Glorious Way Church
Glorious Way Church equips believers for the work of the ministry and stands for God’s truth in our culture. We serve as a regional center, where people from all backgrounds find refreshing worship and true communion of the saints.
Glorious Way Church
Drive, Go Forward, Do Not Slacken The Pace! | Joseph Davis
This teaching focuses on the dangers of distraction and the call to keep our eyes fixed on God’s direction. It illustrates how easily we can be pulled off course by worry, busyness, or comparison, but reminds us that peace and clarity come from centering our hearts on Him. Listeners are challenged to remove distractions, stay consistent, and walk in God’s purpose with focus and faith.
Before we get into the word tonight, let's just take a moment and pray, father.
Speaker 1:Thank you, father, what a privilege and an honor it is to serve you, to worship you, to be in your presence, to sit at your feet, to come, lord, and to receive. Not just to receive, lord, but to give, to tell you how much we love you, to tell you how grateful we are to you. And tonight, father, as the word goes forth, first of all, lord, I just get out of the way. I say Holy Spirit, you're in charge of this service tonight, and so you speak to me, speak through me, and I thank you, father, that every ear will hear, every heart will receive what you, lord, have in store for them tonight. Father, thank you as we spend time in your word tonight, thank you for revelation and understanding, and we give you the praise for it in Jesus' name. Everybody say amen, amen. Well, I'm so excited to be with you here tonight. For those of you who don't know me, my name is Joseph Davis and I get to be part of the awesome pastoral team here at Glorious Way Church. And what an honor it is to stand before you tonight. Amen, and so you know.
Speaker 1:It just seems like I was just telling Pastor Jay and I was telling James. It seems like that I'm the milestone cheerleader for this year. Give me an M. And the reason I say that is because every time I get up here to share something, it seems like the Lord just gives it to me in a way that is related to milestones. Not millstones, come on, not gallstones, but milestones. And we know that in January, pastor brought a word that says that 2025 was the year of milestones. And how many of you are determined to receive your milestone, amen? How many of you are determined to receive everything that God has for you, amen? I keep looking at the calendar and I said okay, lord, it's four more months and I refuse to get to the end of this year and not have a milestone, or two, or three, or four, or five or a dozen. I want all that you have for me, amen. And so tonight, as we dive into the word, I want to look at someone who received a milestone and then we want to want to dissect and give you dissect the word tonight on this particular person. But also I want to give you some instructions, and so turn with me, if you will, to you in your bibles to second kings, chapter four, and you know, every time I open the bible I just see that it is full of people who have reached and achieved milestones. It's amazing what the Holy Spirit will show you when you read through the lens of milestones, when you read through the lens of what God has promised you, when you read through the lens of what he has said to you and what he has said about you. It's just amazing all of the things that are there.
Speaker 1:And so in 2 Kings, chapter 4, starting at verse 8, now the first seven verses talk about the woman who was about to get in trouble and the prophet Elijah gave her a word or some instructions that caused her to reach a milestone. She was in debt and they were about to come take her kids, and the man of God gave her a word that literally changed the trajectory of not just her life but that of her kids. That was a milestone, amen. But that's not what we're going to talk about tonight. We're going to pick up on verse eight in chapter four, and this is about the Shumanite woman. Pick up on verse 8 in chapter 4, and this is about the Shumanite woman.
Speaker 1:So, starting in verse 8, it says now, it happened one day that Elijah went to Shuman where there was a notable woman and she persuaded him to eat some food. So it was as often as he passed by he would turn in there to eat some food. And she said to her husband look, now I know that this is a holy man of God who passes by us regularly. Verse 10, please let us make a small upper room on the wall and let us put a bed for him there and a table and a chair and a lamp stand, so it will be whenever he comes he can turn in there. And it happened one day that when he came there he turned to the upper room and lay down there. Then he said to Gehazi, his servant, his assistant, the man that was accompanying him. He says call this human, that woman.
Speaker 1:When he had called her, she stood before him and he said to him say now to her, look, you have been concerned for us with all of this care. What can I do for you? Well, let me just stop right there and say and just point out something God always rewards faithfulness. You cannot give God, and there's never a time that you give something with the right heart and the right attitude that God's not going to give back to you, that you give something with the right heart and the right attitude that God's not going to give back to you. Amen.
Speaker 1:Now, we don't give to get right. That's not why we give. We don't give to get, we get to give. Let me say that again. Some of you will get that on the way home. We don't give to get. First of all, we don't have to, we get to.
Speaker 1:And so we see this woman who was caring for the man of God, who was faithful to the ministry, faithful to do her part, and so now a reward is coming her way. And he said to her say to her now, look, you've been concerned for us with all of this care. What can I do for you? Do you want me to speak on your behalf to the king or to the commander of the army? She says I dwell among my own people. In other words, I'm cool, everything's good. So he said what then? What then is to be done for her and Gehazi? I answered and said actually, she has no son and her husband is old now. He didn't have to put a business in the street like that. In other words, she can't have children. Put a business in the street like that. In other words, she can't have children because the man she's married to is old. Well, how many times have we seen that in the Bible? She has no son and her husband is old.
Speaker 1:Well, first of all, aren't you glad that there's nothing too hard for God? Aren't you glad that all things are possible to those that believe for God? Aren't you glad that all things are possible to those that believe? And we've seen this situation before with not being able to have children. We saw it with Hannah, and in that case, with Hannah, with Sarah and with Rachel. They were barren, but it was an impossible situation, just like this. He's old. What's your impossible situation? What are you facing? What in your life does this circumstance be contrary to? So?
Speaker 1:Elisha says to Gehazi in verse 15, call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the doorway. Then he said about this time next year, you shall embrace a son. Now, following that, she said the Shumanite woman know my Lord, man of God, do not lie to your maidservant Translation. Don't be playing with me. Are you serious? Now she could have said oh, he got jokes. Don't be playing with me, don't get my hopes up. Don't don't touch with, don't play with my expectation and my emotions.
Speaker 1:But what we see here was there was a milestone loading by this time next year. He even set the date and we've received one of those words now. We could have when pastor gave the word back in January. Pastor, you sure. But here's what I've learned about the Lord when the Lord gives a word, he doesn't change his mind. He's the Lord and he changes not. He's not a man that he should lie, nor the son of man that he should repent. Has he not said it? Shall he not do it? Has he not spoken it? Shall he not bring it to pass? And if he said to her about this time next year, you're going to embrace her, you're going to hold her son. And he said to us through our pastor the 2025 is a year of milestones. Guess what's going to happen.
Speaker 1:Contrary to what things look like right now, contrary to how you feel, contrary to here, we are about to get into the, the, the ninth month of the year, and it's winding down. We're headed, we're quickly approaching the end of the year, but God's got. We still got time. God's still got time. How many of you know God's still got time. Now, one of the things I've learned to love about the Lord is he operates on his time, and that was great freedom and liberation and not stressing out when his time doesn't line up with your time, but he's never late. He's never late. By this time next year, you will embrace your son verse 17.
Speaker 1:But the woman conceived and bore a son, and when the appointed time had come, of which Elijah told her and the child grew verse 18, not now it happened one day that he went out to his father, and I'm going to read this in. I'm going to read this same verse, verse 18, from the new living translation. It says this one day, when her child was older, he went out to help his father who was working with the harvesters. Now, why did I pick that translation to read to you? Because I want to show you something Now. She'd already received the promise. She'd already received the milestone the child had come, but when the word came, you shall embrace and have a son. Now, how many of you know that God intended for that son to grow up to be an old man? The true milestone, the real milestone, was not that he was born, but that he was going to live a full life.
Speaker 1:And so we see here in verse 18 that the son is out working with the father during harvest time. Now, there's something there to see there. Now, notice that the enemy attacks during harvest time. Well, how do you know that? Because right after that, in verse 19, the son cries out, and again I'm going to read this from the New Living Translation Suddenly he cried out my head hurts, my head hurts. Notice when the attack came During the harvest time. Why am I pointing that out? Because sometimes the enemy wants to attack you right in the middle of your harvest, of your milestone. See, the devil fights dirty and he don't care what he uses or who he uses, as long as it's effective and he's successful. But I mean, you know, the word of God says now, thanks be to God who always leads us to triumph. So do we have to be worried about the attacks? No, not at all. But we see that the enemy attacked during the harvest.
Speaker 1:What was going on with the son? I believe he was having a heat stroke. So he said to the servant, the father of the son, carry him to his mother. Now, that's typical dad right there, take him to his mama, typical dad. And when he had taken him and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon and then died. And you can probably see the devil saying see that milestone, what you gonna do now? What you gonna do now. But here's the mother. She went up verse 21 and laid him on the bed of the man of god, shut the door upon him and went out verse 22. Then she called to her husband and said please send me one of the young men and one of the donkeys that I may run to underline. Run to the man of God and come back. Underline and come back. Now. This story could have gone a whole bunch of different directions. Notice, she didn't even bother to tell the daddy that the son was dead. Now we'll see why in a minute, why she didn't tell him. But there's something else here we need to understand. First of all, when an attack comes and the enemy's attacking your milestone, you need to make up your mind on how the outcome's going to be. Amen.
Speaker 1:Many of you know the testimony of my wife and the test we went through with her eyesight and we got one victory, and then here comes another one. We got the victory of the eyesight being restored. But then we had to deal with the pressure as a result of the hole being healed in her eye. And I'll never forget the day. We're sitting in the doctor's office and the doctor says well, you know, the pressure's going up and if, if we don't do something about this, you could possibly lose your eye. Well, that was not what we wanted to hear. We just got in victory. The hole was closed. Now they're saying the pressure as a result of the procedure that we did. Now your eyesight pressure is so high and we're going to have to do something about it. We may have to go back in and do another procedure. And we were not having that. And it was so funny because I remember that day vividly Flora and I got in the car together and we turned to each other and out of the same time that came out of our mouths. I'll tell you how this is going to go.
Speaker 1:When you are dealing with an attack on your harvest or your milestone, you've got to make up your mind what the outcome is going to be, and you don't have long to make it up. In other words, you've got to let your faith be front and center in your words and your responses. Send me a donkey so that I can run to the man of God and I'll be right back Now. First of all, she understood the urgency of dealing with the situation, but her faith says I'm coming back and when I get back this situation is going to be different. I'll be right back. Verse 23.
Speaker 1:So the husband says to her why are you going to him today? Why are you going to the man of God today? Probably why she didn't tell him in the first place. Probably why she didn't tell him in the first place. It's neither the new moon nor the Sabbath, and I love this one, I love this human act. Woman, she said it is well, it's good. In other words, you've got to not let well-meaning folk talk you out of your mind. Why are you going? Why do you need to do that Now? Obviously he didn't know that the son was dead, but why do you got to go do this? And sometimes well-meaning folk will get all in the middle of your situation trying to help you when actually they're hindering you.
Speaker 1:Here's what I've learned Circumstances don't have a say in the situation. Can I say that again, the circumstances should not have a say in the situation. Why are you going? It's not even a new moon. Why are you going to sin? Why are you believing for that? Why are you standing in faith for that? In the natural it doesn't look like it's going to happen.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we had to respond to those whys with my wife's side. Well, why you don't want to have the procedure? Because I don't want to have the procedure? Because God doesn't have to do anything? Because my Bible tells me that he has begun a good work, is faithful to perform. In other words, god finishes what he starts. And the milestone was not just the son was going to be born, but the milestone was that he was going to live a full life and grow to be an old man. And so you've got to respond to the wise in faith with the right answer. And in her case, the right answer was it is well Verse 24,.
Speaker 1:Then she saddled up the donkey and said to her servant drive, go forward, and do not slacken the pace for me, unless I tell you now, let me stop right there and point out a couple of things. First of all, this is the message title for tonight drive, go forward, do not slacken the pace. Now it's also a, it's also instruction for you tonight drive, go forward, do not slacken the pace. You have a milestone to reach at the end of this year. You have promises that God wants to fulfill by the end of this year.
Speaker 1:Drive, go forward, do not slacken the pace. I know the circumstances may look totally contrary to what the word has said or what you're believing for or what you're standing for, but the answer is drive, go forward, do not slacken the pace. I just marvel at everything that's happening in our church and I know they're going to be sharing some things coming here later and and in the natural, you look at that and say how can that be? How can, how can we be doing all of that? We're so few in numbers. Drive, go forward, do not slacken the pace. Now, what does it mean to drive? It means to move, move. Now let's go, drive, go forward. There's only one way to go and that's forward.
Speaker 1:Notice she didn't say drive, go backwards. In other words, your vehicle or your planned route should not be a route backwards, but forward in the right direction. And if you're going to go forward, you don't have time to look back and you certainly don't have time to go back. Go forward. And then, of course, the last part of that instruction is this and then, of course, the last part of that instruction is this Do not Can I say that again Do not Underline in your Bible Do not slacken the pace, don't slow down, don't let up, don't give up.
Speaker 1:You ever got on the freeway and everybody's moving pretty fast and you feel like if I don't go with the flow, I'm going to get run over. Folks, we're in a Holy Ghost flow right now. We're in a move. Ok, we're in a move. This is a movement.
Speaker 1:I keep hearing that a lot. This is a movement and if you're going to get in the flow of the movement, you've got to move. Don't, don't slow down, because if you slow down there's going to be a bottleneck and we ain't got time for bottlenecks. I know I'm not using good english, but you don't have time for bottlenecks. Move, don't slow down, don't slacken the pace. Well, pastor joseph, I'm, I'm, I'm up in age. So well, pastor joseph, I'm dealing with so and so. So now let me just give you some good, free advice.
Speaker 1:If you want to take that complaint or that justification to the Lord, you know what he's going to say to you and your point is I remember having that conversation with the Lord about something he wanted me to do, and I said, lord, do you know how old I am? He said and your point is Do not slacken the pace. Do not slacken the pace, don't pump on the brakes, don't stop, keep moving. Turn to your neighbor and say keep moving, keep moving. Now here's something I've learned about movement when you move, other things move.
Speaker 1:Every time, james says yes to an opportunity. We don't know how we're going to find it, we don't know how we're going to do it, but it starts with a yes. And if you're not, if you're going to be a person that does not slacken the pace in other words, you're going to say yes, you don't have to worry about how the rest of it's going to come out, how the rest of it's going to turn out. That's not your job, that's God's job. And last time I checked, god doesn't need you to do his job. He don't need your help, but he does require your cooperation. When we help God, we end up with Ishmael's. When we cooperate with God, we end up with Isaac's the promise. He don't need our help, but he does require cooperation Verse 25,.
Speaker 1:And so she departed and went to the man of God at Mount Carmel. So it was when the man of God saw her far off that he said to his servant Gehazi, I looked, the Shumanite woman, I see it. Now, I don't know about you, but if you've ever seen a mad mama on a mission Anybody ever seen a mad mama, mama bears y'all know what I'm talking about. Look, the only time I have to kind of grab my wife is when something's going on with one of her babies. Wait, wait, sweetie, come on, she's on a mission. She is determined that she's not going to be robbed. She's determined that she's not going to be denied. She's determined.
Speaker 1:She told the guy driving the donkey drive, go forward. Do not slacken the pace, don't slow down. Unless I tell you to and I'm not going to tell you to Don't slow down Let me tell you something God's not going to tell you to slow down, keep moving. So he sees her, elijah sees her, and he says to Gehazi look, the woman's coming. Wonder what's going on. And he says to Gehazi please run now to meet her and say to her is it well with you, is it well with your husband, is it well with your child? And what did she say? It is well. Faith answers the question the same way every time. Well, ok, now that I've been gone a few hours, rigor mortis has probably set in and he's probably starting to deteriorate in his body, starting to decay and so I'm not sure. But he was kind of OK when I left him, but it may have been warm in the room. No, she said it is well. It was well when I left him. It's well right now. What's at work here? Faith, it is well. That is the only answer you have to have. It is well.
Speaker 1:I love it when I'm pastor, when we get reports in about somebody in the congregation going on with something, I love the way pastor responds it's not as bad as it looks. And you know what I've learned to adopt that it's not as bad as it looks. Just this weekend I had the opportunity to declare that it's not as bad as it looks. Amen, and God is faithful. I was just sharing with Pastor James tonight before service. Sharing with Pastor James tonight before service, Flora had a little medical incident.
Speaker 1:She's good now, praise God, she's good. But she had a little medical incident and it all happened so quickly and as I was processing later, it's like okay, I didn't get alarmed, I didn't get scared, I didn't get anything. And I was reminded of earlier that morning. Folks, it pays to stay in the presence of God, it pays to worship him. God knows what's going to happen before you do Okay. And it pays to stay in his presence, it stays, it pays to stay connected to him. And that Friday morning I was worshiping, just in the presence of the Lord, just worshiping the Lord, and I experienced peace like I've never experienced before, a whole new level and a whole new degree of peace that I've not ever experienced before Just doing worship. Well, I didn't know I was going to need that later, but God knew, and with everything that came back, it was good, this is good, this is good. This is good, this is good, it's all good, it is well. And I decided early, at the very beginning of the situation it's not as bad as it looks. Amen, this human woman is not as bad as it looks, it is well.
Speaker 1:Well, that's lying. No, it's not. That's calling those things that be not as though they were, when they're quoting the word of God and speaking the word of god become a lie. Now, the lie is when the devil tries to twist it and make you think you're lying. That's deception. Well, you can't say that that situation's better. Yes, I can. I can call those things that be not as though they were mark Mark 11, 23 says I can speak to the mountain and say be thou removed and be cast into the sea.
Speaker 1:Now, when I speak in the authority that I've been given, guess what has to happen? The mountain's got to move, it's got to respond. Listen God's word in our mouth with faith. It's just as powerful as it is in his mouth. Think about how powerful God's word was and how powerful his words were when it came out, when he stepped up on the scene over in Genesis 1, it says in the beginning, god created the heavens and the earth, and the earth was without void. In other words, it was chaotic. There was no control, there was no order. And he stepped into the situation oh no, we can't have this. Let there be. And the minute it came out of his mouth, nothing had to respond and become something Wow, it is well.
Speaker 1:Now, when she came to the man of God verse 27, she caught him by the feet. Now, when I saw that, that jumped out at me. It's like okay, now, why did she catch the man by his feet, why she didn't catch him around that skinny part of his neck or grab him by the arm and shake him, but she caught him by his feet. And so I started researching that. What does that mean, lord? What does that mean? Well, back in the day, that was an act of reverence, an act of submission. See, you have to understand that the prophet was like the Lord, he was a type in the shadow and so, as an act of reverence, she fell at his feet, grabbed his feet and said hey, reverence, I believed your word, I'm here for one purpose, but notice what happened when she grabbed his feet Immediately after that.
Speaker 1:After that, after she grabbed his feet, there's a comma. Why is there a comma? Because something happened, but say but there's always going to be a but, but Gehaziah came near to push her away. Now, that's just like the devil, going to always show up and try to stop something, going to always show up to correct something. He's going to silence her, he's going to stop her from getting what she needs and getting to the man of God that's going to make the situation, that's going to cause the situation to confirm, to line up with what she's been speaking. The enemy's always got a roadblock to throw out there to try to keep you from getting what you've been speaking. Keep speaking, keep talking.
Speaker 1:Don't let anyone or anything block your access. Now let me pause here, because I would not. I would be remiss if I didn't be clear on that. Don't allow anyone or anything. Don't allow sin. Can I say that for a minute? Don't allow sin to block. Don't allow sin. Can I say that for a minute? Don't allow sin to block. Don't allow unforgiveness to block. Don't allow anger to block. You mean I can't get mad? Well, get mad at the devil. If you're going to get mad, get mad at the devil, get mad at the right one. I say to couples all the time when I'm talking to husbands and wives don't fight with your wife, fight for her. So don't let anything block what you, what you've come in to get. Gehazi shows up and he's there to stop her from receiving what she needs. He's there to stop the confirmation of what she's been speaking.
Speaker 1:Refuse to be silenced. It's amazing when we go to a sports event, how loud we get. Y'all know what I'm talking about your favorite team. You scream and yell till you don't even have a voice the next day. Anybody know what I'm talking about, don't be looking at me like that. But you'll get loud, but we won't get loud for the things of God. And you know there's a lesson to be learned from blind Bartimaeus.
Speaker 1:You read that story about blind Bartimaeus over in the book of Mark, chapter 10, it talks about he heard Jesus was coming, was in town, and he realized that he had one opportunity to get what he needed. And so what did blind Bartimaeus start doing? He started yelling Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me. He was yelling so loud that people turned around. Who is this make Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me? And the people around him? They were like shhh, got hazy out. Shhh, I'm gonna need you to use your inside voice. Shhh, stop that. Hush that noise up. It's only noise to the devil.
Speaker 1:Don't call that name, don't pray that prayer. Don't plead the blood, be quiet, don't let anyone. Or don't call that name. Don't pray that prayer. Don't plead the blood, be quiet, don't let anyone or any, don't let distractions overtake you. Now he could have allowed those distractions to shut him down and to totally cause him to miss his healing, but he didn't. The Bible says the more they told him to be quiet, the louder he got. Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me. And if you read a little bit further, finally it got His attention. Sometimes you've got to shout loud enough to get his attention Amen. You've got to be louder than the distractions, got to be louder of everything that's standing before you. That looks like what you're believing for and what you're standing for Couldn't possibly happen, Couldn't possibly?
Speaker 1:Oh, god don't love you that way. Yes, he do. I mean, I'm my daddy's favorite. Don't allow anything to distract you or overtake you. Gehazi, I came to push her away, but Elijah said leave her alone, for her soul is deeply distressed and the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me. Why do you think that was? How big is your want to Bad things happen to good people? Does it mean that God doesn't love you? No, that's not what that means.
Speaker 1:Jesus said in this life you will have tests and trials. Isn't that what he said? You will, but be of good cheer. We've got something to celebrate for. I have overcome the world. I've defeated every foe. I've already righted every wrong, so you don't have to worry about that. Get what you need.
Speaker 1:Don't allow the circumstances. God didn't show it to me, that's all right. That doesn't mean God's not working on it. God's silence sometimes does not mean God is not listening. God, you're not listening to me. Yes, he is God.
Speaker 1:You didn't answer that prayer. Yes, I did. How do I know that? Because Daniel prayed and the answer was delayed. But when the angels finally got to him and the breakthrough came, the word also says the moment that you prayed. I sent the answer. Now, sometimes between when you pray the amen and the thank you Jesus and the manifestation of it, there seems to be a delay. What do you do in the middle of delay? Maintain your position. Do not slacken the pace. Drive, go forward. Do not slacken the pace. Drive, go forward. Do not slacken the pace. Drive, go forward. Do not slacken the pace. Drive, go forward. Do not slacken the pace. In other words now I love this part. So verse 28,. I'm going to read it from the New Living Translation.
Speaker 1:I think she went sister on him right here. She said did I ask you for a son? I think she went sister on him right here. She said did I ask you for a son? And y'all know what I'm talking about. And did I say don't deceive me and get my hopes up.
Speaker 1:Listen, when you get before the Lord and in his presence, don't whine. When Let me say that again when you get in your, your, when you get in the lord's presence, don't whine. When you're not there, for that you ain't got time, for that. That's wasting time. Don't deny, don't, no, don't do that, don't whine when. Don't waste any time complaining.
Speaker 1:Go before him with the right, right attitude. Well, I didn't ask for that. No, no, no, that's the wrong attitude. Well, I didn't ask for that. No, no, no, that's the wrong attitude. Make your demand on the covenant. And when you make your demand on the covenant, it's with the right attitude. Not did I ask you, but what you gave me. The devil's trying to take and I'm not having it. The right attitude. Then Gehazi.
Speaker 1:Then Elijah said to Gehazi verse 29, get yourself ready and take my staff in your hand and be on your way. And I love this, because Gehazi got the same revelation she got and if you meet anyone, don't greet them, and if anyone greets you, don't answer them, but lay my staff on the face. In other words, don't allow any dust to gather under your feet. Drive, go forward. Do not slacken the pace. He got a revelation.
Speaker 1:And the mother of the child I love this in verse 30. She's thinking okay, you can send your help, but I didn't come for your help, I came for you. Verse 30, new Living Translation again. But the boy's mother said as surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I won't go home unless you go with me. In other words, get what you came for.
Speaker 1:Do not settle for man's help. When you came for God's help, the key word there being settle Lord, you are the only one. David said God, you are my God. Early in the morning I will seek you. He didn't say God, you are my God. And all of the other folks. He said you, you, you alone. Now it's fine if you want to send Gehazi out, but I came for you. It's fine if somebody wants to help, but, lord, I'm depending on you, I'm counting on you. I am trusting you. I'm standing on your word. Trusting you, I'm standing on your word. I'm not going home unless you go with me. Lord, I'm not going to stop until you answer. I'm not going to give up until the situation changes. In other words, I am not taking no for an answer.
Speaker 1:We see that with the woman that went to the judge Avenge me, avenge me, avenge me, avenge me, avenge me. Kept going before that judge, so much so he said she is wearing me out. Avenge me, avenge me, avenge me. You know, if you are wearing God out with the right heart and the right attitude, it's okay. As long as your wearing is in faith, you don't have to keep asking and keep asking and keep asking, because what you're saying is Lord, I asked you and you hadn't answered something. I guess I need to ask you again. That's not how that works. The Bible says when you ask, you receive right. When you knock, it's open right. When you seek, you find right. And so here at Glorious Way Church, we believe we receive. And so you don't need to keep asking, actually, what you just start doing there. Start praising because the answer is on the way. The milestone, the milestone is loading. I'm not going home unless you go with me.
Speaker 1:She didn't want man's help, she wanted God's help, help, in other words, stay in his presence and don't leave till you get what you came for. Listen, sometimes we gotta not get in a hurry. Sometimes lingering in the presence of god is not like going to a drive-thru. I'll have four miracles and three blessings. All right, we'll see you at the window. No, linger, stay, I'm not leaving until I get what I came from. I don't want man's help, lord, I want your help. Now, that doesn't mean God's not going to use man, but let him orchestrate, let him facilitate. Don't take no for an answer. Be persistent, press in and press through. Can I say that again? Press in and press through.
Speaker 1:And so we see that Gehaziah went ahead of them and laid the staff on the face of the child, but there was neither voice nor hearing. And so he went back and said I got nothing. I got nothing. Now it would have been so easy for the mother to just lose all hope. Why could she not lose hope? Because she'd already said we're going to be back and she'd already declared twice it is well. Twice she declared that it is well, it is well. And you may have to speak to your milestone and say it is well. You may have to speak to whatever the situation is. That's not lining up with what you believe in God. For it is well, maybe it's a child, maybe it's a relationship, maybe it's your finances, maybe it's a doctor's report, it is well and whatever it is has got to get well. I got nothing. I got nothing.
Speaker 1:But notice what happened when Elijah got to the house. When the Lord showed up. Man got out of the way. And now God can work. Man got out of the way. Say that man got out of the way. Say that man got out of the way. God got to work. And some of you may be experiencing the delay because you've allowed man to get in the way. Okay, I'll step off your toes.
Speaker 1:Verse 32, it says but when Elijah came into the house, there was a child lying dead on his bed, and he went in, therefore, and shut the door behind the two of them and prayed to the Lord. Sometimes, when God shows up, you got to have a closed door session. You and him. You and him. Push out all the distractions, all of the noise, all of the outside influence. Get man out of the way Because God's about to work. Verse 34,. And he went up and lay on the child and put his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes and his hands on his hands, and he stretched himself on the child and the flesh of the child became warm. Uh-oh, it is well is now becoming. It is happening. It is well is now becoming. It is happening. But notice, it is well didn't change until man got out of the way. It is well.
Speaker 1:At that point didn't have a choice but to be what it had already been declared to be. It is well. It didn't have a choice. That was not optional. The circumstance didn't have a choice but to line up with what had been spoken Verse 35,. And he returned and walked back and forth in the house and again went up and stretched himself out on him and the child sneezed seven times, seven being the number of completion. It's done, it's done. And the child opened his eyes and he called Gehazi and said call the Shumanite woman. So he called her. And when she came into him he said call the Shumanite woman. So he called her. And when she came into him he said pick up your son. Wow, we're talking about a milestone here. And if God will do that for her, even when it looked like it wasn't going to happen, even when it looked like it had died and the devil had stole it, he can certainly restore yours. He can certainly restore you.