DON’T QUIT FOLLOWING JESUS
2 Kings 4:1-7 – READ COMPLETELY
One of the prophets under Prophet Elisha died. His widow cried out to Elisha to save her two sons. Her husband had borrowed money, and now the creditors wanted to take her sons as slaves.
- KEY TAKEAWAY: When you follow Jesus and a problem arises, it is not a sure indication of your character. But it is surely an opportunity to see the glory of God.
Jewish sources say this prophet was Obadiah. Let’s not judge him as a failure for leaving his family in debt—he was a man of God who served under Elisha. He got caught up in debts, causing trouble for his family. Some believe he died from stress over his debts. After his death, we see his influence on his family. For example, his widow sought God’s guidance when trouble came. When the prophet gave her a faith-based solution, she did not question him but followed it fully. She also involved her children, who joined her with courage and faith. This shows what kind of leader and father he was. Though he did not pay off the loans, he cared well for his wife and children.
So when serving God leads to worsening circumstances, don’t give up. Keep following Him—God may be planning a breakthrough as He did for this family.
- KEY TAKEAWAY: When you follow Jesus and things get harder, stay the course. The outcome may surprise you—so keep trusting Him even when it’s tough.
She only wanted to save her children, yet she started a business, repaid her debt, left enough to live well, and became part of Scripture, inspiring faith centuries after her life. This miracle story also teaches us that when you serve God, and your expectations don’t come to pass, you can trust God to exceed them.
GOD WANTS YOU TO WORK WITH HIM
Given her situation, Prophet Elisha does not offer a quick fix. He doesn’t hand her money to pay the debt or ask the King to help, even though he could have. Nor does he send bears as he did for the 40 children who mocked God, or speak to the creditors to ask for mercy. Instead of a direct solution, the prophet gives her a chance to work with God to make the miracle happen, giving her an idea from God. This shows that God wants to change you before He changes your situation.
- KEY TAKEAWAY: God is not only interested in changing your situations but also in deepening your character and spiritual life as you walk with Him. His work in you matters as much as His work for you.
YOU STILL HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT’S ANOINTING
The Prophet asks her, “What do you have in your house?” She answers, “Nothing but a jar of oil.” She still had oil. In the Bible, oil stands for the Holy Spirit and His power. Like the widow, you might feel you’ve lost a lot. Here is good news—you still have the oil of the Holy Spirit. He has not left you.
John 14:16 – Jesus promised his disciples that the Holy Spirit would abide with them forever.
1 John 2:27 – The Apostle John writes to the Church and reminds them that the anointing they received abided in them forever.
Child of God, you are anointed no matter what you face or lose in life. For those without Jesus, it’s different; they live without God and can lose hope. We need to be mature and not let others’ experiences limit what we expect.
->A scientist took 4 monkeys, placed a pole with bananas on top, and let them go. When they climbed halfway, he sprayed them with cold water. After doing this four times, the monkeys got tired and gave up, sitting in a corner. Then the scientist put a new monkey in the cage. When it saw the bananas and tried to climb, the other three monkeys stopped it, even though no water was sprayed. After a few times, they all just sat in the corner.
THE SECRET PLACE OF PRAYER
“A little bit of oil”—this was her understanding of what she had, and God was going to use this very oil to work a miracle. In the same way, even though we have the Holy Spirit inside us, we don’t appreciate Him enough. He says, “You don’t know me well. Let’s be friends”. Prophet Elisha instructed her to “shut the door behind you and pour into all the vessels” (2 Kings 4:4). This instruction echoes what Jesus taught about prayer in Matthew 6:6: go into your room, shut the door, and pray to your Father in secret—He will reward you openly. Both passages highlight the importance of the secret place.
- KEY TAKEAWAY: Your miracle is found when you spend time alone with God in prayer. Make the secret place your source of strength, not just a habit, but where your breakthrough begins.
Some find their secret in connections, education, or craftiness, but let your secret be the secret place—the secret place of prayer.
->This is an excerpt from Dr.Oral Roberts’s testimony in his own words: “Many years ago, while I was conducting one of my tent crusades in Miami, Florida, someone made a serious threat upon my life. The men who worked with me came to my room and warned me that perhaps I shouldn’t go to the crusade that night because I might be killed. All of a sudden, I found myself lying on the bed, tossing and turning in apprehension. I let fear come in and grip my heart. While I was trying to pray and build up my courage to go to the crusade, the Lord audibly spoke these words to me: “EXPECT A MIRACLE!” I had never heard that phrase before. As I pondered the meaning of it, God said to me: “EXPECT A NEW MIRACLE EVERY DAY!” Suddenly, it hit me that God is in the NOW! He was with me that day. He would be with me that night. He would never leave me nor forsake me (see Hebrews 13:5). I was to go before the audience, expecting a new miracle, and I did! I walked into the crusade that night with my head up high. I stepped up onto the platform, opened my Bible, and began to preach. Soon, I forgot all about the threat! Nobody shot at me, and many people were saved and healed. Out of that experience came one of the great slogans I’ve carried across America and seventy other nations: EXPECT A MIRACLE, and EXPECT A NEW MIRACLE EVERY DAY!
THE OIL INCREASES IN THE SECRET PLACE
When you enter your secret place of prayer and close the door to distractions, you open yourself to God. It’s here that anointing begins to grow—just as the woman’s oil flowed to fill every vessel.
- KEY TAKEAWAY: The anointing increases in the Secret Place (of prayer).
For example, Moses’ face shone after 40 days with God; Elijah called down fire after years with God; Jesus returned from prayer empowered. Your secret place fuels your calling and effectiveness.
PUBLIC SUCCESS HAPPENS TO YOU
The Prophet then says, “Go sell the oil and live on the rest.” When the oil flows in your private time with God, it can be shared openly. This matches Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:6: God rewards openly. Public success will come to you.
->Mrs. Shobha from our Church needed a certain amount of money to pay their daughter’s college fee. Finally, after trying to raise the funds as a last resort, she approached the manager at her workplace, who gave her 80% of the money they needed as a gift toward the education. The rest of the money was supplied miraculously!
Beloved, don’t settle for spiritual stagnation—choose action today. Set a specific time and place to meet with God in prayer and His Word. Persist in the habit of personal devotion. As you do, expect His power, gifts, and wisdom to increase in your life. Actively pursue the secret place and watch every yoke of bondage be destroyed. Now, make a dedicated appointment with God: step boldly into your secret place, pray earnestly, and press in until your anointing increases. Expect, seek, and receive your breakthrough—act now!