SALT and Living WATER will Heal our Land

 

Matthew 5:13 “You are the SALT of the earth.” 

At our Praying Over our City Meeting, we will zero in on “Healing our Land:” Our city, our State and our Nation needs healing.  Our obligation is to humbly pray and seek God.

Let us bring salt to our barren earth as we pray over our City, State and Nation today.

I was reminded of the verse in 2 Chronicles 7:14  If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and I will heal their land.

Today’s lesson we will consider Elisha as he took up his new ministry.  Prior to this he had only been a servant, seeing to all the needs of his Prophet Elijah.  His request was to have a double portion of the anointing of Elijah, and the promise was “if you SEE me, you shall have your request.”  We need to “SEE,” Jesus daily and remain in His presence.

2 Kings 2: 12 – 22  And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces. He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan; And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.

(Elisha Succeeds Elijah)   And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah does rest on Elisha. And they said unto him, Behold now, there be with thy servants (50) fifty strong men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master: lest peradventure the Spirit of the LORD hath taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley. And he said, “You shall NOT send. And when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, Send. They  searched three days, but found him not. And when they came again to him, (for he tarried at Jericho,) he said unto them, “Did I not say unto you, Go not?”

Notice the son’s of the prophets paid no attention to Elisha’s words “Do not go.”  They had to prove for themselves that his words were true - - Does every one you share Jesus with; listen to YOU?  - -  Don’t give up.

Elisha Heals Jericho's Waters:  And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray you, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees: but the water is terrible, and the ground barren. And he said, Bring me a NEW cruse, and put SALT therein.

And they brought it to him. And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus says the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land. So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spoke.

How can we apply this Bible story to our city and nation?

 

1. Understand although Elisha had in his hands the mantle; a symbol of God’s power (we hold our Bible) –

2. Elisha spoke and declared, Where is the God of Elisha?  Perhaps there was some fear and trembling in his voice. However he stepped out in faith and struck the water with the mantle.  We often must take those first steps by faith before the water will part for us. 

Elisha was feeling pretty bold by now, and when there was a problem in the city because their water was awful and not fit to drink or use and nothing would grow because the LAND was barren - - Elisha asked a strange request:  Bring me some SALT in a “NEW” clean bowl.  .  Realize at first look - - the water was not good enough to use, but salt caused it to become the living fresh clean water of excellent use. 

 

We are to be the “New born again” Holy vessel full of salt to bring healing to our citizens.   Be kind and gentle and let others see your well watered salty life. 

Notice Elisha made a bold declaration a pronouncement, or you might say he prophesied; “Thus says the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land.” 

Let us bring our new vessel filled with SALT” as we make our bold declaration of faith that our land be healed as we pray over our city.