Unlocking Abundance: The Power of Small Offerings

In 2 Kings 4:1-7, we encounter a widow in desperate need, facing the loss of her sons to creditors after her husband’s death. She comes to Elisha, and his first question is not about what she lacks, but about what she already has in her house. Her answer—“nothing except a jar of oil”—reveals a powerful truth: God’s miracles often begin not with what we’ve lost, but with what we’ve overlooked. In seasons of grief, lack, or discouragement, it’s easy to discount the small things God has placed in our lives, treating them as insignificant leftovers. Yet, the oil in her house, though seemingly small, was the very vessel God chose to multiply.

God doesn’t measure the potential of what we bring by its size, but by our willingness to offer it. Throughout Scripture, God uses what seems insignificant—a mustard seed, a shepherd’s sling, a boy’s lunch—to accomplish the miraculous. The “just a jar of oil” moments in our lives are exactly what God wants to use. The question is not whether we have enough, but whether we will bring what we have to Him.

Obedience is the bridge between our need and God’s provision. Elisha’s instruction to gather as many jars as possible was an invitation to expand her faith. The miracle was limited only by the number of jars she brought; the oil flowed as long as there were vessels to fill. In the same way, God fills whatever we bring before Him. If we come with small expectations, we receive small blessings; if we come with open hands and hearts, He pours out abundance.

The miracle began in private, behind closed doors, before it was ever seen in public. God often grows our faith in the secret place, in quiet moments of trust and obedience, before displaying His power for others to see. The oil only stopped when there were no more jars to fill, reminding us that God’s supply is never the issue—our willingness to bring ourselves before Him is.

Finally, God’s provision is not just for the immediate need, but for abundance and future blessing. The widow’s obedience led not only to her debt being paid, but to a new source of provision for her family. What starts as desperation, when surrendered to God, ends in overflow. There is oil in your jar—don’t overlook it. Keep bringing your life, your gifts, your needs before God, and watch Him multiply what you place in His hands.

Key Takeaways

• 1. God Begins with What You Already Have God’s work in your life starts with what is already in your possession, even if it seems insignificant. The things you’ve overlooked or discounted—your gifts, your experiences, your “just a jar of oil”—are often the very things God wants to use for breakthrough. Don’t let grief or discouragement blind you to the resources God has placed within your reach. Take another look at what’s in your house; your miracle may already be present, waiting to be surrendered. [49:12]
• 2. The Size of Your Offering Doesn’t Limit God’s Power God is not constrained by the quantity of what you bring, but by your willingness to offer it. Throughout Scripture, God uses small things to accomplish great purposes—a little oil, a few loaves, a single stone. What matters is not how much you have, but whether you trust God enough to bring it to Him. Your “just” is often God’s “exactly.” [54:22]
• 3. Obedience Expands Your Capacity for God’s Blessing The widow’s faith was demonstrated by her obedience to gather as many jars as possible. The extent of the miracle was determined by the number of vessels she brought. In your own life, the depth of your obedience and the size of your faith expectation set the stage for how much God can pour out. God will fill whatever you bring—so bring Him your biggest, emptiest jars. [56:47]
• 4. God Grows Faith in the Secret Place Before the oil flowed in public, it flowed in private, behind closed doors. God often develops your faith, trust, and intimacy with Him in quiet, unseen moments. These private encounters with God prepare you for public impact and ensure your faith is rooted deeply enough to withstand the challenges ahead. Don’t neglect the secret place; it’s where the oil begins to flow. [62:21]
• 5. The Flow of God’s Blessing Stops Only When We Stop Bringing The oil only ceased when there were no more jars to fill. God’s supply is never exhausted; it is our willingness to bring ourselves, our needs, and our gifts before Him that determines the flow. If you feel spiritually dry or stagnant, consider whether you’ve stopped bringing new jars—new areas of your life, new steps of faith—before God. As long as you keep coming, He will keep pouring. [64:30]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [01:15] - Memorial Day Reflection and Prayer
• [04:10] - Introduction to 2 Kings 4:1-7
• [07:00] - God Starts with What You Have
• [12:30] - The Significance of the Oil
• [17:45] - Stop Measuring by What You See
• [22:00] - God Uses the Small Things
• [27:10] - What’s in Your House?
• [31:00] - Obedience Builds Capacity
• [36:20] - Faith Determines the Miracle’s Size
• [41:00] - The Oil Flows in Private
• [46:00] - Keep Bringing Jars
• [51:30] - The Only Limit is What You Bring
• [56:00] - Obedience Makes Room for Abundance
• [61:30] - Prayer and Closing Blessing

Bible Reading

2 Kings 4:1-7 (CSB) — One of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant, my husband, has died. You know that your servant feared the Lord. Now the creditor is coming to take my two children as his slaves.”
Elisha asked her, “What can I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?”
She said, “Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.”
Then he said, “Go out and borrow empty containers from all your neighbors. Do not get just a few. Then go in and shut the door behind you and your sons and pour oil into all these containers. Set the full ones to one side.”
So she left. After she had shut the door behind her and her sons, they kept bringing her containers, and she kept pouring. When they were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another container.”
But he replied, “There aren’t any more.” Then the oil stopped.
She went and told the man of God, and he said, “Go sell the oil and pay your debt; you and your sons can live on the rest.”

Observation Questions

1. What was the widow’s situation at the beginning of the story, and what did she say she had left in her house? ([49:12])
2. What specific instructions did Elisha give the widow after she told him about the jar of oil? ([56:47])
3. When did the oil stop flowing, and what does the text say about why it stopped? ([01:04:30])
4. What was the final outcome for the widow and her sons after the miracle? ([01:07:17])

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think Elisha asked the widow what she already had in her house, instead of focusing on what she lacked? ([49:12])
2. The sermon says, “God’s miracles rarely begin with the things that you’ve lost. They begin with the things that you’ve overlooked.” What does this mean in the context of the widow’s story? ([49:12])
3. How does the widow’s obedience to Elisha’s instructions demonstrate faith, and how did her actions affect the size of the miracle? ([56:47])
4. The oil flowed in private, behind closed doors, before it was seen in public. Why might God choose to work in our lives in private before making things public? ([01:02:21])

Application Questions

1. The widow almost overlooked the jar of oil in her house, calling it “nothing except a jar of oil.” Is there something in your life right now that you’ve been overlooking or discounting as insignificant? What might God want to do with it? ([49:12])
2. The sermon says, “God doesn’t measure the oil by the quantity of it. He measures it by its potential, what it can be, what he can do with it.” Are there gifts, experiences, or resources in your life that you’ve been measuring by their size instead of their potential? How can you start seeing them differently? ([54:22])
3. Elisha told the widow to gather as many jars as possible, and the oil only stopped when there were no more jars. In what areas of your life have you been bringing “small jars” (small expectations or limited faith) to God? What would it look like to bring “bigger jars” this week? ([56:47])
4. The miracle started in private, behind closed doors. Do you have a “secret place” where you meet with God? If not, what is one step you can take to create space for private time with God this week? ([01:02:21])
5. The flow of God’s blessing stopped only when the widow stopped bringing jars. Are there areas in your life where you’ve stopped bringing your needs, gifts, or dreams to God? What is one “jar” you can bring to Him this week? ([01:04:30])
6. The widow’s obedience led not just to her debt being paid, but to ongoing provision for her family. Can you think of a time when your obedience to God led to unexpected blessing or provision? How does that encourage you to obey Him now, even when it doesn’t make sense? ([01:07:17])
7. The sermon encourages us to “take another look” at what’s in our house. What practical step can you take this week to pause, reflect, and ask God to show you what you’ve been overlooking? ([01:11:57])