“For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves.…like Sarah…You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.” 1 Peter 3:5-6

Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you through this lesson.

By Faith…Sarah

A little bit of history

Sarah lived during the biblical time of “The Patriarchs” (2100-1800 BC). The term patriarch denotes the father or male leader of a family or tribe. In the Bible, “patriarchs” usually refer to the three main characters whose lives are documented in Genesis 12-50—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

During Sarah’s life, the great civilizations of Egypt and Mesopotamia dominated the Ancient Near East. Archeologists have discovered that Ur (in today’s Iraq) was a thriving city of Mesopotamia with efficient government, impressive buildings and lots of amenities (like flush toilets). Yet, it was also characterized by idol worship.

Under God’s direction, Abraham willingly left Ur, with its culture and conveniences, for the land of Canaan (today’s Israel). Patriarchal life was semi-nomadic as they wandered from place to place, searching for grazing land and water for their animals. Wealth was measured in animal herds and movable goods such as silver, gold, and tents.

The patriarchal era is important to us. Through Abraham and his descendants, God began to develop a people of His own. The Abrahamic Covenant (God’s unconditional pledge to Abraham) contains many precious promises including numerous offspring, dedicated land, and a plan to bless all people of the earth. These promises passed on to Isaac and Jacob. Jacob’s sons formed the nucleus of the twelve tribes of Israel. Through one son’s kindness (Joseph), the infant “Israel” (72 people) entered Egypt and grew into a mighty nation. Sarah accompanied her husband Abraham on this adventure.

Sarah is mentioned more times in Scripture than any other woman, even Mary the mother of Jesus. She is the matriarch of the Jews and the first woman mentioned in Hebrews 11, what is often called “The Faith Hall of Fame.”

Though she lived 4000 years ago, God uses Sarah as an example for us to follow in 1 Peter 3:3-6. We should, therefore, want to find out about Sarah. Who was she? How was she like us? How can we be like her? Let’s join her journey.

Moving from home (Sarah is ~65 years old)

Although they are called Abram and Sarai in the early passages, for consistency’s sake, we’ll use the more common “Abraham” and “Sarah” (names later given to them by God).

1. Read Genesis 11:29-12:5. Describe Sarah and her circumstances in life at this time.

Barrenness for a woman in Sarah’s time was very painful, not unlike for a woman in our time. Sons, in particular, were needed to carry on the family name and livelihood. When Sarah left Haran, moving to who-knows-where, she was willing to cooperate with God’s plan for Abraham even when it was tough for her.

2. How are you at encouraging your closest friend or your spouse to follow God’s leading, even if it changes your life?

3. Read Genesis 12:10-20.

• How is Sarah described (verses 11, 14)?
• What situation did Sarah find herself in (verse 15)?
• What might have been Sarah’s emotions during this time?
• When Abraham failed to protect Sarah in this incident, what did God do for her?

Abraham’s “Tell them you’re my sister” plan, though making no sense to us, seemed to have merit in his time. One historian said that if a married man of Abraham’s day found himself in enemy territory, he could be killed for his wife. But, if Abraham were known as her brother, someone wanting her would have to make marriage arrangements with Abraham because in that society, a woman’s brother gave his sister in marriage. Thus, Abraham would have been the negotiator, supposedly giving him the chance to act in his own interest.

Sarah went along with Abraham’s “Tell them you’re my sister” plan because she was willing to do what he thought was needed to preserve his life. Remember that as the Holy Spirit inspired Peter to write his letter, God honored Sarah for not giving way to fear (1 Peter 3:5-6).

10 years later (Sarah is now ~75)

4. Read Genesis 15:1-6.

• What was Abraham’s concern (verses 2-3)?
• What was still God’s plan (verses 4-5)?

In ancient times, a man who had no son could adopt a favored servant as heir to his possessions. Or, a man who had no son could take a second wife to produce an heir. Some marriage contracts even spelled out this provision. A wife was obligated to have children. We would consider that “Plan A.” If she could not, she was required to let her husband take another wife who could (Plan B). Abraham, however, had not already sought a second wife.

5. Read Genesis 16:1-16. What was Sarah’s “Plan B” to fix Abraham’s need for an heir (verses 2-3)?

Sarah’s “Plan B” becomes a nightmare! Our example was no perfect woman. She was just like we are. Look at her behavior!

6. How did Sarah react to Hagar’s pregnancy (verses 5-6)?

7. What was threatened in Sarah’s life, and what confirmation do you think she needed from her husband?

13 years later (Sarah is now ~89)

8. Read Genesis 17:1-2, 15-22. God once again told Abraham His plan to provide descendants for Abraham and a faithful people for Himself. How does God’s plan include Sarah (verses 15-16)?

9. Read Genesis 18:1-15.

• When the visitors came by Abraham’s tent, what was Sarah doing (verses 6-9)?
• What did the Lord give Sarah for the first time (verse 10)?
• What was Sarah’s initial response and why (verses 11-12)?

The Hebrew word translated “pleasure” in verse 12 is “eden,” a term synonymous with sensual pleasure. By the way, Abraham also laughed (Genesis 17:17). Does it surprise you that Sarah might have given up hope of ever having a baby?

10. What confirmation did God give to her (verse 14)?

Someone once said, “God’s plan is completely different from what you could ever imagine and much more glorious than you would ever expect.”

Have you noticed this in your life? Is anything really too hard for the Lord?

11. When the Lord confronted her about laughing (verse 13), what did Sarah do?

12. What was the Lord’s response (verse 15)? Do you think He knew her pretty well by now?

Shortly after the “tent” visit. Abraham nearly jeopardized the whole situation by again placing Sarah in another man’s harem (Genesis 20). He fails in the same area of faith in which he failed 25 years earlier. At 90 years of age, she was taken into a harem of the reigning king. This gives further information regarding Sarah’s beauty. God must have turned on her hormones again in a big way—super estrogen!!

13. Read Genesis 21:1-7.

• What is declared in verse 1 about God?
• What did He do for Sarah (verse 2)?
• What story did she have to tell (verse 6)?
• The name Isaac means “he laughs.” In what ways is Isaac an appropriate name for this baby?
• Through this whole experience, how do we know that God loved Sarah as much as Abraham?

When she got pregnant, can you imagine the hope building in her heart? I think she was smiling and giggling to herself all nine months. Then, Isaac is born; his name reminds her of their laughter. Is it possible that God delighted in making these two old people laugh?

3 years later (Sarah is now ~92)

14. Read Genesis 21:8-13.

• What problem did Sarah recognize between Ishmael and Isaac (verse 9)?
• What was Sarah’s solution (verse 10)?
• How did Abraham respond (verse 11)?
• What was God’s solution (verses 12)?

Every wife loves that God told Abraham to listen to his wife! God faithfully took care of Hagar and Ishmael, too (verses 14-20).

I’m so glad God gave us Sarah for an example—a beauty queen whose life was rarely smooth or easy. She went childless for many years. Her husband’s fears put her at risk by his decisions. And, she made a huge mistake that made life miserable for her. She was an everyday woman like you and I are. We can relate to some things about her life. It’s more difficult to relate to someone who did everything right. Sarah is one example to follow in believing that God is worthy of our trust.

Your Faith Walk

15. What situations in Sarah’s life could have “terrified” her?

16. Considering those “opportunities” for being terrified, in which ones did Sarah, by faith, do what was right and not give way to fear?

God loved Sarah. He knew what was going on in her life. He was able to do something about it. But, God did not give Sarah a child early in her marriage nor did He prevent her from making a bad decision or spending time in a king’s harem. During her walk, a loving God said “no” to some things. Yet, she chose to trust Him rather than submit to fear. And, God rewarded her faith with an outpouring of His blessing in other ways.

Likewise, God may not choose to rescue you from poor decisions made by you or someone close to you or those circumstances of life beyond your control that bring you pain. But, in any and all situations, you can count on these truths…

#1. God loves me

#2. God knows what is going on in my life

#3. God can do something about it

#4. I can trust His goodness in whatever He chooses to do

That’s your walk from fear to faith.

Journal Your Faith Story

17. Consider poor decisions made by you or someone close to you that have brought fear into your life. How did you respond? What have you learned that could help you respond with greater faith in God in your future?

Faith-in-Action: “Press on Beyond Any Weakness”

What happens when something goes wrong in your life? You know, not the way you planned or imagined. Do you feel dazed, embarrassed, or angry?

You may look at your life and only see weaknesses. You feel helpless as a victim of circumstances. You dwell on your mistakes. You focus on your inadequacies, not being enough of…whatever. And, sadly, other people like to point out all those weaknesses in your life, too, making you feel even worse about them.

God calls us to live by faith. Faith involves trust in a God who loves us, who cares, who can guide us, but who hasn’t promised to remove all the obstacles in our paths. And, He knows about our weaknesses.

Jesus is able to empathize with our weaknesses because He knows what we are going through. So, we can go to Him with confidence and get help in our time of need. Paul wrote that the Spirit of God helps us in our weakness in accordance with God’s will for our lives. You can see this in Hebrews 4:15-16 and Romans 8:26-27.

Our God has bigger purposes for our weaknesses than what we can see or know each step of the way. He knows what causes us fear. It doesn’t matter if our fear is driven by circumstances we cannot fix, stems from making mistakes, or is caused by feelings of inadequacy. Our God is bigger than our weaknesses. He asks us to trust Him and His purpose when we don’t understand.

God is bigger than your circumstances

Circumstances = those conditions that affect our lives that are beyond our control or our ability to “fix.”

Think of Sarah’s circumstances. Her barrenness was out of her control. She didn’t do anything wrong. And, in her specific case, God had a bigger plan for her that depended on the right timing, which she knew nothing about. Sarah endured long periods of drought, which brought on the famine, which caused Abraham to go to Egypt to find grazing land for his herds, where she ended up in Pharaoh’s harem. That famine wasn’t her fault. She didn’t do anything wrong. Yet, she suffered.

You may be facing your own version of desperate circumstances—health problems, lack of income, bad relationships, or something someone else has caused. Having to face those circumstances leaves you with choices. You can becomeHagar was definitely affected by her circumstances.  I doubt if she volunteered to leave her home in Egypt and travel with Abraham and Sarah to see the world.  It wasn’t her idea to be the surrogate mother for them.  Instead of coming to her rescue, Abraham gives permission for Sarah to mistreat her.  So she runs away to the desert.  Probably heading back to Egypt.  But, God is bigger than our circumstances.  It was in her desperate circumstances that God appeared to her.  Notice several things:

1. He calls her by name, acknowledges her misery, and makes her state what steps she is taking to solve her problem.
2. He tells her to do what is right.  Go back to Sarah and submit to her.  What?  She’s the one who is beating me.  He doesn’t say, “Go on home.  I’ll make you rich and famous there.“ No, go back to the place I had for you.  You have a responsibility there.  Abraham can take care of you and your boy very well.  And, God gave Ishmael the opportunity to choose to follow his father’s footsteps of faith. 
3. He promises her a future with a son and lots more after him so she’ll be cared for in her old age. 

FaHaving to face those circumstances whiny and bitter. Or, you can depend upon God to get you through them. It is even likely that you will learn to see and appreciate God’s gifts to you in a greater way. God is bigger than your circumstances. If He wasn’t, He wouldn’t be God.

God is bigger than your mistakes

Mistakes can fall into one of two major categories:

1) Willfully going against clear Biblical guidance about what is right and wrong.

2) Attempting to “fix a problem,” without clear Biblical guidance. When it doesn’t turn out as expected, we can regret that decision as a “mistake.”

Sarah made one gigantic mistake in her life that’s recorded for everyone to know and point fingers at her. She took something acceptable from her culture and tried to use it to obtain the promise of God. That mistake had huge, painful consequences. But God’s purpose wasn’t thwarted because of her mistake. She experienced God’s graciousness to her and gave birth to Isaac. I bet everyone within earshot of Sarah for the rest of her life heard this marvelous story of God’s faithfulness to her.

But, what about those things not clearly defined as right and wrong in the Bible—where you live, where you work, or where to invest money? God has given us a mind to use for making decisions in those areas of life. So, we should pray, ask for guidance from the Holy Spirit, get advice from other believers, check to see if it’s legal, then make the decision and act on it.

Living by faith includes the whole process of trusting God while making a decision and trusting God with the results of it. It’s all about faith. Not about being perfect. God is bigger than your mistakes. If He wasn’t, He wouldn’t be God.

God is bigger than your inadequacies

To be “inadequate” means to fail to reach an expected or required standard, to be insufficient and lacking.

Some of us wallow in our inadequacies. God knows all about those things in which we feel insufficient and lacking. Sometimes, He leaves us to ourselves so we will recognize how insufficient we are without Him. Then, we will desire Him more. Have you noticed this in your life?

Sarah was inadequate in her barrenness. And, I think she had lost hope. Have you ever lost hope? The angel of the Lord appeared and personally gave her the good news she would soon be a mother. Sarah laughed, was confronted by the angel, became afraid and lied about her laughter. But, God didn’t zap her. Instead, He rejuvenated her body and filled it with the long-promised son.

Thankfully, God has compassion on our inadequacies. What do you feel is inadequate in your life? I’m not talking about material things right now, but where do you feel you lack as a person? Your character, your abilities. God is bigger than your inadequacies. If He wasn’t, He wouldn’t be God.

Press on beyond any weakness

So, instead of responding to desperate circumstances with hysteria, or replaying mistakes over and over in our minds, or wallowing in our inadequacies, what are you going to do today to move forward? Beyond circumstances you’re in. Beyond mistakes you’ve made. Beyond any feelings of inadequacy that you have.

The apostle Paul knew he had dragged Christians to prison to be beaten and killed. But, he also knew God was bigger than his past, so he writes in Philippians,

“…But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on…” (Philippians 3:12-13)

How will you trust God now to show you how to press on toward a new future? And, as you press on, you can count on these 4 truths that are not nullified by your weaknesses.

#1 God loves me.

#2 God knows what is going on in my life.

#3 God can do something about it.

#4 I can trust His goodness in whatever He chooses to do!

We have a big God. He can take whatever is looking ugly in our lives and make it something praiseworthy. Maybe all that you’ve been through in life—desperate circumstances, blaring mistakes, and obvious inadequacies—have led to this moment when God has brought you to hear this message and trust in Him. God is bigger than your weaknesses. He could be showing you that today.

Reflect

18. Take just one of the questions below and apply Philippians 3:12-13 to it. How will you press on, trusting in God? What are you going to do today to trust God and press on beyond that weakness?

• Have you faced desperate circumstances, maybe because of health problems, consequences of someone else’s sin, or relationships that have failed?
• Do you live in fear of making mistakes or of others making mistakes that affect you? Have you have made a big mistake with unwelcome consequences?
• What do you feel is inadequate in your life? Not just material things, but where do you feel you lack as a person?

Pray

Pray about your fears and decisions you are making to trust God in them. Thank God for His grace toward you and His love for you.

“By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.” Hebrews 11:31

Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you through this lesson.

By Faith…Rahab

A little bit of history

After 40 years of struggle, Israel stood poised to cross the Jordan River and enter the Promised Land around 1400 BC. But she would enter without Moses for he was dead. This beautiful new land was dangerous. Numerous city-states dotted the landscape—each a walled fortress with a battle-tested army. Conquest would be difficult and time-consuming.

But, a faithful God equipped a new leader named Joshua who had been trained under Moses’ leadership for many years for this job. Joshua knew that the 2 million Israelites plus their flocks and herds needed to cross a flooded river and begin their conquest of the land. So, he sent 2 spies to secretly scout the area of Jericho, the strategic point to reach the three passes through the wilderness to the rest of Canaan. God miraculously provided dry ground for the Israelites to cross the Jordan River. A few miles away was Jericho, a walled city covering 9½ acres. One trip around the city could have taken less than an hour.

1. Read Deuteronomy 4:32-35. Why were the Israelites shown so many miraculous things (verse 35)?

2. Read Deuteronomy 2:24-25. How would God use fear to His advantage?

Getting to know Rahab…

3. Read Joshua 2:1-11. What did Rahab and the people of Jericho know about Israel and her history (verses 9-10)?

4. As a result, what was the state of morale in Jericho (verse 11)?

The state of morale in Jericho was going according to God’s plan (Deuteronomy 2:25). Their hearts “melted in fear.” Isn’t that a vivid word picture? Have you ever melted in fear?

According to archeological excavations, the citizens of Jericho were well prepared for a siege. A spring provided water inside the city walls, and the harvest had just been gathered (Joshua 3:15) providing an abundant supply of food. So, the inhabitants of Jericho could have held out for perhaps several years. Large jars full of grain found in the remains of houses show that the siege was short since the people had consumed very little of the grain. This is verification of the Bible’s accuracy regarding history.

5. Continuing to look at verses 1-11…

• What do you learn about Rahab as a woman?
• What conclusion did Rahab make about the God of Israel (verse 11)?
• Could anyone else in Jericho have come to the same conclusion?
• What actions did she take to protect the spies (verses 4-7)?

Here’s a woman who is a business woman, gutsy, quick-thinking, shows kindness, is proactive for herself and her family, and is resourceful. You probably know some women like that, although maybe not in her line of business (prostitute).

The conclusion that Rahab made about the God of Israel was exactly what God wanted all of them to know (Deuteronomy 4:35). Everyone heard the same news. While most stayed in their fear, Rahab responded with faith to the revelation given. Rahab was given an opportunity to make a conscious choice for God based upon the few facts she knew about Him, and she responded with FAITH. Faith resulted in action.

6. Read Joshua 2:12-21.

• What did Rahab ask of the spies (verses 12-13)?
• The spies made a covenant with Rahab. What part of the oath was Rahab’s responsibility (verses 17-20)?
• What part of the oath was the responsibility of the spies?
• How did she help the spies escape (verses 15-16)?

Rahab transferred her allegiance to God and Israel. She asked for kindness while also showing kindness as she first protected the spies and then assisted in their escape. Rahab agreed to the terms of the covenant. And, I bet she tied that scarlet cord in the window right away then moved her family to her house within 3 days. She risked being found out by the king and punished, facing ridicule from her family, perhaps being called a traitor, and worst of all being forgotten by the spies when Israel attacked. That would have been devastating to her!

After the spies’ return, God parted the Jordan River for the people to cross. All of those men who had been born in the wilderness were circumcised. The Passover was celebrated. And, the people ate produce from the land. The manna stopped the next day.

7. Read Joshua 6:1-25.

• What was God’s plan for defeating Jericho (verses 2-5)?
• How did Joshua and the people respond (verses 6-15)?
• Rahab had to wait those seven days also. Based on her responsibility in the oath, who else was waiting with her?
• What might have been Rahab’s emotions during this time of waiting?

Having all those family members waiting with her (mother, father and brothers with their families) meant that she was feeding them and keeping them focused on possible rescue rather than destruction. Can you imagine how hard that might have been!

Did you consider she might have worried that the red cord would not be seen? Maybe she worried that she would be forgotten. Do you worry that God may have forgotten you? I think she might have had some impatience, too. When would the attack take place? Is today the day? She wasn’t privy to God’s plan. Do you ever get impatient for God to work? I sure do. She was definitely not in control of anything except keeping her family with her.

Someone once said, “Responsibility is my response to His (God’s) ability.” Rahab responded to God’s ability. She made sure that scarlet cord was hanging in plain sight so she could be found. Interestingly, the early church viewed the blood-colored cord as a symbol of Christ’s atonement like the blood of the Passover lamb.

8. Joshua’s name means “salvation.” How was God faithful to Rahab through Joshua so that she and her family were saved (verses 17, 22-25)?

Archaeologists have found that surrounding Jericho was a great earthen embankment with a stone retaining wall at its base 12–15 feet high. Above that stood a mud brick wall 6 feet thick, 20 feet high. At the crest of the embankment was a similar 20-foot high mud brick wall reaching to 46 feet above the ground level below. There were houses built against the wall as in Joshua 2:15. Evidence reveals that the mud brick city wall collapsed at the time the city met its end except for a short stretch of the north city wall that did not fall as everywhere else. Could this have been Rahab’s part of the wall? Excavations showed that the bricks from the collapsed walls formed a ramp against the retaining wall so that the Israelites could climb up over the top as is described in Joshua 6:20. The city was thoroughly burned.

9. Read Matthew 1:5. What information is given about Rahab?

10. Read Hebrews 11:30, 31. What information is given about Rahab?

In Hebrews 11:31, the word “disobedient” is used to describe the rest of the people of Jericho. The original Greek word means, “to refuse to be persuaded.” God had given all the people ample opportunity to be persuaded, but they refused. Do you know someone like that?

11. Read James 2:25. What information is given about Rahab?

God’s grace to Rahab forgave her past and gave her a new future. She was given a place among the Israelites as a recognizable person because she acted on faith instead of melting into fear. She married an Israelite man and produced a son who was King David’s great grandfather, placing Rahab in the lineage of our Lord Jesus.

For centuries, Christians have tried to soften Rahab’s reputation by arguing that she was only an innkeeper, but the New Testament references to her indicate that she was an immoral woman. The Greek word used to describe Rahab is “porne” the word from which we get “pornography.” “Porne” is only used for immorality. This in no way mars the righteousness of God who used such a person in the fulfillment of His purposes. Instead this incident serves to bring His mercy and grace into bold relief. (Adapted from The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Old Testament, page 330)

You may feel that some sins in your past or present are so terrible that they can’t be forgiven or that you are unworthy to serve God.

12. What have you learned from Rahab’s story that confirms to you God can forgive your past and give you a new future?

Your Faith Walk

13. List all the opportunities for fear in Rahab’s life.

14. How did she demonstrate faith at those times?

God loved Rahab. He knew what was going on in her life. He was able to do something about it. But, God did not keep Rahab from losing the security of her home nor did He prevent her from having to go through the agony of watching the Israelites march around the city for 7 days. Remember, she didn’t know that plan. When she stepped out in faith, He met her there. She trusted Him to rescue her, and He did. God judged her by her heart (the inward woman), not by her lifestyle (the outward appearance). He not only saved her life, but He forgave her past and gave her a new future. She chose to trust Him rather than melt in fear.

Likewise, God forgives your past and gives you a new future. And, in any and all situations, you can count on these truths…

#1 God loves me.

#2 God knows what is going on in my life.

#3 God can do something about it.

#4 I can trust His goodness in whatever He chooses to do!

That’s your walk from fear to faith.

Journal Your Faith Story

We will probably never be faced with the dramatic circumstances of Rahab, but we do have our own distressing situations in life. Rahab had to wait patiently for God to act. Remember that she did not know the “marching” orders. We also must wait for God to answer our petitions. And these times of waiting strengthen our relationship with Him as we learn to rely on His timing and trust in His goodness.

15. Read the words to the song below. Is waiting a problem for you? Have you become discouraged (or been discouraged in the past) from having to wait? Look back on that time and consider ways you can recognize that God was in the waiting, too.

“You are in the waiting in that moment of my life, when my faith and hope collide. My heart’s anticipating just how and when You’ll move. Oh, that’s when You prove You are in the waiting too” (Shannon Wexelberg, “In the Waiting”)

Faith-in-Action: “Trust God’s Goodness”

By faith, Rahab made a conscious choice to wait and depend on her new God to rescue her. Most of us don’t like to wait for God to work. And, we say to each other, “God is good all the time,” but do we really believe that when we have to wait?

Key Truth: God is good all the time (Psalm 119:68)

The Bible reveals that everything about God is good—He is good in Himself, and what He does is good. That means God allows nothing to happen to His children that is not for their good. God is good all the time, and He is at work in our lives for good.

God’s goodness has three aspects that apply to our times of fear and pain: 1) He is good even in the tough times; 2) He is good in different ways to each of us, and 3) He is good in what He allows or doesn’t allow into our lives.

1) God is good even in the tough times

God teaches His children through tough things He allows in our lives that help us grow up and build bones and teeth in our faith. They help us learn to trust God and give up trying to do things our own way—which may not be the best way—and start doing things God’s way—which is always the best way. ANYTHING that draws us closer to God and makes us depend upon Him is good for us.

2) God is good in different ways to each of us

God’s goodness looks different in each person’s life. In the book of Ruth, Naomi and her family were starving so they moved away from Israel to the neighboring country Moab to get bread. There they met Ruth who didn’t need bread; she needed God. Naomi shared God with Ruth. Different needs met by God’s goodness.

3) God is good in what He allows or doesn’t allow into our lives

Not everyone gets cancer, has a serious injury or chronic illness, endures long-term unemployment, loses a child or experiences the desertion of a spouse. We don’t even know all the dangers God is protecting us from daily! We should consider the bad things that He doesn’t allow into our lives and thank Him all the time for doing that.

Trust His Choosing

Do you believe that God has the right to choose what He brings into your life? It is your choice to TRUST His choice of how to be good to you. Anything that makes us depend on Him is good for us.

Depending on Him

We cannot move from fear to faith on our own. We must depend on God’s Spirit-power in us.

• Fear says, “I can’t.” Faith says, “God can through me.”
• Fear says, “I won’t.” Faith says, “God will in me.”
• Fear says, “I don’t.” Faith says, “God does for me.”

Say about anything, “Lord Jesus, I can’t do this on my own. But, you can do this in and through me. I will trust you.” And, it’s okay to be a little scared because you will rely upon Him more.

Even while you are waiting for God to answer a desperate prayer, count on the fact that God is good all the time. Embrace these 4 truths to sustain you in the waiting as you walk from fear to faith.

#1 God loves me.

#2 God knows what is going on in my life.

#3 God can do something about it.

#4 I can trust His goodness in whatever He chooses to do!

Reflect

16. Consider painful circumstances that have driven you to rely upon God. What did you learn about His goodness through that experience?

Pray

Pray about your fears and decisions you are making to trust God in them. Thank God for His grace toward you and His love for you.

The king was talking to Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, and had said, “Tell me about all the great things Elisha has done.” Just as Gehazi was telling the king how Elisha had restored the dead to life, the woman whose son Elisha had brought back to life came to appeal to the king for her house and land. Gehazi said, “This is the woman, my lord the king, and this is her son whom Elisha restored to life.” The king asked the woman about it, and she told him. Then he assigned an official to her case and said to him, “Give back everything that belonged to her, including all the income from her land from the day she left the country until now.” 2 Kings 8:4-6a

Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you through this lesson.

By Faith…The Shunammite Woman

A little bit of history

God’s concern for women and their special needs is clearly seen in the Bible. Whereas women were regarded as inferior to men in most ancient Near Eastern societies, God demonstrated His compassion for them in dynamic, recognizable ways. Times were hard, though. Famines were common. The kings were wicked, especially in the Northern Kingdom Israel. Few priests knew how to worship the true God. Elisha, God’s prophet to Israel at this time, ministered in and around Mt. Carmel on the western edge of the Plain of Jezreel—a fruitful farming valley in northwest Israel. Shunem was a little town in this valley.

Getting to know the Shunammite…

1. Read 2 Kings 4:8-17. Since this woman doesn’t have a name other than “Shunammite,” let’s call her “Shuna.”

• What information is given about Shuna (verse 8)?              
• What did Shuna think about Elisha, and what did she suggest to her husband that they do for him (verses 9-10)?
• How did Elisha respond to their generosity (verses 11-13)?
• What need did she withhold (verse 14)?
• Hearing about Shuna’s unexpressed need, what does Elisha, as God’s representative, do about it (verses 15-17)?

Shuna and her husband gladly took care of Elisha’s needs. They simply started with a meal, then turned their home into a “Bed and Breakfast” reserved for him whenever he was in town. This gracious gesture supported Elisha’s ministry. Hospitality is a ministry. Women are particularly gifted by God to establish the warmth of a home—emotional and otherwise. Home is wherever you live and can serve as a great ministry tool.

2. Share a time when God has given you opportunity to use your home to minister to someone else.

About 5 or more years later…

3. Read 2 Kings 4:18-37.

• What crisis was Shuna facing (verses 18-20)?
• How did she respond to the crisis (verses 21-22)?
• Elisha represented God to her at this time. When she reached Elisha, what did she do and say (verses 27-28)?
• How did Elisha respond to seeing her and to her words (verses 25-30)?
• How was God faithful to Shuna, and how did she respond (verse 37)?

A few years earlier, the prophet Elijah thought he was the only faithful God-worshiper left in Israel. God reassured Elijah that 7,000 people in Israel had not “bowed their knees” to Baal (1 Kings 19:14-18), being faithful to God alone. Perhaps Shuna and her husband came from those 7,000. Living in the midst of wicked Israel, this couple chose to remain faithful to God. God honored their faith by giving them opportunity to respond to His word through Elisha whenever he came to their town.

At least 7 years later…

4. Read 2 Kings 8:1-6.

• How did God show His faithfulness to Shuna and her family (verses 1-2)?
• Now, what challenge was she facing (verse 3)?
• What did the king ask Gehazi to do (verse 4)?
• While Gehazi was speaking, what happened (verse 5)?
• How was God faithful to Shuna again (verse 6)?

Israelites could bypass lower officials and appeal directly to the king. Either someone had illegally occupied the woman’s property, or it had fallen to the king’s domain by virtue of its abandonment. King Jehoram was not a good king. Yet, God used this woman’s faith story to move the king’s heart to do what God wanted him to do.

5. Was the woman’s sudden appearance before the king a coincidence? If not, what do you learn about our God?

6. After reading this passage, why do you think God allowed the family in Shunem to experience the crisis in 2 Kings 4?

7. What inspires you about this woman?

Your Faith Walk

8. What situations brought fear into Shuna’s life?

9. How did she respond to God by faith instead?

God loved this woman and her family. He knew what was going on in their lives. He was able to do something about it. But, God did not make the woman’s husband young again nor did God prevent her from enduring barrenness for a time. He didn’t prevent the famine from affecting their family. During her walk, a loving God said no to some things. Yet, she chose to trust Him rather than submit to fear. And, He rewarded her faith with an outpouring of His blessing on her family. Likewise, God may not choose to fix your crisis so you experience no pain. But, in any and all situations, you can count on these truths…

#1 God loves me.

#2 God knows what is going on in my life.

#3 God can do something about it.

#4 I can trust His goodness in whatever He chooses to do!

That’s your walk from fear to faith.

Journal Your Faith Story

God gave this woman a story of His faithfulness to her, and He gave her opportunity to share it with an ungodly king! Her faith led her to love God and His Word then led her to seek help from God in a time of pain and crisis. She learned to trust God.

10. Read Hebrews 4:14-16. While there are times when family and friends can help us, God wants us to bring our deepest needs to Him alone. Describe the last time you faced a crisis that only God could handle. Were you able to trust Him with the outcome? What happened? How was He faithful to you in this crisis?

Faith-in-Action: “Declare God’s Faithfulness”

Have you been in a really dark place with not even a glimmer of light? When you are in total darkness, you look for light from any source, don’t you? You see that light and follow it to get out of the darkness. That’s what God does for us—He calls us out of darkness into His wonderful light. And, He uses us as light-bearers to declare His faithfulness and lead other people to Him.

Light-bearers declare God’s faithfulness

We are God’s dearly loved children who can be light-bearers to anyone still living in darkness.

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9)

You and I are chosen to be God’s mouthpiece to the world around us. Our purpose is to declare what He has done in our own lives to those who cannot see the light. God’s plan to meet that need for every woman is…Himself through a relationship with His Son Jesus Christ.

Jesus Is the Light of the World

Our God sent His Son Jesus into the world to lead the way out of the darkness. Jesus declared Himself to be the light of the world, giving sight to the spiritually blind (John 9). But, He chooses to use us—frail, faltering, headstrong, often self-centered humans—to be his light-bearers and love messengers to the blind and fearful people we see!

We are the light-bearers. We communicate to those around us who are enshrouded in darkness that God is real and available to anyone who wants Him. That’s the good news, “The Gospel.”

The Gospel—good news about God’s faithfulness

Christianity is Christ! It’s all about a relationship with Him.

“Jesus Christ laid down His life for you so that he could give His life to you so that he could live His life through you.” (Ian Thomas, The Saving Life of Christ)

If you have opportunity to tell someone one thing, tell her about Jesus.

• Tell her that God loves her and wants a relationship with her, but sin separates her from God’s love.
• Tell her that Jesus is God, who came to earth as a man, and died for her sins.
• Tell her that she can be completely forgiven of her sins and receive eternal life with God by believing in Jesus as her Savior.

Declare your story of God’s faithfulness

People love to hear stories. As you have learned to trust God’s goodness in whatever is causing you fear, and journaled about it at the end of the lessons, you now have a story to share. Sharing your story is a simple way to speak about God’s love for you and how He works in your life. You can bring hope to someone who needs it.

How did you first hear about Jesus? Someone told you, right? We get that awesome privilege of sharing that good news with others. There is such joy in reaching out to those who do not know Jesus and introducing them to Him so they can know Him just as you now know Him.

Think of it this way: Imagine you had cancer and were chosen to be part of a special test group for a new cure. The treatment cured all of your cancer completely free of charge. What is the first thing you would do after you were healed? You would blast it all over Facebook, telling all of the other cancer victims about this great cure! Well, sin is a cancer affecting every single person. And you have been cured—forgiven of your sins—by your faith in Jesus Christ.

Do you remember how you felt before you believed in Jesus? Maybe you felt lonely, guilty, and without hope. Maybe you were afraid. You have a story to share about your walk from fear to faith. Your story illustrates the power of God in your life, His faithfulness to you that helps you let go of your fear and trust His goodness. You do not need to be an expert in the Bible or have years of experience knowing Christ. Just share what you know.

And as you declare God’s faithfulness to you on your walk from fear to faith, be sure to include the four truths you have learned that are essential to faith:

#1 God loves me.

#2 God knows what is going on in my life.

#3 God can do something about it.

#4 I can trust His goodness in whatever He chooses to do!

God will continue to show His faithfulness to you as you walk from fear to faith.

Reflect

11. God gave this woman a story of His faithfulness to her, and He gave her opportunity to share it with an ungodly king! God has given you a story to tell of His faithfulness to you. Review the various parts of your story that you have already written in the lessons. Choose one or two to expand into your story to share of your faith walk with God, especially your “Walk from Fear to Faith.” Write it out now. Think in terms of what you can share in about 5 minutes.

Pray

Ask God to give you opportunities to share your story!

For a more detailed study of these and other Old Testament women, check out the Everyday Women, Ever Faithful God study.

Answer

Dear Friend,

The same Greek term is used in the New Testament for both testing and tempting:

21254 πειράζω impf. ἐπείραζον; fut. πειράσω; 1aor. ἐπείρασα, mid. ἐπειρασάμην; pf. pass. πεπείρασμαι; 1aor. pass. ἐπειράσθην; (1) make an attempt, try, followed by an infinitive to indicate what is being attempted (AC 9.26); (2) put to the test, examine, try (RV 2.2); in a good sense of God’s actions toward his people prove, put to the test, try (HE 11.17); in a bad sense of a person’s hostile intent toward God or Christ test, try, prove (MT 16.1); also in a bad sense of enticement to sin tempt (GA 6.1); participle as a substantive ὁ πειράζων the tempter, a descriptive title for the devil (MT 4.3) (Friberg’s Lexicon)

What distinguishes temptation from testing is in the intended outcome. Satan tempts us, with the intended (or at least hoped for) outcome of our failure. God tests us, with the intended outcome of our proven faithfulness.

The same event can be both a temptation and a test. God allowed Satan to afflict Job (Job 1 & 2). From Satan’s point of view, the affliction (and the counsel of Job’s friends) was actually a temptation (and don’t forget his wife’s counsel to curse God and die (Job 2:9). But God allowed Satan to tempt Job in order to prove him a faithful man (Job 1:6-8).

We should also take into account these words of Paul:

No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it (1 Corinthians 10:13, NAU).

So, when trials and difficulties and challenges come our way, I would suggest that we approach them this way: How would Satan seek to use this to bring about my downfall? And How does God intend to use this to bring about His glory by bringing about my spiritual growth and faithfulness to Him?

By the way, it isn’t just difficulties, opposition, and failure that can be a temptation. It can also be success, if that produces pride and self-sufficiency (see Isaiah 2:11-12; Ezekiel 28:2ff.; Daniel 5:18-21; 2 Corinthians 12:1-10).

Blessings,

Bob Deffinbaugh