God Works Through Our Faith and Obedience

Then [Elisha] said, “Go outside, borrow vessels from all your neighbours, empty vessels and not too few.”

2 Kings 4:3

Notice, there was something for this woman to do. God provided for her as she walked in faith and obedience. God is not limited by our faith or by our obedience, but He calls us to be actively engaged in the means by which He provides.

Elisha was a prophet, and the word of the prophet was the Word of God to her. “Go… borrow vessels from all your neighbours” (4:3). That was a command for her to obey.

Then Elisha said, “and not too few” (4:3). He called her to exercise faith. “Don’t underestimate what God can do! Walk in obedience and anticipate God’s blessing.”

Elisha told her, “Go in and shut the door behind yourself and your sons and pour into all these vessels. And when one is full, set it aside” (4:4).

Then we read, “She went from him and shut the door behind herself and her sons. And as she poured they brought the vessels to her” (4:5). She did exactly what Elisha had said.

One son placed an empty jar on the table, the other son took the full one, and the woman kept pouring. She would say, “Another jar!” Until at last, her son said, “There is not another,” and the oil stopped flowing (4:6).

Oil flowed from the little jar as long as there were jars to fill. If the woman had not obeyed the command to borrow the jars, the oil would not have flowed.

The widow’s faith and obedience were woven into what God did for her. It was as she obeyed that God acted. And it will be the same for us. God will provide as we walk in faith and obedience.

Ask God to help you walk in obedience so that nothing will hinder you from receiving what God wants to give.