SUNDAY FEBRUARY 9TH , 2019
DRAMA MINISTERS YEAR OF “OVERFLOWING EXPANSIONS
“SEEING SUCCESS INSIDE THE FAILURE?”
2 Kings 5:2-4 KJV
(2) And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman’s wife.
[3] And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.
[4] And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel.
There is deep truth in this story that is constant with the Word of God. Naaman was a great warrior of the land of Syria. He was the Chief of General Staff of the entire Military of Syria, which is overlording the Land of Israel at the time. Naaman was great, but he knew not the God of Israel and His power. He knew not of the presence of a great Prophet of God in the land of Israel.
So, when he went on a raid of the land of Israel, among the slaves they captured and brought back into Damascus of Syria, was a young girl. Naaman, therefore, took the girl and brought her into his house to wait on his wife and help in the house chores.
The Slave Girl was in the house of Naaman in Syria, but never forgot the God of Israel and the Prophet of God in Israel. She told the household of the ability of the God of Israel to heal her Master, of his leprosy if he could just go to the Prophet in Israel. The news got to Naaman and the King of the land. Naaman got on his chariot and headed towards Samaria in Israel. He got to the king of Israel who sent him to Elisha. And Naaman was miraculously healed at Jordan River, by the Word of the Lord through the Prophet.
Now, the most catching testimony in the entire passage was what General Naaman said with his mouth:
2 Kings 5:15 KJV
“And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant.”
The Enemy of Israel testified that: “Now he knew that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel.”
HE WAS CONVERTED TO THE GOD OF ISRAEL.
WE COULD SAY THE LORD USED THE MIRACLE OF HIS HEALING TO CHANGE HIS HEART TO HIMSELF.
HE DENOUNCED ALL OTHER GODS ON EARTH, INCLUDING RIMMON, THE NATIONAL GOD OF SYRIA.
It took a Slave Girl to cause that revolution in the heart of the number Army of Syria. The Slave Girl showed General Naaman the way of Salvation.
BUT THE GIRL WAS FIRST CAPTURES AND TURNED TO HOUSE HELP IN NAAMAN’S HOUSE BEFORE SHE COULD HAVE ACCESS TO PASS THE INFORMATION TO NAAMAN.
And Daniel, Mishael, Hananiah and Azariah were first among the Captured slaves of Israel before they could come to Babylon to effect the spiritual change that occurred in the land. After Daniel had interpreted the great dream of the Image to the King, which all the rest wise men of the land had failed to interpret, here was the testimony of Nebuchadnezer before all his subject and Daniel:
Daniel 2:47 KJV
The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is , that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou could reveal this secret.
Then, when the three friends of Daniel were thrown into the fiery furnace because they refused to bow to the golden image of the king, and the Son of God appeared with them in the furnace, the king Nebuchadnezzer now got broken and prostrated before the King of Israel and worship and had this to say:
Daniel 3:28-29 KJV
[28] Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him,…..
[29] Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.
BUT BEFORE GOD COULD MANIFEST HIS POWER TO THE KING, BEFORE HE COULD KNOW THAT GOD COULD DELIVERED HIS SERVANTS FROM A FIERY FURNACE, GOD’S SERVANT HAD TO BE CAST IN THE FIRE FIRST.
There was need for some people of God to be brought down to Babylon to show the Emperor the Presence of the Power of God, and to point him to the God of Israel.
BUT SOME PEOPLE OF GOD MUST BECOME SLAVES TO BE USED FOR THIS GREAT ASSIGNMENT OF REACHING TO KING NEBUCHADNEZZER.
SO ALSO MUST A GIRL BE CAPTURED AND TURNED TO A HOUSEMAID IN NAAMAN’S HOUSE, TO BE ABLE TO PASS THE HEALING INFORMATION THAT WOULD CHANGE HIS LIFE AND MAKE HIM BOW TO THE GOD OF ISRAEL.
GOD is searching around for people He could use for great works and massive assignment. He is looking for people who He has called for His purpose whom He could turn to anything to suit His purpose.
Therefore at times, the way of promotion of God is not always upward.
AT TIMES, WHEN GOD WOULD USE YOU FOR HIS PURPOSE AND PROMOTE YOU, YOU HAVE TO GO DOWNWARD FIRST, BEFORE HE COULD BRING YOU UPWARD.
At times, it is necessary you are embarrassed first in the process of serving His Purpose, before you can embrace Promotions and Lifting.
And in most cases, in order for God to get access to some great Personalities, He could turn you to their slaves so that He could send you to them with His message.
David was sent on an errand to his brethren on Battle Ground when he heard the ranting of Goliath. Joseph also was sent on an errand to his brothers before he was sold to the Ishmaelites who took him to Egypt.
So, this verse of the Scripture always become relevant in this situation:
Romans 8:28 KJV
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
It is good to have First Class in the University. It is pleasant to come up with good grades in exams. BUT MAN’S DEFINITION OF SUCCESS IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM THE GOD’S DEFINITION OF SUCCESS.
When you are a child of God and you love God dearly, and you see that things are not working fine for you, Instead of Promotions, it is demotions, instead of lifting up, you are seeing Casting Down. Instead of Success, you think you are seeing Failure: WAIT!
THE BIBLE SAYS: “all things work together for them that love God, to them that are the called according to his purpose,”
YOU MAY BE SEEING FAILURE AND GOD IS SEEING SUCCESS. Your own definition of Success may be completely different from that of God.
DO YOU LOVE GOD DEARLY?
ARE YOU CALLED BY GOD FOR HIS PURPOSE?
THEN, THE BIBLE SAYS WHATEVER IS HAPPENING AFTERWARDS IS WORKING TOGETHER FOR YOUR GOOD.
No Wonder the Bible says in I Thess. 5:18
“In everything, give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ for you”
MIKE BAMILOYE.
#mikebamiloyedevotionals