Provision Promises (3 page)

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

—Romans 8:32

Do not be seized with alarm and struck with fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom!

—Luke 12:32, AMP

BE FREE FROM LACK

Do you believe that our God is a BIG God of abundance and inexhaustible supply? He is the Possessor of heaven and earth. He is not El Cheapo. He is El Shaddai—the Almighty, all-sufficient and all-nourishing one! And in Christ, the abundance of God's wisdom, favor, ability, strength and creativity that you need for a successful family, career and ministry is yours to experience and enjoy.

I want to challenge you to break out of a mentality of lack by choosing to fix your eyes on an abundant God, who has put His unlimited resources at your disposal because you are His beloved child.

What is your lack today? Do you need a job? Do you need more time? Or do you just feel overwhelmed by the demands of family and work? Instead of seeing the lack, start seeing a BIG God providing for you out of His abundance, a job you'll love, wisdom to manage your time and shalom-peace at work and at home.

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs-heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ...

—Romans 8:16-17

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.

—Ephesians 1:3

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

—2 Peter 1:3,
NIV

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

—Matthew 7:11

IT'S TIME TO CHANGE YOUR MIND

I'm too young. I'm too old. I don't have the relevant experience. They're hiring only college graduates. If you're looking for a job and your mind is gripped by such thoughts, then you're already defeated by your thoughts before you even step out for an interview.

It's time to change your mind. As God's child, you are His heir and a joint heir with Christ. This means that you have the same unclouded favor that Jesus has. So step out in faith and expect His favor to open doors for you and give you the job you desire, regardless of your natural limitations.

A lady in her mid-fifties in my congregation, after hearing me share on this, changed her mind. She decided to put her trust in the Lord's unmerited favor, got her resume ready and sent it out by faith. That very week, she was called for interviews by two different companies, which led to two job offers! She picked one and has been gainfully employed for the last five years!

GOD who owns the universe is your HEAVENLY FATHER.

You are God's CHILD, His HEIR and a
J
OINT HEIR with Jesus.

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.

—2 Corinthians 8:9

After they had nailed him to the cross, the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.

—Matthew 27:35, NLT

... You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail...

—Deuteronomy 28:12-13

THE DIVINE EXCHANGE

The apostle Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 8:9 that, for our sakes, Jesus became poor, so that we through His poverty might be made rich. At the cross, Jesus took on all our sin and poverty. He was humiliated, spat upon and stripped naked. The Roman soldiers even gambled for His clothes.

The One who fed more than 5,000 people, gave fishermen a net-breaking, boat-sinking load of fish, and who placed the gold, diamonds and rubies in the earth took your place of poverty at the cross, just so that you can take His place of abundance. A divine exchange occurred at Calvary—your sin for His righteousness and your poverty for His provision.

My friend, Jesus is the reason you can be the head and not the tail, above only and not beneath, the lender and not the borrower. HE is the reason you can be blessed to be a blessing!

Therefore do not worry, saying, "What shall we eat?" or "What shall we drink?" or "What shall we wear?" For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

—Matthew 6:31-32

Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks. Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out. The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways. The Lord will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand...

—Deuteronomy 28:4-8

GOD IS A PRACTICAL GOD

Our God is a practical God, who is interested in providing for your practical daily needs. Take a look at Jesus throughout the four Gospel accounts.

To those who were hungry, He provided food by multiplying the loaves and fish. To the fishermen who toiled all night and caught nothing, He gave them more than a boatload of fish. Jesus didn't stop there—whoever encountered Him received from Him what they lacked. He healed the brokenhearted and gave sight to the blind. The sick who came to Him were all healed. Even the dead received His resurrection life!

My friend, Jesus is the same, yesterday, today and forever! He is still providing. So whatever you need today, whether it is wisdom, favor, healing or divine strength, go to Him. He is a practical God.

And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

—Philippians 4:19, NLT

Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation!

—Psalm 68:19

A man's gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.

—Proverbs 18:16

The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing; but the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.

—Proverbs 13:4

GOD'S GRACE IS ALWAYS SUPPLYING

When Jesus cried out, "It is finished!" the wall of sin that separated us from God crumbled, and God unleashed a flood tide of His grace upon us. That grace is still flowing toward us today, supplying whatever we need in this life, daily loading us with benefits!

My friend, the essence of God's grace is SUPPLY. When you are conscious of His supply, instead of the demands of the world, you are under His grace. That's when you will see His abundant provision for every need and situation.

So if you're having trouble finding a job, beyond trusting God for employment, see the Lord stirring up the dormant giftings and abilities that He has already placed in you. As you hone these gifts, the Word of God declares that your gifts will unlock doors of opportunities in due season and cause you to stand before great men. Don't just believe you'll be employed; believe God to also prepare, grow and develop you for a position of influence in your industry!

One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him, "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?" Then Jesus said, "Make the people sit down. "Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, "Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost." Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.

—John 6:8-13

PLACE IT IN HIS HANDS

When Jesus saw the five loaves and two little fish, unlike His disciples, He didn't see the naturally impossible demand placed on Him—to feed five thousand men (not including the women and children) with a boy's small lunch. He saw the supernatural supply in His Father's kingdom.

The result? Not only were the people fed till they were stuffed, there were also twelve baskets full of leftovers!

My friend, are you facing a situation of insufficiency today? Perhaps you can't find enough time to get your work done, as well as spend quality time with your family. Why not put your time in Jesus' hands and, as with the five loaves and two little fish, allow Him to multiply it? Jesus will give you the wisdom on how best to use your time.

Try it for yourself. Bring your little to Jesus! He will multiply whatever little you place in His hands with plenty left over!

When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

—Matthew 8:1-3

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.

—Ephesians 3:20

BEYOND ALL EXPECTATIONS

When the Lord blesses you, He blesses you beyond what you expect. In the healing of the leper, Jesus reached out and touched the leper, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately, the man was healed.

My friend, did you notice that Jesus touched the leper first before He healed him? I love these little gestures of Jesus! That simple touch restored a sense of humanity and dignity to the man who had not been touched for a long time. Because of his unclean and physically repulsive condition, no one wanted to be close to him, much less touch him.

Jesus knew that the leper needed more than just physical healing, so He gave above and beyond what the leper had hoped for. Beloved, that's the love and over-supplying grace of your Savior! What is your lack today? Know beyond any doubt that Jesus' provision will exceed all your expectations!

Ask BIG. Dream BIG.

JESUS will, exceed ALL your expectations!

.... I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).

—John 10:10, AMP

Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

—John 20:29

...let them say continually, "Let the Lord be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant."

—Psalm 35:27

He who has a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.

—Proverbs 10:4

THE ABUNDANT GOD

A lady in my congregation heard me preach on John 10:10—how Jesus came that we may have life and have it more abundantly. From that moment, the revelation of an abundant God began to resonate within her.

You see, as an orphan, this lady had grown up in extreme poverty. However, when she began meditating on her abundant God, things began to change. She began to have big dreams and started a company to pursue those dreams. Today, her little company is a behemoth public-listed company and a world leader in her industry. Her personal net worth is in the hundreds of millions.

One of the most humble people you will ever meet, she always has the phrase, "the abundant God," on her lips. When people ask her for the secret to her success, she would simply share with a gentle smile, "My abundant God has blessed me." My friend, be encouraged, and begin to see God as your ABUNDANT God today!

Now it happened on another Sabbath, also, that He entered the synagogue and taught. And a man was there whose right hand was withered... And when He had looked around at them all, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he did so, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.

—Luke 6:6,10

Remember the Lord your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful...

—Deuteronomy 8:18, NLT

RESTORING THE POWER TO PROVIDE

With each of the Lord's blessings you experience, be encouraged to know that many more blessings are coming your way. Just as there are many seeds in one fruit, so each of Jesus' blessings contains many seeds that will go on to provide many more blessings for you and your family.

Consider Jesus' healing of the man with the withered arm. The Gospel of Luke tells us that it was the man's right hand that was withered. Now, the right hand is a picture of strength and provision. This man had lost not only his strength, but also his ability to provide! So when Jesus healed this man's right hand, He not only performed a healing miracle, but He also restored to this man the power and the ability to provide for himself and his family! Hallelujah!

Is your strength and ability to provide "withered" today? Jesus says to you, "Stretch out your hand, be healed and completely restored with the power to provide for yourself and your family!"

And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, "Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost." Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.

—John 6:11-13

God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it... by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.