Read 2 Kings 4:38-41.

In the Promised Land, the people are dependent upon the rain, which means they’re dependent upon God. In 2 Kings 4, there hadn’t been rain for a very long time in the region of Gilgal, where the school of the prophets (an ancient Bible college or seminary) was located. So, the people of the region were suffering through a famine.

One day, when Elisha was meeting with the company of prophets, he instructed his servant to put on a big pot of stew. This stew was to be God’s provision—His supernatural relief during this time of trouble. God always, always refreshes His righteous ones in times of suffering. He may not remove the suffering, but He will refresh His children in the midst of it.

But then one of the students went out into the fields and found a strange vine. Without knowing what it was, he picked the gourds from it and added them to the stew. Little did he realize he was adding poison to the pot.

Brothers and sisters, God doesn’t need our help. It may have seemed like an innocent mistake, but in reality, this man’s desire to add his own ingredient to the stew has all the markings of a controlling spirit—and there’s no surer way to intrude on God’s miraculous provision.

A controlling spirit is the number-one enemy of faith. It ruins relationships, breeds loneliness, and ultimately squeezes God out. Any time we add to God’s provision, we poison the pot.

What God wants is for you and me to trust Him. God wants you to meet the conditions of His promises, and then He wants you to stand back and let Him do the rest.

Elisha cured the stew by having his servant add wheat flour to it. It wasn’t an accident that it was wheat flour, for wheat points to Jesus. In John 12, Jesus declared, “Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds” (v. 24). Jesus was that kernel of wheat. He bled and died and was buried and rose again to reproduce His life within us. He is the flour that removes the poison of sin and self-reliance from our hearts.

Prayer: Father, forgive me for the times I try to force my way in a situation. Help me to trust You and Your purposes. May I relinquish control and seek Your will through Your Word so that I become more and more like Jesus. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Elisha said, ‘Get some flour.’ He put it into the pot and said, ‘Serve it to the people to eat.’ And there was nothing harmful in the pot” (2 Kings 4:41).

Learn more in Dr. Michael Youssef’s sermon It Is Supernatural, Part 5: LISTEN NOW | WATCH NOW

Check out more from Dr. Michael Youssef, here!

About The Author

Dr. Michael Youssef, Ph.D.

Even before he was born, it is clear that God had a vision for Michael Youssef. His mother was in poor health when she became pregnant with Michael, and because his life was in danger at the time of birth, the doctor recommended terminating the pregnancy. An abortion was scheduled. But God intervened and sent the family pastor to reassure them that God was involved in this pregnancy. He told them not to be afraid and that the child would be "born to serve the Lord." Michael's parents accepted the pastor's message as a message from God and obeyed. His mother gave birth, and lived to see him give his life to the Lord at the age of sixteen.


Believing that God had called him out of Egypt, Michael sought an exit visa in a time in which no university student was allowed to have a passport or leave the country. God intervened again, and miraculously he managed to acquire a visa. He immigrated to Australia, where he studied at Moore Theological College in Sydney, was ordained as a pastor, and met Elizabeth who became his wife.


The Youssefs came to America in 1977, and in 1978 Michael received a master's degree in theology at Fuller Theological Seminary in California. Then he earned a doctorate in social anthropology at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Michael served nearly ten years in the Haggai Institute, traveling around the world more than 32 times, teaching courses in evangelism and leadership. He rose to the position of Managing Director at the age of 31 years. The family settled in Atlanta, and in 1984, Michael became a citizen of the United States, making his dream of many years come true.


He founded The Church of The Apostles in 1987 with fewer than 40 adults with the mission of "Equipping the Saints and Searching for the Lost". The church has since grown to be a congregation of over 3,000 people today. This church has driven the international ministry of Leading the Way. While it is heard by millions at home and abroad, behind every message preached through radio waves, is the heart of a pastor, willing to nurture and care for these people. Clearly God has uniquely equipped Dr. Youssef to speak to a global audience. The path he has taken has given him an understanding and firm grasp of the Scriptures that transcend cultures. He preaches, teaches and calls with a sincere, based on the authority of the inerrant, inspired Word of God. With his personal knowledge of the Holy Land, its history and culture, Dr. Michael Youssef transmits life to listeners all over the world.



Email Sign-up

Sign up for the TWR360 Newsletter

Access updates, news, Biblical teaching and inspirational messages from powerful Christian voices.

Thank you for signing up to receive updates from TWR360.

Required information missing

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA, and the Google Privacy Policy & Terms of Use apply.