September 18, 2022
By Bishop, W. F. Houston, Jr.
Have you ever tried to fix God's plan? Maybe you grew impatient with waiting on God's timing or thought you had a better solution. You probably learned quickly that trying to improve on God's plans and purposes spells disaster.

The Spirit of Control and Letting Go

Have you ever attempted to change the way God works? You may have lost patience waiting for God's timing or thought you had a better solution than he did. It's likely that you quickly realized the futility of trying to improve on the plans and objectives that God has already established.

*Read 2 Kings 4:38-44
The inhabitants of the Gilgal region were suffering from starvation at the time. Elisha had recently returned from his journey when he instructed his servant to cook a sizable pot of stew so the prophets would have something to eat. Even though there was a severe lack of food, Elisha never lost trust that God would provide for His children.
When God's people are faithful, even in the face of calamity, God provides for them. Reflect on your life and the occasions when you experienced oppression or sadness, yet God was there to see you through it. Psalm 84:11 (AMP)says: "For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord bestows grace and favor and honor; No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.”
Those who turn their lives over to God will receive his blessings. He takes great pleasure in those who submit themselves to Him. When God provides, He never fails to fulfill our expectations. When we take advantage of His provision, we will never be wanting for anything. When we are hurt, He is the balm that we need. When we are afflicted, He is the remedy that we require. When our resources are limited, He is our source of richness. When our bellies are empty, He is the Living Bread that sustains us. When we are parched, He is the Living Water that satisfies us. He is our assurance in times of financial difficulty. When everything around us seems to be falling apart, He is the bright light. When we are confronted with a storm that is brewing, He is our anchor.
However, if we try to take matters into our own hands, we will inevitably encounter failure. When we strive to alter God's plan, we'll only bring up suffering for ourselves. Attempting to change God's plan can only lead to frustration.
Elisha's narrative illustrates that even amid a famine, he had a pot of stew simmering. Everything was proceeding as expected. Then one man decided to try to make things better. He wanted to be in charge of what was going on. 2 Kings 4:39 (AMP) says: "Then one [of them] went into the field to gather herbs and found a wild vine and gathered from it a lapful of wild gourds, and came and cut them up into the pot of stew, although they did not know what they were."
Elisha's narrative illustrates that he had a pot of stew simmering even amid a famine. Everything was proceeding as expected. Then one man decided to try to make things better. He wanted to be in charge of what was going on.
God's recipe is perfect. Trying to control God's plans can be disastrous. 2 Kings 4:40 tells us: "So they served it for the men to eat. But as they ate the stew, they cried out, “O man of God, there is death in the pot.” And they could not eat it." In addition to ruining the meal, this man's suggestion had the potential to poison the prophets. Although he meant well, his attempts to maintain order nearly resulted in the camp's destruction. Yet God still has the ability to make things right, even when we mess up. 2 Kings 4:41 (AMP) says: "But he said, “Bring flour.” And he threw it into the pot and said, “Serve it for the people so that they may eat.” Then there was nothing harmful in the pot." The flour represented Christ after his death and resurrection. The Cross mill was necessary to transform wheat into the Bread of Life. Christ is the wheat sifted into the soup of sin and death. The poison in the pot, introduced by human action, effort, and work, had to be absorbed. The resurrected Christ's power can also free us from the spirit of dominion. His strength has the potential to deliver us from our arrogance, stubbornness, and immorality. Do you have a hard time fighting the spirit of control? Do you find it hard to let God carry out His plan the way He wants to? Have you ever put something terrible into the pot?If so, give that power over to God. Give up the desire to be perfect. Give up your tendencies to stop God from doing what he wants. Leave God's plan alone and stop attempting to change it. Toss out your proclamation of independence. Pray to be liberated from the controlling spirit.