GOD NEEDS VESSELS

Text: 2 Kings 4:1-6

Introduction: The woman in this story needed as miracle of blessing and provision from the Lord. God needed a human vessel through whom He could perform the miracle. The woman needed vessels to receive the miracles. The miracle stopped only when the woman could no longer get vessels to receive the miracles.

1. GOD NEEDS HUMAN VESSELS

1.1. To accomplish his purpose on earth, God needs human vessels. Neh. 13:9. Nehemiah ordered the cleansing of the chambers of the temple. The first thing he did after that order was carried out was to bring in the vessels of the house of God. Those vessels would be needed for the offerings that God had ordered. The first thing Elisha told the woman in 2 Kings 4, after he had listened to her need, was, “Go out to all your neighbours and get vessels, a very great number of them.“ God needed vessels – human vessels – in His Service.

1.1.1. To deliver the Israelites from the Egyptian bondage and bring them into the Promised Land, God got Moses as His human vessels – Exo. 3:7-10.

1.1.2. To save Israel from the hand of the Midianites, God got Gideon as his human vessel – Judges 6:14

1.1.3. To get the gospel to a large numbers of the Gentiles and pagans, God got Paul – Acts 26:15-19; Rom 15:19.

1.2. To release His blessings and power, God needs human vessels – Ruth 2:9. God is saying  to the world, “When you are thirsty, go to my vessels and drink my water.”

The woman in our key scripture needed vessels to receive the blessing God was graciously pouring into her life. The oil of blessing stopped flowing only when there were no more vessels. She needed vessels. God also needed vessels, not to receive blessings, but to give blessing. He needed Elisha. Why don’t we see miracles of provision like this today? Because God doesn’t have powerful vessels like Elisha.

God needs vessels He can use to bring showers of blessing to His people.

1.2.1. God needs some human vessel to start every revival He has ever blessed our world with.

1.2.1.1. God needed Elijah for the revival on Mount Carmel – 1 Kings 18:21-40.

1.2.1.2. God needed Ezra for the revival of the Jews in Ezra 10. God needs vessels today that He can use to bring showers of blessings upon His people.

1.2.1.3. God needed the early Christians for the revival blessings He poured upon the world on the Day of Pentecost – Acts 2:1-4, 14

1.2.2. God needs human vessels to do whatever great things He wants to do to bless the world.

1.2.2.1. When God wanted to send His beloved Son into the world to make eternal sacrifice for the sins of the world, he got hold of a human vessel - John, the son of Zechariahs. John’s powerful ministry turned the heart of many Israelites to the Lord in preparation for the Christ - Luke 1: 13, 16-17; Luke 3: 2-6.

1.2.2.2. When the Lord wanted to get the Bible written, He got hold of faithful vessels and anointed them for the great ministry – 2 Peter 1:20-21.

1.3. To bring back the King of kings on earth to rapture the saints and later begin His one-thousand year reign of unprecedented peace and blessing, God needs human vessels. In Mat 24:14, the Lord made it clear that the gospel needed to be preached in the world before He could come. To get the gospel preached throughout the world, God needed human vessels (Mark 16:15).

2. THE VESSELS GOD NEEDED

2.1. The vessels God needs must be available for use – Isa. 6:8. Are you available for God’s use? Or your job, education, marital life or some other mundane activities make you unavailable for the Master’s use.

2.2. The vessels God needs must be holy – Num. 7:1. God is holy, His vessels must be holy – Lev. 11:44; 1 Pet 1:15-16

2.3. The vessels God needs must be dedicated only to fulfilling the purpose of God – 1 Kings 15:15. God’s vessels must be separated from ordinary vessels. They must be separated from the world unto the Lord – 2 Cor 6:17. They must be sanctified for the Lord’s use only. They must never allow themselves to be used by the devil or by the world for ungodly purposes.

2.4. The vessels God needs must be anointed – Exo 40:9; Lev. 8:11. The vessels of the Lord must be anointed by the Spirit of God. An unanointed vessel is a useless vessel. He is just an empty vessel that brings shame – Jer 14:3.

2.4.1. The Lord’s vessels must be anointed by the Spirit of God – Luke 4:18; 2 Cor. 1:21

2.4.2. The Lord’s vessels must always be filled with the oil of the Holy Spirit – Mat 25:4, 10; Eph 5:18.