The Cost of My Oil
2 Kings 4:1-7 (New American Standard Bible 1995)
The Widow’s Oil
1 Now a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord; and the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves.” 2 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 except a jar of oil.” 3 Then he said, “Go, borrow vessels at large for yourself from all your neighbors, even empty vessels; do not get a few. 4 And you shall go in and shut the door behind you and your sons, and pour out into all these vessels, and you shall set aside what is full.” 5 So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons; they were bringing the vessels to her and she poured. 6 When the vessels were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not one vessel more.” And the oil stopped. 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 can live on the rest.”
There is a man-made famine, the famine of Oil. When no one seeks the Lord, when flesh is allowed to rule, there is no oil. Religion loves rules. Religion says you can come back any time you want.
But what about when God sends a famine of Oil, the oil the widow owned was just a little bit, she had used it all.
It is the oil of survival, she was living on the little oil she had, what do you do when God sends a famine and the main ingredient is taken. The oil.
You don’t know the cost of my oil.
Not everyone wants your oil, but no one wants to go get their own.
So, they will want your oil. “Sell me some of your oil,” the five foolish virgins cried.
“It’s not for sale” is my reply. Where did you get that oil? God! he’s got oil, that’s too far for me. That oil cost too much!
My response is!!! “You don’t know the cost of my oil”
The oil that comes from God isn’t free; it comes at a price.
James 4:7-10 (New American Standard Bible 1995)
7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.
My whole life as a Christian I have sought the Lord. The untold hours of prayers, fasting, the time in the Word, and the times of study. The breaking of my will, the crushing of my will, obeying from the heart. Untold hours of driving/working for Jesus.
The oil I speak of comes at a price, silver or gold cannot buy it. You can obtain favor of men with men, but it will not get you the Oil from the Lord without paying the full price.
The oil I speak of will set you free, God didn’t say give up the filth of the flesh and I will give you oil. No matter how many times you try to stop sinning it won’t work without Jesus. Repent of your sin,
(Psalm 34:18) The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
And saves those who are crushed in spirit.
(Psalm 126:5) “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.”
(Romans 8:26) “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
(Romans 12:2) 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.
I’m becoming what God wants me to be, transforming me. John the Baptist was a wildflower that couldn’t be controlled. The oil on his life made him a Hybrid, John didn’t fit in the temple, he ate wild honey and locusts. John the Baptist’s diet of locusts and wild honey is a clear symbol of his disciplined lifestyle. Characterized by severe self-discipline and indulgence, this type of lifestyle was a common practice among prophets and religious leaders who sought to live lives of purity and devotion to God.
John 1:19-28 (New American Standard Bible 1995)
The Testimony of John
19 This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22 Then they said to him, “Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said, “I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”
24 Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. 25 They asked him, and said to him, “Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 John answered them saying, “I baptize in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know. 27 It is He who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” 28 These things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
I believe with all my heart God is raising up those who are “hybrids”, who resist the devil, who are filled with the Holy Ghost. They don’t look churchy, they will look like John the Baptist, who touch not the unclean thing, who’s only mission in life is to please the Lord.
Tell your neighbor “I’m a Hybrid”, the offspring of the Spirit of God. When I was born again, I took on the nature of God, the offspring of the work of the Spirit.
The Hybrids carry the oil of his presence. They are not only touching the Apostolic, but they look like the apostles. They walk as though touching all 5 graces of the Spirit. They walk like an Apostle, they prophesy like a Prophet, they preach like an Evangelist, they love like a Pastor, and, like teachers, set afire with knowledge and wisdom.
The Oil on my life has not been cheap, neither was it free. It’s not sold by Amazon, nor at Dillard’s.
The Oil will cost you; I want to pray for you. When I do, there is going to come an oil upon your life. Don’t waste it, you’re going to need it.
2 Kings 2:1-14 (New American Standard Bible 1995)
Elijah Taken to Heaven
1 And it came about when the Lord was about to take up Elijah by a whirlwind to heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here please, for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 3 Then the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?” And he said, “Yes, I know; be still.”
4 Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. 5 The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho approached Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?” And he answered, “Yes, I know; be still.” 6 Then Elijah said to him, “Please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” And he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on.
7 Now fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood opposite them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan. 8 Elijah took his mantle and folded it together and struck the waters, and they were divided here and there, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.
9 When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.” 10 He said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” 11 As they were going along and talking, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven. 12 Elisha saw it and cried out, “My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw Elijah no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. 13 He also took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and returned and stood by the bank of the Jordan. 14 He took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and struck the waters and said, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” And when he also had struck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha crossed over.
Mantles from God are never taken away from us, rather the next Generation must pick them up. Are you carrying the mantle of the Prophet? Are you carrying the mantle of an Apostle? What’s your superpower?