“IF The Lord”

 

2 Kings 7:2

 

The officer assisting the king said to the man of God, "That couldn't happen even if the LORD opened the windows of heaven!" But Elisha replied, "You will see it happen with your own eyes, but you won't be able to eat any of it!"

 

Intro: 

 

If- demonstrates doubt 

For the Christian you lack the faith you claim to have.

 

If-used to introduce expressions of desire, with only
if I had only known

 

If-or on condition , 

 

• an uncertainty or doubt

 

 

Doubt 

 with object)

• to be uncertain about; consider questionable or unlikely; hesitate to believe:

 

I want to look at the word “If” Once time in interssory prayer, while I was praying about a situation, I said, “If it be your will” as I prayed to the father.

And each time I used that word “if” the pastor I had at the time, told me Not to say if. 

 

I was having trouble with that because I was praying to Hod snd I knew he understood what I was saying. I was saying, if it is in your will father, let it be so.  I remember, our conversation and he wanted me to understand using “if” could plant doubt. 

 

I needed him to understand that I didn’t doubt, but I wanted the lord to know that I excepted his will. Not mine.

 

Needless to say, it took years for me to get it. And I know where the break was in that communication. 

 

He wanted me to pray, having no doubt in my words, and I wanted to pray so that the Lord understood I accepted his will, not my own.

 

Now I don’t say, if, regarding his will or mine, I simply say, not my will, Father, but yours be done.

 

So, in the spirit of a teachable moment, I hope you get the message that I feel the Lord wants me to give and that it not take 20 years for you to get the point.

 

As Christians, we have to be aware of our words. Using if, can add doubt, it can bridge lack of faith to our prayer requests, and it can bridge lack of faith from your spirit to God in your prayers to him.

 

Whether you are in conversation with the Lord, or you are conversing through prayers. The word “if” can create doubt.

I am going to look at three examples from individuals, all in the Old Testament and we will look at how their words convey lack of faith.

 

As Christians, we are adamant about our faith and that we believe. But we aren’t always careful with our words and when we need for them to count the most, which is when we are praying to our Lord. The goal of this message is for each of us who count ourselves as being a Christian, to be aware of what we say, especially to the Lord. It is assurance that we are not blocking our own prayers.

 

Example 1👇🏽

 

In our first example, the backstory is, the Syrians set up camp by Samaria and in their effort to block the Samaritans from outside resources. The people of Samaria were in a severe famine.  God had a plan to solve that problem and his prophet, Elisha told the king that their famine issue would be resolved come the following day.

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There was a gentleman, a Lord standing by the king. When he heard Elisha’s words spoken to the king. He responded to Elisha and this is what took place . Now depending on which version you are reading, it may say the officer, or the lord. 

 

Anyway, I will call him an officer, because later, the king sends him to man the gates, in an effort to keep order as the people head to the enemy camp.

 

2Kings 7:2 The officer assisting the king said to the man of God, “That couldn’t happen even if the LORD opened the windows of heaven!” But Elisha replied, “You will see it happen with your own eyes, but you won’t be able to eat any of it!”

 

2Kings 7:2

 ..✏️if the LORD would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? 

 

If:-an uncertainty or doubt

-in case that, or on condition that

 

The officer/with the king spoke on condition of ‘if the Lord made windows in heaven’ his words speak doubt that there can be or that God will make windows.  

 

For all we know, the windows that the Lord opens to pour out blessings, May  look and function opposite of what we think of as windows down here. Then the officer states that it wouldn’t happen even if the Lord had windows.

 

IHis question holds doubt.

👇🏽

Doubt:

to be uncertain about; consider questionable or unlikely; hesitate to believe:

 

Who is he to question or doubt what is in heaven or whether or not the Lord will help? He doubts  that there are windows and is suggesting that it isn’t likely that the Lord would make it happen if there were windows.

 

Elisha told him he would see this thing come to pass but will not partake in it. Elisha’s words were fulfilled when the king sent the officer to man the gate.

He was trampled to death at the gate as the people rushed out towards the Syrian camp to get the food  that was left behind.

 

To have faith and trust God is something we either do or don’t experience. When an atheist professes doubt, we aren’t surprised because they are non believers in God. But as a Christian let us think about how we communicate, we do not want to put limits on what God can do.

 

Example 2

👇🏽

Genesis 18:9-15 

 

[9] "Where is Sarah, your wife?" the visitors asked. "She's inside the tent," Abraham replied. 

 

10] Then one of them said, "I will return to you about this time next year, and your wife, Sarah, will have a son!" Sarah was listening to this conversation from the tent. 

 

11] Abraham and Sarah were both very old by this time, and Sarah was long past the age of having children. 

 

12] So she laughed silently to herself and said, "How could a worn-out woman like me enjoy such pleasure, especially when my master-my husband-is also so old?" 

 

13] Then the LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, 'Can an old woman like me have a baby?' 

 

14] Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son." 

 

15] Sarah was afraid, so she denied it, saying, "I didn't laugh." But the LORD said, "No, you did laugh."

 

Sara laughed when the angel said she would have a child in her old age. She denied laughing when the angel asked Abraham why she laughed, she denied laughing out of fear.

 

Genesis 17:17-19 

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[17] Then Abraham bowed down to the ground, but he laughed to himself in disbelief. "How could I become a father at the age of 100?" he thought. "And how can Sarah have a baby when she is ninety years old?" 

 

18] So Abraham said to God, "May Ishmael live under your special blessing!" 

 

19] But God replied, "No-Sarah, your wife, will give birth to a son for you. You will name him Isaac, and I will confirm my covenant with him and his descendants as an everlasting covenant.

 

Genesis 21:6 And Sarah declared, "God has brought me laughter. All who hear about this will laugh with me. 

 

Genesis 21:7 Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse a baby? Yet I have given Abraham a son in his old age!"

 

Example 3

 

Mark 9:21-24 

 

[21] "How long has this been happening?" Jesus asked the boy's father. He replied, "Since he was a little boy. 

 

22] The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can." 

 

23] "What do you mean, 'If I can'?" Jesus asked. "Anything is possible if a person believes." 

 

24] The father instantly cried out, "I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!". 

 

The father said to Jesus, if he could do anything have compassion and help

Jesus said to the father, if you can believe, all things are possible to him that believes,

The father is asking Jesus if he could do anything to help… (there is doubt)

And Jesus is saying to him if you can believe..

(if you let go of doubt and believe)

 

The boys father told Jesus that he believed, but asked Jesus to help his unbelief.

As a Christian, Be aware of your conversation about the Lord’s ability to come through for you, especially when you know that he has come through for you before. This father who was asking Jesus for help. Said, to him “if you can help” and Jesus let him know, “if you can believe”.

And the father admitted right away, that he believed, but adk the Lord to help his unbelief.

He admitted that he had some unbelief and that he needed help either.

 

If you are facing a situation and you believe the Lord can, but there is some unbelief lingering in your spirit, be like that father was when Jesus told him “if you can believe” 

 

He didn’t deny it, he came clean and told the Lord, that the believed, help his unbelief.

I think for us who believe , those times when doubt creeps in, we are too fearful to admit it, but remember, God already knows you heart and spirit.  If there is something that is causing you to doubt the Lord. Speak it, bring that forward and discuss it with him.

 

It is better to speak what you are feeling to him than to think you are hiding it from him, which you are not. I give these three examples because, like the officer who assisted the King in Samaria, there are those who don’t believe.  

 

Then there are people like. Sara, who have experienced what God can do because she is married to Abraham and has seen first hand, the move of God In their lives, but out of fear, She denies that she laughed. It could be sarcastic or hinge on unbelief in this particular situation because she was past child bearing years. When the Lord is in the picture all things are possible, nothing is impossible, and like he asked Abraham,  ‘is anything too hard for the Lord?’

 

In 2Kings, That officer could have, not only seen the miracle that God did for his people, but he could have partaken in the bounty of food, and lived to tell about it had he not opened his mouth in mockery.

 

Conclusion:

 

Is anything too hard for the Lord? No, it isn’t .  So let us not put limitations on him. Nor express lack of faith by asking the lord, if he can. Let us simply say, Father, not my will, but yours be done.

 

My closing prayer:

 

Lord, I pray that we have learned through this message that we are not to express doubt or lack of faith, with that word “if”. Let us remember if we can believe, all things are possible.

In the name of Jesus, amen.

 

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