Your mindset will set you up for failure or success and schedule you to attend either a victim's party or a victory celebration.
As you look at the story of the widow woman in 1Kings 17, you will understand that she operated in her present reality, which meant that she operated with a victim's mentality. The woman had suffered a loss, had understandably conditioned her mind to the reality of loss, and she saw a loss in every situation. She had lost her husband and found that all she had left was enough to take her and her son to another loss - Death! That is just what the enemy wants to do. The enemy wants to take you from where you are and transport you to a place called death.
Admittedly, there are times when all seems to be, and even is, going wrong. However, that is when you must be so very careful, for you may more easily see death as the obvious end.
I Kings 17:12 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.
While in verse 12, the widow woman prophesied death for herself and her son, I am so glad that before she spoke a word of death, God had already spoken a Word of life in verse 9.
9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.
Be careful of what you speak. The picture you paint by the words from your mouth will be the portrait that hangs on the wall of your life!
Looking at the woman in the story, you see her heading towards the city gate. It must be noted that the gates of a city represent life and death. As you enter the city you embrace life and as you exit the city you are moving towards death. How wonderful that God times it so that His mouthpiece, Elijah, would be at the gate when she got there. In other words, God stopped that woman from carrying out her own death sentence, by speaking life through His prophet, Elijah.
At the gate, Elijah asked the woman for water. That was fairly easy, for even though she had a little bit of water she could spare him a portion of it. It was only after she obeyed the command that Elijah further asked the woman for a cake. Now that is the interesting part. All the woman saw was that she had some flour and a little bit of oil. Yet, the prophet spoke to her saying that within her ability, she had a cake.
Sometimes, God will speak to you about what you cannot currently see. God is not asking you to do the impossible. God is asking for you to trust and obey. When you obey, then God will work a miracle through your obedience.
The miracle is no real issue for God. The challenge is for you to obey even when it makes no sense and it looks like all is lost.
The widow woman obeyed, and God breathed on her obedience and produced a bounty of cakes. She saw no cake, but after all was said and done, she had cakes galore.
What are you speaking? Are you speaking life or death? Are you willing to obey God now or will you sentence yourself to death?
As you look around, many see only flour and a little bit of oil. Then there are those who see beyond flour and oil and see cake.
What do I say to the matter at hand? I say, "Let them eat cake!" I see life, hope, and a good future. Why? It's because I refuse to paint anything else but that which honors the purpose and plan of God. What will you speak today? What picture will you paint? Blessings Abound! RESPICE FINEM...
