“Like the Syrophenician mother who had great faith, do not ever underestimate the faith of a little praying mother with a bottle of anointing oil.”
The challenges of being a single parent are continuous. I was always looking for ways to make additional income to keep Patrice in Christian school, give her the best of clothes and make sure her music education, and instruments were the finest. My friend, Evangelist Jerry Christy, who worked at the Hilbish Ford dealership in Kannapolis, North Carolina, would buy used cars, have them repaired, and then resell them for extra money. One day when I was talking to him, I had a brilliant idea about a way we both could earn a little income. I told him I would be receiving some extra money from an income tax refund and that I was interested in investing in a car with him to resell and split the profit. Thinking it was a good idea, he began to search for the right car for us to divide the purchase amount in half; however, a year later the car still had not sold.
One day Patrice and I had to go to an important meeting and after the meeting she said, “ Mother, lets go out and eat.” I was broke that particular day and I always fast on Fridays. I started to tell Patrice that I didn’t have the money and suggested that we go home and I would fix her something to eat, when suddenly, the Lord spoke to my spirit and told me to break the fast and take Patrice to a little restaurant. It was unusual for me to turn away from this type of commitment, because I have always lived a fasted lifestyle setting this day of the week as my day to fast. Nevertheless, I told Patrice I felt impressed in my spirit to take her to the Townhouse Restaurant and break my fast. I told Patrice to order any-thing she wanted. Even though I had no money, that had never stopped me before, so why should it now. By now, you know my favorite saying is Gods on time but seldom early, so we both went into the restaurant and ordered everything we wanted. Even though we were both very thin, we have always been very big eaters and anyone that knows us knows that is true. There we both sat with a table full of food and no money to pay for it. Are you wondering how the bill was paid?
Just keep reading and you will find out.
About the time, we were finished eating, my friend Brother Jerry Christy thatI had not seen for months walked in the restaurant. I greeted him and invited him to sit down to eat with us. When he joined us, I ask about the car, “Why hasn’t the car been sold?” To which he replied, “I don’t know.” Then he started to preach to me about the principles of paying tithes, giving offerings, and quoting scriptures. As he was sharing his beliefs, I was thinking I have always paid tithes, given in offerings, and could preach that sermon far better than he could. I wanted to put my faith into action because I did not have time to listen to him preach, all I wanted to do was see the car sold. Here I sat while he was preaching; a mother without any money, I needed groceries, and this restaurant bill needs to be paid. I started getting frustrated as I listen to him continue to preach, and if any of you know me you know it takes a lot to frustrate me. Normally, I am a very patient person, but I finally interrupted him and said, “ Brother Jerry, I need money and I need it today. You tell me where that car is parked, and I promise you as a good mother and a woman of God, I will go and anoint those wheels with a little bottle of oil that I have at home. God will have that car sold today.” After learning where the car was located, I proceeded to get up to leave and he said, “Give me that bill, Sister, I feel led to pay that today.” I said, “You do?” Actually, I really didn’t have a plan on how I was going to pay the bill; I was just so focused on getting to the car to pray.
Well, Praise God, God always has a plan and a perfect time if we will obey, He will direct your steps as He did for me that day I went to the restaurant. What if that day I would have said, “no” to God? As a rule, I would have thought that fasting was the right thing to do since it was my day to fast. I was to discover flexibility is vital when you are in the service of the Lord. When Patrice and I drove home, I found my little bottle of oil, went to the Hilbish Ford parking lot. I told Patrice, “Watch this.” Kneeling on the parking lot, I anointed every wheel and prayed, “Father God, in the name of Jesus, you said in your Word in Philippians 4:19, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (KJV). “Lord I need groceries for the week, I need this car to be sold today and I pray that whoever buys this car will never have a wreck in it and it will be a blessing to them.” After I prayed and anointed all the wheels individually, I got up, and said, “Come on Patrice, let’s go.” Suddenly, Brother Jerry Christy came running out to the parking lot saying, “Sister Patricia, there is a lady inside my office who wants to buy the car. She made an offer for us to consider, do you want to sell it?” Thanking the Lord for His faithfulness, I enthusiastically said “YES, Praise God!”
Because of the passion I have regarding the nature and character of faith, I have little forbearance with people who don’t activate their faith in God. Many times they are offended when their lack of faith is challenged or when they doubt those who operate in the “gift of faith”. Faith is never offended, but pursues God with a passion and straightforwardness. Like the Syrophenician woman in Matthew 15:22—28, who came to Jesus to ask Him for her daughters deliverance; her faith was tested when Jesus ignored her request at first, and then later com-pared her to the dogs. That did not stop her from worshiping Jesus and she came back with the boldness to say that it was true, but even dogs get crumbs. This captured Jesus attention, and He declared, “Great was her faith”, and her prayer was answered immediately. Faith is being on a mission, to capture the heart of God, and as Hebrew 11: 6 states, But without faith, it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. James 1:6-7 says, “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
For let not that man think that, he shall receive anything of the Lord” (KJV).
Patrice and I paid our tithes first and then went to the grocery store and had plenty of money left over. Like the Syrophenician mother who had great faith, do not ever underestimate the faith a little praying mother with a bottle of anointing oil.
Another Miracle—What an Awesome God!