A poor widow's jar of oil

 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." 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 4:1-7

This woman was bereaved, indebted and was in fear of losing her two sons to slavery. What a hopeless situation! In her desperation, she reaches out to the prophet of GOD. 

While we live in this fallen world, most people we meet are spiritually dead and many of them are in slavery and bondage to the devil. Even many Christians are living under the oppression of the enemy.

Whatever our situation, whether we need comfort, finance, guidance or legal advice, we should first seek the counsel of GOD before running to man. Only GOD is able to save us from the wiles of the devil and set us free.

 "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."

GOD begins His work of restoration with what we do have.

This woman would have had plenty of empty vessels. Her flour bin, oil jar, sugar bowl, rice bag, milk bottle, spice containers, fruit bowl, cereal boxes, dish washing and laundry detergent containers and so on. Each time she saw these, she would have been preoccupied with the emptiness of her life! She became consumed with self pity. She had nothing to offer even her sons.

Is your life empty? It may not be financial need, but spiritual and emotional need that makes you feel worthless and empty.

You may feel so empty and desperate.

Don't worry about the nothing, but do something with the one thing you have!

The one thing this poor woman had was a jar of oil.

Do you have the Oil of the  Holy Spirit in yourself - in your Jar of clay? 

 And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."
Luke 10:41-42

The LORD JESUS counselled the rich young ruler, thus:

Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."

Mark 10:21

Following a mission trip, the LORD asked His disciples, "When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?" So they said, "Nothing."

Luke 22:35

That one thing we need is faith that connects us to the One Who is Faithful for eternity.

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"Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors--empty vessels...

The woman was asked to borrow empty vessels from everywhere from all her neighbors. Rather than being preoccupied as to how she could have her empty vessels filled, she began to borrow empty vessels from her neighbors! She did not realise that her neighbors also had empty vessels! All their vessels were not full.

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 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Romans 5:5 

Has the Holy Spirit been poured out in your heart? 

But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Titus 3:4-7

The Holy Spirit has also been poured out on us abundantly!

We must spend time with GOD in prayer and His word so that we may receive His Spirit of love into us and on us so that we may pour out to others His love through good works.

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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.

When we reach out to others with love, we will find many broken and empty lives. When we walk around with a spiritual mindset, the Holy Spirit will enable us to see people in need. We should then 'borrow in our mind' those empty vessels and take them into our  prayer closet and shut the door behind us. Through prayer and intercession, our hearts will be filled with GOD's love for the people. When we pray as led by the Holy Spirit, the burden will lift and we will know that our prayer has been answered. That jar is then full! We can leave that person - that jar aside and take on another jar - another person to the LORD in prayer!

 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
1 John 5:14-15
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There is not another vessel." So the oil ceased

GOD's goodness and blessings will keep flowing into our lives as long as we allow them to  flow through us to others, just like the oil in the jar of the woman.

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Go, sell the oil and pay your debt

The woman went to the neighbors and returned their jars which were now full of oil! She sold the oil and they paid her for it. That income settled her debt.

All of us are indebted to GOD because He paid the price through the LORD JESUS to save us from eternal damnation. He has bought us for Himself. We can never repay the LORD but He desires that we give our lives to Him that He might live through us.

We may have to leave the comfort of our home to bring a blessing to someone. In answer to our own prayers for our neighbors and others, the Holy Spirit may lead us to acts of kindness. We may be prompted to send a text messages, call or visits someone in need. Thus we become channels of GOD's love and allow Him to fill their hearts with His love. We may be asked to leave our own child briefly to minister to a needy child of someone else. Thus, there is enlarging of our spiritual family and we gain many souls for GOD's Kingdom.

Those who are blessed through our ministry, will also bless us in practical ways and with gifts. They become channels of GOD's provision to us!

 So He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life."
Luke 18:29-30

When we seek to put the LORD first in our lives and love Him above all and walk in obedience to Him, He gives us much more than what we let go of, for His sake. GOD is no man's debtor. We can never outgive Him!

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and you and your sons live on the rest."

When we put the Kingdom of GOD as priority and seek to serve Him and live for His purpose, He promises to meet all our earthly needs as well. 

 Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Matthew 6:31-34

Let us therefore focus our mind on GOD's Kingdom and give ourselves to live for Him each day and experience the abundance of His provision and love.

BE BLESED AND BE A BLESSING!