The thief of Disbelief

Current price inflation. Meat is going higher. Cost of goods is rising. Gasoline is at a seven year high. California leads the nation with gas nearing $5.00 a gallon. In one small town they hit a record $7.59 for regular unleaded. Any one else feeling a little pinch?

It could be worse. It could be like the city of Samaria in 2 Kings 6.

Ben-Hadad had come, and with him the army of the Syrians. The city of Samaria found themselves in terrible conditions. A famine had gripped the city. Lack of food and water was an issue. If you think the 20% increase we have seen on some beef is high. Imagine walking into the grocery store, what is being offered is a donkey’s head for 80 shekels, or dove droppings for 5 shekels. To put that into understandable terms, 5 shekels is around $100.00.

Dove droppings was selling for $100 for a quarter of a pint (kab), $400 for a whole pint. The whole donkey head was going for over $1600.00

If that does not impress upon you the desperation of the moment, women were eating their children.

The king put all the blame on Elisha and threatened to kill him. So the king sent a messenger to find Elisha. The messenger was one of the kings men, an officer whom he depended on.

When the messenger found Elisha sitting in his house surrounded by elders of the city. The Lord had already given Elisha a message for the king.

2 Kings 7:1 NKJV

1 Then Elisha said, “Hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord: ‘Tomorrow about this time a seah of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria.’ ”

A seah = 8 gallons of flour for one shekel. Twice as much barley for the same price.

The situation is about to turn around!

When God decides to do it… He can turn it around. Overnight!

There is always hope as long as God can work!

(go off on God making a way, turning lives around.)

Look at someone next to you and tell them… As long as God is there, there is some hope!

Thief of Disbelief

2 Kings 7:2 (NKJV)

2 So an officer on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God and said, “Look, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, could this thing be?”

This man could not believe that God could or would do such a thing. Unbelief was going to cost him.

2 Kings 7:2 (NKJV)

And he said, “In fact, you shall see it with your eyes, but you shall not eat of it.”

You will see it, but you will never taste it.

Four lepers

God chooses to use four lepers to do the miraculous…

(Tell the story) They are getting fat and full… we better tell the people of Samaria.

Enemy scatters, there is enough food for everyone.

The miracle was done for everyone! It touched every life in that city, the poorest to the wealthiest. From the leper to the king, each one could experience what God was doing. This was not some hidden miracle. This was not God doing a miracle for a single person. God was making the miracle available to everyone.

All but one person.

2 Kings 7:16–20 NKJV

16 Then the people went out and plundered the tents of the Syrians. So a seah of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the Lord. 17 Now the king had appointed the officer on whose hand he leaned to have charge of the gate. But the people trampled him in the gate, and he died, just as the man of God had said, who spoke when the king came down to him. 18 So it happened just as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, “Two seahs of barley for a shekel, and a seah of fine flour for a shekel, shall be sold tomorrow about this time in the gate of Samaria.” 19 Then that officer had answered the man of God, and said, “Now look, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, could such a thing be?” And he had said, “In fact, you shall see it with your eyes, but you shall not eat of it.” 20 And so it happened to him, for the people trampled him in the gate, and he died.

The thief of disbelief cost this man his life and experience of the miraculous. He saw it, but never ate it.

John 10:10 (NKJV)

10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.

He doesn’t have to kill or destroy you. But if he can rob you through a lack of faith… The thief of disbelief will keep you from eating and tasting of the good things of God that he has done right before your eyes.

Return of Jesus

There will be those who witness it, but because of unbelief they will not receive.

Philippians 2:10–11 NKJV

10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Everyone, both alive and dead will come know who He is and will confess Him as Lord… yet because of the thief of disbelief they will see it, but never eat it.

It is no different than when Jesus was walking in Israel. He went to Nazareth and taught in the synagogue, ready to do miracles but because of unbelief...

Matthew 13:58 NKJV

58 Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Only four miles from Jesus first miracle of turning water into wine in Cana… many had witnessed that miracle.

He had healed the withered hand in Matthew 12. He had delivered the demon possessed and caused the mute to speak in Matthew 9. He had healed the blind. He had raised the dead daughter of Jairus.

But He did not do many mighty works because of their unbelief. The thief robbed them!

But if you can believe!

Your story might be more life the father of Mark 9 instead of the officer of Samaria.

Mark 9:20–23 NKJV

20 Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth. 21 So He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”

If you can believe, all things are possible… The problem is never with God’s ability.

Mark 9:24 NKJV

24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

I am doing everything I can to believe! I believe!

help my unbelief!

Promise of the Holy Spirit

Even now God is doing the miraculous… but the thief of disbelief is keeping people from taking part in it.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is a promise for every person who believes. Jesus promised it to all that believe in Him.

John 7:37–39 NKJV

37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

But the thief of disbelief keeps some from eating it, you see it happen to others, but unbelief keeps you from having the same experience.

( Is that for everyone?) It’s not necessary… The thief of disbelief steals from people what God has intended for them to receive.

This is nothing new. When God birthed His church by pouring out His promised Spirit all people there witnessed it. It was not a hidden thing.

Acts 2:6 NKJV

6 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language.

The multitude witnessed what God was doing. Peter confirmed what they were witnessing.

Acts 2:32–33 NKJV

32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. 33 Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.

Jesus is doing this! The miracle worker that was crucified, He is alive, glorified and pouring out this promise of the Holy Spirit that you are seeing and hearing.

There were those who could see it, but they never would get to enjoy it. The thief of disbelief robbed them of the experience.

Like the officer of the king in Samaria, they could see what God was doing but would never eat of it.

Even now as Jesus continues to pour out His Spirit on people… I have directed people to that promise to have them shrug it off, never receiving. The thief of disbelief.

But if you will believe! If you will be obedient to the scripture...

John 7:38 NKJV

38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

Repent, be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ… you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues.

The promise of deliverance given by Elisha to Samaria was for everyone… the lepers up to the king. The promise of deliverance, the miraculous in your life… It is the same miraculous God!