FROM ASHES TO BEAUTY
TEXT: 2KINGS 4:8-37
Ashes to Beauty describes a situation from hopelessness to hope, hopelessness to help, death to life, “Ashes to beauty” equally describes a rotten situation that has resurrected. Ashes talks of a mourning situation while beauty talks of life and joy. By the time the Shunnamite woman’s son died, she had to mourn. When he came back to life, her joy was full. John 15:7&11 Jesus says, whatever you ask, I will do it so “that your joy” will “be full”. God is interested in making your joy full no matter the situation you are going through. Today is the day for the fulfilment of your joy. Let every death thing in your life bring you joy, death businesses, relationships, finances, cells in your body, bones, wombs, come to life. No matter how Lazarus had been rotten in the grave for days, no matter how Martha wept, because of the close relationship with Jesus and Lazarus, Jesus could not allow Lazarus to be in the grave. Jesus tarried before coming to Lazarus’ grave. Jesus tarried before He was praying. The moment he knew it was time and went there, cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth” and Lazarus came back to life (John 11:43). No matter how rotten your situation may be, make yourself a friend to Jesus and you will receive a miracle you’ve never received in your life.
Hear this! Business and finance, it concerns the poor widow in 2Kings 4:1-7. The husband dies, she’s left with no money, she’s left with debts. In her time, two sons were to be taken in place of the debts as security or as captives for unpaid debts. You can see the wounded nature of her heart, when the man of God Elisha stepped into her home uninvited.
But because of the fear of God in her, she received Elisha. Because of the fear of God in her, she obeyed him and gave him her only meal, the last meal of her life. This obedience and fear of God in her, this last meal she gave to the man of God provoked God inside the man of God and God was moved to do what He God could have done in 10 years time. God was moved to do it instantly. A miracle came into place. She became and industrialist, a producer of oil instantly, miraculously, an advertiser from the embarrassing problem of hunger and death, she moved from ashes to beauty. Today, I call the fear of God in your business. Every lack in your business, in your house, shall be filled because this widow’s “vessels” were filled. Empty lives, businesses, brains, bank accounts be filled in the name of Jesus. It is well with your soul, children and family. No matter the nature and magnitude of the problem you’re facing, it’s well.
If the Shunnamite woman, with her son dead can tell herself, “it is well’ and it was well with her, begin to say it’s well; say it loud and clear.
What happened before the Shunnamite woman said it’s well? 2Kings 4:8-37
The Shunnamite woman was loving, hospitable and caring. She decided to help the man of God Elisha, who often passed by her house. She suggested to her husband that they offer him a room in their abode. Her generous hospitality brought gladness to the man of God who, in turn, ministered to her family need. Kindness never goes unrewarded; whatever a man sows he definitely reaps Gal 6:7b The woman’s kind gesture moved Elisha and he asked if she would like to be spoken for to the captain of the hosts but, she politely evaded his question. She did not want to exchange her good acts for anything; neither monetary rewards or royal favours. Through Gehazi, Elisha’s servant, the truth was revealed that she and her aged husband had no child of their own. Elisha by word of prophesy, proclaimed that she would have a son at the turn of the year and she did. The birth of that child brought joy and fulfillment back to the family. The devil came to taint their joy with sorrow. A child of old age, a much awaited child, died.
The Shunnamite woman didn’t give into sorrow. She made a wise decision to go back to the man of God for solution. When the man of God asked about the well-being of her family, her answer was a resounding “it is well”. The way she confronted her problem is a challenge to all of us Christians today. Though calamity befell her, she was optimistic in her disposition and confession “It is well” and it was unto her according to her word. The confession in your mouth during affliction will determine what joy you will get. The dead child was eventually raised back to life. The dead situation came to life and there was unspeakable joy. Her ashes turned to beauty. Whatever may be the problem confronting you, I decree, it is well. There’s hope for you. God has never failed and He’ll never.
Horatio Spafford’s testimony.
The attitude and words of the Shunnamite woman in the times of affliction, her ability to remain calm and confident motivated lawyer Horatio Spafford, writer of the popular hymn, “it is well with my soul” He had been a successful Chicago lawyer. He also had a lovely family and a blooming business. Everything seemed to be going on fine for him until mournful situations met him. His unique son died, and then the Chicago fire wiped out his estates. To relieve the family of the emotional stress of these tragedies, he decided that the entire family travel to Europe for a short vacation. Just before the trip, he got a call from someone who wanted to buy the land he had put up for sale. He agreed with his wife that she and their four daughters continue with the trip, he would join them after the transactions. A few days after the voyage began, the ship conveying his family had a ghastly collision with another ship, his four daughters died in the accident. His wife was rescued and she sent a touching telegram to him: “ Saved Alone, What Shall I Do?” He immediately boarded a ship to bring his bereaved wife back home. As they were passing through the place where the ship was wrecked, he wrote the lyrics of the great hymn of absolute trust in God.
When peace like a river attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot thou has taught me to say,
It is well; it is well with my soul
The easiest way to receive divine attention and intervention is to praise God even before your deliverance come because God dwells in the praises of His people (Psalms 22:3). Affliction has a way of directing us to the Lord Jesus, who has taken part in our afflictions and can bring meaning to seemingly senseless pain. God later blessed and comforted them with two children who greatly helped them in their missionary and humanitarian activities. God turned their mourning and unpleasant experience into an exceeding joy, brought hope in their hopeless situation. They moved from ashes to beauty.
SALIENT POINTS TO CONSIDER
Neither the Shunnamite woman nor the hymn writer in their great predicaments betrayed any negative emotions. This was because they trusted in the help of the helpless and knew He would make a way out for them. Have this same assurance, whenever the enemy of your soul comes against you “like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him” Isa59:19. The fact that you’re a faithful Christian and you’re passing through difficult moments does not mean that God has forsaken you. He has not.
Although Jesus Christ in the ship with his disciples, “there arose a great storm of wind” (Luke 8:22-25, Mark 4:35,37) frightened, his disciples got him up. He spoke the word, the wind obeyed. Peace and calmness took over. The disciples were protected and delivered from untimely death. If you are in Christ, you have the assurance of protection, deliverance and preservation of life. Are you like the disciples? Are you afraid that the present storm in our life will destroy you? When the wind of trials, temptations, afflictions, problems, worry, anxiety and danger blows, God is in it with you. You’re not alone; He’s there with you and will bear you upon his wings, so that nothing can hurt you. Psalms 91:11 And when people will enquire about your affliction, you’ll joyfully reply in the words of the Shunnamite woman, “it is well”. As you put your trust in God He will turn your trials to testimonies, your ashes to beauty in the name of Jesus. This is the year of joy for the wise. One of the things the wise will do is to pray. So as you sincerely pray to God, He’ll make your problem a stepping stone to tremendous victory, deliverance, progress, prosperity, promotion, success and fruitfulness. In the name of Jesus, I decree that you will move from an unpleasant experience to a pleasant one, you will move from mourning to endless melodies, from ashes to beauty, from zero to zenith, from impossibility to possibility. Rom 8:28 “All things work together for good, to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose” the storms of life work for the good of the wise believer in an indirect manner. They are blessings in disguise.
Ashes to Beauty describes a situation from hopelessness to hope, hopelessness to help, death to life, “Ashes to beauty” equally describes a rotten situation that has resurrected. Ashes talks of a mourning situation while beauty talks of life and joy. By the time the Shunnamite woman’s son died, she had to mourn. When he came back to life, her joy was full. John 15:7&11 Jesus says, whatever you ask, I will do it so “that your joy” will “be full”. God is interested in making your joy full no matter the situation you are going through. Today is the day for the fulfilment of your joy. Let every death thing in your life bring you joy, death businesses, relationships, finances, cells in your body, bones, wombs, come to life. No matter how Lazarus had been rotten in the grave for days, no matter how Martha wept, because of the close relationship with Jesus and Lazarus, Jesus could not allow Lazarus to be in the grave. Jesus tarried before coming to Lazarus’ grave. Jesus tarried before He was praying. The moment he knew it was time and went there, cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth” and Lazarus came back to life (John 11:43). No matter how rotten your situation may be, make yourself a friend to Jesus and you will receive a miracle you’ve never received in your life.
Hear this! Business and finance, it concerns the poor widow in 2Kings 4:1-7. The husband dies, she’s left with no money, she’s left with debts. In her time, two sons were to be taken in place of the debts as security or as captives for unpaid debts. You can see the wounded nature of her heart, when the man of God Elisha stepped into her home uninvited.
But because of the fear of God in her, she received Elisha. Because of the fear of God in her, she obeyed him and gave him her only meal, the last meal of her life. This obedience and fear of God in her, this last meal she gave to the man of God provoked God inside the man of God and God was moved to do what He God could have done in 10 years time. God was moved to do it instantly. A miracle came into place. She became and industrialist, a producer of oil instantly, miraculously, an advertiser from the embarrassing problem of hunger and death, she moved from ashes to beauty. Today, I call the fear of God in your business. Every lack in your business, in your house, shall be filled because this widow’s “vessels” were filled. Empty lives, businesses, brains, bank accounts be filled in the name of Jesus. It is well with your soul, children and family. No matter the nature and magnitude of the problem you’re facing, it’s well.
If the Shunnamite woman, with her son dead can tell herself, “it is well’ and it was well with her, begin to say it’s well; say it loud and clear.
What happened before the Shunnamite woman said it’s well? 2Kings 4:8-37
The Shunnamite woman was loving, hospitable and caring. She decided to help the man of God Elisha, who often passed by her house. She suggested to her husband that they offer him a room in their abode. Her generous hospitality brought gladness to the man of God who, in turn, ministered to her family need. Kindness never goes unrewarded; whatever a man sows he definitely reaps Gal 6:7b The woman’s kind gesture moved Elisha and he asked if she would like to be spoken for to the captain of the hosts but, she politely evaded his question. She did not want to exchange her good acts for anything; neither monetary rewards or royal favours. Through Gehazi, Elisha’s servant, the truth was revealed that she and her aged husband had no child of their own. Elisha by word of prophesy, proclaimed that she would have a son at the turn of the year and she did. The birth of that child brought joy and fulfillment back to the family. The devil came to taint their joy with sorrow. A child of old age, a much awaited child, died.
The Shunnamite woman didn’t give into sorrow. She made a wise decision to go back to the man of God for solution. When the man of God asked about the well-being of her family, her answer was a resounding “it is well”. The way she confronted her problem is a challenge to all of us Christians today. Though calamity befell her, she was optimistic in her disposition and confession “It is well” and it was unto her according to her word. The confession in your mouth during affliction will determine what joy you will get. The dead child was eventually raised back to life. The dead situation came to life and there was unspeakable joy. Her ashes turned to beauty. Whatever may be the problem confronting you, I decree, it is well. There’s hope for you. God has never failed and He’ll never.
Horatio Spafford’s testimony.
The attitude and words of the Shunnamite woman in the times of affliction, her ability to remain calm and confident motivated lawyer Horatio Spafford, writer of the popular hymn, “it is well with my soul” He had been a successful Chicago lawyer. He also had a lovely family and a blooming business. Everything seemed to be going on fine for him until mournful situations met him. His unique son died, and then the Chicago fire wiped out his estates. To relieve the family of the emotional stress of these tragedies, he decided that the entire family travel to Europe for a short vacation. Just before the trip, he got a call from someone who wanted to buy the land he had put up for sale. He agreed with his wife that she and their four daughters continue with the trip, he would join them after the transactions. A few days after the voyage began, the ship conveying his family had a ghastly collision with another ship, his four daughters died in the accident. His wife was rescued and she sent a touching telegram to him: “ Saved Alone, What Shall I Do?” He immediately boarded a ship to bring his bereaved wife back home. As they were passing through the place where the ship was wrecked, he wrote the lyrics of the great hymn of absolute trust in God.
When peace like a river attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot thou has taught me to say,
It is well; it is well with my soul
The easiest way to receive divine attention and intervention is to praise God even before your deliverance come because God dwells in the praises of His people (Psalms 22:3). Affliction has a way of directing us to the Lord Jesus, who has taken part in our afflictions and can bring meaning to seemingly senseless pain. God later blessed and comforted them with two children who greatly helped them in their missionary and humanitarian activities. God turned their mourning and unpleasant experience into an exceeding joy, brought hope in their hopeless situation. They moved from ashes to beauty.
SALIENT POINTS TO CONSIDER
Neither the Shunnamite woman nor the hymn writer in their great predicaments betrayed any negative emotions. This was because they trusted in the help of the helpless and knew He would make a way out for them. Have this same assurance, whenever the enemy of your soul comes against you “like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him” Isa59:19. The fact that you’re a faithful Christian and you’re passing through difficult moments does not mean that God has forsaken you. He has not.
Although Jesus Christ in the ship with his disciples, “there arose a great storm of wind” (Luke 8:22-25, Mark 4:35,37) frightened, his disciples got him up. He spoke the word, the wind obeyed. Peace and calmness took over. The disciples were protected and delivered from untimely death. If you are in Christ, you have the assurance of protection, deliverance and preservation of life. Are you like the disciples? Are you afraid that the present storm in our life will destroy you? When the wind of trials, temptations, afflictions, problems, worry, anxiety and danger blows, God is in it with you. You’re not alone; He’s there with you and will bear you upon his wings, so that nothing can hurt you. Psalms 91:11 And when people will enquire about your affliction, you’ll joyfully reply in the words of the Shunnamite woman, “it is well”. As you put your trust in God He will turn your trials to testimonies, your ashes to beauty in the name of Jesus. This is the year of joy for the wise. One of the things the wise will do is to pray. So as you sincerely pray to God, He’ll make your problem a stepping stone to tremendous victory, deliverance, progress, prosperity, promotion, success and fruitfulness. In the name of Jesus, I decree that you will move from an unpleasant experience to a pleasant one, you will move from mourning to endless melodies, from ashes to beauty, from zero to zenith, from impossibility to possibility. Rom 8:28 “All things work together for good, to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose” the storms of life work for the good of the wise believer in an indirect manner. They are blessings in disguise.
posted by REDEEM ZION @ 10:36 AM
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