When Miracle Dies

WHEN THE MIRACLE DIES... “Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? Did I not say, Do not deceive me?” (2Kings4:28) There is nothing like the power of God. As the Bible says, there is nothing too hard for God, but with men there are limitations. Many times as believers, we yearn for the miraculous touch of God. We many times seek divine interventions in our affairs and that is what translates to a miracle. Also, we ought to know that Christianity is synonymous with the miraculous. Our God is a miracle worker. He does miracles in other to bring to pass His promises in our lives. Miracle according to the dictionary is, “In theology, an event or effect contrary to the established constitution and course of things, or a deviation from the known laws of nature; a supernatural event. Miracles can be wrought only by Almighty power, as when Christ healed lepers, saying, "I will, be thou clean," or calmed the tempest, "Peace, be still." From its specific term therefore, miracle only happens when things are not lining up to God’s divine arrangement or in a near impossible situation. For example, Sarah had to miraculously bear a child because she had physically psychologically and emotionally passed age, the Red Sea had to part because there was no way for the children of Israel to pass, etc. You do not need miracles when you are enjoying the best of God (prosperous, be in health and soul prospering) Rather your life becomes a miracle to the unbeliever. That is why I know that in this economic down turn in the world, miracle of supernatural break through awaits the children of God. If you believe that say Amen! On the other hand in general term, miracle is God showing forth in the affairs of His children. For example, during the ten plagues in Egypt, the children of Israel, though in the same place, did not experience any of it, because they were divinely insulated. Child of God the miraculous hand of God can and will make your case different in your family, job, business and life in Jesus name. Your life is supposed to show the world that though you in the world, you are not of the world. So as children of God, our lives are either a miracle to unbelievers or God stops nature to bring to pass His will for our life. That is why I believe God with and for you child of God, no matter how bad things may seem, no matter how impossible it is, it does not matter the experts opinion; doctors, economist, scientist etc. I expect a miracle for you, because, “the counsel of the Lord, it shall stand in your life.” I say a thunderous Amen to that. It is on the basis of God’s miraculous working power that the Shunammite who through the story in the Bible had given up on having children due to the old age of herself and her husband, yet in spite of her inability to bear, she still chose to extend love for God by being kind to her vessel, Elisha. (you will do yourself good if you will bless God’s vessels or His work, you are setting yourself up for a miracle) She convinced her hubby that they make a penthouse for Elisha whenever he comes to town in addition to the meal they had been providing him with. So Elisha the man of God chose to be of blessing to her. Gehazi, Elisha’s servant brought to his notice her childlessness, you know the story, Elisha prophesied and of course miracle took place because God honours the words of His messenger. By the miraculous working of God, the woman brought forth a son and he grew to be the joy of his parent. But something happened to change the whole story, one day, the young man complained of pains, he was taken to the mother, lo and behold, he died.

Now, this is a very serious matter. Notice that it was not because the boy was young- for many young men had died and still die. The crux of this matter was that this was a special child. He was given birth to by the miraculous working power of God. In fact when the man of God prophesied his birth, the mother told the prophet not to raise her hopes, for she had given up totally having a child. In spite of the supernatural means of his birth he died. The death of such a young man will surely make news since his birth definitely made news in the first place. The death of such a young man will definitely bring more disdain to God; it might even lead many to not want to believe God anymore. He was a child brought forth through the miraculous hand of God. Ladies and gentlemen, it is possible for what you receive by miracle to suffer a setback. At least this is what this story teaches. You may have had your promotion miraculously, even your job, it may even be your marriage, that child may have been by miraculous birth and now is a thorn in your neck and it can even be material possession like car, house etc. That something went wrong with what you received supernaturally does not mean you have backslidden or that you sinned. It is possible for your miracle (in whatever form it comes) to die an untimely death or suffer a devastating setback. So the problem now is not with the setback or death of your miracle, the issue is what would you do when your miracle suffers a setback? The answer is found in the story of our discussions. The Bible said when the child died in the arm of his mother- who of course was the one that got the miracle- she was calm, she quietly laid him in the room they made for the man of God and quietly went to see him without even alerting anyone, let alone her hubby. Even when the man of God saw her from afar and sent to ask he if it well, she said, it is well. Not until she got to the man of God, she caught him by the heel and then she burst out saying, “Did I desire a son of my lord? Did I not say, Do not deceive me?” Verse 28. The man of God immediately sent his servant to go and lay his staff on the boy, but the woman told the man of God, “as far as I am concerned, I am not leaving you oh, until my son come to life.” (Paraphrased verse 30) When he sensed her desperation, he went with her immediately. By the time they got there Gehazi had done as instructed but the boy did not come to life. Then Elisha himself had to set in and the child lived then he gave him back to his mother. Now that is a beautiful story of God’s miraculous power at work again to shut the mouth of the devil. The wisdom I want you to grab from this story is the question I asked earlier, what do you do when your miracle dies? As the story goes, the woman had a dead miracle and we can learn from her what to do when miracle dies. The first thing she did which we should learn from was that she did not panic. She was cool calm and collected even though her greatest source of joy had been taken away. Doesn’t that remind you of Abraham when he was asked to sacrifice his son (which was his own miracle)? Likewise you, when your miracle suffers a setback, keep your calm. Why? Simple, your agitation does not solve the problem, it complicates it. It might even attract those who will disdain your God or kill your faith and lastly, crying and fidgeting gives the devil the last laugh.

Secondly and more importantly, she went back to the man of God who was the source of her miracle. She did not bother communing with any other. In the same vein, when your miracle suffers a setback, go back to the source. You have to realise that like anything manufactured, the manufacturers are the best bet for their repairs or replacements if anything goes wrong. In your case, child of God, go back to God, He gave you the miracle in the first place and He had a reason why and if He changed His mind He will let you know. For He might want to give you something better, He might be creating an opportunity for you to grow stronger in faith, or it might just be the devil at work. Once you can go back to your source, you will be able to know the actual situation of things. Moreover, solution lies only at the source of your miracles. Finally, she refused to leave Elisha’s presence until she got her son restored to life again. She was ready to go with Elisha wherever he was going till he attended to her case. She was willing to stay forever. She even refused to let him go even when he sent his servant to the child at home. Child of God, when your miracle suffers a setback, remain in the presence of God till you know what next or till you receive your restoration. Don’t give up too soon if nothing seem to have worked, don’t be discouraged if the people you believed in couldn’t get the job done, they are only vessels after all, God is your source so stay put in His presence. As job said ... all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.... (Job14:14b)So you too should wait on God Is30:18 say those who wait on God are blessed. You must be desperate enough to wait in God’s presence. As a man of God said, if you are willing to stand forever, you won’t stand for too long. Just as the Shunammite woman received her son to life again, by following these steps so will you should your miracle suffer whatever set back. So I encourage you to not be confused, don’t give up, remain resolute and never allow anything to change your faith in God –even your challenged miracle- because there is no evil in God. I assure you, as long as you can keep on with God, you can never in the long run suffer shame, you will laugh last over the demon and your testimony shall be double dozed. So when your miracle (whatever it may represent) is challenged, calm down, go back to the source of your miracle and don’t ever leave that source until you receive your reversal of fortune. I prophesy over your life that all the years that the canker worm had eaten, all the lost time of waiting that it seem your peers have overtaken you, all the years of the setback shall be paid back to you in this season in good measures, pressed down, shaken together and running over in Jesus name. Amen!