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Throughout my life, I’ve been in situations I didn’t think I had what it took to make it through to the other side. The un-relenting wave of fear and worry threatened to drown me, as the enemy tried to convince me to give up. Yet, time and time again, I have pulled through, finding strength I didn’t know existed within me.

 

There’s a story in the Old Testament about a widow whose husband died, leaving her and her two sons in debt to creditors. Unaware she already had the answer to her problem within her own house, she went to the prophet, Elisha, pleading with him for answers so that her sons wouldn’t be taken as slaves to pay the debt. All she could see in that moment, was what she didn’t have. But, Elisha challenged her to look within – revealing what she already had. “What do you have in your house?”, he inquired (2 Kings 4:2). This must have frustrated her. I imagine, she thought to herself, “do you think I would have come to you in desperation if I already had the ability to pay off this debt on my own?”. Her response revealed where her heart was: “Your servant has nothing there at all…except a small jar of olive oil” (2 Kings 4:2). I think we can all relate to how she was feeling. She knew she didn’t have the money to pay the debt and barely had enough food to feed her and her children. Her world was crumbling around her. But Elisha encouraged her to see what was already there:

 

Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. 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.” She left him and shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. 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. 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 4:4-7).

It wasn’t until she closed the door of doubt behind her and stepped forward in faith with the little that she had, that God went to work. But, did you notice that the oil stopped flowing, when there were no more jars left to fill? If she would have collected more jars, the oil would have kept flowing. If she would have taken an even bigger step of faith, God would have met her there too! God can use anything to accomplish his will for our lives. The key is, we must be obedient and believe it! Ephesians 3:20 says that God “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us”. When we align our spirit with the Holy Spirit within us, God’s supernatural power is unstoppable. It doesn’t matter how much we have according to earthly standards. When we use what we have and step forward in bold faith, we can beat any enemy that comes against us. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). 

 

In 2006, I was diagnosed with cancer, leaving me unable to have more children. But, I knew deep within my soul that we were going to have another child. After having surgery, leaving me physically unable to have any more children, I remember the look on my husband’s face when I told him we were going to have a baby. He looked at me like I was crazy! But, I was determined to use what I had to get what I knew God had promised me. I started calling adoption agencies. All of them told me that based upon my diagnosis, we’d never be approved to adopt. I was undeterred! After at least ten more phone calls, I finally got a “maybe”, if I could provide a letter from my doctor that I had a good prognosis. Ten months later, we traveled to Ethiopia to adopt our baby girl. Even though the circumstances swirling all around me were attempting to pull me into the sea of doubt, I stepped forward with the little faith I had, and that was enough for God to meet me there and provide us a miracle!

Whatever your walking through right now, no matter how big the mountain may be, you’ve got what it takes to overcome it! What’s in your house? Do you only have a small amount of oil?  A small amount of faith? If that’s all you have, I promise it’s enough. You just need to take a step forward, using whatever you’ve got. God has given you exactly what you need for this moment in time. Muster up as much faith as you can, and step forward in anticipation that God will show up and provide exactly what you need. I promise, God will meet you there and carry you through to the other side. The miracle is already there!