It Is Well

We're going to turn to 2 Kings chapter 4. >> >> Somewhat familiar passage if you've been in church throughout your life. We're going to begin at verse 8 and I do have lengthy scripture reading, but >> >> I feel it's necessary to lay the groundwork for what we need to talk about and preach today. Verse 8 says, "And it fell on a day that Elisha passed to Shunem >> >> where was a great woman. And she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread." And that's some good bread, right? Just look for an opportunity to swing by and get some bread. And she said unto her husband, "Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God which passes by us continually. >> >> Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall and let us set for him there a bed and a table and a stool and a candlestick. >> >> And it shall be when he cometh to us that he shall turn in thither." And we're going to skip ahead, but Elisha knew this room was available and he used it there and it was an opportunity, "Hey, I need to stop in and get bread anyway, so and he wanted to do something to thank this lady for building this room, but she was asking of nothing. Gehazi, which was Elisha's servant, said she doesn't have a child.

And by looking at her husband, it is a no-go in that category. >> >> No, he said he was old. But Elisha called her to the room in verse 16 and he said about this season according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto >> >> thy handmaid. And scripture goes on, she had a son and he went to work with his father one day and we skip down to verse 19 and he said unto his father, my head, my head. And he said to the lad, carry him to his mother. Moms know how to make everything right. And he said, when he had taken him >> >> and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon and then died. And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God >> >> and shut the door up on him and went out. She grabbed a donkey and she went after the man of God. She knew where he was at. She told her husband, hey, I'm headed to where the man of God is and he said, wherefore will I go in verse 23? Wherefore will thou go to him today? It is neither new moon nor Sabbath and she said, >> >> it shall be well. >> >> She goes on, she tells the servant to drive it like a rental.

Let's get there in a hurry. >> >> That's my paraphrasing there. >> [cough] >> Verse 25, so she went and came unto the man of God to Mount Carmel and it came to pass when the man of God saw her far off that he said to Gehazi his servant, he was a southern guy. He said, behold yonder is that Shunammite. Run now, I pray thee, to meet her say unto her, "It is well with thee? Is it well with thy or is it well with thee? Is it well with thy husband? Is it well with thy child?" >> >> And she answered, "It is well." She goes on, she tells Elisha and "I didn't ask for this child, but you did promise it, so don't tell me that he's supposed to die." And Elisha sends Gehazi ahead of them to the house of this lady and we pick up in verse 32. And when Elisha was coming to the house, behold, the child was dead and laid upon his bed. He went in therefore and shut the door upon them twain and prayed unto the Lord. And he went up and lay upon the child and put his mouth upon his mouth and his eyes upon his eyes and his hands upon his hands and stretched himself upon the child and the flesh of the child waxed warm. >> >> Then he returned and walked in the house to and fro and went up and stretched himself upon him and the child sneezed seven times and the child opened his eyes.

And he called Gehazi and said, "Call this Shunammite." >> >> So he called her and when she was coming to unto him, he said, "Take up thy son." Then she went in and fell at his feet and bowed herself to the ground and took up her son and went out. My title for today is it is well. Somebody here today under the sound of my voice >> >> is questioning some things that are taking place in your life and maybe some things have seemingly died that God had surely promised you, but I've come to bring you confidence that it is well. It is well today. >> >> Can everybody say it is well? All right. Even if you had a bad week, you showed up here anyway. It is well. Even if the car wouldn't start almost and the kids fought all the way to church and you spilled the coffee on you when you got here, it is well. It is well. Maybe you don't even care to be sitting who you're sitting next to, but hey, it is well. Don't point fingers. >> >> This scripture, as it started out, it told us that there was a great woman in Shunem. She was a individual that had means. She had a little bit of money, but in this story, she perceived something that others may have possibly missed in Elisha. She said, "This is a holy man of God." Sometimes what you perceive can determine what it is that you receive into your life.

So, when we must be always looking for God's moving and guiding individuals into our life. I'm afraid sometimes we miss what it is God wants to do because we aren't perceptive enough to what he's trying to do. >> >> And she doesn't She doesn't just recognize this fact, but she responded to it and she built a room dedicated to the prophet. She made space for God in her life. So, I ask you at the beginning of this message, have you made room for God in your daily life? Have you stopped and said, "God, I set this part of my life aside. This is for you. God, whenever you want to come in and to reside with me and to talk with me and to deal with me, this is set aside just for you." Nothing else will take its place. Nothing else will consume that space in my life. In a time when so much is consuming everyone's life. In a time when there's so much that bombards us that we seemingly don't have enough hours to get it all done. Are we intentionally saying, "God, I give you permission to step into my life. This area is all just for you." What time have you set aside for him in your schedule? Have you set a place for God and only God in your life? Shunem was the place that this woman lived in. When you study it out, Shunem means a place of rest.

Yet in this place of rest, her faith was tested. Sometimes our greatest trial happens in what we feel like is our safest place. God, I'm this is I'm just comfortable here and suddenly a crisis happens. God, how could you allow this in my life? Why do I have to deal with this today? >> [clears throat and cough] >> But the truth is, he steps in to reveal his power in the midst of our comfortable situation. And there was a promise, a promise that was given to this woman because of her intentionality to make room for God in her life, a promise was handed to her. God gives her a son. This was a miracle that we have no record that she asked for. God knows how to bless you beyond your expectations. Amen? But I'm afraid too many times we miss the promises of God because we're unwilling to make the sacrifice and to pay the price to make room for God to walk in and to bless our life. We fill our life with entertainment and convenience and opportunities and you fill in the blank. We all want the promises of God in our life. But I'm afraid we want it without the commitment to leave space for him to move and to reside and to work in each of us. There's an individual that I know and I won't give his name. Pretty sure he's not watching, but I wouldn't want it to get back to him.

He had so much just stuff. Most of it's truly from what I've seen just worthless, but evidently that he thought it worthy to keep. To the point his whole garage was full. And I've never seen him park his cars in those in that garage. So he built a humongous shed. I'm going to move everything out of my garage and put in that shed and I'm going to finally park my cars in this garage. To this day that garage is still full. His cars are outside. And he's still loading stuff in that shed that is now full. We laugh because some of us are guilty of doing that same thing. We pack our life with all the things. But how much of that could we get rid of? It's really not valuable, it's just taking up space. I'm talking in our spiritual walk. Do we make the space and save opportunity if God were to come in and say, "I want this from your life. I want this time. I want this." We'd be running around scrambling and moving stuff and hiding stuff and But the truth is God's saying, "Just make room for me." You make room for me and my promises will definitely come your way. The promises that he's made to you will be available when we stop and intentionality in the system of making time, making room for him to work in our life. But we see this child, this promise to the Shunammite woman brought a tragedy into her life.

The child is born and grows. And suddenly we see in scripture, "My head, my head." And he dies. This headache suddenly turns into a heartache. The promise that appears to be dead and gone. And when you I don't know about you, but when I read scripture, a lot of times I try to put myself into that story, into that situation. I can kind of fit in this one. I know the agony that she faced. My child is not breathing and what do I do next? The heartache. The helplessness. No doubt set in. But what did she do? Verse 21 says, "And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God and shut the door upon him and went out." She carried him to the prophet's room. She carried him to the place that God showed up. She carried him to that room and she closes the door. She went and told her husband she was going to find the man of God. Scripture don't even say whether she told him why she was going. She didn't stop and post it on social media. Did it really happen? But the truth is she had made room for God. She had made a place and an opportunity for God in her life and she knew that by placing her problem in that place that when God showed up the answer was going to arrive and it would be well. It would be okay.

And she went on in verse 23 when he's like, "Why are you going today? This is not ordinary. This is not the norm. What Why are you seeking this guy?" She said, "It shall be well. It shall be well." How many times does tragedy and crisis and difficulty come into our life and the first thing we do is go seek for our friends to Hey, make a reason out of this. >> >> Instead of saying, "Okay, God, you've allowed it, but I'm trusting you and it shall be well. You're going to fix it. You're going to make it right. You're going to step in to the middle of this situation that seems hopeless and dead and you are going to make it well." She didn't say, "Oh, well." But she said, "It shall be well." Somebody here needs to declare to your problem today, "It is well." Because God is here and all things are possible. There is nothing too big, there's nothing too great, there's nothing too far gone that God can't step back into your life and say, "It is well." It is well. She didn't say it because it was well, but because she trusted God. She trusted God to know that regardless the outcome, God's still in control and it is well. Brother Vic a few weeks ago talked about faith. Faith doesn't deny reality, it declares God's authority over it. God has the final say. Regardless what the doctor says, regardless what anybody else says, regardless of what the financial statement says, when God steps in, it is well.

>> >> When God steps on the scene, when we've made place and opportunity for him in our life, it is well. He is in control and we trust in him. One word from God can override all the chaos that ever could come into your life. We see this woman, she took a journey to Carmel. Not the candy. But she went to Mount Carmel where Elisha was. Carmel was the vineyard of God, a place of fruitfulness, a place cultivated by God. When you study it out and you read in scripture, Carmel's known as a place where God answers by fire. Where God proves himself and God turns drought into rain. It's where he stood, Elijah stood in 1 Kings 18. God sent fire from heaven. It's a place of encounter. That place of fire, place where God proves himself. And this woman knew, I refuse to stay where it died. Don't miss what it is she's doing. She leaves Shunem, the place of rest that got disturbed. And she travels to Carmel, the place where God moves in power. How quick are we to say, "Hey, this is not rest anymore. I'm moving to the place where God is. I'm moving to the place where his power resides, where his power can work in my life. That's where I'm headed. That's where I'm going. I'm not staying here in my pity party and in my problems and my situation and wait for somebody to come bring me a self-help book, but I know the book says it will be okay.

It is well because God is in control." Too many have been sitting in Shunem too long. It's time to head to Carmel. It's time to get out of your disappointment and your disillusionment and those addictions and the pain that's in your life. Allow faith to rise up and do move you to the place God desires you to be. Faith does not sit still. Faith gets up. Faith moves. Faith travels and positions you where God can work. If you stay and remain sitting in what died, you're never going to see what God intended to move in your life. And I've come to tell you it is well. God is about to move again in your situation. Elisha returns to the house with her. He prays. He stretches. He waits. The child warms. Then we see he paces to and fro. Pacing to and fro. He didn't give up. But he waited on God. Too many times we pray and we don't see the result we expect. We don't see the outcome immediately and we're like, "Well, it just Oh, well." No, we need to stay firm that it is well. God is moving. God is working. And his time is the best time and his opportunities will come in his own plan. Last week, Easter, pastor talked about resurrection last week and here we are again talking about resurrection. I've come to tell somebody God's trying to get your attention. It's not dead forever. There's a resurrection day coming in the midst of your problem, your trial, your situation, even when you may not have a whole lot of hope.

I've come to reassure you today that it is well. Resurrection is alive and fresh each and every day. Easter's not just a Sunday on the calendar that we dress up and remember the tomb and eat ham for lunch. Cuz Easter he is alive. He is well. And it is well in your life and in my life. Each and every single day that we get up, we can celebrate that it is well. He is alive and all things are possible. >> >> You say well you don't know my story and you're probably right. But I know his story and I know his promises are to each and everyone here today and that he will make it well in your life. If you will make room for him today. We see the child says that he sneezed seven times and opened his eyes. He lived again. I couldn't help but chuckle. We've all raised kids and there's nothing worse than when they sneeze on you like you know it's usually not an empty sneeze. I'm sure Elisha caught a face full of sneeze spray that day and he left a different man as well. But the truth is in every sneeze was death losing its grip on the life of that boy. When we look at the number seven in the Bible is consistently it represents completion, perfection, divine fulfillment. God finishing a process. God's not done. Started to name this sermon just keep sneezing. Nothing outside of ourselves not making room for God can destroy what he's promised in our life.

God restores what appears lost to the human eye. God didn't bring him halfway back. He brought him all the way back. And it is well today. I don't know what you're facing. I don't know what struggle that stands before you. But I've come to tell you can walk into the presence of the king today. You can lay whatever trial, whatever trouble, whatever seems dead or misunderstood, you can come to the feet of the one who can make it well. He has walked into this place and he has visited and he has not left. He is not done. It is not over. But I've come to tell you it is well. God is here and all things are possible. God is here and anything can happen. And if we will just say I'm I know lunch is out there, but I'm going to make a little room for God today. I'm going to take time out of my schedule and I'm going to make a place that God can step in and work in my life today. God is a God of salvation. If you have not experienced the Holy Ghost in your life, you can leave here and say it is well. I have received that spirit. If there's any other need, healing in your body, God is able. It is possible. Because it is well when we step into the throne room of almighty God and say God, I'm here for you. This time is just for you.

God, I have needs and I have problems, but I'm coming and I'm placing it before you. Anybody here have a need? Anybody here have a situation? Anybody here need the Holy Ghost? God's here. God's here. In fact, just stand. I'm going to wrap up because God wants to do something here today. If you will right now, lift up your hands. Say God, I'm here. I'm making room for you right now. God, you are in this place. God, Jesus, we are surrendering ourselves to you. God, we're making opportunity for you to move Lord in this room today. God, I pray that you move and touch. We're declaring that it is well. We're going to let this the musicians can come and I've come to tell you your situation's not final. Your promise is not dead and God's not finished. And when it's all said and done, you can boldly declare before you leave this place today, it is well. These altars are open. You can bring your need. You can seek God the way that you need to seek him. There is room for you here today to come into the presence of Almighty God. There's room for you to come and make room for him to come into your life today. >> >> These altars are open. It's prayer time. Come and open your heart and make room for him today. God is in this place. His spirit desires to fill each and every heart that's here today.

We sing to go down in watery grave of baptism in the name of Jesus. If you desire that for your life today, it is well. That is God's plan and intent for your life. Can we worship him? Can we seek his face? >> >> Can we make room for God here today because it is well and we will leave here declaring it is well. Can we find a place to pray today? >>