of faith. And God honoured it. Her fasting and praying before going also showed faith with corresponding action which moved the Hand of God.

The woman with the issue of blood believed in Jesus -the Miracle worker. She had been told about his powers and convinced herself that if she could just touch the hem of His garment she would be made whole. If she sat there in her house and kept convincing herself she would have sat there until she died. So apart from confessing the right thing, she took a step of faith and went out to where Jesus was. Approaching the scene, she saw what would have discouraged her- the crowd- but she kept forging on. There were legal barriers: the Levitical laws precluded her from mingling with others. Financially she was drained. Relationally she was bankrupt. Emotionally she was a wreck. Yet, in spite of these barriers, she stepped out and kept going. A throng of people surrounded Jesus but she press in even if they were stepping on her hands she reached for is garments and made a demand on the anointing.

Jesus knew someone had made a withdrawal, hence the question: who touched Me? Multitudes were touching Him but her touch was different. It was a touch of faith.

Today, touch Him with the touch of faith and receive your miracle.

These lepers rose up and went to the Assyrians- the enemy camp. They took a step of faith and the Lord caused their chains to orchestrate a sound of war and doom in the enemy camp that they fled, leaving the lepers a mountain of food unimaginable.

In our weakness God’s strength is made perfect. Through that weakness of yours God will bring you a great deliverance!

When the beggars that were lepers
Found bread they sought to share
Considering it selfish to hoard
So we must share Good News we have heard.

The more we share, the stronger we stand
The more we follow His command
The more He sends His angels on assignment
And the more we enter fulfilment.

The Lord said more we are given
The more is expected as citizens
So give and it shall be given to you
Good measure, running over for you

The harvest is truly plenty
Those who are lost are many
But the labourers are few
Let us go out, get out of the pew!

Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Matt.9:37

Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. Luke10:2

Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. Matt10:8