Oil In The House
Bible Text: 2 Kings 4:1-7 | Speaker: Pastor Jerry Irwin | Sermon: Oil In The House
Having olive oil in the house was absolutely essential for life in Israel. Olive oil was used as the base for every medicine in that day. Olive oil was used for light in the darkness of night. Olive oil was used for cooking and flavoring. Olive oil was for anointing in religious ceremonies.
1 Kings 17:12 And she said, As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.
In this scripture, the handful of meal represents the word of God. Our faith comes through hearing the word of God. The oil represents the Holy Spirit. With the Holy Spirit, we are greater than he that is in the world. Next, the cruse represents us as the earthen vessel of the Holy Spirit. Finally, the two sticks, represent the cross of Calvary; the starting place for blessings and where our victory was won!
I feel that there are many of us today who have been dealing with deficit, struggling to find a way, living with little, and desperate for God to supply your needs. For weeks and months, years and decades, we have been trusting GOD to sustain us spiritually and financially.
2 Kings 4:1-3 Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophet unto Elisah, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou know that thy servant did fear the Lord; and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen. And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what has thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house save a pot of oil.
It’s hard to appreciate what you have when to have lost a lot. She had some oil, but she called it nothing. She’s lost a husband, she has spent a lot, and the loneliness attached to that loss has overwhelmed her and she has lost her ability to be thankful and appreciate what she has. Self-pity will do that to you. It will make you angry and resentful. Oftentimes God can do a miracle through something you don’t even think is worth mentioning. You may think its nothing, but God calls it something! Oil which is symbolic of the Holy Spirit cannot be stolen by the enemy! He is the third member of the Godhead! How could the devil steal God?! The Holy Spirit influence in our lives is diminished because of our attitudes and cause us to think that the Holy Spirit that dwells in us is nothing. When you consider what you have as little you can become bitter Carnal Thinking fills those areas where the Holy Spirit was. Size of the cloud, 2 fishes and 5 loaves, a sling and a stone, a manger in a stall…..it may be small, but its something, not nothing! If the devil can cause you to think so little of it, and despise your oil, or believe his lies; then he can make life miserable for you.
2 Kings 4:4 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.
As long as she poured, more oil was provided. If you quit pouring it out, it will stop being supplied. God has oil he wants to pour through you. Keep being a blessing!
2 Kings 4:5-6 So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and her sons who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out. 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.
There is nothing that will open up floodgates like the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man.
2 Kings 4:7 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.
Your miracle and the source of your supply is what you have been overlooking. I’ve found that God uses the simple things. God can use the foolish things according to this world’s opinion. Don’t overlook the small things. God will bless what he has given you. The oil you have is what you need, you just need more of it. Until you pour it, the oil will never increase. Some of you remember when you used to pour it, but little by little, you stopped pouring it. Satan will use bitterness to keep you from pouring out while you wait for what you want. When you are so unhappy with what you have, you will begin to pour out your anger and hurt your family, your church and it will sit you in the seat of the scorner with little hope of change.