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Thumbnail for #10 - It Is Well - Pr. William Lee | August 13, 2026

#10 - It Is Well - Pr. William Lee | August 13, 2026

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The sermon centers on the powerful narrative of a Shudomite woman from Second Kings chapter four, who demonstrates unwavering faith despite facing profound tragedy. Initially recognized as a woman of great standing and kindness by the prophet Elisha, she receives a miraculous promise of a son when her husband is old and barren. However, after raising this miracle child to adulthood, he suddenly dies in the field from what appears to be a stroke or severe migraine while working with reapers. Upon returning home and finding him dead on his mother's lap, instead of collapsing into despair or immediately informing her husband who might have wanted to bury the boy right away, she chooses to act in faith by placing the child on Elisha's bed and shutting the door against them both before seeking help from God's man. Her defining moment occurs when she tells her husband that everything "shall be well" even though their only son has died, a statement of faith made without knowing if it was true or not yet. When she eventually reaches Mount Carmel to find Elisha, the prophet asks her three times if things are going well with her and her family; despite having lost her child just moments before, she answers each time that "it is well." This declaration highlights a crucial spiritual principle: sometimes believers must speak faith over their circumstances even when they cannot yet see the answer. The preacher emphasizes that this woman did not share her grief immediately because men often react logically to tragedy by wanting to move on quickly, whereas true discipleship involves holding onto God's promise and refusing to let go until He acts, much like Elisha previously promised never to leave Elijah regardless of what happened. The climax of the story reveals that when Elisha finally enters the room with his servant Gahazi, he shuts the door behind them just as Jesus did in the New Testament, creating a private space for divine intervention. Filled with the Holy Spirit and mirroring the power found at Calvary where God's mouth touches ours to bring life, Elisha lays himself upon the dead child until warmth returns to his flesh. The boy then sneezes seven times before opening his eyes alive once more, proving that God is indeed a miracle-working deity who can resurrect what seems impossible. This event serves as a vivid illustration of how suffering in this present time is not worthy compared to the glory awaiting believers and reinforces the biblical truth found in Romans eight eighteen that joy comes in the morning after weeping may endure for a night. The preacher concludes by challenging listeners to move beyond intellectual faith into active belief, urging them to declare "it shall be well" over their own broken situations such as job loss or marital struggles rather than speaking evil over themselves. He reminds the congregation that while even demons believe and tremble, true salvation requires walking all the way with Jesus through baptism and a life of obedience. The message ends with an invitation for those who raise their hands in belief to meet God at their point of need before Sabbath services, emphasizing that there is no greater joy than seeing someone walk in newness of life because God's grace is sufficient to provide resurrection power over any dead situation if one simply trusts Him completely.
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I want to invite you this morning to take your Bibles with me and go to the book of Second Kings. Second Kings, chapter number four. And I'm going to begin reading beginning at verse number 18. Second Kings chapter 4 and beginning now at verse number 18. This is a very powerful story here in the word of God that I believe today ought to fuel our faith in God. Again, second Kings chapter 4 and beginning at verse 18. When you have it, come on, say amen. The word of the Lord says, "And when the child was grown, it fell on a day that he went out to his fathers to the reapers. And he said unto his father, "My head, my head." And he said to the lad, to a lad, "Carry him to his mother." Verse 20. And when he had taken him and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died. And she went up and lay him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out. And she called unto her husband, and said, "Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again." And he said, "Whereforth wilt thou go to him today? For it is neither new moon nor Sabbath." And she said, "It shall be well." Verse 24. Then she saddled an ass, and went to her servant, and said to her servant, "Drive, and go forward. slack not any writing for me except I bid thee. So she went forth and came unto the man of God to Mount Carmel. And it came to pass when the man of God saw her aar off that he said to Gahazi his servant, "Behold, yonder is that Shudomite. Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, "Is it well with thee? Is it well with thy husband? Is it well with thy child?" And she answered, "It is well." Who says amen to the word of God? >> I want to preach this morning on this subject entitled, "It is well." It is well church. I am absolutely convinced that our God can do anything but fail. I believe with my whole heart that our God is a prayer hearing and prayer answering God. I believe that when you have a little talk with Jesus, ah Jesus makes everything all right. I believe that God is able. When I was a child growing up in the church, recently sing a little song from the Advent youth song book that's one of my favorite songs to this very day. The song simply says, "He's able. He's able. I know he's able to carry me through. He healed the brokenhearted. He set the captive free. He made the lame to walk again and caused the blind to see. He's able. I don't know about you this morning, but I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God has proven himself over and over again. That our God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above we can ever imagine. In our text today, we meet a Shutomite woman uh who is about to encounter a major tragic situation in her life. Uh but despite her apparent setback, uh death is lying in her lap. This woman still has faith in God, church. This woman still believes that God is able. This woman in our text today ought to fuel our faith. This woman teaches us that when life throws unexpected twists and turns when life brings you unexpected heartbreak, you can still have faith in God. Before we look into the main paricopy of our text today, I want you to look now again at 2 Kings chapter 4. And let's go up a little bit. Look at verse eight right now. Look at the background to the text before we get to our main thesis today. Uh 2 Kings chapter 4 and verse 8. Understand what was going on as it leads to the passage. The Bible says that it fell upon a day that Elisha passed to shoot him where she a great woman and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was that as often as he passed by, he turned thither to eat. Verse nine says, "And she said unto her husband, uh, behold, I perceive that this is a holy man of God, which passes by us continually. 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 that when he cometh to us that he shall turn in thither. Verse 11. And it fell on a day that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber and lay there. And he said to Gahazi his servant, "Call this Shudomite." And when he had called her, she stood before him. Verse 13. And he said unto her, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care, what is it to be done for thee? What have thou be spoken for a king or to a captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among my own people. Verse 14. And he said, What then is it to be done for her? And Gahazi answered and said, "Verily, she has no child and her husband is old." And he said, "Call her." And when he called her, she stood in the door. And he said, "About this season, according to the time of life, that thou shalt embrace a son." And she said, "Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thy handmmaid." Verse 17, "And the woman conceived and bear a son at the season that Elisha has said unto her, according to the time of life." Who says, "Amen." See, the Bible today introduces us to a great woman of Judah. In the Hebrew, there is an expression that is called for this woman. She is a Isa Gadaba. She is a woman of great standing. She is a woman of great means. She is a woman that is in charge of a number of things. She is a woman of God and a woman of significance. The Bible says that she recognizes that Elijah is a man of God. And she tells her husband and says, "Because he is a man of God, let us make him a little chamber." She says, "Let's make a bed in our upper room. Let's give him a bed, a table, a stool, and a candlestick." Listen, somebody, this woman understood that Elisha was a man of God. And this great woman of significance says that whenever Elisha is to pass by our house, let's give him one of our spare rooms. And as she gives a spare room, this brings this to my mind. It always pays to be kind and courteous to somebody else. It always pays to be kind because kindness never dies. She was not serving God because she wanted something from him. She was serving God because she loved God. And that's important because when Elisha asks her what can she do, she essentially responds, I dwell among my own people. Now church, this is significant because if you remember in first kings chapter 2 and verse 9, as Elijah is about to go unto heaven, Elijah asked Elisha, "What can I do for you?" Now Elisha in turns sees a woman of God and Elisha asks the woman of God, "What can I do for you?" kindness keeps on going over and over again. The significance now is she says, "I dwell amongst my own people." In other words, she says to Elisha and Gahazi, she says, "I'm good. I don't need anything at all." She had apparently learned to live without what she once wanted. Can I say it again? She apparently learned how to live without what she once wanted. She had basically given up on her dreams. She She had given up on her prayer request. Her husband is now old and it does not look like it's going to happen. And she never asked for a child in the text. It is now Elijah. Look at the text. verse 16. Now, 2 Kings 4 and verse 16, the Bible says, "And he," Elijah said about this season according to the time of life that thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, "Nay, my Lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thy handmmaid." And the Bible says nine months later, the woman conceived and bare a son at the season that Elisha has said according to the time of life. Again, notice her response. She says, "Nay, my lord, man of God, do not lie unto thy man ser man ser made servant." Why would she say that? Because sometimes your desires you have been praying for, you have buried them deeply and you don't even talk about them anymore. This woman now has began to put it off. But because God said so, the Bible says that this woman now is about to have a child. Can I tell you today, church, that God knows the secret desires of our hearts. God knows what we need. He knows what we stand in need of. And the Bible says that God will not withhold any good thing to them that love him to them that walk uprightly. Take your Bibles right now. Go with me to the book of Psalm right now. The large book of Psalm. Go to Psalm 37. I want you to write this down. Psalm 37 and verse 3-5. Because God again knows how to give us the desires of our heart. Psalm 37 and verse3 the Bible says this again. Psalm 37 verse3 the Bible says are you there? Amen. It says trust in the Lord and do good. So shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shall be fed. Delight thyself also in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord. Trust in him, and he shall bring it to pass. Come on, say amen. This woman of Shudam apparently had given up on having a child. She has now buried her dreams. She does not believe that it could ever be. Ah, but the man of God shows up and the man of God says at this time, at the appointed season, you will have a child. Nothing is impossible with God. Look at the text down verse 18. The Bible says now the child is born. The child now is of age now. And the Bible says, "And when the child was grown, it fell on a day that he went out to his fathers to the reapers." In other words, they are working in the field. Verse 19 says, "And he said unto his father," as he's working in the field, he says, "My head, my head." And he the father said to the servant, "Carry him to his mother." See this child in second Kings chapter 4 is a miracle child. It is a child that God has given to this husband and wife to the Shudomite WOMAN. AND ALL OF A sudden now while the boy is in the field, the boy has a massive headache. He has a migraine. Some will even say that this boy has a stroke and the Bible says all of a sudden the boy as he is in his mother's lap, the boy dies. How many of you all know that sometimes tragedy will come your way unexpected? Sometimes tragedy will come. But but when tragedy comes, we have to trust God enough to know that if God allowed it to come, God will give you the grace to get through it. If God, the Bible says that that that we will not God will not allow us to be suffered above that which we are able. But with every trial, with every temptation, God will give us his strength. This woman here, she becomes pregnant. And again, just like the man of God says, "But now as the child is lying in her lap, the Bible says the child dies." Now look at the text again because I want to look at this. Thank God that as the father was in the field, the father says, "Bring the child, take the child to your mother." Can I pause today and thank God for every single woman that has enough faith to know that that's my child and I'm going to keep on praying for my child. Thank God for mothers that do not give up on their children. Thank God for grandmothers who continue to provide for their extended family. Thank God for female teachers and professionals who care enough and act like a second mother to their students. Praise God for black mothers. >> Praise God for mothers who educate and promote and will continue to pray for their children. THE FATHER WAS busy working in the field, but now the boy goes to his mother. And as she takes him there again, the child dies. And notice, what do you do when your miracle dies? Well, what do you do when life throws you an unexpected heartbreak? Tears are filling your eyes. [snorts] Ah, but look at the text now because the Bible says something powerful here. The Bible says again in verse number 22, as the child is now dead, that she went up. Notice this, look at the text. and she went up and lay him on the bed of the man of God, and she shut the door upon him, and then she goes out. Now, this is the room where Elisha would stay as he is traveling along the way. And and the Bible says, "And she called unto her husband, and said, send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, the donkeys, that I may run to the man of God, and come again." And and he said, "Whereforth will thou go to him today? It is neither new moon nor Sabbath." and she says to her husband, "It shall be well." Now, now hold up. Wait a minute. If you are reading the word of God, this is a pause right now in the word of God because hold up now. The woman's son, her only son, the the son that SHE DIDN'T EVEN PRAY for has died in her lap. And instead of going to her husband and telling her husband that your boy is dead, she now says no. She says, "Husband, um um everything shall be well." All right, let me preach a little bit right now. Don't get upset. I'mma preach right now and I'm going to say it loud. Sometimes you got to fake it until you make it. >> Oh, I feel the Holy Ghost. I'mma say it again somebody. Sometimes everything may not be well in your life but sometimes you have to declare it shall be well. >> Every now and then you got to speak faith. You see faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Sometimes you got to declare even though you don't see it, it's going to happen in the perfect will of God. Ah, how many of y'all know that God's timing is not always our timing, but he's always an ontime God? She says, "It shall be well." Oh, look at the text because I want to help you right now. Sometimes, church, just open your mouth and speak. It shall be well. >> I know you're looking for a job right now, but it shall be well. I know that your marriage may not be all that you want it to be, but by the grace of God, it shall be well. I know that sometimes that child is on the outside of the ark of safety, but I declare to you today in camp meeting 2026, it shall be well. >> The child is dead, but the woman says it shall be well. Now, now I this just amazes me so much because this Shudomite woman of significance. She does not tell her husband, "Our child is dead." She says, "I'm going to keep it to myself." I wonder uh maybe she didn't say it because if she spoke to her husband, her husband probably would have said, "Let's bury the boy." the the the man the man may have said, "Well, it is enough." The husband because y'all know that men are so logical. We are so sometimes emotionalist. We just want to say, "You know what? Let's just call the funeral and let's just have the funeral parlor come. It is done and over with." But the woman says, "I'm not going to even share what's going on with my husband." She says to a lad, she says, "Listen, give me a donkey and a servant." And she says, "Take me to the man of God." See, this woman understands that there's power in the name of God. She she understands that even though everything may not be right right now, if I could just get to the man of God, the man of God can do something about my problems. I believe that God is powerful and I believe that God gives men and women the power of his spirit. You see, in the face of impossibility, this woman still has faith. She says, "It shall be well, church." That's some serious faith right here. It shall be well. It's not working out right now, but it SHALL BE WELL. THE doctor's report is is gloomy, but it shall be well. God is bigger than our present circumstances. Matter of fact, can I show you right now? Go to Romans chapter 8. And I want you to look now at verse number 18. Romans chapter 8. And I want you to look at verse number 18. Notice what the word of God says here. Romans chapter 8. And the Bible says in verse 18, the Bible says this. I'll wait for you to get there. The Bible says Romans 8 and verse 18. When you have it, come on, say amen. The Bible says, Paul says, "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." In other words, the suffering that we go through TODAY WILL NOT BE WORTHY IN comparison to the glory that God has for us. Oh church, the Bible says in Psalm 30 and verse 5 that weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning. Sometimes you just have to hold on till the morning comes. She says it shall be well. And I would argue church that when you speak faith, God is honored. When you speak faith, God is honored and you get God's attention. Write it down. Proverbs 18:21. The Bible says that death and life are in the power of the tongue. Ah, I'll wait for you. I'm gonna say it again. I want you to get there. Proverbs 18:21, she says, "It shall be well." Proverbs 18:21, the Bible says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof." Who says amen? Oh, you can speak and there's power. You can have faith and there's power. Listen everybody, stop declaring evil over your life. Oh God, help me preach right here. Stop declaring that you are less than in Christ. We are the head and not the tail. We are above and not beneath. I don't ever walk around and say I'm broke. Yep. I'm gonna let that sink in. I'm not walking around saying that I don't have any money at all. Let me tell you something. If I keep on saying that, that may become my reality. I'm walking around and I'm saying I am the righteousness of God. I may not have it all right now, but I know who owns everything in this universe. The Bible says that our God owns the world. And if he were hungry, he would not ask us. God is able to provide. And the Bible says that this woman speaks faith. Verse 24. Now 2 Kings 4 24 the Bible says then she saddled an ass and she said to her servant notice she says drive and go forward. That's a sermon all by itself. Don't go backward. Go forward and slack not any writing for me except I bid thee. In other words, let that donkey kick up some dust. Keep on going forward as fast as you can. And the Bible says in verse 25, "So she went and she came to the man of God to Mount Carmel. And it came to pass that when a man of God saw her aar off, that he said to Gahazi his servant, "Ah, behold, yonder is that Shudomite, run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? Is it well with thy husband? Is it well with thy child? Don't miss this. And she answered, "It is well." >> Hallelujah. >> Wait a minute. The child is dead. THE THE CHILD died in her lap. She tells her husband, don't miss the don't miss the linguistics. She tells her husband, "It shall be well." And now when she gets to the man of God, when the man of God asks her, "Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with your child?" she has enough faith to say, "It is well." Now, if I was back in Alabama down in the deep south, if that was you and I and the man of God asked, "Is it well with you?" We would have shook our finger and said, "No, it's not well with me." If she would have asked, "Is it well?" He asked, "Is it well with your husband?" She probably would have said, "My husband don't have a clue what's going on. Is it well WITH YOUR CHILD? SHE SHOULD HAVE SAID, "MY CHILD is dead. THE ONE YOU PROMISED ME." BUT instead of getting upset INSTEAD OF QUESTIONING GOD RIGHT HERE, THE WOMAN OF GOD, SHE speaks faith and says, "It is well." That's faith talk right here. Verse 27. And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by the feet. Bahazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of God said, "Let her alone, for her soul is vexed within her." And the Lord has hid it from me and have not told me. In other words, she's holding on to the feet of Elisha because what she's saying is, "I will not let you go until you bless me. Even though my child has died, man of God, I'm going to hold on to you." And now they the the the Bible says that they try to thrust her away. Get back right here. And the Bible says that Elisha does not know why she's so vexed. because God has not told her. Verse 28, the Bible says, "Then she said, here is her her complaint." Now, she says, "Did I desire a son of my Lord? Did I not say, do not deceive me?" Other words, she's saying, "Listen, Elisha, I didn't ask for this child. I NEVER ASKED YOU TO GIVE ME OR FOR God to give me a son or a baby. AND I TOLD YOU, MAN OF GOD, PLEASE DON'T play with my emotions. Don't lie unto me." And the mother of the child, the Bible says, look at verse again, Bible says, verse 29, "Then say Gahazi." Mhm. Says, "Gird up thy loans, take up thy staff in thy hand, and go thy way." And the Bible says, "If thou meet any man, salute him not. And if any man salute thee, answer him not." Again, and lay my staff upon the face of the child. And as the mother of the child says, "The Lord liveth as my soul liveth." Here it is. I will not leave thee. And he arose and followed her. Notice something in the text. This week, we've been on a journey. Every sermon we've preached for every day has tried to connect with a previous sermon. If you remember the sermon I preached entitled I want double. Elisha told Elijah when they were going to Gilgal to Bethl they were going to all the places. Elisha said I'm not going to leave you. Wherever you go, I'm going to go with you. Because what happens is wherever God is, that's where you ought to be. You see, true disciplehip is holding on to God even when you can't trace what God is doing. So now in the text, this woman says, Elisha, wherever you're going, I'm going to follow you as well. And Gahazi, pass on. Verse 31. And he laid now the staff on the child's on the face of the child. They get to the house where he is. And notice this is so interesting that there is no mention still of the father. The father is a boo without any clue at all. He don't know what's going on. And when they get to the house, the Bible says they lay the staff upon the face of the child, but there was neither voice, look at the text, neither hearing. Wherefore he went again to meet him and told him, saying, "The child is not awake. Church, do not give up on God. Though it looks bad right now, God knows how to see you through." Church, we're going to come to a time in this world where Ellen White says that everything that can be shaken will be shaken. We are coming to a time in our day today where where there's going to be a time of trouble. People will leave the church. People will come against the church of God. Everything that can be shaken will be shaken. But church of the living God, God's remnant church, DO NOT turn your back on God. Trust God every step of the way. God is leading us. This ship of Zion, it will appear to fall, she says, but it will not fall. Even though the child is not awake right now, God still knows how to perform miracles. Can I ask you a question today? Do you believe that God is a miracle working God? >> Do you believe that God is able? I said, do you believe that God is able? >> God is able. The child is not awake. And here's where the story ends. She could have walked away. They could have said, "You know what? We tried, but it's over." But the Bible says in verse 32, "And when," Hallelujah, Elisha was coming to the house, behold, the child was dead, and he lay upon his bed. Okay, did you catch it? I can't tell because you're looking at me like just kind of blank. Um, Elisha is filled with the Holy Spirit. Do you remember second Kings 13 that when Elisha dies, they throw a dead man into his suppler and the dead man touches the bones of Elisha and now gets up and starts running. This boy is lying in Elisha's room in Elisha's bed. Oh, I sense that because wherever the spirit of God is, there is power. >> There's liberty. [snorts] There's victory. >> He's lying in the bed. And notice what happens next. 33 And he went in therefore and he shut the door upon the two of them. And here it is. Don't miss me. And he prayed unto the Lord. Come on, say amen. He shuts the door. In other words, Jesus does the same thing in the New Testament. Sometimes if you don't believe, Jesus says, "Get out the way." Because right here, I need people that believe there's power in the name of God. >> They shut the door. And I've been preaching all week long that there's power in prayer. Let me pause as I end this sermon today to tell you that I believe that those prayer requests in these boxes. I believe that God is able to do more than you wrote down. I believe that God is able to do more than you ever Do you believe God today? Somebody do you believe God today? He went in to pray. In verse 34, the Bible says, "And he went up and he lay upon the child, and he put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands, and he stretched himself on the child, and the flesh of the child waxed warm. This is a picture of the cross of Calvary. >> God's eyes are with us. His hands are upon our hands. His mouth is upon our mouth. This is really God from creation's story in chapter 2 of Genesis to the cross and now to Calvary showing us that when God comes close to us then we can live and obey. We can obey and we can live. The Bible says in closing, the Bible says as the child waxed warm, then he returned and walked to the house to and fro, went up, and he stretched himself upon him. Hallelujah. And the child sneezed seven times. Kachu and his eyes opened up AND HE CALLED GAHAZI AND SAID, "CALL THE SHUDOMITE." SO she he called her and when she came in unto him, he said, "Take up thy son." Amen. >> And when she went in, she fell at his FEET AND SHE BOWED HERSELF TO THE ground and she took up her child and she goes out. >> Her child has been restored because of the power of God. Church of the living God, what are you praying for? What are you believing God for? church. Sometimes we only have intellectual faith. But can I tell you that when 1 + 1 does not always equal two, that God has a plan. I would declare to you today that it's time for the church to start declaring it shall be well. If you believe God's word, come on, say, "Amen." >> Amen. Our time is up for this moment, but let me ask you one question in 10 seconds today. If you want to stand on the promises of God and believe that God is able to hear even what seems to be impossible, would you raise your hand right now? Raise your hand. Raise your hand. Raise your hand. Do you believe it today? Keep the hand up. Keep the hand up. And one last question. Belief is wonderful, but the Bible says even the devils believe and tremble. There's a second step, and that second step is going all the way with Jesus. Keep your hands up. Keep your hands up. On this coming Sabbath, we're going to have a baptism. And I tell you, there is no greater joy than to see somebody walk with the Lord in the newness of life. I'm not going to ask you to come down right now. It's time for lunch. But I am asking you number one, as that hand is raised, God see me where I am. God, see my need. [music] Meet me at my point of need, God, right now. I don't care how bad it is, God is able to resurrect dead things. And number two, before this day is over, I'm going to ask you to please see one of us because I want to baptize you on Sabbath. I want you to be in the kingdom of heaven [music] because God's grace is cheap enough. Amen.