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Empty . . . and Emptied!

“And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.” (Joh 2:6-7 KJV)

The water jars were empty. This is why the Lord commanded that they be filled with water. It is only the empty and emptied vessel that can be filled. A full man cannot be filled. A man full of himself, of his own knowledge and of ambition for this world cannot be filled. A man full of bitterness and anger cannot be filled. The condition that made these jars useful was their emptiness. They became empty.

“Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen. And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil. Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few. And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full. So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out. And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed.” (2Ki 4:1-6 KJV)

Whatever was using them before now, they were emptied of all such: self, Satan and the world. They were no longer available for ceremonial feet washing by men. Such ignoble use was not what they were carved, crafted and set there for. Men who were not ready for true consecration could no longer have access to them because they have been emptied. Emptied and made ready for the real purpose that their maker has in mind for them at creation.  

Jesus emptied Himself of all His own glory in order to become a vessel for our salvation. This leaves me with an example of what to seek for, as I hope to be used of God. I must be emptied so as to be filled with something divine which is necessary for my use by God. I must stay clear of all that seeks or will seek to fill me, for that will make me unavailable to be filled with the life of Christ by God.

The Lord commanded that the waterpots of stone be filled because they were empty. It was not that day that they were emptied. It is not in the day of my divine usage that I will seek to be emptied. Such crashed program does not allow the oil of anointing to flow upon a man’s head. This is where David’s brothers missed it. Outward sanctification of washing clothes even for three days is not sufficient to empty a man’s heart in readiness for the infilling of the Holy Spirit for the Lord’s choice vessel. The Lord looks not at the face but the heart, and that is where I need to empty and be emptied.         Lord, this again is the yearning of my heart. Purge me and empty me of all things until I am free to be filled afresh with Thy Spirit. I must not even be filled with my past experience in ministry. I must not fill my heart with anything stale. I want to be fresh in your hand O Lord. Fill me anew. Fill me with the fresh water from the stream. Flush me out and cleanse me thoroughly till I am fit to bear the water of life unto my generation. Amen.

2 Comments

  • Ikechukwu Chiamaka
    Posted

    Empty me to be used oh Lord

  • Finangnon René Kounoudji
    Posted

    Merci beaucoup.
    Dieu vous bénisse abondament

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