Two of the greatest prophets in the bible both had stories linked to oil.
Elijah, after declaring there would be no rain, was directed to the East of Jordan where he was fed daily by Ravens and drank water directly from a brook. After some time passed, the brook dried up and then God’s word came to him to go to Zarepath where a widow had been directed to supply him with food.
He found a woman at the gate and asked for some water before including another request for bread. Her response? “I don’t have any bread — only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it — and die.”
Elijah urged her to use some of the little olive oil to make him a small loaf of bread before making something for herself and her son and because she did as she was instructed, “there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah”.
Now I will go to the second prophet’s oil story.
For Elisha, one of the wives of the sons of the prophets, cried out to him about a situation she was in and where creditors were coming to enslave 2 of her sons because her husband was dead and there were debts to pay.
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.”
Elisha asked her to go and borrow empty vessels — a lot of them! into which Oil from that jar could be poured. This woman listened and after following instructions, found out that the oil only stopped once there was no more empty vessel to pour into !
Are you an entrepreneur/business owner? or someone just wondering what you are good for.. Are you looking at your neighbor, friend or competition wondering why you’re not as good as they are? Are you thinking about your next career step? or even wondering why you don’t have all the things other people have working for them.. You may not be feeling as talented, eloquent or put together as everyone else around you.
Guess what? there is always oil… in the house.
There is something God has put in your house or on your inside that is the key to unlocking sustenance, wealth, ministry, finances and not just for you but for your family too.
How do you unlock this?
- You need to realize that you will not always have all the answers at any point in time. God’s intent is for man to be fully dependent on Him; whether prophet or otherwise. My supporting evidence is that Elijah was allowed to experience scarcity (brook dried up first) before God’s word on where to go next, came to him. He had been relying on a brook + Ravens and God’s word didn’t give him a heads up? It literally dried up without him knowing what the next step was ..
- Instructions are super important ! First for Elijah who was asked to go to a widow God said He had directed but didn’t seem directed from our story but guess what? she followed instructions, to the letter.
Our other widow did the same and the jar of oil multiplied so much so that she not only found a means to settle her debt but also an inheritance they (she and her sons) could live on. I would also like to emphasize that the instructions may not always make sense ! carrying out the instruction should not be because it makes sense because most times, it will NOT. You may be asked to sow your seed capital or something that seems contrary to the very objective BUT obedience is a key and those who will wield it must remove their gloves of logic/rationalization and just turn the key. - Small is the right size !.. never be afraid to start with that small jar of oil; for out of the little, will come the “great deal”. Most people belittle / trivialize / dismiss that seemingly small talent/skill/gift/idea but God operates by the seed principle. We always want to start with the forest, forgetting that it comes from the seed. Like Elijah said to the woman, I say to you “Don’t be afraid”.. start with the small and see what will come out of it.
Today, right now, there is oil in your house and if you will cooperate with the One who owns the cattle on a thousand hills, you will be like these women who stepped into abundance / provision simply because you did what you were told to do with the oil.
Not your neighbor’s oil, the oil.. in your house.
Written for Faith & Works — Tribe of Marketplace Ministers.
Author:
Tosin Oluwatola
