The bible tells a story about four men who sat at the entrance of the city's gate dying with leprosy, an incurable disease which causes terribly visible swelling and sores on the skin, only then to eat inward to the bones. Because of this contagious and incurable disease, these lepers sat outside of the city because they were not permitted to live within the city. These men were faced with a fatal disease, were outcasts, and were starving because of a feminine in the land. Such a hopeless life and no perceived future, would make the average person throw in the towel and just give up on life -- but not these men.

     Sitting and examining their situation, they realized that just simply sitting and doing nothing would result in having and being nothing, so they asked themselves the question, "Why do we sit here until we die?" They knew that if they entered the city, they would die because of the feminine. They also knew that if they sat there and did nothing, that they would die. What did they do? They made the decision to ACT. 

     Regardless of their gloomy circumstance, they got up from were they were and decided to do something to change their situation. They made the choice to face their obstacles and do something different. They went into the city realizing that difficulties may be ahead, for if the city dwellers spared their lives, they would live -- and if not, they would die. Given the situation that they were in, things were not going to just get better.

     Upon entering the city, to their pleasant surprise, no one was there, because God had caused the city dwellers to abandon their tents. 

     Because of their decision to change their situation, and the decision to act, these hungry dying men when into a tent, and feasted as they ate, drank, and carried off silver, gold, and clothing. However, things did not end there, because after putting away the silver, gold, and clothing -- they entered another tent and again met great fortune.

     Just like these lepers, you may be in your decision place today. If you are in a place, or situation that seems lifeless -- regardless of where that place may be, or how things look -- ask yourself the question, "Why do I sit here until I die?" 

     Take a good look at where you are, and where you want to be -- then take the necessary steps to find yourself in that desired place. 

     In the midst of misfortune, choice -- and then action -- will find you reaping the great benefits that God has purposed for your life.
Elisha answered, “I have a message for you. The Lord promises that tomorrow here in Samaria, you will be able to buy a large sack of flour or two large sacks of barley for almost nothing.”
The chief officer there with the king replied, “I don’t believe it! Even if the Lord sent a rainstorm, it couldn’t produce that much grain by tomorrow.” “You will see it happen, but you won’t eat any of the food,” Elisha warned him.
The Syrian Army Stops Its Attack
  About the same time, four men with leprosy were just outside the gate of Samaria. They said to each other, “Why should we sit here, waiting to die? 
There’s nothing to eat in the city, so we would starve if we went inside. But if we stay out here, we will die for sure. Let’s sneak over to the Syrian army camp and surrender. They might kill us, but they might not.” 
That evening the four men got up and left for the Syrian camp. As they walked toward the camp, the Lord caused the Syrian troops to hear what sounded like the roar of a huge cavalry. The soldiers said to each other, “Listen! The king of Israel must have hired Hittite and Egyptian troops to attack us. Let’s get out of here!” So they ran out of their camp that night, leaving their tents and horses and donkeys. When the four men with leprosy reached the edge of the Syrian camp, no one was there. They walked into one of the tents, where they ate and drank, before carrying off clothes, as well as silver and gold. They hid all this, then walked into another tent; they took what they wanted and hid it too.
They said to each other, “This isn’t right. Today is a day to celebrate, and we haven’t told anyone else what has happened. If we wait until morning, we will be punished. Let’s go to the king’s palace right now and tell the good news.”
They went back to Samaria and shouted up to the guards at the gate, “We’ve just come from the Syrian army camp, and all the soldiers are gone! The tents are empty, and the horses and donkeys are still tied up. We didn’t see or hear anybody.”
The guards reported the news to the king’s palace. 
The king got out of bed and said to his officers, “I know what those Syrians are doing. They know we’re starving, so they’re hiding in the fields, hoping we will go out to look for food. When we do, they can capture us and take over our city.”
One of his officers replied, “We have a few horses left—why don’t we let some men take five of them and go to the Syrian camp and see what’s happening? We’re going to die anyway like those who have already died.”
They found two chariots, and the king commanded the men to find out what had happened to the Syrian troops.
The men rode as far as the Jordan River. All along the way they saw clothes and equipment that the Syrians had thrown away as they escaped. Then they went back to the king and told him what they had seen.
At once the people went to the Syrian camp and carried off what was left. They took so much that a large sack of flour and two large sacks of barley sold for almost nothing, just as the Lord had promised.
The king of Israel had put his chief officer in charge of the gate, but he died when the people trampled him as they rushed out of the city. 
Earlier, when the king was at Elisha’s house, Elisha had told him that flour or barley would sell for almost nothing. 
But the officer refused to believe that even the Lord could do that. So Elisha warned him that he would see it happen, but would not eat any of the food. 
And that’s exactly what happened—the officer was trampled to death.

 2 Kings 7:1-7
Revelation, Events—The Israelites assumed defeat, but four sick beggars who went to surrender to the enemy discovered God’s deliverance. From the most unexpected sources, at the most surprising moments, God transforms defeat into relief and victory.