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Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the Lord: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen. And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil. Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.
(2 Kings 4:1–3)


Having a vision and a goal is another important part of developing longevity in ministry. The widow in this passage was left with a choice: She could obtain a lot of vessels, or she could borrow just a few. She gathered vessels and began to pour the oil. When did the oil stop? It stopped when she ran out of jars. She held the key to her miracle.

She could have said, "It is too hot today to gather jars," or, "Elisha, I don't feel well," or, "I could only find one jar."

Whatever she brought in is what she received. If she had really known what God was about to do, she could have found a dry well and said, "That is my jar!"

Elisha would have laughed, and I believe God would have laughed as well. If you do not exercise faith in life to reach a goal or vision, you will never achieve it. You are going to have to get up and work toward your goal. God will bless what you do.

When I first went on staff at Agape Church, I did not know exactly what my goal and vision were. I knew that I had a desire for the mission field, but that was all. As I was becoming part of a new church, I could not expect to be sent immediately to the mission field. So I began getting involved by just locking and unlocking the church building and getting things ready before every service.

That was a small goal, but it was still a responsibility God gave me to do. I did that for three years, until He raised up a full-time person to take over those duties. In the meantime, doors to the mission field began to open to me. You must start with what your hand finds to do. (Eccl. 9:10.)

If you will go to your pastor or church leaders and begin to serve them, the vision God has for you will begin to take shape and come to pass. Be a blessing in your local church, and you will find doors opening up in all directions. What you make happen for someone else, God will make happen for you.

Developing the Spirit of an Armorbearer

  • Has God given you a vision and a goal for this season in your life? What are they?
  • Are you currently doing what your hand has found to do? If so, are you doing it with all your might? What are some ways you can improve things even more?
  • If you haven't found a place to plug in, make it a point to contact your pastor or other church or ministry leaders and ask how you can be of assistance.
  • Are you experiencing a personal crisis as the woman was in the text? If so, what could be considered "jars" in your situation? Boldly believe that God will perform His Word for you. Don't gather just a few "jars." Gather as many as you can!
    Dear God, I want to do everything I can with what You've given me. Open my eyes to see all the avenues where I can be a blessing. As I am faithful with what my hand finds to do, I thank You for causing Your plans for me to take shape and begin to grow. Thank You for helping me to develop this key to longevity in my service to You. Amen.
    Source: God's Armorbearer Devotional by Terry Nance
    Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
  • Author Biography

    Terry Nance
    Web site: Gods Armourbearer
     
    Terry has served as senior associate minister of a thriving congregation for over 23 years with over 40 years of experience in local church ministry. He is currently the senior pastor of Impact Church in Sherwood, Arkansas. Terry has authored four books. On the bestselling list, these books have motivated thousands of Christians to stand with their leaders in faithful service, helping them to fulfill God's purpose for their lives.
    Read more...

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