VITAL LESSONS FROM 2KINGS 4:1-7

 2Kings 4:1-7:

(1)  Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.

(2)  And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil.

(3)  Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.

(4)  And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full.

(5)  So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out.

(6)  And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed.

(7)  Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.

 

From the above story, we can draw the following lessons:

 

#1. There is always something you have that God can use to turn your situation around (See verses 1, 2 to 7). It could be a gift/talent or an endowment, a special ability or an idea. In the case of the widow in the story, it was a pot of oil. So in addition to the things mentioned above, one’s instrument of turnaround could also be a material asset (as in the widow’s case) that can be traded for material resources.  For instance, I know someone who traded his car in exchange for a landed property. The prophet said to the  Widow:

“...What shall I do for thee? Tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said thine handmaid hath not anything in the house, save a pot of oil” - 2Kings 4:2

 

#2. When you do the natural within your ability with what you have, then God will do the supernatural (see verses 3-6 of our text).  I have heard the story told about a man that needed capital for a business, who went to to see his Bishop for money. The Bishop asked him how he came.  The man said “I came in my car”.  Then the bishop gave him an idea. He said: “you’re sitting inside your capital and you’re looking for capital.  Now, drive that car to the airport. Turn it into a taxi and start picking people.”  That single idea marked a turning point in his life. This business man did as advised and his story changed dramatically.  He got enough money for whatever he intended to do.  

So first, this brother had something that God could use: a car and the ability to drive. Then he was given an idea to become a taxi driver.  So ask yourself, what do I have that I am ignoring. It may not be as costly as a car, but it could be “…a pot of oil…” In other-words, something that may not look significant, but God can us it to change your story. For instance, every great enterprise we see today came out of an idea coupled with some endowments or inherent ability (a know-how) to turn the idea into tangible products/results

 For example, Facebook is someone’s idea, WhatsApp, Google, Apple; they’re all people’s ideas.  Furthermore, if you see great actors, singers and musicians among others, they are people making use of their talents/endowments.  So if you think that you don’t have any material asset or  ideas, then look within and see what is there as a natural gift/talent or a skill.  God can use that to turn your life around.

#3. “Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest”- 2Kings 4:7

Lesson: When God turns your situation around, making provision to meet your needs, if there are any outstanding bills to pay, make it a priority to pay the bills first, then live on the rest (I.e. what remains).  The prophet did not know how much debt this widow owed.  But he said to her “pay thy debts and live on the rest”, suggesting that surely there will be surplus funds. It means when God moves in your affairs to turn your situation around, He will ensure there’s surplus to cater for your household after settling any outstanding bills.

Next Lesson

#4. In verse 4 of our text, the prophet asked the widow to shut the door on herself and her sons and pour out the little oil remaining into the empty vessels that she had borrowed.  So, what is the significance of “shutting the door”?  Whatever it is that be your occupation or assignment from God, give it your undivided attention.  Shut the door on all distractions. That is the way to obtain maximum results or make maximum impact. At that moment, the widow’s occupation was to trade in cooking oil (that is, supernatural production of cooking oil).  And God required her to give it her undivided attention.  Second reason: not everyone needs to see the process that delivers your product.  So shut the door on outsiders.  In other-words, do not expose your trade secrets

 

Finally

#5. The fact that you fear the lord does not insulate you from challenges.  Bible clearly said this widow’s late husband feared the Lord but he passed away, leaving behind unpaid bills/debts for the widowed wife and children to contend with (See verse 1 of out text). Therefore, we must understand that challenges come to everyone great or small, God-fearing or not. However, the good news, as we can see from the story, is that if you are on the Lord’s side, then God will always step in to make a way out for you. It says in Psalm 34:19, many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. I see God stepping into your affairs to deliver you from every crisis and give you your desired change of story.

 

Meanwhile, If you desire to experience the interventions of God in your affairs going forward, then you need to make Jesus Christ His Son, Lord of your life. Jesus said:

I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me (John 14:6)

So Jesus is the only way to God the Father. Therefore, If you want Jesus in your life, Please say this simple prayer:

I believe that Jesus is the Son of God and He shed His precious blood for my sins. Today, I confess Him as Lord and Saviour.  Thank you Lord Jesus for saving me!

Amen.

Congratulations! if you said that prayer. The Word of God says you are now a new creature and old things are passed away. All things are become new (2 Corinthians 5:17). In other-words, God will never call your past life (sins/faults) to remembrance. They are totally forgiven and forgotten. Check this:

 

I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. (Isaiah 43:25)

 

For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more (Hebrews 8:12) 

 

If you have said this prayer, we encourage you to get into a bible based church near you where you can grow in the Lord (1^st Peter 2:2 and 2^nd Samuel 7:10). You can receive more inspiration by connecting through our various social media handles below:

 

² YouTube: @josephmasiam

² Facebook: @mawudema

² Instagram: @asiamjoseph

² LinkedIn: @Joseph Mawudem Asiam

² Quora: @Joseph Asiam

² Blog: https://mawudem.blogspot.com

 

To Contact Us for any help or assistance such as prayer support, write to: josephasiamminint@gmail.com or WhatsApp us on +233272313033

 

Remain ever blessed.

Jesus is Lord!

 

 

WHEN GOD FINDS YOU - A Commentary on Deuteronomy 32:9-13

 Deuteronomy 32:9-13

[9]  For the LORD'S portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.

[10]  He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.

 

It doesn’t matter where God finds you; but when He does find you, your story is about to change.  The scripture says, Jacob was found in a desert land, a waste howling wilderness.  In other-words, God found him in a situation of utter hopelessness and dryness or emptiness. But, good news is that God, the story changer, found him.  

 

And after God found him, what Next? The story continues: “…He led him about”(Deut 32:10). That is to say, He showed him which way to go. This world is an old jungle filled with many wild beasts; so except the creator of the world Himself takes you by the hand and leads you, you can be lost. And worse still you can end up as a prey to the evil beasts. It says in Proverbs 16:25:

 

There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

 

Thus, clearly without God showing you the right way to go, you’re an endangered specie on the earth. So thank God if God finds you, and then he begins to lead you. Meanwhile, when God leads you, you’ll take the lead.  It is the leading of God that makes genuine leaders in life. You’ll find that Jacob took the birthright of first born, even though he was the second born (see Genesis 25:27-33). Not only that, in spite of his wicked uncle’s schemes to enslave him, he still took the lead over his uncle in terms of wealth, honor and dignity, all because God, the story-changer, led him about (see Genesis 30:25-43/Genesis 31:1-18). I believe God is about to lead someone into great wealth, honor and dignity. And that person is you.

 

Next thing from our text, we read that God instructed Jacob.  In other-words, He told him what to do. What a blessing to know from your creator what to do in life.  For many are out there stranded in life because they do not know what to do. Much of the frustration that many go through in life is simply because they do not know what to do. So be glad if God finds you somewhere in life’s journey and tells you what to do, like he did Jacob.  When God found the Apostle Paul (formerly Soul) on the road to Damascus (that is on the wrong road of life), He told him what to do and that marked a turning point in his entire life (See Act 9:1-6 and Galatians 1:13-16).  So when God tells you what to do and you do it, then you’re really done in life. Jacob’s life took a new turn because God told him what to do to come out of slavery (under the crafty hands of his own uncle) which he did (see Genesis 30:25-43/Genesis 31:1-18).

 

We continue the story. What happened next after God found Jacob, led him about and instructed him? It says …He kept him…In such an evil world in which we live, what greater protection can you have than that the Almighty, Omnipotent One Himself keeps you? When God Himself keeps you in the journey of life, then you’re well kept.  No force in the universe can touch you when He keeps you.

 

Lets read on in our text from Genesis 32. In verse 12, it says:

[12]   So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him.

 

God alone led him. Jacob had no other god besides the Most High God Himself leading him.  He listened to no other voice besides the voice of the Almighty. He took counsel from no other god (whether human or deity) besides the Omnipotent one true God. As such, he was not misguided.  Without prejudice, God may sometimes through human vessels or instruments speak to us or lead us and that is especially when we’re still developing the capacity to hear directly from Him.  In such cases, however, we still need to discern through His Word and the Holy Spirit if such leadings/directions are genuinely coming from the Most High.

 

And so what was the effect/result of Jacob’s single-minded focus on God Almighty? Let’s read it in verse 13 below:

 

[13]  He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock;

When God alone led Jacob, he arrived at the high places of the earth.  When you’re genuinely led by God, you leave the low places to high places of the earth.  That is, you will no longer be found among the commoners; you will be found where kings and princes are found (See 1^st Samuel 2:8). Furthermore, at the high places of the earth, Jacob had access to eat the increase of the fields, suck honey out of the rock and oil out of the flinty rock.  That talks about abundance, wealth/affluence coming out of the most unusual places. Simply put, God led Jacob into unusual affluence.  Remember where God found Him to begin with: in a dry desert, hopeless, empty state.  But the story changed dramatically, supernaturally.  

 

This is the heritage of anyone who will submit to God’s guidance in life.  It does not matter where or in what situation He finds you. But when He does, your story is sure to change. Good news is your own dramatic change of story is next to be told. Say a loud Amen if you believe it!

 

Meanwhile, following God begins with a relationship with  His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus said:

I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me (John 14:6)

So Jesus is the only way to God the Father. Therefore, If you want Jesus in your life, Please say this simple prayer:

I believe that Jesus is the Son of God and He shed His precious blood for my sins. Today, I confess Him as Lord and Saviour.  Thank you Lord Jesus for saving me!

Amen.

Congratulations! if you said that prayer. The Word of God says you are now a new creature and old things are passed away. All things are become new (2 Corinthians 5:17). In other-words, God will never call your past life (sins/faults) to remembrance. They are totally forgiven and forgotten. Check this:

 

I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. (Isaiah 43:25)

 

For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more (Hebrews 8:12) 

 

If you have said this prayer, we encourage you to get into a bible based church near you where you can grow in the Lord (1^st Peter 2:2 and 2^nd Samuel 7:10). You can receive more inspiration by connecting through our various social media handles below:

*YouTube: @josephmasiam

*Facebook: @mawudema

*Instagram: @asiamjoseph

*LinkedIn: @Joseph Mawudem Asiam

*Quora: @Joseph Asiam

*Blog: https://mawudem.blogspot.com

 

To Contact Us for any help or assistance such as prayer support, write to: josephasiamminint@gmail.com or WhatsApp +233272313033

 

Remain ever blessed.

Jesus is Lord!