Engaging With God's Purposes DuringTimes of Crisis
What we can learn from the prophetic ministry of Elisha
Over the past four years our country, and the world for that matter, has gone through some incredible times of disruption. Starting with the Covid-19 pandemic in March of 2020, through the fierce rioting in many of our major cities, to complete political discord culminating with two assination attempts on our President, these have been extremely difficult times. Not only this, but we now also face Russia at war with Ukraine, Israel being violently attacked and at war in the Middle East, the horrendous weather disturbances our country has faced, highlighted by the incredible devastation in North Carolina, and now the unprecedented fires and loss in California. All of it is enough to make a person say I'M OUT. This is just too much. I can agree that these have been some of the most difficult times we have ever faced and it can overwhelm us. But how should a believer position themselves during times of crisis and chaos? Does the Bible give us any examples for how we can properly respond? Not surprisingly it does. I BELIEVE SOME OF THE GREATEST TIMES OF HARVEST AND BREAKTHROUGH WILL COME FOR THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO ENGAGE DURING TIMES OF CRISIS AND NOT RUN FROM CRISIS.
In the Old Testament book of 2 Kings 6 we similarly find the nation of Israel in an unprecedented set of circumstances. Scripture tells us in verses 24-33 that Ben-Hadad, King of Aram, had mobilized his entire army against Samaria causing a long and severe famine. The famine was so severe that a donkey's head was selling for eighty shekels which is about $176 today. Not only this, but the people had resorted to cannibalism and were actually eating their own children. If this were not enough, the King of Israel was so troubled that he threatened to cut off the head of the prophet Elisha (2 Kings 6:30-32). These were indeed difficult times to be alive and difficult times to be a believer. What did Elisha do during this time of crisis? Did he give way to discouragement, self-pity, or self-preservation? Did he drift or disengage from God's purposes? No, he stood strong and prophesied God's word to his nation and circumstances:
Elisha replied, “Hear the word of the Lord. This is what the Lord says: About this time tomorrow, a seah of the finest flour will sell for a shekel and two seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria.” 2 Kings 7:1
Interestingly, we see a significant contrast between Elisha's faith and the unbelief and dismissiveness of one of the king's officers:
The officer on whose arm the king was leaning said to the man of God, “Look, even if the Lord should open the floodgates of the heavens, could this happen?” 2 Kings 7:2
God worked miraculously during this crisis and actually brought an incredible harvest and victory to the nation. He also worked through two lepers, who like Elisha, chose to engage DURING the crisis and not tap out:
Now there were four men with leprosy at the entrance of the city gate. They said to each other, “Why stay here until we die? If we say, ‘We’ll go into the city’—the famine is there, and we will die. And if we stay here, we will die. So let’s go over to the camp of the Arameans and surrender. If they spare us, we live; if they kill us, then we die.” 2 Kings 7:3-4
The Lord has been speaking and stirring the same things in me. Don't shrink back. Don't settle. Don't disengage. Stand up. Stay in the fight. Move toward crisis. Move toward people. Move toward My purposes. I truly believe as we do we will see God work in some of the most miraculous ways in these days.