Newsletter 23;9;00
BELIEVING GOD'S PROVISION
BELIEVING GOD'S PROVISION
There are some who believe that prosperity and abundance are not part of God's plan for His people. That poverty is next to Godliness, and money is evil. But Paul said it was the love of money, not money itself that is evil. The root of their belief is found in middle age theology. When together the church and the nobility held the masses in ignorance and poverty, and the religious leaders promoted a doctrine that quieted the peasants. Funny though, that while they promoted poverty, most of the church in that time displayed the trappings of ostentatious wealth.
There are others who, while they don't necessarily believe that God is opposed to us prospering, neither do they believe that God has a plan for our prosperity.
To find the truth about any of these disputed doctrines, to cut through religious indoctrination and doctrines of demons that constantly work to conceal the truth, we must go to a) The Word of God and b) The character of God. These are the only absolutes - the only things in the realm of human existence that remain constant.
So looking into the word for the simple truth - do we see God involved with the prosperity of His people? Absolutely. There was no lack in the garden.
He made Abraham rich, prospered Isaac & Jacob. Brought the Hebrew children out with silver and gold, gave them houses they did not build and grapevines and olive trees they did not plant. During Solomon's time they had silver dumps outside of the city - there was so much gold that silver was worthless. Throughout the whole of scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, God has provided for those who honour Him and walk in His Covenant.
Some religious teaching would have us believe that Jesus was poor. That He and the disciples operated virtually as beggars. But at the last supper, Jesus told Judas: "What you do, do quickly." So Judas left to betray him, but the others thought, because he had the money box, that Jesus had sent him to buy the things they needed for the feast, or to give something to the poor. (John 13) The seamless woven garment He wore was the equivalent of a designer suit today. The donkey he rode may have been a humble ass, but it was the best ass! Jesus enjoyed a prosperity that cannot be measured in possessions or bank accounts. True prosperity is the ability to tap into God's resources - to walk with Jehovah Jireh, the Lord our Provider. He was teaching Peter a lesson when he sent him to catch the fish with the coin in his mouth. If they want taxes, we'll pay them taxes. We can afford it!
In 2Corinthians 8:9 Paul tells us: "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." The context of this chapter is the Grace of giving. It is money! "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law…" Galatians 3:13 The curse of the law is threefold: poverty, sickness, and spiritual death.
Let's look at some Hebrew words for poverty:
Yaresh: to occupy by driving out the previous tenant
Machcor: deficiency, lack (from a root word meaning decrease, fail, make lower) Reysh: destitute.
Does that sound like a blessing or a curse? Liberty or bondage?
One Hebrew word for prosper is Tsalach: to push forward, to break out, to go over. Now, which one do you think God is involved with?
No He's not out to decrease us, make us lower. That's our job, to humble ourselves under the hand of God - that He may exalt us. That He may cause us to push forward, to go over.
He is Jehovah Jireh, the Lord our provider. Baal Perazim, the Lord our breakthrough. Jehovah Nissi, the Lord our Victory.
When we do come to believe that God intends for His children to enjoy the abundance of all things, that is only the beginning. While God has the desire and intent to prosper you, satan has the desire and intent to steal, to kill and
to destroy you. (John 10:10)
Satan stands between you and your prosperity.
He has assigned unclean spirits to hinder and withhold from you, to interfere with your business affairs, sabotage your equipment, and capitalise on any weakness. We must learn to bind up his assignments against us, and forbid him from withholding from us. Satan thinks this world system is still his (Jesus called him the god of this world.) And you cannot enter a strongman's house and plunder his goods, unless you first bind the strongman. (Matt 12:29)
The World System stands between you and your prosperity.
Remember, satan is the god of this world system. He has his hand in the till. There was a John Mellencamp song a few years back, that went: "Hard times, for an honest man. Very, very very hard times."
Well, that's true if you don't walk close with the Father who maintains your right and your cause. Proverbs tells us: "Better the poor man who walks in his integrity…." You have to walk God's way if you want to enjoy God's provision. I'm not part of the rat race anymore, Glory to God. I'm in the king's race. With God's help and favour I can be in that system, but not of it.
The Circumstances stand between you and your prosperity.
There may seem to be no way in the natural. You may feel you don't have the skills or intelligence to prosper. The stock market may be down, the financial climate depressed. Well there was a drought and famine in the land - everyone else was going down to Egypt, but God told Isaac to dwell in the land that He would tell him. (Genesis 26:1-14)
"Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the Lord blessed him."
In a season of drought, Isaac's return wasn't based on the weather, but on his willingness to follow God's instructions. Elisha took a widow's jar of oil and turned into enough to pay her debts and live off the remainder. Do you think Elisha needed Naaman's money and gifts?
The Social Climate stands between you and your prosperity.
The media, especially in NZ, love to declare doom and gloom over the economy. There is a 'spirit of poverty' in Northland - I don't mean a demonic spirit (though it comes from the pit of hell) but a prevailing attitude. So many live on 'Barely get by Street.' Poverty is spoken over Northland constantly, and you are going to have to break through that and rise above it - you will be challenging and flying in the face of public opinion. Two weeks in a third world country would blow that poverty talk away forever. We are blessed!
Your Natural Mind can stand between you and your prosperity.
"Beloved, I wish above all that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers." (3John2) What manifests outward in your life must first be established in your thinking. Your mind must be renewed to God's abundant provision. If you continue to think in terms of lack or limited supply, you will fail to seek or receive God's provision.
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Back in about '84 there was a pretty big rise in petrol prices. People were queuing to fill up at the old price. And there had been a time when I would have reacted to it with frustration and a sense of hopelessness. But that day I had come to know and walk with Jehovah Jireh. I thought: "You're my source Father. You can afford it!" And I didn't give it another thought! We have endured several major price rises this year. And it was starting to get to my natural mind. I had to pull myself back in line, remind myself of who is my source of supply.
Romans 8 tells us the carnal, natural mind is at enmity with God - at cross purposes, opposed to. This is evident in the area of provision more than any other. The carnal mind tells you to hoard your pennies and you'll prosper. But God's Word (Proverbs 11:24) tells us: "There is one who scatters, yet increases more; and there is one who withholds more than is right, but it leads to poverty."
Your confession can stand between you and your prosperity.
I didn't just have to work on renewing my mind, but on my vocabulary.
"A man's belly shall be satisfied by the fruit of his mouth, and from the produce of his lips he shall be filled." (Proverbs 18:20)
Where once I spoke words of lack, today I endeavour to speak words of increase. I speak to my Father, and thank Him that He has supplied all my need according to His riches in Glory by Christ Jesus. (Phil4:19 - again the context is finances.) I speak increase over my financial circumstances. I speak to my bills and call them paid. I speak to the angels and send them after my increase. I speak to money, and my supply, and command it: "Come, in Jesus name!"
Occasionally symptoms of lack begin to manifest in our lives. Breakdowns, financial calamities happen. If we are not vigilant, these symptoms start to effect our thinking. It's not the circumstances that will bring you low, that will determine the outcome.. It's what you believe about that situation, what you say about that situation, and what you do about that situation. To prosper in the Hebrew means to push forward, to break out, to go over That's exactly what you have to be prepared to do to enjoy the fullness of God's provision.
God is not working to build your kingdom, but to build His. Matthew 6:33: "Seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." The firm of God, Son & Co looks after it's workers.
Paying a tithe is evidence that you are seeking His Kingdom first.
It carries a promise of abundant reward. (Malachi 3:10) God has always had an open hand toward His people. When Adam committed treason, man was cut off from his source of supply. The blockage was not on God's end, but ours. My attitude toward the tithe is that it opens the way for God to bless me. It establishes on my part that I am in Covenant with God - if you like, I am investing in shares in the Family Business, so that I have a right to reap a financial and spiritual dividend.
This is not a legalistic requirement, and God still loves you if you choose not to tithe. But He is not obligated to provide for you - and in fact is legally and ethically unable to. You're cruisin' on your own baby, amongst the sharks that rule this world system! Good luck!
It's not what you see, but what you believe about what you see.
Ten of the twelve Hebrew spies (Numbers 13) brought back an evil report of the land, talking of walled cities and giants. Joshua and Caleb spoke of a land of milk and honey, and the inhabitants were like bread to them. (That's Hebrew street talk for: "We're gonna eat these dudes!")
Physical and Financial prosperity is directly proportionate to your mental prosperity. Seek God's wisdom - "length of days is in her right hand, and in her left, riches and honour." (Proverbs 3:13)
BELIEVING GOD'S PROVISION Page three
Prosperity is the ability to tap into God's resources. Not just to meet your needs, but to become a channel to meet the needs of others. God is looking for channels. "He who has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he gives of his bread to the poor." (Prov 22:9) "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work." (2Corinthians 9:8) This is living by the law of the shovel and the spade, not the law of the rake and the hoe.
Any farmer knows that to get a bigger harvest, you have to sow more seed. Once you get God's perspective of abundance, it's easy to have a bountiful eye - a giving attitude. It's exciting as you look for your harvest! What some would consider loss you begin to see as an investment. "Give, and it shall be given to you - good measure, pressed down, shaking together, and running over, shall men give unto your bosom." Luke 6:36 Everytime God asks you to give something, He's making a way to give you something better!
The Hebrew word for prosperity means: to push forward, to break out, to go over. There may seem to be ups and downs, but if you continue to do things God's way, there will be increase. Prepare the way for increase with your expectation, confession and participation. There will be a pushing forward.
There is a law of progression. "He that is faithful in little, shall be ruler over much." If you cannot manage what you have, God is not going to give you more than you can handle, so get real! Better learn to manage a home garden before you go plough up fifty acres.
There is no substitute for good stewardship.
"The hand of the diligent makes rich.." (Prov10:4) "A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands… so shall your poverty come on you like a robber, and your need like an armed man." (Prov 6:11)
It's not necessarily going to happen the way you figured it out.
Be open handed and opened minded about how God gets His provision to you. Trying to get your head around it will only cause you anxiety and quench your expectation. If the circumstances start to influence your thinking, it's going to take some diligence - pacing the floor and confessing His word - to get His truth established in your heart.
You need to believe and hold fast to His promise when the situation looks bad. "He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap." (Eccl 11:4) I find it happening to me. The wind of circumstances begin to blow lack, so I begin to withhold more than is right. I decrease my sowing and what I am doing is making preparations for poverty. Remember, the Hebrew words for poverty meant:: to occupy by driving out the previous tenant, and deficiency, lack (from a root word meaning decrease, fail, make lower)
If you let poverty in the door, he will 'come on you like a robber.'
There are seasons of abasement. "Cast your bread upon the water, for you will find it after many days." (Eccl 11:1) If you have sown good seed, you can endure a season of drought knowing full well that there will be a harvest. There have been times when Jen and I thought maybe we had been sowing and sowing and not really receiving the harvest. Then lean times have come, and we have begun to see our bread, after many days, come back in on every wave. - Steve & Jenny
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