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.” Then he said, “Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors—empty vessels; do not gather just a few. 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.” 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. 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. 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.” 2 Kings 4:2-7
The oil was flowing, but there was not another vessel to contain it, so the oil stopped. All the vessels she brought were filled. Based on her limitations or expectations, the maid servant borrowed empty vessels from her neighbours. The oil was abundant and overflowing, but her limitation or restriction in not gathering more vessels stopped the oil from pouring. God's oil was overflowing, but her expectations or limitations stopped the flow of oil. She did not prepare for a great miracle by gathering many vessels. She prepared by gathering vessels based on her expectation (or limitation) just expecting a (small) miracle. It was written in the context that God wanted to perform a great miracle, but she only brought a few vessels, diminishing the magnitude or abundance of the miracle.
God reminded through the prophet not to bring few vessels, but she brought according to her expectations or limitations, which when seen from God's eyes, are few. She should have brought more vessels than her limitations or expectations. When seen from God’s eyes, when she brought according to her limitations or expectations are considered few.
She was selling pure heaven's oil from the storehouses of God. Despite the prophet's clear instructions not to bring few vessels, she brought few vessels. It's sad that God's oil was flowing, but the flow stopped due to human limitations or expectations. God wanted to perform a great miracle, she stopped it with her expectations or limitations.
So many of us are in the same place; we pray for miracle, but we have a low expectation of the magnitude of the miracle. With our less expectations, we bring only a few vessels, and thereby limiting God.
If the maidservant had brought 10,000 vessels, God would have filled all the 10000 vessels. If the maidservant had brought only 10 vessels, 10 vessels would have been filled. God's oil filled every vessel the maid servant brought - no less, no more. God's provisions are infinite or limitless; if she had brought infinite vessels, all of them would have been filled. God would perform a miracle to exactly meet and fill your expectations or vessels.
When God is doing a miracle, we keep a low expectation, thereby we are limiting God. We don’t see the abundance of the miracle. We are happy that the miracle is done, but it is not an abundant miracle. God is not getting the Glory by the abundance or fullness of the miracle. We keep a human restriction by placing less expectations on God. When God wants to do a miracle, he can fulfil all of your expectations or vessels. Only after meeting all of your expectations will the miracle stop.
For example, we pray for a job, but our expectation is for any job like God give me a job. When God wants to perform a miracle, he wants to offer you the best job in the industry with a high pay scale in a good location. Our low expectations for any job restricts us from seeing the abundance. When you pray, set higher expectations, such as a very good job, a high salary, a permanent settlement, a good position, and so on, and God will fill all of your expectations or vessels.
God performs miracles, but the extent, intensity, and volume of those miracles are determined by your expectations. In the story of Elisha and the Widow's Oil, all of the vessels brought by the women were filled. Even if she had bought many more vessels, all of those would have been filled. God met her expectations, and the size or magnitude of the miracle is based on the number of vessels she brought. The oil is abundant and overflowing, but human limitations or restrictions stopped the oil from flowing. Prophet Elisha said, "Do not bring few vessels--it means God will give abundant oil, so bring as many more vessels( more than your limitations or expectations ) so that you can see the abundance(abundant magnitude) of God’s miracle."
The number of vessels the women brought was based on her expectations or limitations. God will provide overflowing oil, but will there be outnumbered vessels to fill it? To fill all of God's oil, billions of vessels would be required. The oil did not stop first, but because there were no vessels, the oil stopped. The oil was always abundant, but when there were no more vessels to fill, it stopped. It wasn't that the oil stopped first. The oil stopped flowing due to a lack of vessels.
God filled every vessel according to her expectations or limitations. If she had brought even more, all the more vessels also would have been filled. God filled exactly as per limitation or expectation, and then the oil stopped. What is your expectations for your miracle? Keep high expectations for your miracle, and God will perform it fulfilling all your expectations. Don't let your surroundings cause you to have low expectations on the Great God's provisions.
