Introduction:    Here is a very interesting story from the years of the Prophet Elisha. Jehoram, Ahab‘s son, began his reign as King of Israel. It seems that the King of Moab had worked a deal with Ahab during his reign as the King, to take 100,000 lambs and 100,000 rams with wool. After Ahab’s death, the King of Moab rebelled against Jehoram, the King of Israel, and would not keep his bargain. Knowing that there would be war brought against him, Jehoram went to Jehoshaphat, King of Judah and the King of Edom, and ask them to help them defeat the Moabites. Jehosaphat agreed to help him, and they began their march through the wilderness of Edom. Unfortunately, after seven days journey they began to run out of water and food for themselves, their army, and all the cattle that they had with them. What were they to do? No food or water to go forward, and no food or water to go back! Here they were sitting ducks (so to speak) for the Moabite army.

Jehoram got very depressed and said that God had led these three kings into the wilderness of Edom into the hands of the Moabites. Jehosaphat didn’t take this news very well, and responded to Jehoram saying, “Is not there a Prophet of the Lord, that we may inquire of the Lord by him? One of the servants said that Elisha was with the group, so they sent for Elisha to come to them. Jehoram had ruled Israel in a similar manner as his father, but the only good thing he did was to put away the image of Baal. But still Elisha did not like Jehoram at all. When Jehoram ask Elisha to inquire from God what they should do, Elisha’s response was to ask why he called him, instead of the prophets of his father and mother. Jehoram’s response was that it looked like God was delivering the three Kings into the hands of the Moabites.

Elisha answered that were it not for Jehosaphat he wouldn’t help them out. So he called for a revival (so to speak), a minstrel to come a play for him.

When the minstrel played the hand of the Lord came down, and the hand of the Lord said:“ 16 And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley full of ditches . and shall fell every good tree, and stop all wells of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones.

 So the answer that God told Elisha was for them to dig some ditches. No water and No Food, and they were to physically dig ditches in the wilderness place where they found themselves without Food or Water, and then they had to dig ditches throughout the valley. So they work nearly all night digging the ditches that the Lord told Elisha to ask them to do. “Many times when we call on God for answers and help with our problems, God does not always give us the answers first without our participation in the answer. He wouldn’t just speak and water and food would appear, the Children of Israel, and the Kings of Judah, and Edom had to get out there a physically dig the ditches, After they finished, they went into their tents to rest.

20 And it came to pass in the morning, when the meat offering was offered, that, behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water, 21 And when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them, they gathered all that were able to put on armour, and upward, and stood in the border. up to fight against them, they gathered all that were able to put on armour, and upward, and stood in the border.
22 And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood:
23 And they said, This is blood: the kings are surely slain, and they have smitten one another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil.
24 And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote the Moabites, so that they fled before them: but they went forward smiting the Moabites, even in their country.
25 And they beat down the cities, and on every good piece of land cast every man his stone, and filled it; and they stopped all the wells of water, and felled all the good trees: only in Kir-haraseth left they the stones thereof; howbeit the slingers went about it, and smote it.
26 And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords, to break through even unto the king of Edom: but they could not.
27 Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall. And there was great indignation against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to their own land. KJV

God not only brought them water via the ditches he told them to dig, but He set up their Moabite enemies for defeat. I wonder how many times any of you have problems and yet question the answer given you require you to do something physical for His answer to work. Sometimes we are required to participate in the physical parts of God’s answer.

There are miracles out there waiting for us to claim them and get busy with God’s work. Our Nation stands in need of a Revival, and we need to be attentive to God’s answer. His answer may even look strange to us and require much physical action on our part, but our willingness to follow His Will is essential to the Spiritual answer for us. It may seem strange and unheard of to out feeble minds, but to a Great and Holy God it is essential.

First.        We need to seek God’s man for the hour - Elisha was God’s prophet for the hour, and the first thing that Elisha asked for was a Minstrel, a person that sang and provided music, similar to a church choir this day and time. After the minstrel finished and the people were in an attitude of worship, then Elisha called out to God for the answer.

Second.    The answer was unique and strange. It required physical work from the people that were out of water and food. I’m sure many of them thought it was useless and undoable, but without their participation the answer would not come. Note that these people are in dire need. With the heat like it was and NO WATER or FOOD the labor would be exhausting and hard making them more thirsty and hungry than before they started. WOULD THE LORD PROVIDED FOR THEM? Suddenly we see that FAITH has everything to do with their lives being saved.

Third.    It is NO different TODAY as we approach God seeking His hand in saving our Nation and lives. Our Faith in God is the ANSWER! Without our Faith in Him we are sure to perish! I wonder if we have strayed too far from Him that it isn’t possible for us to have the revival that we need to bring our Nation back to Him. As much as I love this Country and Nation, I love God even more, and I know that we have much that WE MUST DO to LEAD OUR NATION INTO A SPIRITUAL AWAKENING.

Fourth.    You ask how do we have revival in our land? ONE PERSON AT A TIME!! Is the answer. I pray, “Lord, read and hear my heart, and forgive me from my sins. Also Lord, I pray for my Christian friends and neighbors. Please speak to their hearts as you have mine, and may their Faith open up to them as my Faith has for me. My unfailing faith tells me that this is the way we are to have a “Spiritual Awakening,” in our Nation and around the world. Give us a Spiritual Victory as you did for Elisha and the Three Kings. These things I pray and ask in My Lord, and Savior, Jesus Christ’s name, Amen!

The Lord not only provided food and water for the Three Kings and their armies, but He delivered their enemies into their hands with an overwhelming success in defeating their Moabite enemies. All because of a Spiritual revival sent through God’s Prophet.

In Christ Jesus’ Name,
Rev. Zack Martin Sr.