Faith and Business

"Your servant has nothing there at all," she said, "except a little oil." - 2 Kings 4:2b

The woman had no husband, he had died. There was no way to pay her debts. Her creditors decided to take her two sons as slaves for payment of the obligations that still remained. She pleaded for assistance with the only man of God she knew.

"Is there anything in your house?" Elisha asked.

"Nothing at all," she said, "except a little oil."

Elisha then instructed her to go and collect all the empty jars that her neighbors might possess. "Ask for as many as you can," he instructed.

When the jars were collected, he instructed her to pour what little oil she had into the jars. The oil was more than enough to fill the jars. In fact, there was more oil than jars to fill. "Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left" 2 Kings 4:7b.

Often, God requires us to mix faith with the tangible. The widow believed she had no resources to meet her need. She did not see the one jar of oil as a resource. It did not become a resource until it was mixed with faith. When she took the practical step of going into the workplace to sell the oil, her need was met.

God uses commerce to provide for our needs. He does not have a printing press in heaven that prints money for payday. God blesses the work of our hands, Deut. 28:8.

Trust God to bless, increase and multiply what your hands are doing. Release faith to believe He prospers you in the marketplace.