MIRACLES ARE MESSY

1 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.”

2 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.”

3 Then he said, “Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors—empty vessels; do not gather just a few. 4 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.”

5 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. 6 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. 7 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

1. We have to remember Who our Provider is in the middle of the mess.

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.” —2 Kings 4:1

The name of the Lord is a strong tower;The righteous run to it and are safe. —Proverbs 18:10

And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” —Genesis 22:14

11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12 But a [a]hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. 15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. —John 10:11 - 15

2. The ingredients for the miracle are in the house.

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.” —2 Kings 4:2

As His divine power has given to us
all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue. —2 Peter 1:3

It shall come to pass in that dayThat his burden will be taken away from your shoulder, and his yoke from your neck,and the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil. —Isaiah 10:27

Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? —1 Corinthians 3:16

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. —2 Corinthians 4:7

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. —Romans 8:11

3. Make room for the miracle.

3  Then he said, “Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors—empty vessels; do not gather just a few. 
4  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.” —2 Kings 4:3 - 4

37  On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 
38  He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 
39  But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. —John 7:37 - 39

For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. —1 Corinthians 2:11

Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. —Romans 8:26

4. Shut the door to every voice except the voice of God.

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. —2 Kings 4:5

38  Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly. 
39  When He came in, He said to them, “Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping.”
40  And they ridiculed Him. But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying. —Mark 5:38 - 40

23  When Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, 
24  He said to them, “Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.” And they ridiculed Him. 
25  But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. —Matthew 9:23 - 25

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. —Romans 12:1 - 2

5. Keep obeying until the miracle is completed.

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. —2 Kings 4:6

But Jesus said to him, “No one, having
put his hand to the plow, and looking
back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” —Luke 9:62

Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. —Philippians 1:6

6. God has already paid our debt and made a way for abundant life.

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 4:7

13  And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 
14  having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 
15  Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. —Colossians 2:13 - 15