II Kings 4:1-7
When Life Is Desperate

Introduction
1. You walk as close to the Lord as possible. You sell out to do His will, and then your world
falls apart. Have you ever had life become desperate?
2. That is the case in II Kings 4:1-7: A young man with a wife and two sons goes to
seminary.
He was God’s servant who feared the Lord. He dies (why would God allow this to happen
when Baal worship was so strong?) His wife and two sons are left with an enormous debt.
The creditor is going to put the two sons in slavery.
3. At desperate times you will need 5 necessities:

Is life desperate for you right now? Necessity:
I. THE WORD OF THE LORD 4:1
A. The Cry For The Word
Cried…She is at the end of herself. She is an empty vessel! Where do you turn?
1.She is Desperate.
2.She is Destitute.
3.She is Dejected.
4.She is Dead. All possibilities are exhausted. She is exhausted.
B. The Coming To The Word
There cried a certain woman…unto Elisha.
1.Elisha was the Word and Wisdom of God.
2.God spoke through this man.
3.Where do you go when you are desperate?
C. The Condition For the Word
What do you say? Tell it like it is.
1. Thy servant.
2. My husband is dead.
3. You know he feared the Lord.
4. v. 1 the last part: Debt…Destitute…Desperate: two sons for slaves.
On the surface this doesn’t seem right! The young minister is not coming back no
matter how much she cries and wishes. God doesn’t always reveal His plan!
That is when we need a word from God!

Is life desperate for you right now? Necessity:
II. THE WAY OF THE LORD 4:2
A. Reveal Your Heart
1.What shall I do for thee?
2.She no doubt tells her story and her plight.
3.When you go to God listen to what He says. How does God speak: Through His Word…Through Prayer…Through Circumstances…Through God’s people.
B. Review What You Have
1.Nothing! The house and cupboard is bare. God shows us our inadequacies.
2.Except a pot of oil Keil in his commentary: Flask: was a small vessel for the oil necessary for anointing the body.
3.God is going to work through what has already been given to her, but was inadequate of itself.

Is life desperate for you right now? Necessity:
III. THE WILL OF THE LORD 4:3, 4
A. When God Speaks It Is Plain
1.Everything can be understood.
2.It may not always initially make sense.
B. When God Speaks It Is Precise
1.Go…borrow…shut the door (you and your sons)…Pour out…Thou shalt set aside that which is full.
2.Listen to His voice. It will be clear and confirmed. The sons also got the same message.
3.Illus. of when I was going to drop out of the ministry: Dr. Charles Smith “You already know what God wants you to do.”
C.When God Speaks It Is Purposeful
1.He has a purpose behind everything He is doing. He has to get us from point A to B to C.
2.You may have no idea at the time, and His purpose may not be clear until sometime later.
D. When God Speaks It Is Personal
1.Here: the widow and her two sons.
2.Shut the door…when God does a work in a desperate situation only those on the inside can truly appreciate what He is doing.

Is life desperate for you right now? Necessity:
IV. THE WALK OF THE LORD 4:5
A.God’s Revelation is His Invitation to Become Involved in What He is Doing.
B.He Wants Me to Respond Immediately, Completely and Absolutely to What He Has Revealed.
C.To Respond We Must Adjust Our Lives To Do What He Says. It is a realization that nothing is Mine. It’s His!
D.Obedience Is Fulfilled To the Letter. She poured it out! Let It Go! She gave up what wasn’t hers to begin with. She lets go of what had been given to her.

Is life desperate for you right now? Necessity:
V. THE WONDER OF THE LORD 4:6, 7
He takes what was already his…what He had already given and multiplies it for His
glory!
A.The Providence 6a
And it came to pass In God’s way….according to God’s will…by God’s time table…God does it!
B. The Process 6b
When the vessels were full…
1.According To Faith Borrow not a few…there is not another vessel! God would have done more had their faith been greater!!
2.According To Fulfillment The oil stopped flowing It happens once. It cannot and will not be repeated the same way. When God is moving I don’t want to miss it for a lack of faith. “I would have done more.” “I could have done more, but you wouldn’t let Me.”
C. The Plenty 7
1.The Glory She told the man of God
2.The Guidance Who receives the credit. She waits for instruction. In Plenty as well as Poverty: “God, what do you want?”
3.The Gift Sell the oil Oil was a valuable commodity. God gives and gives and gives… “What do you want me to do with what I have?”
4.The Goodness Pay the debt Pay what you owe.
5.The Grace Live you and your children on the rest. Realize all you own is a gift from the grace of God. It’s not ours, but He allows us to use it. All we can do is say, “Thanks.”
This desperate time is an opportunity for you to see the greatness of God.
Be Patient…Spend time in prayer and time in His Word.
In God’s Time You Will See His Gift…His Grace…His Glory.
Know: You Can’t Take A Step Without Him.