Bible in One Year: Thursday, December 17, 2009 (Esth 4 - Esth 7) Memorise: For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast (Ps 33:9) Read: 2 Kings 4:8-17 8 And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread. 9 And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually. 10 Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither. 11 And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber, and lay there. 12 And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when he had called her, she stood before him. 13 And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among mine own people. 14 And he said, What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old. 15 And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door. 16 And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid. 17 And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life. "For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast" (Ps 33:9). God's advice or appeal may be ignored but not His command. To ignore the command of the Consuming Fire, is to put oneself next on line for divine roasting! When He commands failure to let His people go, failure must surrender. In Lk 5:1-7, after Peter had failed and lost hope of ever catching a fish that day, he had an encounter with the Commander-in-Chief of the Heavenly forces. The Lord commanded and suddenly as Peter obeyed and threw one of his nets, he succeeded beyond his ability to cope. Have you failed in a particular assignment, project or attempt? Have you even thought that you may not succeed again? Take heart. The Lord is commanding failure to let you go now! You shall be free. You shall succeed beyond your fears and limitations. Go and make that attempt again. The Lord - the Commander is right beside you. When He commands barrenness to let His people go, it has to obey. In 2 Kings 4:8-17 when Elisha told the woman at Shunem, 'By this time next year you will have a baby boy', the woman replied that she did not want to be deceived. Elisha told her that when the Lord has commanded, the unbelief of the one Heaven has focused on cannot stop or prevent that command. True to his word the woman conceived a boy. Barrenness cannot stop you the moment the Commander so commands. This season is your season of divine visitation. The Lord is asking barrenness to let you go. Have you been barren in the fruit of the body, in your intellect, business or ministry? The Lord is saying 'Let my people go! This season is your season of fruitfulness! Whatever you lay your hands on will prosper. Your womb shall respond to the command of the Great Commander today. When He has commanded, whatever was amiss is no longer a worry. He will fix everything. You shall bear fruit. For a user of this devotional, that long -standing case of fruitlessness is giving way to fruitfulness. The fruit that is coming your way will give you everlasting joy. Weep no more. Thank the Commander for commanding in your favour. This is your season of joy. ACTION POINT: Worship the great Commander. Pray that every yoke of barrenness in your life and in the lives of fellow believers will be broken.