Sunday, November 12, 2023
Ingredients of a Miracle - Ps Joshua Yee
Looking back there are miracles – big and small- that God has done for all of us, and I eagerly await for Him to perform more. And yes, “be bold to ask for big things from God” as Ps Joshua puts it. While listening to the sermon, indeed there are things in my heart that I am asking God for; for unprecedented and big miracles
But then what are the ingredients and mind-set that I need to position myself for such unprecedented, mind-blowing miracles?
1. God loves to use whatever you have
The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.”
2 Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?”
“Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil.”
3 Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. 4 Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.”
5 She left him and shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. 6 When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another one.”
But he replied, “There is not a jar left.” Then the oil stopped flowing.
7 She went and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.”
2 Kings 4:1-7
In the book of Kings, the widow’s two (2) sons were about to be sold as slaves to pay off the family debts. The widow only had a jar of olive oil but God was able to multiply what little she had.
Like the widow we may be down to nothing. There was a time not too distant that I was also down to nothing, feeling lost, broke, frustrated and depressed. Little did I know when I am down to nothing, God was up to something big in my life.
Man is indeed limited, but God isn’t. We have limited resources, funding & abilities, but God is able to multiply what little we have. Like the widow we will be challenged by God to give the little that we have. God is asking what do you have? When I was down to zero, the only thing I had left to give was my writing skills. Little did I know my books had millions in circulation. While we are wondering how God will deliver His miracle to us, we may be frustrated and sense that we have lost direction. God doesn't perform miracles in our presence. He is behind the scenes preparing the breakthroughs for us (Exodus 14:13-14). This is to show His greatness. That is why it a MIRACLE. He is a miraculous God.
Then Moses answered and said, “But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you.’ ”
So the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?”
He said, “A rod.”
Exodus 4:1-3
In Exodus 4, God asked Moses what did he have? Moses only had a rod and with it Moses brought Pharoah to his knees, drew water from a rock and parted the Red Sea.
2. Keep Looking For Empty Jars
Elisha told the widow to keep looking for empty jars. When you feel yourself empty, you become a candidate for God’s miracle. If you are full of yourself and hence full of self-pride then God cannot use you.
Emptiness is eligibility. The lack of natural goodness proves your need of God’s grace, and that need is your capacity to receive. Empty buckets are the best for the well of grace – Charles Spurgeon.
When we are full of ourselves, we think we don’t need God. We think we have all the answers and resources. We may not even not be open to feedback and criticism due to pride. But those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know” (1 Corinthians 8:2). The truth is no one knows everything. We need feedback to innovate and improve as we all have blind spots. I recently launched a new book on Transcription Factors and its role in renewal and regeneration. I was asked do they cause cancer something which I overlooked and hence spurred me to research and read further. Hence I always welcome feedback and constructive criticism.
The widow in 2 Kings 4, only stopped pouring oil into the jars when her sons stopped finding empty jars. God didn’t stop the flow of oil. God is not limited. It is our capacity to receive from Him that is limited. So keep feeling empty and don't stop looking for empty jars.
3. Be Bold To Ask Big Things
Set a vision that is big enough that you need God to inspire your faith and dreams to impact the world in these last days. Don’t set something within your comfort zone. Think and believe big as God is still in the business of miracles and will provide you new resources and provision to meet every new opportunity and challenges.
Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back;
lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes.
Isaiah 54:2
Are you ready for a big breakthrough? Are you ready to break through new barriers and go to new (blue ocean) territories that no one has gone before?
I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty
Haggai 2:7-8
The time has come for all the nations to seek what you can offer. The silver and gold all belongs to the Lord, so what can’t He do for you?. My books sales have reached all corners of the world and still going. The students for my course will soon likewise come from all over the world as well. My products will reach to all corners of the world. Revival is happening and God has made us a part of it. We are witnessing the end time transfer of wealth to his house (the church) for the end-time ministry. And God doesn’t do things small scale in the end-times.
4. Shut Your Door To Negativities
There is a miracle with your name on it waiting for you. Don’t let others talk you out of your dreams and your God-given vision. You may be going through a process of grief and the pain can be very real. But don’t let the pain eat into your life that you give up.
If you have had a bad past it does not mean you will have a bad future. Yes there are things that I could have avoided or done differently. Life is full of endless possibilities and probabilities. It could have been this or that, should have not done this and that, but destiny has made its turn.
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up- Galatians 6:9.
I am not going to let people to tell me that I can’t make it. I am not going to let my past failures discourage me from pursuing my vision and dreams. I am not going to let people tell me I am too old to start. I am not going to let fear and tough situations cause a shutdown mentality.
You may not have much but God loves to use what little you have. He is looking for empty vessels. The greatest hindrance to your miracle is to be full of yourself. Dream big and ask big from Him. Your current assignment and ministry is your place of blessings. Even if you are at the pinnacle of your game or industry, keep looking for empty vessels, and most importantly keep being emptied so that you can keep enlarging your capacity to receive from Him.
Amen!
