Ridiculous Faith (p.3) – Provision

2 Kings 4:1-2

This widow is in a devastating place and humanly speaking she has no hope and it’s when you don’t have what you really want, you’ll discover that God is what you really need

In v1 the widow doesn’t hide anything, she tells the prophet what she needs and Elisha’s reply is how can I help? And that’s a picture of what God says to us, he’s there, willing and able.

Elisha then asks what do you have? And first she says nothing, when you’re in need you focus on what you don’t have, we focus on the lack. The widow then says I have nothing except a jar of olive oil. So what do you do when you’re lacking? You stop waiting for what you want and you work with what you have.

We serve a God who specialises in doing a lot with a little. God doesn’t ask what do you want or what do you need, it’s what do you have, but we often look at what we have and think if I had more I could do more. Stop waiting for what you want and start working with what you have.

This week let’s take out some time, write out your gifts and abilities and offer them to God. Once we offer to God what we have, we can trust him with what we want.

2 kings 4:3-7

In v3 Elisha makes a ridiculous request, to pour out the one thing she has into an empty jar, but she kept pouring what she had and God kept providing until there were no jars left. When we offer what we have to God, we see his faithfulness

A few things to notice about the widow:

• The widow was an obedient woman of God.
• She prepared for abundance, she collected all the jars in the village and consequently each one was filled.
• This was done in private, God often looks at our faith in the quiet place.

In v3 Elisha tells the widow to collect the jars and specifies that they must all be empty, how can we apply this to our own lives?

2 Corinthians 4:7

In this verse Paul is referring to our bodies, God is looking for empty clay pots to pour himself into. So empty yourself of greed, pride and of your own agendas and come to God empty and he’ll fill you with the oil of the Holy Spirit. Many of us outwardly may not have what we want, but inwardly we can have what we need. God is your strength, peace and comfort.

This week come to the Lord and say I am empty, fill me with your Holy Spirit so I can do what you have called me to do.