How to Solve a Problem

Introduction

Tonight we continue our series on Elijah and Elisha. We began this series:

How God Sustains His People (1Ki. 17:1-6)

We saw the manner in which God mightily supplied the needs of Elijah in the midst of a drought in the land.

How God Uses His People (1Ki. 17:8-24)

We examined how God used the widow woman to supply Elijah’s need, as well as how Elijah supplied her need. Reminding us of Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

How the Fire Falls (1Ki. 18)

During a Feeble time w/ Depraved leadership & Divided people

God provided a Faithful man, who challenged his people; chastised false worship; Corrected the Basis of Worship; who had Confidence in God & Called upon the same

A Falling Fire

Came Powerfully; Sufficiently; Convincingly & Effectively.

How to Get Back in the Saddle

I. The Immorality of the Enemy (v1-4)

Unmistakable; Unconverted; Unsettling

II. The Indulgence of the LORD (v5-8)

Elijah Retreated; God allowed him Rest (v5-6b); God provided Refreshment for the Moment (v5b-6a); God gave Resources for the Journey (v7)

III. The Insight of the LORD (v9-12)

A Prophet Disheartened; God’s Power was Demonstrated; God’s Presence was Discovered

IV. The Instruction of the LORD (v13-18)

Get Back Where you Belong (v15a); Bless the Next Generation (v15b-16)

Be Encouraged

I Have a Plan (v17)

You are Not Alone (v18)

How to Have Peace Under Fire

I. The Reason for the Fire

For Following the Spirit’s Lead (v3); For Declaring the Word of the LORD (v4); For Having a Familiar a Description (v7-8)

II. The Right Way to Handle It

Be Situated Properly (v9b); Stand Fast in your Heritage (v10a); Stay Firm in Your Position (v9-12); Be Perceptive to the Spirit (v13-15)

III. The Rest of the Story

God Protected (v15); God’s Word was Proclaimed (v16); God’s Will was Performed (v17)

How to be Faithful in Times of Trouble

I. A Troubled Time

The Burden of Loss

The Opportunities it Presented;

Reviving of the Brethren; Remembering of the Past; The Resolve to Continue the Work

II. A Testimony of Faithfulness

Through the Pressures of the Known; Through the Pressures of the Unknown; Through the Voices of Discouragement

III. A Transformative Result

Because He was Faithful…

His Prayer was Answered; He Performed Miracles; He Proved His Calling

How to Set the Tone

I. The Waters were Cured

A Pitiful Land (v19); A Pristine Vessel and a Powerful Agent (v20); A Pronouncement Made (v21); A Purification Provided (v22)

II. The Mockers were Cursed

A Fallen City (v23a); A Faithless Generation (v23b); A Fury Unleashed (v24a); A Future Altered (v24b)

Today we are continuing on with the story of Elisha. It's a simple story, but one that can teach us valuable lessons.

But the first thing we must identify in The Problem

I. The Problem (v1a)

A Lack of Plan / Preparation

As we begin this story, we notice that there was a lack of plan or preparation on the ‘son of prophet’.

The "son of the prophets" are essentially students of the prophets, their disciples if you will.

Training Centers for Prophets: They were schools where men learned prophetic discipline, Scripture, and divine law under senior prophets such as Samuel, Elijah, or Elisha.

Moral and Religious Reformers: They preserved faith in Yahweh during times of national idolatry (especially under kings like Ahab).Elisha’s ministry, for example, often involved helping and teaching these prophetic groups.

Messengers and Witnesses: Sometimes they were used to deliver divine messages or assist prophets in missions (e.g., one anointed Jehu as king in 2 Kings 9:1–3).

Preservers of Prophetic Tradition: They kept alive the prophetic office, possibly copying sacred texts and maintaining oral instruction.

The problem is he did not have any plan or preparation for what was to come.

First, let me speak on a practical matter. It is my job as the husband of my wife to make sure that my family is taken care of, both in life and in death. Therefore, I need to make sure that I have a plan in place and prepare for contingencies to make sure that my family is taken care of.

This man didn’t have a plan in place (being a preacher, I understand - I’m sure he wasn’t of the wealthiest men around). He wasn't prepared, and that left his family in a bad spot. His family was going to have to bear the consequences of him not having been prepared.

A Lack of Plan / Preparation

A Passing

Next, we see that the man died.

A couple of things about this:

We see first off that he hadn't made preparations as we spoke about.

Secondly, it most likely came upon him in an unexpected fashion.

Church, very few people that are not seniors have made preparations for death. We see death everyday. We know that there is a multitude of people that have died, and we know that a multitude more will. But we seldom stop to consider that one day it will be us.

We should diligently remember the words of James: James 4:13–14 “Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”

Let me ask you this: Are you ready to die?

Yes, in the practical sense, have you made preparations for your family and such should be done when you die?

But more so in the spiritual sense. Are you ready to die?

A Lack of Plan Preparation & a Passing

A Pledge Unfulfilled

Last, we see a pledge unfulfilled. This man had accumulated some debts during his lifetime. Those debts which he had promised to pay back. Now he's dead and cannot.

He died with things left undone.

You and I have but one life, and when it's done, it's done. One thing you do not want to do is leave this world with unfinished business.

As we look at the life of Paul, we see that that was not a problem for him. 2 Timothy 4:7–8 “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”

(Ill.) Consider for a moment Charlie Kirk. He left this world at only 31 years of age. And though he lost his life, he lived! There were most certainly things that he could have done. He could have raised his children, been a husband to his wife for many years yet. But that man died leaving nothing undone. He made the most of the time in which the Lord gave him. If you were to die today, could you say the same?

We see a pledge unfulfilled.

The Problem

II. The Petition (v1b)

Now we'll focus on the wife he left behind and her petition she made unto Elisha.

The first thing we notice is that he had the right standing. Speaking of, the son of the prophet, her husband.

He had the Right Standing

Though he had no money and he had left this world without preparations being made for his family, he was in a right standing with God.

So while he wasn't prepared physically to die, he was prepared spiritually, which is most important. The Bible says that he feared the Lord.

The fear of the Lord is very important and is often either ignored or reasoned away today, Yet the Bible speaks of the fear of the Lord over 100 times in Scripture.

The Bible tells us that:

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.

Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: But fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

Job 28:28 “And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding.”

If you incline your heart to wisdom, you will fear the Lord.

Proverbs 2:5 “Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, And find the knowledge of God.”

By it, blessings will flow.

Proverbs 22:4 “By humility and the fear of the Lord Are riches, and honour, and life.”

This man had the right standing spiritually because he feared the Lord, and that testifies to the fact that he had his faith in the Lord. He might have been unprepared for death physically, but he was prepared spiritually.

Can you say the same?

He had the Right Standing, and She had the Right Source

She had the Right Source

She knew where to turn for her help.

Now we must understand that we live in a very different time than she did in that day. In that day, there was not direct access unto God like you and I have today. This was prior to the sacrifice of Jesus.

You and I, the Bible says, can boldly approach the Throne of Grace and find our help in time of need. But she didn't have that opportunity.

Hebrews 4:14–16 “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

She couldn't do that, but she did the next best thing.

I think Brother Haddon had a good point this morning in that we are a needy people. We all need the Lord.

I don't know what your issues are. I don't know the severity of your problems. But I do know the one that can help. And his name is King Jesus!

Do you have a problem? Jesus can help.

Are you in need of salvation? Jesus can help.

Are you struggling financially? Jesus can help.

My God owns the cattle upon a thousand hills!

She had a problem, so she went to the right source. Notice the reaction to at the beginning of verse number two when Elisha said, "What shall I do for thee?" God wants the best for us, and prayers move the heart of God. If you don't believe me, just read the book of Jonah.

We see the problem and the petition.

III. The Plan (v2-6)

Now that she had gone to the man of God and made her petition known, what was the plan to help her?

Was Faith Based

What the man of God instructed her to do was all dependent upon faith. It wasn't difficult things, but it was things that she must do solely by faith in order to ease her burden.

Church, I have said multiple times that the Christian life is one that must be lived by faith.

Not only is our salvation based on faith, but our success in living the life God has for us is all based on faith.

Faith in Procuring

2 Kings 4:3 “Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.”

He told her to go to all her neighbors and get empty vessels. She now had to be willing to go door-to-door and risk embarrassment to any neighbor who would ask why, in order to put God's plan into action.

Church, our faith is not something to be practiced in private alone. Our faith is something that should radiate; it's something that should be a beacon of light unto those around us.

Sometimes what God instructs us to do will not make sense to some people.

(Ill.) I remember when I quit my job to go pastor that little church in NC. When I resigned my job, my boss couldn't believe it. Though I told him what my reason was, he simply could not believe that I was quitting this job to maybe pastor a church. Not that he doubted my character, but that he could not believe I was giving up the money and the opportunity during the time of the recession which we were in.

When we live and walk by faith, often times those around us will not understand. But the beauty of it is they don't have to. We need not worry about pleasing man, only God!

Faith in Pouring

Not only did she have to have faith in procuring, but also faith to pour it.

(Ill.) Consider just for a moment being in her position. You have all of these vessels around you, and you have one vessel that has oil in it. To the logical mind, pouring it from that vessel into another vessel would be an act of futility (kind of like marching around a city for seven days). Imagine, to her surprise, as she pours from the one into another, the other fills up, but she still has more left to pour! And then she pours into another, and she still has more left to pour! And then another, and another…

Church, I'm here to tell you that faith can accomplish far more than we could ever think possible!

Jesus was asked by the disciples why they could not cast out the demon from that man: Matthew 17:20 “And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.”

Faith made those stricken by the serpents live in Numbers 21.

Faith made the sun stand still in Joshua 10.

Faith saw three Hebrew boys escape the fire in Daniel 3.

Faith shut the mouths of lions in Daniel 6.

Faith gave the blind his sight in Luke 18.

We don't need new programs in the church. We don't need a new way of doing things. We just need lives lived by faith, and watch God do miraculous things!

The plan was faith-based.

We see the problem, the petition & the plan

IV. The Providence (v7)

Lastly, we see as Paul Harvey would say ‘The Rest of the Story’.

Incidentally, oftentimes we don't know the rest of the story when it comes to the actions attached to our faith. We simply must trust God that His Word is true and that it will accomplish that which He pleases.

We see a Debt Settled

A Debt Settled

God would supply what she needed to settle that debt.

And in God's fashion, He didn't just give her just enough, but He filled every vessel that they could find until they ran out of room!

We see the debt was settled, but not only that, but a Future was Supplied

A Future Supplied

God not only supplied what she owed in the past, but he made sure that she and her sons were taken care of for the future.

They went from nigh in bondage to living on the overflow.

(Ill.) Church, this is me. I can relate to this. 25 years ago I was in bondage - then God saved me and set my feet on a solid rock & established my goings. My sin debt was settled, and my future supplied, AND GOD KEEPS ON BLESSING ME!

You all might not be aware, but I have a grandson. He’s so precious. His name is Malachi, but we call him ‘Mali’ for short. I have another name for him. He’s my Jethro. I don’t call him that often, as it’s more of an adjective than a name. Jethro (def) means ‘abundance’ or ‘overflow’ - God has blessed me as David said “…my cup runneth over…”

Church, we have a good God that provides not only for our needs but also enriches our lives with multitudes of blessings. Praise be unto His Holy Name!

Conclusion

Let’s review how you solve a problem:

You take it to God

You do what God tells you to do BY FAITH

You watch and enjoy the blessings that follow

It’s a pretty simple formula, but powerful none the less.

I wonder how many of you need God to move on something? You have a problem that is too big for you to solve. Will you take it to God? Will you trust Him with that problem? Will you walk by faith beleieving?