GREAT EXPECTATION
And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee. So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand. And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die. And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth. And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah. – 1 Kings 17:8-16
The widow of Zarephath had great expectation because she was chosen for divine visitation. She was selected for a divine encounter. Luke 4:25-26 states:
But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.
There were many widows in the land in her time that needed a miracle, but God singled her out for a divine encounter. I believe God that as you read this book, He will single you out for a divine encounter.
The widow of Zarephath had geat expectations because of some reasons:
She Knew God’s Ways
This widow must have been aware of what happens when God visits. They all had read the first five books of Moses to find out the accounts of Abraham. Every time God visits a people, He turns things around. In Genesis 18, when God visited Abraham and his family, his sorrow turned into laughter. So, this widow must have heard about it. Even in Genesis 19, when God paid Lot a visit, a divine encounter, Lot’s family was delivered from destruction. Somehow she knew she was facing a difficult situation, but God had chosen to pay her a visit. She said,“Without any doubt, all will be well.” I also believe God for you, that without doubt all will be well in your future and finances.
God Has Spoken
The second reason she had a great expectation is that God had spoken. The man of God said, “…Thus saith the Lord..”. God had spoken. The word of God once spoken is settled. As stated in Psalm 33:8-9,
Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.
God had spoken, not just to the widow, but also to the barrel and bottle of oil. She knew that when God speaks, even your pocket will hear. So when God said“
,From now on, there will be no lack in this home,” she believed. Do you believe that from now on, you will never know poverty again?
Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it? – Isaiah 43:13
When God wants to work, no one can hinder him. If He singles you out for favour, no one can do anything about it. I am telling you right now that anyone who wants to stand in your way of success will not see the New Year, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. This is because if God wants to work, anyone who stands in his way will be crushed. Man is grass, and all his beauty is like flower that fades. Therefore if God wants to work for you and the Red Sea suddenly says “no,” all He has to do is breath, and there will be a way where no way ever existed before.
Beginning from this moment, where there is no way for you, there will be a way, in the mighty name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
God’s Prophet has Spoken
Elijah said, “Thus saith the Lord..”. The widow believed. In verse 16 of our key
scripture, it is recorded that it happened as the Lord spoke through his Prophet, Elijah. Believing in the words of God’s prophet brings prosperity.
And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper. – 2 Chronicles 20:20
I speak to you as God’s oracle and prophet: In a way you can never understand, you will prosper. In the name that is above every other name, JESUS; from now on, ways shall be opened unto you. Where you have failed before; beginning from now, you will succeed, in the name of Jesus.
In 1 Samuel 3:19, God vowed never to allow the word of his prophet to fall to the ground:
And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.
I have told this story so many times. I know a man who was so poor. In fact, between me and him, I could not tell who was poorer. I was led by the Holy Spirit to give him the savings I had to start a business. I told him that the money will never finish. Today, I ca n count at least two houses he owns that can be truly called mansions.
That is because the money as I prophesied never finished. I prophesy to you today that whatever is left in your pocket now will never finish, in Jesus’ name.
Awareness of the Unchanging Law of Harvest
This widow knew about the unchanging law of harvest. She knew that Genesis 8:22 that,
While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.
As long as the earth remains, seedtime and harvest shall never cease. She knew it is God’s word, and therefore is settled forever. She understood that if she sows she will reap. Harvest only comes when you have sowed.
The problem with many of us is that when what we have is little, we want to hold on to it. If you do not sow, how will it produce a harvest? I remember some time ago when I was still struggling. We had just one tuber of yam left in the whole house. Someone came to visit us, and my wife in her usual way does not
allow people leave our house empty handed. She gave out that tuber of yam. I almost said (although I never said it out)“, Darling, Jesus said if you have two coats, give out one…” But here was only one tuber of yam, and she gave it out. But according to the law of harvest, before that day was over, our house was full of yams!
This widow also realized that the law of harvest works in proportion. The more you sow, the more you reap. Also, the less you sow, the less you reap.
But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. – 2 Cor 9:6
She was aware that the one who sows all will reap all. All she had was what the man of God asked for, but she knew it was a seed and gave it. She must have also read in Genesis 22, where God asked Abraham to give him his all– Isaac. Abraham was willing to let go. After he passed the test, the Almighty God promised to bless him and multiply his seed.
This widow was chosen among so many widows. She was not even a Jew or one we could call a Christian in our time. Why would God choose her?
Well, in Psalm 115:3 says“ ,But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath please”d. God does not need permission from anyone to do what He intends doing. God does not ask your neighbour or friends before He chooses you. God is sovereign and does what he pleases. However, God is not arbitrary. God knew there was something in that woman that the moment she hears the name of God, she will respond.
I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. – Proverbs 8:7
If you love God, He will love you. The moment she heard it was God requesting for her last meal, she said, “You can have it!”
The million dollar question is: Who will God choose? The choice is yours.
The Almighty God knows all of us crying to him for one breakthrough or another. He knows those who will spend their breakthrough on themselves alone. He also knows those who will use it for his glory – he knows all these from what we do with what we have now. God knows us inside out.
The Almighty God is looking for divine treasurers. He is looking for someone who will say“, Whatever you put in my hands, you can have it.” He is looking to pick someone for an unlimited financial divine encounter. Will you be the one?
Prayer Points
- Father, if you need a divine treasurer, I am here. I will serve you with all I have for the rest of my life.
- Father, if you want to choose someone for a divine visitation, I am available. Use me for your glory, in the name of Jesus.
- Father, even as you are blessing me, bless my family and friends also, in the name of Jesus.
- Father, do marvellous things for me, in the name of Jesus.
- Father, put an end to poverty in my life, in the name of Jesus.
- Father, open great divine doors for me, in the name of Jesus.
- Father, exceed my expectations, in the name of Jesus.
- Father, if you are going to use only one person this season, let it be me, in the name of Jesus.
- Father, even with the little I have I want to demonstrate that I love you. Bless me, in Jesus’ name.
- Father, open the floodgates of blessings unto me, in the name of Jesus.
