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Supply and Demand from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo.

There is a chronic drug addiction problem in our country. Nearly every family has someone or knows someone who is struggling with it. Drugs are everywhere, and the supply is more abundant than ever before. It has become a trillion-dollar-a-year industry.

Why is there such an abundant supply of drugs available? Because there is great demand for them. People are thirsty, and they want them. If the demand was to go away, the supply chain would soon dwindle because those supplying it would move on to other things.

There is always a supply when there is a demand. It is the same with the Spirit. When the demand leaves, the anointing oil stops flowing. Remember the story of Elisha and the poor widow who was about to lose her sons to a creditor? Elisha told her to borrow all the empty vessels that she could and take her small jar of oil, and pour it into them. The oil kept flowing as long as there was an empty vessel to receive it:

(2 Kings 4:6 NASB)  When the vessels were full, she said to her son, "Bring me another vessel." And he said to her, "There is not one vessel more." And the oil stopped.

In light of that, I would like to compare a few stories of Jesus:

(Mark 5:21–24 NKJV)  Now when Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a great multitude gathered to Him; and He was by the sea. And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name. And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet and begged Him earnestly, saying, "My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live." So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him.

Jesus was traveling by, but Jairus had a need. His little daughter was sick and about to die. He came and fell at the feet of Jesus and begged Him to come and heal her. We know the rest of the story. Jesus went to Jairus' house, but the daughter had died before they arrived. Yet, Jesus put the mockers out, then raised His "little lamb" from the dead. There was a supply of anointing oil to meet the demand of the faithful.

Then, while on the way to Jairus' house, there was a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years. She had spent all that she had on doctors, but they couldn't help her.

(Mark 5:25–30 NKJV)  Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, "If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well." Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched My clothes?"

Now Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit, practically a walking cistern of miracle-working power, filled to the brim and running over. Yet, He would have walked right on past that woman, and she would have walked away still bleeding if she had not taken action. She literally drew the miracle out of Jesus and was healed. Jesus told her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well." What faith is He talking about? Her actions! She reached out and touched Him.

Now we know that Jesus came to the Jews first, then to the Gentiles. Yet, there was a Gentile woman who drew a miracle out of Jesus even before the set time. Because she "kept asking" Him for it:

(Mark 7:24–30 NASB)  Jesus got up and went away from there to the region of Tyre. And when He had entered a house, He wanted no one to know of it; yet He could not escape notice. But after hearing of Him, a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately came and fell at His feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, of the Syrophoenician race. And she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter. And He was saying to her, "Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." But she answered and said to Him, "Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table feed on the children's crumbs." And He said to her, "Because of this answer go; the demon has gone out of your daughter." And going back to her home, she found the child lying on the bed, the demon having left.

Jesus taught His disciples that this is the way. We are to keep asking and never give up hope just as that Gentile woman did:

(Luke 18:1–5 NASB)  Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, saying, "In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man. "There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, 'Give me legal protection from my opponent.' "For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, 'Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.' "

In Luke 11:1, one of Jesus' disciples asked Him to teach them to pray as John did with his disciples. So He taught them what we know as the Lord's prayer. Then He told them this:

(Luke 11:5–10 NKJV)  And He said to them, "Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him'; and he will answer from within and say, 'Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you'? I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs. "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

Again we see the persistent demand opening up the locked up supply. The supply was already there, but the man had to keep asking until it was given to him. Why? I don't know, but it's the way it happens repeatedly. If you read the Gospels with this in mind, you will find it over and over. Consider the blind man sitting beside the road as Jesus was on His way to Jericho:

(Luke 18:35–43 NASB)  As Jesus was approaching Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road begging. Now hearing a crowd going by, he began to inquire what this was. They told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. And he called out, saying, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Those who led the way were sternly telling him to be quiet; but he kept crying out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" And Jesus stopped and commanded that he be brought to Him; and when he came near, He questioned him, "What do you want Me to do for you?" And he said, "Lord, I want to regain my sight!" And Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has made you well." Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him, glorifying God; and when all the people saw it, they gave praise to God.

Once again, Jesus was passing by someone in need, and the blind man began to cry out to Jesus. They told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more. In the end, Jesus told him as He had told the woman with the issue of blood, "Your faith has made you well." What faith is Jesus talking about? The man's persistent crying out! He believed enough to ask for it. If he would have sat silently on the side of the road as those around him told him to, then he would have remained blind while Jesus passed on by.

This happens again and again. The demand unlocked the supply that was already there. God's supply chain is always there, but James tells us, "we don't have, because we don't ask" (James 4:2). If you just sit back and wait on something to happen, then Jesus may pass on by. Look at what happened when He visited His hometown of Nazareth:

(Mark 6:1–6 NKJV)  Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him. And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, "Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands! Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?" So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house." Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief.

Here we have Jesus Christ, an overflowing well of miracle-working power, standing right in front of His own people ready to help them. Yet, no miracles took place. Why? Because there was no demand for His gifts or His anointing there. Jesus passed on by and went to the next town.

Make your needs known to God! Let your faith be demonstrated in your unrelenting prayer. Ask, and ask again. Never lose heart. We will see more of the power of God flow when there is more demand for it. When people are stirred up and won't settle for anything else. As long as we are passive and can take it or leave it, Jesus passes on by.

You can pray this with me if you like:

Prayer: Heavenly Father, please don't pass me by! I am here, Lord crying out to You, and I need Your help today. I am sorry if I have ever taken You for granted and hope to never do it again. Bring me a miracle. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!