Study of 2 Kings 4: 8-37 NIV: Speak, See, Act:

“One day Elisha went to Shunem. And a well-to-do woman was there, who urged him to stay for a meal. So whenever he came by, he stopped there to eat. She said to her husband, “I know that this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God. Let’s make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay there whenever he comes to us.” One day when Elisha came, he went up to his room and lay down there. He said to his servant Gehazi, “Call the Shunammite.” So he called her, and she stood before him. Elisha said to him, “Tell her, ‘You have gone to all this trouble for us. Now what can be done for you? Can we speak on your behalf to the king or the commander of the army?’ ” She replied, “I have a home among my own people.” “What can be done for her?” Elisha asked. Gehazi said, “She has no son, and her husband is old.” Then Elisha said, “Call her.” So he called her, and she stood in the doorway. “About this time next year,” Elisha said, “you will hold a son in your arms.” “No, my Lord!” she objected. “Please, man of God, don’t mislead your servant!” But the woman became pregnant, and the next year about that same time she gave birth to a son, just as Elisha had told her. The child grew, and one day he went out to his father, who was with the reapers. He said to his father, “My head! My head!” His father told a servant, “Carry him to his mother.” After the servant had lifted him up and carried him to his mother, the boy sat on her lap until noon, and then he died. She went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, then shut the door and went out. She called her husband and said, “Please send me one of the servants and a donkey so I can go to the man of God quickly and return.” “Why go to him today?” he asked. “It’s not the New Moon or the Sabbath.” “That’s all right,” she said. She saddled the donkey and said to her servant, “Lead on; don’t slow down for me unless I tell you.” So she set out and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel. When he saw her in the distance, the man of God said to his servant Gehazi, “Look! There’s the Shunammite! Run to meet her and ask her, ‘Are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is your child all right?’ ” “Everything is all right,” she said. When she reached the man of God at the mountain, she took hold of his feet. Gehazi came over to push her away, but the man of God said, “Leave her alone! She is in bitter distress, but the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me why.” “Did I ask you for a son, my Lord?” she said. “Didn’t I tell you, ‘Don’t raise my hopes’?” Elisha said to Gehazi, “Tuck your cloak into your belt, take my staff in your hand and run. Don’t greet anyone you meet, and if anyone greets you, do not answer. Lay my staff on the boy’s face.” But the child’s mother said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So he got up and followed her. Gehazi went on ahead and laid the staff on the boy’s face, but there was no sound or response. So Gehazi went back to meet Elisha and told him, “The boy has not awakened.” When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his couch. He went in, shut the door on the two of them and prayed to the Lord. Then he got on the bed and lay on the boy, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands. As he stretched himself out on him, the boy’s body grew warm. Elisha turned away and walked back and forth in the room and then got on the bed and stretched out on him once more. The boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes. Elisha summoned Gehazi and said, “Call the Shunammite.” And he did. When she came, he said, “Take your son.” She came in, fell at his feet and bowed to the ground. Then she took her son and went out” (2 Kings 4:8-37 NIV).

Whether you recognize it or not, this story beautifully exemplifies what happens when we choose to live by faith. More specifically, how it changes us as we approach the troubles we come up against. When we walk with “confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews‬ ‭11‬:‭1‬ ‭NIV‬‬), we speak different, we “see” different, and Who/what we take hold of (how we act) is different. 

In this story, we see multiple examples, by the Shunammite woman and Elisha, of what happens on our walk, as well as in our outcomes, when we choose faith. But, we also get an example through Gehazi of not only what derails faith but of also what happens when we don’t follow it. 

Let’s, first, discuss how the faith of the Shunammite woman impacted how she spoke, what she “saw,” and what/Who she took hold of that allowed her to see the miracle of healing and resurrection power!

Shunammite Woman 

It is clear based on the culture at the time this took place (and the Shunammite woman’s response to Elisha’s prophecy) that she desperately wanted a child. However, even though this was something she desired and likely prayed for, when Elisha wanted to give her a gift (for her continued obedience to God by providing a room for Elisha), she never mentioned, “I don’t have a child,” or “I really wanted to have a child but couldn’t.” She says NONE OF THAT. Then, in response to Elisha telling her God will give her a son (after Gehazi mentions she has no child), she simply replies, “don’t mislead your servant!” In her response, she is relaying to Elisha (symbolic of God) about what she went through and the fear of potentially going through the same pain of hoping and not receiving.

The first thing we are going to discuss is how the faith of the Shunammite woman impacted how she SPOKE. The initial thing we note is that the Shunammite woman never talks about what she doesn’t have. It is clear that if she was focused on what she didn’t have, she would have mentioned it to the person who could possibly intervene with God to give it to her. But her lack of informing Elisha of this desire indicates her heart and mind were not focused on what she didn’t have and, therefore, she didn’t speak it. There is so much power in what this story is conveying to us about this topic. The Shunammite woman didn’t appear to be perseverating on what she didn’t have, but, rather, continued to serve God and be obedient to God, focusing on what she did have and how blessed she was. 

This is so instructive of the walk of faith. No matter how long we pray for something and it doesn’t show up, we can’t fall into agreement with the way we think and feel based on what we are experiencing (its absence). This is because, when we do, it will cause us to speak from that level of disappointment, resentment, lack, etc. We must continue to walk by faith by continuing to be obedient to what God said, having gratitude for all things as well as keeping our hearts and minds fixed on what His Will desires. Because, when our hearts and minds are fixed on that, the Scripture says, “the mouth speaks with the heart is full of” (Matthew 12:34 NIV). 

This is so important because of what God tells us about the importance of what our tongues speak. One example in Proverbs 18: 21 NIV is “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Whatever we are focusing on in our heart and mind, we will speak and what we speak we will experience!

The next thing to note of how the walk of faith impacts how we SPEAK is based on what the Shunammite woman SPEAKS TO GOD. The very things that the Scripture indicates to us that we should not speak about with our tongues (to people) are the very things that we need to tell God! The Shunammite woman reflects this when she tells her pain to Elisha (representing God). This is the first time we see her do this (but she does it again when her child dies…more to come!) This is informing us of the importance of going to God with all the burdens in our hearts and minds. We shouldn’t talk to everyone about it, but we MUST TALK TO HIM! We shouldn’t ever ignore or “shove down” sadness, worry, fear, distress, etc. There is not only a place to go, but a place we must go, with our pains, hurts, and disappointments…that is to God and God alone.

[Of note, God also SPEAKS to us. The first time Elisha wants to offer a gift to the Shunammite woman, he tells Gehazi to ask her what she wants. But after she refuses everything and Gehazi tells Elisha that she has no son, Elisha goes and SPEAKS the prophecy/promise DIRECTLY to her. Once again we see God’s Truth exemplified … that God SPEAKS His promises directly to us! God’s Words/His Promises are not suggestions given through people or even a book. They are breathed right from His mouth to us! IN FACT, THE WORD IS JESUS!! And this is important to understand because Jesus does not lie! We can trust in His promises if He has SPOKEN them. They are YES AND AMEN! We believe this by faith!]

The final thing to note of how the walk of faith impacts how we SPEAK is shown when the Shunammite woman’s son dies. After placing her son in Elisha’s room, she literally tells no one her only son, a child, had just died. This is another important application of the walk of faith. Not at any time did this woman proclaim to anyone, whether they asked or not, “my child has died!” Even when her husband asked her why she wanted to see the prophet, she merely said, “it is alright.” 

This is more instructional than many of us understand. It seems so normal that when we face a challenge or trial in our life to go off and talk to everyone about it and perseverate on it. It remains the focus of every conversation and the focal point in our lives. But what we are actually doing is living contrary to faith.

Like the Shunammite woman, we need to resist the urge to uncontrollably start clamoring about or commiserating on the undesired event with anyone and everyone (“mere humans” are incapable of changing the outcome -Psalm 146:3 NIV). No matter how distressing a situation it may seem, again, we must realize the Truth in God’s Word, “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” ‭‭(Proverbs‬ ‭18‬:‭21‬ ‭NIV‬‬). When we talk about the problem/mountain in our lives, we are actually believing it is too powerful and, in following this belief, we are giving more power to the mountain. Instead of talking about our mountain, WE NEED TO TELL OUR MOUNTAIN ABOUT GOD!!!  WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE POWER OF OUR GOD WHO IS ABOVE EVERY MOUNTAIN!

Furthermore, we need to SPEAK what we want it be, “it is alright.” You see, God teaches us that in order to see our desired outcomes, even in our health, we must speak what we want and avoid speaking what we do not want. This is because what we speak links up to what we truly believe in our heart and mind and we magnify what we believe by the words we speak! This also is expressed in the verse, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” (Proverbs‬ ‭4‬:‭23‬ ‭NIV‬‬). (And did you know the Word interchanges heart and mind indicating their complete dependence on one another?!)

The second predominant aspect of how  faith changes our walk is exemplified by the Shunammite woman’s focus/what she “SEES.”  The Shunammite woman was so determined on what she wanted to “SEE” (her child healed) and Who she needed to “SEE” (Elisha, representing God). Her focus on this in her heart and mind (“SEE”) allowed her to avoid distractions. She knew Elisha, the prophet of God (again, representative of God), was the only one who could help make what she “SAW” by faith in her heart and mind come to life (literally). But, we need to not only “SEE” what we want the outcome to be in our hearts and minds by faith but we need to go to, or “SEE,” the only One Who can do anything about it, God. 

This is why it was so important that she told her servant not to stop for her unless she said so. Because, we can understand that, due to the gravity of this situation, she likely would start crying or breaking down on her journey. Once again, if her servant stopped and went back to her, she might get caught up talking and perseverating on what she didn’t want to “SEE.” She would speak about the facts and she would lose her focus on what she was believing to actually SEE by faith. Instead, she needed to avoid every distraction, that, even though might have felt good, could do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO IMPROVE her situation. She needed SEE the One Who could help her!

God “rewards those who seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6 NIV). When we go to God, we are not relying on what our physical eyes see about our situation but instead, relying on faith…what God said! We choose to “walk by faith and not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7 NIV). We choose to BELIEVE FIRST, and SEE SECOND and this requires us to stay focused in our hearts and mind of what to “SEE” by faith, that “everything is possible for the one who believes” (Mark 9:23 NIV).

Of note, when the Shunammite woman gets to Elisha (representing God), the person she needs to SEE, she once again exemplifies the importance of telling Jesus all your pain. This is likely why Elisha states, “She is in bitter distress, but the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me why.” This re-iterates the importance that we go DIRECTLY to God (and not speak it to Gehazi) and tell HIM EVERYTHING! Give Him the thoughts and heart postures of hurt and pain… and watch Him overcome!!!

The third predominant aspect of how  faith changes our walk is exemplified by the Shunammite woman’s TAKING HOLD OF what (Who) she wanted. To say the expression “take hold of” means to grasp or be influenced by something to the point of action (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20hold). So, it essentially is indicating a way you move, act, or walk a process. When the Shunammite woman gets to Elisha, she won’t leave him indicating she is being influenced by Him in a way that is going to direct her next steps…her decision to stay with Him. She was “grasping” hold of not only God but what He was capable of doing. And when you live in that spiritual (heart and mind) space, you move forward in your journey different. You actually assume the same journey of the one you are grasping…God influences how you take your next step and every step thereafter. 

Like her, when we turn to God and seek Him, no matter the obstacle, we need to TAKE HOLD OF HIM!! Even if other people, or other creation, for that matter, become involved (like Gehazi did- and it was ELISHA who COMMANDED HIM to get involved because sometimes God does use creation), BE COMMITED TO CLING TO GOD as she did (because creation never replaces God)! 

However, when we TAKE HOLD OF God with all our heart, mind, and soul, God TAKES HOLD OF us!!! Let’s read this text again. It says, ”But the child’s mother said, “‘As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.’ SO HE GOT UP AND FOLLOWED HER.” 

You see, in the story, Elisha wants Gehazi to go back to the Shunammite woman’s deceased son but she says that she will not leave Elisha, the man of God. She was committed to staying with God. It didn’t matter who or what God sent her way to help (creation), she stayed with God (Creator). And because she choose Him by faith, He stays with her! But when we choose Jesus to come into our hearts and minds with our free will, He not only comes in and stays with us but He also directs! 

The Truth of God is such that as we choose Him with all our heart, mind, and soul, HE IS ALL IN WITH US!! Choosing Him, enables Him to change us internally as well as guide us externally. This is the essence of our surrender. This is in alignment with the verses, “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps” ‭‭(Proverbs‬ ‭16‬:‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬). Along with, “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it’”‭‭(Isaiah‬ ‭30‬:‭21‬ ‭NIV‬‬). 

We use our free will to choose God with all of our heart and mind and He directs our steps physically, and, no matter how that physical path looks, His voice will be directing us by faith (from “behind” indicating from a place we don’t see with our physical eyes). And this is why we can not be confused when it comes to how our physical walk unfolds.

Choosing Him spiritually (in our hearts and minds with our free will) is our part. It is where we surrender our ways and our lives to His. This is where we release old thoughts and old heart postures and, instead, live by His…love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, FAITHFULNESS (!!), and self control. When we do this, He directs our steps, the physical. No matter where we are on our physical journey, it is ALWAYS THE WAY if we have allowed Him to come into us spiritually, abiding by His Will! Then, He can make any crooked physical path straight! 

When we seek God with all our heart, mind, and soul, HE IS ACTUALLY THE ONE IN CONTROL OF US! Not the other way around! This can be confusing because, once we have chosen Him as the Way in our hearts and minds, even our physical steps that don’t feel good or look good, “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭28‬ ‭NIV‬‬)!

We just discussed multiple examples by the Shunammite woman of what happens on our walk, as well as in our outcomes, when we choose faith. But now let’s take a look at how the faith of  Elisha impacted how he spoke, what he “saw,” and how he acted that allowed him to experience miracles!

Elisha

When Elisha, a prophet of God, literally a conduit for God’s voice (symbolic of God), gets into the house of the Shunammite woman, we, once more, see these principles of how faith impacts how he spoke, what he “saw,” and what/Who he took hold of.

Elisha goes into the room with the boy, alone, and shuts the door, eliminating all distractions, as well as all thoughts and heart postures of disbelief, that could have come from the other people, even the Shunammite mother. (We have seen Jesus do this in the Scripture as well!)

Elisha, then, gets on top of the boy and lays on him “mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands.”  Again, God is solidifying what the actual experience of choosing faith looks like in the physical. We need to SPEAK about the situation the way He does that “it is alright” (mouth to mouth). We need to SEE the situation the way He does that “Everything is all right” (eyes to eyes). And we must TAKE HOLD OF God and His Word in order to TAKE HOLD OF what we are believing for (hand to hands). 

[Again, this last concept of “hand to hands” might be a little harder to understand than speaking and “seeing” through God’s perspective. “Taking hold of” means to grasp, seize control of, or be influenced by something to the point of action ( https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20hold). So, it essentially is indicating a way you mentally grasp or control a situation that causes you to move, act, or walk a certain way. This concept is in alignment with verses, “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it” (John‬ ‭14‬:‭12‬-‭14‬ ‭NIV‬‬). This is also in alignment with when Jesus says, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (Mark‬ ‭11‬:‭24‬ ‭NIV)‬‬.

When we TAKE HOLD OF Him and His Word by faith, it causes us to act different, to walk different… acting as if it is received! Walk as if it is finished!!! Thanking Jesus for it, praising Him for it, and rejoicing in Him for it! (Just like we would normally do with any other person when we received a gift from them!) Constantly and consistently choosing God and His Will in our hearts and minds in believing the promises He has spoken over us enhances our ability to continue to take hold of it/ act in alignment with it!]

Furthermore, I would be remiss if I did not also say, that the act of Elijah laying on the boy in this way was symbolic of Jesus on the cross and, of course, what that represents. “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed” ‭‭(Isaiah‬ ‭53‬:‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬). Jesus already paid for it all! Every one of our debts that we could have NEVER made good on, our sin and wickedness, past, present, and future, He did for us! He didn’t just serve the sentence we deserved but He blessed us, and continues to bless us, with the POWER OF HIS SPIRIT, of HIS WILL, and all the promises that result from living by it. Only we need to do is come into agreement with Him BY FAITH! Thank you, Jesus!!

We just discussed multiple examples by Elisha of what happens on our walk, as well as in our outcomes, when we choose faith. But now let’s take a look at how the faith, or lack thereof, of Gehazi resulted in what he experienced.

Gehazi

In the story, Gehazi is given explicit instructions not only how to walk to the boy but what to do when he gets to the boy and he appears to follow them. However, he does not experience the miracle. But, why? Well, we have spent the last pages discussing the examples revealing how faith works and the outcomes that happen when it is chosen. However, let’s look at the potential scenarios demonstrated in Gehazi’s walk that might indicate his lack of faith resulting in his inability to see the promise.

Elisha said to Gehazi, “Tuck your cloak into your belt, take my staff in your hand and run. Don’t greet anyone you meet, and if anyone greets you, do not answer. Lay my staff on the boy’s face.” Elisha is instructing him, “Don’t let anything limit or distract your faith! Don’t talk to anyone which may cause you to talk about the problem! Stay focused on what you are believing by faith will happen. Just keep ‘seeing’ the solution, the reward, the victory, and the promise!” This sounds all too familiar with how the Shunammite woman walked and what she did. And, even though Gehazi seems to carry it out perfectly, when he goes to lay Elisha’s staff on the boy, the boy does not wake up.

First, the situation of the boy not awakening when Gehazi places the staff on him conveys the message of misplaced faith: God’s creation (Gehazi and/or staff) verses God. Faith needs to be in the Creator, not creation! Yes, Elisha spoke the “Word” of what Gehazi was to do, go and use the staff, and Gehazi did it. But, we are being reminded Gehazi didn’t “bring” God with Him… he went and brought the staff but forgot God. Where do I get this in the text? 

When Gehazi went to the child, he went in and placed the staff on the boy. However, when Elisha eventually goes in to bring God’s healing to the boy, He prays first!! It is reflective that God comes first in everything and we must open up that space in our hearts and minds to invite Him in BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE!! Creation will never replace Creator! God may use anything in His creation BUT GOD MUST BE WHERE WE PLACE OUR FOCUS! Furthermore, we may think we know the “right way” to address a problem we face, but do we??? In the story of King Hezekiah’s health change, we learn that we don’t know WHAT THE SOLUTION TO OUR PROBLEM IS UNTIL we first seek God!!

In 2 Kings 20: 1-7 NIV, King Hezekiah, who had access to all the best medicines, doctors, and healing modalities, is facing a health change. He eventually turns to the Lord with all his heart, mind, and soul and, only then, is his healing granted. But, noncoincidentally, what God directed to be used wasn’t an unusual product or treatment. In fact, it is possible, being that Hezekiah was the king, he already had access to it and, therefore, it was already attempted. However, because he didn’t turn to God yet, that possible first attempt didn’t work. Only AFTER he turned to God, did God direct his path of what to use. And this reminds us, JESUS IS THE WAY! Why would we ever think in our limitedness that we would know what would work specifically for us or our situation? We did not plan our days. We do not know the end of our story. God, in His limitlessness, created “all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be” (Psalms‬ ‭139‬:‭16‬ ‭NIV‬‬). He knows EVERYTHING ABOUT US…therefore, He knows where to direct us. 

Second, the situation of the boy not awakening when Gehazi places the staff on him conveys the message of unactivated faith. When Gehazi speaks, “the boy has not awakened,” he was speaking from what he was believing in his heart and mind based on what he saw with his physical eyes and experienced with his physical senses. When you walk by faith, remember you don’t walk by sight (nor your other senses). Your heart and mind is totally focused on believing in what God said, “All things are possible for the one who believes” (Mark 9:23 NIV). In fact, it is the message that you are choosing with your free will to keep in your heart and mind. It is a spiritual focus and because of that it affects what you speak! Now, some might say to this, “Well, Gehazi might have had faith and then tried to raise the boy to life and it didn’t work and then is faith was shaken.” But, remember, faith is hoping for what you don’t have and there is no point at which you are to stop walking by it. 

Remember, in Mark 5:39 NIV, when Jesus walked into the house of Jairus and told the people who were crying over the fact that his daughter had ALREADY PASSED. Knowing this, Jesus still says, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep” (Mark‬ ‭5‬:‭39‬ ‭NIV‬‬). Jesus, being all God, could only walk by the faith of Who He truly was, a faith that does not rely on sight and does not cease no matter what the situation or immediate outcome. Gehazi exemplifies the complete opposite. He speaks what he sees and experiences. Therefore, Jesus saw the miracle and Gehazi did not.

Third, the situation of the boy not awakening when Gehazi places the staff on him conveys the message of what happens when not choosing God’s Will. Yes, to walk by faith is God’s Will and, yes, we already discussed how Gehazi didn’t truly choose to walk by faith. However, we have even further evidence that it wasn’t just one aspect of God’s Will (faith) that Gehazi refused to follow, but others as well.

When the Shunammite woman first came to Elisha, it says, “Gehazi came over to push her away, but the man of God said, ‘Leave her alone! She is in bitter distress.’” Clearly, the woman was expressing intense sadness and Gehazi did not choose God’s Will: love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, self control, or compassion. How could Gehazi reap the rewards that come from seeking God, if “seeking God” implicitly means following His Will? Therefore, this inability to choose to follow God’s Will inhibited Gehazi the ability to see the fullness of God’s promises. 

Now that we have fully evaluated all the different examples pertaining to faith in this passage, we can clearly get a good picture of what choosing faith enables us to do, as well as allows us to see! When we choose faith, it impacts how we speak, what we “see,” and what/Who we take hold of/ how we act. The examples in this story are not just there as descriptions of how faith looks in the tangible world. They are there TO ENCOURAGE AND INSPIRE US TO FOLLOW!! For when we choose to live the situations we face, even on a health and healing journey, by faith, we are choosing the Will of God, what makes Him Righteous, and when we do, He says “all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33 NIV)…all His promises, including ones of health, healing, and resurrection power!!

Knowing this Bible study has empowered you to continue to follow Jesus on your health and healing journey and be Medicated By Faith! God is blessing you!