David Yarbrough
2 Kings 4:6 (CSB)
When they were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another container.” But he replied, “There aren’t any more.” Then the oil stopped.
The story of the widow's oil in 2 Kings 4:6 is a powerful illustration of how our capacity to experience the Kingdom of God is contingent on the size of our spiritual vessel. As long as the widow had vessels, the oil continued to flow. There was no shortage of oil; rather, there was only a shortage of containers that limited the outpouring.
Consider the size of the Atlantic Ocean; it is incomprehensible, just as the greatness and glory of God are unfathomable. Suppose you went to the shoreline of the Atlantic and decided you wanted some water. You can have as much of the ocean as you want; it's all contingent on the capacity of your container. Imagine filling a small thimble to the brim with water from the Atlantic Ocean. The thimble’s capacity is extremely limited, but it still holds a tiny portion of the vast ocean within it. In your Christian faith, a thimble can represent your very first steps of faith, where you first acknowledge Jesus as your Lord and Savior. But as time goes on, you should grow spiritually, and your spiritual capacity for the Kingdom of God should be expanding in your heart.
As you mature spiritually, you should also increase your desire to develop your personal relationship with God; it would be like a thimble becoming a five-gallon bucket. This represents a deeper desire to know Jesus and for His Kingdom to spread in your heart. This deeper desire is expressed through more diligent study of His Word, and more consistency in your prayer life. Your Kingdom bucket brimming with living water is much greater than the thimble. But just like the Atlantic Ocean, God's ability to fill you is still significantly greater.
Consider a tanker truck; it has the capacity to hold thousands of gallons. This represents a life that is overflowing with the Kingdom of God and is expanding far beyond the borders of its natural limitations. Paul talked about this kind of maturity in Ephesians 4:13 (NLT), “This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.” Who among us is “measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ?” We can all use more Kingdom expansion in our lives.
Wherever you may be in your faith walk today, one thing is for sure: God is infinitely more than you can fathom or contain. Your capacity to experience the Kingdom of God here on earth is directly proportional to your willingness and desire to increase it. And yet even at your fullest, you are barely scratching the surface of the depth, breadth, and height of God's love (Ephesians 3:18).
So how do you expand your capacity for the Kingdom of God? Through Kingdom disciplines such as Bible study, prayer, obedience, fellowship, worship, and service. The Kingdom of God is only going to expand within your heart as you stir and develop your desire for it. As Jesus says in Matthew 5:6 (CSB), “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”
So remember, dear reader, that your capacity to experience the Kingdom of God here and now is not fixed. It’s not static; it is like an expandable vessel, growing with your faith, love, and commitment to King Jesus. So, the question then is not whether or not God can fill you, but how much of Him and His Kingdom do you want flowing in and through your life?
Matthew 6:10 (CSB)
Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.