CRISIS MANAGEMENT – “The word (full of) uncommon solutions”

(2 Chronicles 20:20 c)….Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall pro

(2 Kings 4:1-7) A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves.” So Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” And she said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.” Then he said, “Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbours —empty vessels; do not gather just a few. And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones.” So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out. Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “ There is not another vessel.” So the oil ceased. Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest.”

Today’s topic is called: Crisis management – “ The word (full of) uncommon solutions ”

You may have heard statements like at one time or the other “When trouble comes, they come in multiples….
May trouble not know your domain in Jesus name (Amen).

Diving into the story in (2 Kings 4:1-7);
This woman (the widow of the prophet) was in grief, dealing with the loss of her husband, perhaps as result of this sudden loss she’s also lonely – a psychological & emotional problem.
Evidently from the story, the prophet that died was the breadwinner of the house; his demise created a myriad of problems.
From this same story, we gathered that she was in a financial problem – she and her children inherited her deceased husband’s debts and to complicate matters nothing in the house, except a jar of oil which suggests no food or even poverty is at the door,
As a result of the death and debt of her husband, her two sons are about to be taken away from her as surety or payment for the debt owed. She’s about to be dealt another blow – a psychological one.
Picture her whole world like a pack of cards tumbling down!
(Psalm 25:17) The troubles of my heart have enlarged; Bring me out of my distresses!

Like anyone (human being) in this kind of crisis, the question is how much more trouble can I take ? It’s like a case of her sack of flour has not only split in one place, but haemorrhaging with multiple holes. From one problem, multiple issues/challenges/problems arose. The bible didn’t tell us about her blood pressure however, but my educated guess is; it will be at a record high !

So what do you do in such a situation?
You may have heard this African adage before; when trees fall on trees, you start by lifting the top one.
(Psalm 121:1-8) I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.
(Psalm 50:15) Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.”
(Philippians 4:6-7) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
(Isaiah 41:10) Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

According to the Old Testament tradition;
This wise widow, sought God’s opinion from a genuine prophet (with immense pedigree) – for an answer, not a fly by night one.

(2 Chronicles 20:20 c)….Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.”
The prophet’s action and reply to this widow’s pressing circumstances for me is both baffling and confusing;
He didn’t counsel or comfort her. He didn’t give her a long speech. His solution to her pressing need defied human logic; in that through the word of God from the prophet, almost nothing (a jar of oil) combined with borrowed empty (vessels) to produce something – an entrepreneurship – enough to pay up her debts and the rest to live on for the rest of her life! Wow! Harvard business school & London school of economics eat your heart out ! No MBA course or module can deliver that solution.
Why ???
(Isaiah 55:8-9) For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.
(1 Corinthians 1:27) But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;

I can hear this widow singing, can you ?
(Psalm 34:3-8) O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed. This poor man/ woman cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
Like this widow and prophet’s story, the whole world is desperately waiting, crying out for fire filled, Holy baptised sons and daughters of God who will provide/ bring from the hidden treasures of uncommon solutions to world issues, problems and challenges before this age passes away.

(Romans 8:19) For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.
Shall we take a moment to cry out to God, remember His word, which promised and honour them speedily.
(Numbers 11:29b)…Oh, that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!”
(Joel 2:28) And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions.

Today God is talking to someone saying right amongst you, I still have true prophets with my word of salvation, deliverance, hope and uncommon solutions. Prophets whose words will never fall to the ground. Seek Me (God) first, you might even be one of them.

“GRACE TO UNTIE & UNLOCK ENIGMAS IS HERE – SPEAK A WORD”.

# For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 2:17).

Bigger than all my problems, bigger than every need, my God is bigger than every mountain I can or cannot see…..
Still singing songs of victory, Hallelujah!

From: ‘Imitators of Christ, renewing the mind, under the guidance of The Holy Spirit’