Part 2.
CHARACTER
“CONDITIONS TO ANSWERED PRAYER” Continuing on this subject, I want to lay emphasis on character.
Once the Lord told me, “Enroll in the ministry humble and overcoming people.” Later I understood the advantage of these character traits in more depth.
People pray and think the answer to their prayer will fall on their heads like Newton’s apple, while it is the Lord Who decides how to answer each prayer, and in each case, the way the Lord chooses is aimed at the benefit of the one who has prayed.
We will read 2 Kings 4.8-37, a story about Prophet Elisha and a Shunammite woman that describes the character of that woman: “Now it happened one day that Elisha went to Shunem, 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. 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 lampstand; so it will be, whenever he comes to us, he can turn in there.’” (vv. 8-10).
Each time Elisha passed through Shunem, he stayed in her house. One day, desiring to show gratitude to that woman, the Prophet asked what he could do for her. His servant told him that she had no children, and her husband was already old. Elisha called the woman and prophesied by the Spirit of God: “Then he [Elisha] said, ‘About this time next year you shall embrace a son.’ And she said, ‘No, my lord. Man of God, do not lie to your maidservant!’ But the woman conceived, and bore a son when the appointed time had come, of which Elisha had told her” (vv. 16-17).
The wealthy Shunammite woman had no child. She was a God-fearing person, and undoubtedly, she often used to pray and cry out to the Lord for a child. As years went by, her husband became so old that she could not even think about having children. However, she remained faithful to the Lord. Her heart had not been hardened and she had not rebelled against the Lord by saying, “Lord, why haven’t You given me a child? Why haven’t I experienced the joy of motherhood?” She still served God, the proof of which was assigning a room for the Prophet in her house. She simply thought that her prayer about having children would remain unanswered; that is why she told the Prophet, “Man of God, do not lie to your maidservant!”
Unanswered prayers had not caused offence in her; she continued to serve the Lord. And the answer came when she least expected it.
Years went by. The child grew up and one day, he suddenly died. What did she do? “And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, shut the door upon him, and went out” (v. 21). She went to the field to her husband and told him, “Please send me one of the young men and one of the donkeys, that I may run to the man of God and come back” (v. 22). The husband wondered why she would go to the man of God, since it was not a New Moon or a Sabbath. “It is well”, she answered (or one might say, “Don’t worry!”), and ordered the servant “Drive, and go forward; do not slacken the pace for me unless I tell you” (vv. 23, 24).
They went up the Mount Carmel where Elisha the Man of God dwelled. Seeing the woman from afar, Elisha recognized her and wondered what could have brought her so far. He sent his servant Gehazi to find out what had happened, to see whether her husband and child were well. The woman answered to Gehazi, “It is well.” (or: “Well and healthy.”) (v. 26).
She knew very well whom to present her problem to receive the answer. The woman wept before Elisha, expecting the answer from him. Even when Elisha gave his staff to Gehazi to bring the child back to life, the woman persisted, “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you” (v. 30).
Due to her persistence, Elisha came down from the mountain and went to her house. Gehazi reached there earlier and put Elisha’s staff on the child’s face; however, the child did not come back to life. “When Elisha came into the house, there was the child, lying dead on his bed. He went in therefore, shut the door behind the two of them, and prayed to the Lord” (vv. 32-33). This time the child came back to life! “And when she came in to him, he said, ‘Pick up your son.’ So she went in, fell at his feet, and bowed to the ground; then she picked up her son and went out” (vv. 36-37).
The Shunammite woman did not humble herself only when she saw her child back to life; her heart and mind were always humble before God and His servant. Due to her steadfast faith, humility, boldness, ability to size up the situation, and persistence, she became an overcomer.
*** ***
Years ago, because of a specific situation in my life, I had to borrow $3.000 and promised to repay it in a certain period. I thought I would save periodically from my salary and would pray and ask the Lord to help me, and with His help, settle my debt in time.
Several months passed, and the day of settling the debt was approaching. Because of unforeseen expenses, I had no opportunity to save any money from my salary. I prayed day and night for the Lord’s help, so that I would not be ashamed before the lender. The heaven was like bronze; I kept praying and fasting, with no answer.
Finally, there was only one day left. At the next day, according to my agreement with the lender, I had to return the $3.000. I shut myself in my room and repented that when I had had a need, I had not believed the Lord to receive the money through a miracle, but turned to men’s loathsome tradition of borrowing money. Having repented, I continued to pray in the Holy Spirit waiting for the Lord to show His mercy.
The Lord started to speak. To my amazement, He made no mention of money at all. He suggested me to go to the Region of Talin, to Agarak village, where we carried out “God’s Third Way to the Homeless” Project. Poverty was widespread in that village, so no one there could help me even a little. I humbled myself before the Lord and said, “Lord, if You want my disgrace, I will be disgraced. However, I know You, and I know that everything You do is for my good.”
I took my bag and went to Agarak. Our Mercy Ministry rented a place in that village, and ten former homeless people lived there. Their occupation was farming and cattle breeding. It was already evening when I was there. We dined and talked together, and then I started to speak about the holiness, goodness and omnipotence of the Lord. I did everything exactly as the Holy Spirit led me.
At night, all went to bed; I went to bed as well. Suddenly the Holy Spirit spoke, “Return to Yerevan early in the morning. I will give you the money.” I was overwhelmed. The Lord is indescribably faithful; I received the money in a very unexpected way.
If for some reasons the answer to a prayer is delayed, the problem is in us; we are to change, improve ourselves, be established in faith, be able to size up the situation and be faithful to the Lord in everything.
Humble people do not rebel; they know their Lord and overcome by trusting Him in every situation.
TO BE CONTINUED…