How can we support others in believing God's promises like Elisha did? When a Promise Sounds Too Good to Be True “Then Elisha said, ‘At this time next year you will hold a son in your arms.’ And she said, ‘No, my lord, do not lie to your servant, O man of God!’ ” (2 Kings 4:16) What We Notice About Elisha’s Support • He speaks God’s word with confidence, not hesitation. • He personalizes the promise—“you will hold.” • He faces her doubt without rebuke, giving room for honest struggle. • He keeps the focus on the faithfulness of God, not the worthiness of the listener. How We Can Do the Same Today • Speak Scripture, not mere opinion. God’s words carry the authority that changes hearts. • Use specific, timely encouragement: name the promise and name the person. • Acknowledge fears without shaming them. Doubt voiced is doubt already half-defeated. • Point to God’s track record, not the person’s performance. • Stay present. Elisha kept returning to Shunem; presence strengthens trust. Verses That Anchor Conversations in Certainty • Hebrews 10:23-24 – “Let us hold resolutely to the hope we confess… let us consider how to spur one another on.” • Romans 15:4 – Scripture itself “encourages” so “we might have hope.” • 2 Corinthians 1:20 – Every promise finds its “Yes” in Christ. • Joshua 21:45 – “Not one of all the LORD’s good promises… failed.” • 1 Thessalonians 5:11 – “Encourage and build one another up.” Practical Ways to Lift Someone’s Faith • Share testimonies of fulfilled promises; stories stir expectancy. • Send a verse a day tied to their situation. • Offer to pray aloud with them, inserting the promise by name. • Celebrate small evidences of God’s hand; gratitude fuels belief. • Serve tangibly. Meeting physical needs can open the heart to spiritual assurance (Galatians 6:2). Words That Help, Tone That Heals • Choose “apples of gold” words (Proverbs 25:11). • Speak them gently; anxiety already weighs heavy (Proverbs 12:25). • Keep pointing back to the unchanging character of God rather than the shifting circumstances. Living It Out Together • Identify one promise a friend struggles to believe. • Commit to pray and remind them of that promise daily for a week. • Follow up to note any glimpse of fulfillment, no matter how small. • Repeat until faith takes root, just as the Shunammite eventually held her son. |
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