#2 in a series on the Holy Spirit
Pastor Michael Wise
Why We Need the Oil – Looking for Vessels
John 14:15-18 (NKJ) “If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever– 17 “the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.”
Between the OPEC nations arguing about production cuts, the USA’s record oil production, and the Covid-19 matters, the oil industry is taking a beating in the market. But that hasn’t always been the case. A few years ago I came across this October 30, CNN article: Exxon Mobil: Biggest profit in history The largest U.S. oil company surges past analysts’ estimates with a posted net income of $14.83 billion and sets a national record for quarterly profit
The latest quarter’s net income equaled $1,865.69 per second, nearly $400 a second more than the prior mark. The company said its revenue totaled $137.7 billion in the third quarter.
Apparently the oil business can be a very profitable business. How did they make that much money? Well, it wasn’t made by focusing on cheerios? They made it by focusing on oil.
David Rosenthal, vice president of investor relations for Exxon, said the company’s “first priority” was using profits to continue investing in exploration programs for oil and other resources.
Searching for more of the oil that makes you rich …. now that’s a rather bold idea isn’t it? A company with bold ambition.
Friends, can we dare to be bold today? Can we afford not to be bold?
A story of Boldness: (2 Kings 4:1-7)
She had lost her husband, now she was a widow and she was out of money. She had lost her husband, and now she was extremely worried about losing her children – 2 sons – to slavery. Trying conditions can really crystalize our thoughts and focus on what’s important – relationships, the people you love, not “things”.
She did the sanest thing possible. In her desperation she turned to God and poured out her troubles to Him. She went to see His servant, Elisha.
All she had left was a little flask of oil she told him.
Elisha’s answer may have seemed a little radical and strange to her: go through out your neighborhood; and get every empty vessel you can. Not just a few, get every one you can and bring them back here.
So she went, and she knocked on the doors, every door in her neighborhood until she had gathered every container that was available – big jars, little jars, clay jars … jars, jars, jars!
And then, behind closed doors, she began pouring from her small flask of oil …. and pouring and pouring. The oil wouldn’t stop; her flask didn’t stop until there wasn’t a container left. The miracle of the oil provided the means she needed for her and her family!
Now some would apply this parable to God supplying our material needs. That would not be a wrong application, but I believe it misses a more important application.
There’s another story of “Oil” being poured out behind closed doors in Acts 1:12-14.
Including the disciples, there were 120 men and women gathered under one roof. That is a sizeable group. Their hearts were vessels that were filled with many things, though not all of it may have been good. So now, as they waited in response to the Lord’s instructions, they took time to do something radically bold – they humbled their hearts to each other, and to God, and they prayed. As they prayed they confessed their sin to God, and their faults to those they had faulted. They made things right. They made reconciliation in their relationships with God and each other.
Sincere Prayer and activity for the Lord makes a bold combination. God answered their bold petitions just like Jesus promised He would.
Out of that upper room experience they became a church family. Oh, not a building, but a united fellowship of people who were on one accord – no contentions, no ill feelings towards each other, no jealousies. They were a church that didn’t have time for that kind of nonsense because their greatest ambition was to reveal the likeness of Christ’s character in their lives and to labor for the enlargement of His kingdom.
Notice this statement from the book Acts of the Apostles: “So mightily can God work when men give themselves up to the control of His Spirit.” AA 49.1
“Daily they prayed for fresh supplies of grace, that they might reach higher and still higher toward perfection. Under the Holy Spirit’s working even the weakest, by exercising faith in God, learned to improve their entrusted powers and to become sanctified, refined, and ennobled. As in humility they submitted to the molding influence of the Holy Spirit, they received of the fullness of the Godhead and were fashioned in the likeness of the divine.” AA 49.3
In our last message we talked about the ten virgins; five foolish and five wise. The foolish ran out of oil. That is an interesting thought to me. How could that happen among people professing to belong to God?
“If the fulfillment of the promise is not seen as it might be, it is because the promise is not appreciated as it should be. If all were willing, all would be filled with the Spirit. Wherever the need of the Holy Spirit is a matter little thought of, there is seen spiritual drought, spiritual darkness, spiritual declension and death. Whenever minor matters occupy the attention, the divine power which is necessary for the growth and prosperity of the church, and which would bring all other blessings in its train, is lacking, though offered in infinite plenitude.” AA 50.1
“Since this is the means by which we are to receive power, why do we not hunger and thirst for the gift of the Spirit? Why do we not talk of it, pray for it, and preach concerning it? The Lord is more willing to give the Holy Spirit to those who serve Him than parents are to give good gifts to their children. … Companies of Christian workers should gather to ask for special help, for heavenly wisdom, that they may know how to plan and execute wisely. AA 50.2
The wise had, and took with them, extra oil – a symbol for the Holy Spirit. When their lamps ran out they had more to replenish it.
We need boldness in our quest for the Holy Spirit. But like the widow who’s flask had some oil, when we have the Spirit in our heart vessel, we need to search for, gather-up (& with) other believers us so we can be God’s ministering servants to help them up fill up their heart vessel with this “Oil”. This “Oil” – the Holy Spirit – is essential to the eternal welfare of all the believers so we can then be God’s ministering servants to the world, as indicated in Revelation 18:1 (NKJ) “After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory.”
The Bible contains some extraordinary examples of bold prayers of faith:
Joshua prayed for the sun to stand still – and God answered!
Elijah pray for rain to stop and later to start – and God answered!
Elisha prayed for the widow’s son to be raised from the dead – and God answered!
Jesus prayed for the Comforter to be sent to His followers – and God answered!
These were prayers of faith, not presumption. They were claiming what God had already promised; not trying to force God into their own timelines, preconceived ideas, or desired action.
Will we comply with God’s instructions today so He can answer His promises we claim?
Dear friend, is your heart an empty vessel or is it full of the Holy Spirit? How would you know? Are you sharing, helping get the “Oil” poured out on others, or is there a great need for that “Oil” in your own heart?
As a wedding gift, Julie and I received a lovely oil lamp – did I mention, I really like oil lamps? I unpackaged it so I could fill and light it, and put both the top and base – which looked nearly identical – on the counter. Then I got the lamp oil and, in my haste to fill it, proceeded to pour the oil into the top portion thinking it was the base. I quickly discovered my mistake when the oil began to flow out of the container and onto the countertop.
Friends, God won’t make that mistake. He won’t pour out His Spirit into containers that are already filled with their own desires. He can only fill hearts that are emptied (of self), willing, asking, and waiting.
Its time for bold prayers and bold steps that God would make us vessels for His Spirit, that He would pour it into us so we can share it with the world! Are you ready and willing?