BARREN GROUND

Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Please notice, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the ground barren.” II Kings 2:19

REFERENCE
II Kings 2:19-21

There are many places and conditions which are externally very pleasant and yet are internally barren and bitter. Jericho was one of such places. Though, it was a city of palm trees and dates, a place of gardens – a beautiful city. Yet, the water there was bad – what was coming out of the place was bad; so, life there was not what it should be.

The men of the city came to Elisha because they realized that he had an anointing. He had something they needed. Something they could not provide for themselves. As a prophet of God, Elisha came in and made the place better by making the bitter waters sweet.

In the same way, as a believer, anointed of God, you are expected to make anywhere you are better. So, what do you notice about your extended family, neighborhood, organization, educational institution, government, society or even your church? Does your extended family look good externally but is internally barren, is your neighborhood contaminated with evil, is there a high level of malpractice in your educational institution, is there decadence in your government, do you see barrenness in your society?

To solve the issue of barrenness in Jericho, Elisha went to the source (the root problem) of the water and put salt in it. The source (the root) of every form of wickedness and decadence you see around you is the devil. As a believer, Christ calls you the salt of the earth. You have to first dethrone satan, in order to set his captives free, and turn barren situations into fruitfulness. Several ways to do that includes: to intercede in prayers with the Word of God, advocate for honesty and virtue in society, sponsor good causes, speak out for the oppressed, expose corrupt practices in your organization or school, etc.

Salt makes great impact only by contact, not in the salt bottle. It must be applied to whatever needs to be sweetened. Thus, as the salt of the earth, the worst thing you can do when you notice that a particular situation in your sphere of influence (which may or may not directly affect you) is barren, with nothing good about it, is to fold your hands and do nothing. Get out of the salt shaker and season lives!

ADDITIONAL STUDY
Job 6:6a, Nehemiah 2:17-18, & Matthew 5:13-16

SCRIPTURE PHOTO

PRAYER POINTS
+ Pray against spiritual wickedness over the city you reside; and dethrone demonic spirits ruling over your neighborhoods which causes barrenness and fruitlessness in the land.

+ Pray that as the salt of the earth, you will apply yourself in your sphere of influence to preserve and sweeten lives; and that you will never lose your saltiness.