By Benescke Janse van Rensburg

It was a difficult time for the inhabitants of Samaria. They were stuck inside the city. No one dared move in or out as the Syrian army surrounded them - ready to conquer and kill anyone they see. Inside the city the food started to perish. People had to sell their most precious possessions to stay alive.

Even the king was desperate. He stormed into Elisha, the prophet of God’s house, saying, “It's all God's fault! Why does He not help us?” Elisha answered, “Tomorrow there will be food in Samaria.” The officer next to the king immediately said it was ridiculous. It sounded impossible. Elisha, however, remained calm when he replied, "Whether it is or not - it will happen. But you will not live to see it!”

Outside the city gates, four lepers were on the verge of dying. In total desperation, they decided to walk up to the Syrian camp, begging for food as they argued that they would anyway die sitting there. Shocked, they discovered that nobody was at the camp. There were tied horses and donkeys, and the tents were left intact. They immediately started to eat and drink until they were full. They then realized that they had to share this news with the city’s people.

With the king heard the news, he immediately sent out scouts to ensure that it is not only a Syrians strategy to get the inhabitants of Samaria out of town in order to attack. The scouts discovered that God had the Syrians hear a large army attacking them in the night. In fear, they fled. The city people were delighted and they rushed out of the city to get food. The doubting officer of the king fell at the city gate and he died from people running over him. He never tasted the food – as Elisa predicted.

What area in your life needs a breakthrough, but as the situation for the Samarian residents seems impossible? Healing of your marriage? Your finances? Perhaps it is your desire to find a spouse? To become pregnant? Maybe it is to see that loved one (for whom you have prayed for a long time) to come to salvation? Perhaps it is for total healing from your illness? Or to own your own home or business?

It is in desperate, impossible situations that we experience God's supernatural power at best. He can restore an impossible situation in one day. In Matthew 19:26, Jesus reminds us, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

God is Almighty. The question is: Are we keeping our eyes on Him and our hearts filled with faith in His ability to restore, or have we become like the doubting officer who died before seeing a promise coming into fulfillment? God bless.

Father God, thank you for being Almighty and in control of every situation in my life. Please help me to keep my eyes on You and not allow doubt to fill my heart. I ask this in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

• Read story above from 2 Kings 7

Feedback: Please send your feedback on the series or share a testimony to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Also become a part of the Stories van Hoop Community on Facebook. Your contribution is important to us.