Positioned for Increase

2 Kings 4:1-7
The widow’s life was blessed because she was positioned for increase and provision that was given by God and spoken by the man of God.

7 Keys to positioning yourself for increase

1 – Look to the Lord for increase

The widow made a good decision by turning to God first instead of just trying to work it out on her own
Many people turn away from God, away from the man of God, away from the house of God
There is a supernatural dimension to the increase of God: factor in God, the anointing, the favor of God
The widow turned to God by turning to the man of God; every person needs to be connected to someone who is in touch with God
Be connected to a church where God is alive and moving where you are hearing the word of the Lord

2 – Start with what you have

God always looks for us to utilize what we already have before he releases increase into our life
When Jesus was going to feed the five thousand, he started with what they had
God supplies seed for our miracle for our increase
Luke 16:10 “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much.”
Instead of worrying or complaining about what you don’t have, take inventory of what you do have
The widow had a little to get started with, but she thought it was nothing
God required her to use her little seed to bring forth her increase
You already have some oil, some anointing
It took some level of faith to start pouring out her last little bit of oil
Sometimes you have to release what you have to get what you want

3 – Get a team mentality

God connected with other people; learn to work with others
The widow worked with her neighbors and her sons; she had some relationships in place
You’ll never fulfill your destiny alone; build a team of destiny around yourself
Build relationships that work, that can be depended on
Become a part of a strong local church; that’s part of becoming a team in God

4 – Position yourself for increase to come

Get many vessels, not just a few to position yourself for increase
If you want to make more than you make now, you may have to make a move
If you want increase in your walk with God, it won’t happen with a casual approach to the word and prayer
Get an inner posture ready to receive increase from God

The oil stopped at their capacity to receive it

5 – Take care of what’s happening behind closed doors

Shut the door and take care of business
Issues concealed behind closed doors cannot handle increase
What’s done or what exists in your life in private can make or break you
What exists in your life in private will have an impact on your life in public
The real issues of increase always start in private
The increase for the widow was happening behind closed doors before it was brought out into the open
The issues of increase start in your inner man

6 – Be willing to work

The widow and her sons were busy gathering vessels, pouring oil, and setting full oil containers aside
Their work was not a frenzy to try to make something happen; they were working in cooperation with a word from God
Get a word from God and then work born out of a word
Your first objective is not to get all busy trying to make things happen
Get a word from heaven and then get involved in the work of obedience to the word

7 – Determine to manage your increase wisely

There was an order that the widow followed: go sell the oil, pay your debt, live on the rest
If we cannot manage increase wisely, it will not do us any good
Get out of debt so increase is actually increase
Learn to manage your increase wisely instead of just recreating your former debt or spending habits on a higher level
Get right with God, with people, and with His church
God wants to take the seed that you think is nothing and put His increase on it

Facilitating Discussion

What do you have in your hand that is a seed for future increase?
How can you work to position yourself to receive the increase that God intends for your life?