GREETINGS
PRAYER
TEXT: 2 Kings 4:1-7
2Kings 4:1 ¶ A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, "Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves."
2 So Elisha said to her, "What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?" And she said, "Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil."
3 Then he said, "Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors-empty vessels; do not gather just a few.
4 "And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones."
5 So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out.
6 Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, "Bring me another vessel." And he said to her, "There is not another vessel." So, the oil ceased.
7 Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, "Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest."
TOPIC: MORE THAN ENOUGH
This poverty-stricken widow is stuck in a place where one season of her life has defined the rest of her life. Brothers and sisters, don’t allow one bad season in your life to rob you of the rest of the good seasons God has for you! Tonight, we are going to share some great insights on how we can move from not enough, to more than enough!
Last time we ended with the question Elisha asked this widow which is the platform that we will build on tonight. “What do you have in the house!” God loves to use what we have in the house. Whether it’s two fish and five loaves , or a staff or rob, or a little meal or a small vessel of oil. God wants to use what you have in the house.
Sometimes people ask questions to get the answer. God ask questions to reveal the answer. “What do you have in the house!” The answer was inside the house. Her future was contingent on what she had in the house. Her break-through was based on what she had in the house. Here deliverance was going to take place with what she had in the house. Make sure you know what’s inside your house! Everything that is in your house has a purpose.
2 Kings 4:3 Then [Elisha] said, "Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors-empty vessels; do not gather just a few.
Notice where he told her to do. GO! GO OUT from the house and borrow vessels from everywhere, all her neighbors. Make sure they are empty vessels; get as many as you can. Sometimes, we’re not empty enough, so God will tell us to go and borrow some empty! Some of us are too full for God to fill us!!!
He didn’t say go and BUY vessels; he said go BORROW vessels. We buy things, we plan to keep for a while; we borrow things that are temporary. God is saying to us tonight, what I’m about to do, is not take long.” What she perceived as a permanent problem; God saw as temporary set-back. Wherever you are tonight, whatever you are in tonight. If there is a way, there is a way out.
Elisha told her to borrow EMPTY VESSELS! Make sure when we come to God that we leave our titles, accomplishments and egos behind. God is not impressed with our titles (Dr., apostle, bishop, pastor, missionary, evangelist, prophet) Lord it’s me, it’s just little old me, I’m standing in the need of prayer. It’s not the doctor, lawyer, apostle, evangelist, but it’s ME.
The eyes of God are attracted to emptiness! When God sees empty, he sees an opportunity to fill us!
The word vessels in the text means capacity, or to enlarge one’s space. She was asking for something she didn’t have room to receive. We must stop coming to God with a teaspoon and asking him for a gallon blessing. Even if God gave you a gallon blessing, we would not be able to receive it. Make sure you have enough room for what you are asking God for.
Verse 4 says "And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones."
After she borrowed some empty vessels, she was told to GO back home and shut the door. There are some things that God will not do in the midst of doubters, unbelievers or people who are distractions to the vision and mission God has given to you.
- One day, Jesus had to put people out of Jairus’s bouse before he could raise a little girl back to life (Mark 5:21-43).
- The bible says, without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6).
Sometimes, we have to shut the door behind us on some relationships before the oil will begin to flow. Sometimes, must close the door behind us before God reveals his revelations to us. There are some people who are not going anywhere and they don’t want you to go anywhere. The minute you start talking about going to another level, they try to discourage you! “Your dreams are too big; you will never do that; You are crazy! "
When you know what God has said to you; When you have done the work and spent time with God and you know what he has told you to do, then you need to get ready for the increase!!! Tell somebody close to you, “God is getting ready to send the increase!”
Look at verse 5 - So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out.
Can I help somebody tonight? We get the vessels outside the house, but we get the victory the inside the house.
What do you have in the house!!! I got victory inside the house! I got joy inside the house! I got peace inside the house!! I have some forgiveness, mercy, grace and purpose inside the house! Oh, bless the name of the LORD!
She borrowed vessels from the outside but the oil came from the inside.
Verse 6 - Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, "Bring me another vessel." And he said to her, "There is not another vessel." So the oil ceased.
I have a few questions to ask you tonight. Who stopped the oil? Why did the oil cease? When did the oil cease?
As long as there was room to receive or another empty vessel to be filled, the oil kept flowing. There is no lack in God. If she borrowed 10 vessels, the oil would have filled 10 vessels. If she borrowed 100, 1000 or 10K vessels, God would have kept filling them to their capacity. God left the choice to her. IOW, depending on how many vessels you bring home will determine how much I will give you.
So often, we limit God and then we get upset when the oil stops flowing. Elisha told her to get as many as she could borrow. When the last vessel was filled, the oil ceased! For some of us tonight, the oil has ceased, not because God stopped the oil, but because we do not have any more room for oil. I don’t know about you but I want more oil tonight!! But I need to become empty I need more empty vessels! God is stretching some of you right now. Some of you are wondering, why do I feel empty and alone. Get ready, the oil is about to flow.
Finally, let's look at verse 7 - Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, "Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest."
Her husband was dead, she was broke, she was about to lose her sons, her future was dim, but… God! Elisha said, GO and sell! Exchange what you have in the house. Listen, until we use what we already have in the house, we will lose more than we have to.
Some of you have the oil (anointing) of cleaning houses, teaching students, coaching sports, encouraging children, transporting the elderly, visiting the sick, visiting prisoners, cooking, planning events, cutting someone’s grass or being an advocate. Whatever you have in the house, remember this, little equal much, when you place it in the master’s hand!
With God, there is MORE THAN ENOUGH for you!!!
PRAYER: God, we thank you for your provisions you have already given to us. We appreciate your grace and mercy. Much of what we have, we don't deserve, but we are thankful. Father, we believe that you want us to have more than enough, so help us to empty out ourselves before you. Anything that has fill the space where you should be, remove it in the Name of Jesus! Help us to always have and make room for you so you will always fill us so we can experience MORE THAN ENOUGH. These and other blessings in Jesus Name, AMEN!
Thanks so much for allowing me to share this message with you. God bless you!
