Provision Promises (10 page)

Beloved, what God doesn't want you to do is worry and do things out of fear. He wants you to rest at Jesus' feet and listen to His words of love and life. Let Him drive out your fears and lead you to good success!

"Now don't worry about a thing, my daughter [Ruth]. I [Boaz] will do what is necessary... while it's true that I am one of your family redeemers, there is another man who is more closely related to you than I am...in the morning I will talk to him. If he is willing to redeem you, very well. Let him marry you. But if he is not willing, then as surely as the Lord lives, I will redeem you myself..."

—Ruth 3:11-13, NLT

Then she [Naomi] said, "Sit still, my daughter, until you [Ruth] know how the matter will turn out; for the man [Boaz] will not rest until he has concluded the matter this day."

—Ruth 3:18

WHEN YOU REST, GOD WORKS

Boaz wanted to redeem Ruth from all her financial woes and marry her. However, according to the custom of the day, he could do so only after a relative closer to Ruth gave up his right to redeem Ruth. So Boaz went to the gate of Bethlehem to settle the matter with this relative.

When Ruth's mother-in-law, Naomi, heard what had transpired, she told Ruth to sit still and not be anxious, because Boaz would not rest until he had successfully resolved the matter concerning Ruth that very day. Now, because Boaz is a picture of Jesus, our kinsman Redeemer, the truth here is that when we "sit still" and not be anxious, Jesus goes to work on our behalf.

Beloved, what provision challenge are you facing today? A troubling bodily symptom? The fear of losing your job? Commit the matter to your heavenly Boaz, Jesus, and rest in His ability, His willingness and His favor. When you rest in Him, He will not rest until He has successfully resolved the matter for you!

Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest...

—Hebrews 4:11, KJV

And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.

—Genesis 2:2-3

Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He gives His beloved sleep.

—Psalm 127:1-2

WORK AT RESTING

There are so many things to do every day—prepare breakfast, drive the kids to school, finish up your presentation, chair a meeting, meet a client, counsel a friend... It's like we're always working on something!

Actually, if there's one thing we ought to prioritize working on every day, it is working at being at rest! Sounds like an oxymoron, doesn't it? How can you work at resting!.

Yet, that is exactly what God wants us to do. Given our inclination to work, worry and rush to finish all our tasks every day, He wants us to prioritize spending time with Him and letting His love and words of grace flush out all our agitations, worries and fears.

My friend, make laboring to enter God's rest number one on your to-do list every day. When you are at rest, God's grace can flow unhindered through you to accomplish—with ease—all that needs to be accomplished for the day. Rest is His provision for you today—receive it!

Rest is not inactivity but God-directed activity.

WHAT REST MEANS AND HOW IT WORKS

Some believers have peculiar notions about what rest really means. They think that rest means that they are not to do anything but wait for God's provision to magically appear before them.

But biblical rest is not inactivity. It is directed activity! God blesses us as we trust Him and step out in faith. For example, if you're looking for a life partner, don't stay home waiting for that special someone. A complete stranger is not going to show up at your door with a marriage proposal. But as you rest in God's favor, and as you make yourself available to meet the right kind of people (for example, by getting involved in a ministry in church), the Holy Spirit will direct your steps and cause your path to cross with your future life partner's.

Beloved, it is the same for every provision you are looking to Christ for. He has already accomplished all for you to receive God's best, so rest in His favor and unfailing love for you. Then, as you step out in faith, you'll see Him bless you beyond your wildest dreams!

Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

—Matthew 6:2.7

And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

—Luke 2:52

And the child Samuel grew in stature, and in favor both with the Lord and men.

—1 Samuel 2:26

GRACE FOR PARENTING

If you are overwhelmed by the responsibilities of being a parent today, I want to encourage you to believe that there is a provision and a grace for parenting. Instead of worrying and being anxious for your children, pray for them to experience God's wisdom, favor and protection through Jesus Christ.

Before they go to bed at night, or before they leave for school, just lay hands on them and say, "Because you are a Jesus-boy (or Jesus-girl), day by day, you are increasing in the wisdom of God and in favor with God and men! Jesus will cause you to be at the right place at the right time."

Cast your cares for your children to the Lord. Trust Him for the provision of wisdom to speak words of encouragement and life to them about making good decisions instead of bowing to peer pressure. The Lord has equipped and provided you with the grace to be an excellent parent!

For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people, to whom He said, "This is the rest with which You may cause the weary to rest,"and, "This is the refreshing"...

—Isaiah 28:11-12

He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself...

—1 Corinthians 14:4

And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don't know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will.

—Romans 8:26-27, NLT

TONGUES—THE REST AND THE REFRESHING

The prophet Isaiah describes speaking in tongues as "the rest" and "the refreshing." In the New Testament, the apostle Paul tells us that the believer who speaks in a tongue "edifies himself." The word "edify" here is oikodomeo, which means to build up, restore and repair.

I have found all this to be true, especially when I'm tired after a long flight. Many a time, despite the jet lag, praying in the Holy Spirit has given me a supernatural rest and energy to carry on preaching and ministering!

My friend, one of the best ways to be refreshed, to enter into rest and remain restful is to pray in tongues throughout the day. You can pray in tongues under your breath on your way to work or while having your coffee break. If you are a homemaker, you can pray in tongues while cooking or doing the laundry. Beloved, when you involve the Holy Spirit and are restful, how can you not experience His supernatural provision in everything you do?

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.

—John 16:13, NLT

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.

—Romans 8:14, NLT

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

—Romans 8:28, NLT

REST IS HOLY SPIRIT-DIRECTED ACTIVITY

One of the great benefits of praying in tongues is that it sensitizes you to the leading of the Holy Spirit. A brother from our church was tormented by panic attacks and depressed to the point of being suicidal. He had other health issues too and had to take many pills each night just to get a bit of sleep.

But he started to pray in tongues after he heard me preach on the subject, and experienced divine peace. Every day, he just prayed in tongues. The more he did that, the more he was tuned to the Spirit's leading in the areas of his diet, medication and health. Led by the Spirit, he finally got out of his nine-year ordeal!

My friend, rest is not inactivity or laziness, but Holy Spirit-directed activity. The more you pray in tongues, the more you'll sense the Spirit's leading. He will lead you out of your valley of depression, debt or disease and bring you to a high place of health and wholeness!

...the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me."

—l Corinthians 11:23-24

Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."

—Matthew 26:27-28

So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

—John 19:30

DAILY COMMUNION WITH THE LORD

Why do we take the Holy Communion? Is it to get something out of the Lord? No, taking the Communion reminds us of what Jesus has already provided and accomplished for us at the cross.

My friend, has Jesus already made provision for our sins at the cross? Yes! Then you no longer have to live feeling condemned for your sins. Has Jesus already made provision for our healing at the cross? Yes! Then you no longer have to accept the disease in your body, and you can start believing Jesus for total healing. Has Jesus already made provision for our lack on the cross? Yes! Then you no longer have to accept lack and can start believing Jesus for His abundance to start flowing and manifesting in your life.

Beloved, take the Communion daily and have a fresh revelation of all the good that Jesus has already made provision for through His finished work.

But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.

—Isaiah 53:5

...Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.

—1 Peter 2:24

FAMILY HEALED OF FOOD ALLERGIES

A lady from the United Kingdom wrote in to share how taking the Holy Communion and seeing Jesus' finished work have delivered her and her family from gluten and dairy food intolerance:

None of us could eat dairy foods or foods containing gluten. Our diet was very restricted... However, when we heard the messages on the Holy Communion and the perfect exchange Jesus performed on the cross, we decided that it had to be the truth, and therefore we were already healed.

We took the Holy Communion, declaring that by Jesus' stripes we had been healed and from that day on we have been eating normally...For over a year now, we have been completely well and able to try so many new foods!

Beloved, the work is finished. Whenever you hold the bread and cup in your hands believing this, you will receive Jesus' provision of health for your body!

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

—Psalm 23:5-6

Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered...

—Psalm 68:1

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.

—Deuteronomy 28:7

A TABLE IN THE PRESENCE OF YOUR ENEMIES

Heartbroken and devastated when her eighteen-year-old daughter told her that she hated her and left home, a mother from Texas developed high blood pressure and started hemorrhaging badly.

One day, she tuned in to one of my broadcasts and heard me preach about Jesus' finished work at Calvary. She got my series on the Holy Communion and took it every day as she looked to the Lord's finished work to heal her body and restore her relationship with her daughter.

Six months later, this same mother wrote to tell me that she was healed of high blood pressure and no longer bleeding. God was also restoring her relationship with her daughter who had returned home. Today, she is taking Communion daily with her husband and children and experiencing the blessed family life she had once only dreamed of. Beloved, no matter how bad things may be now, rest in Jesus' finished work by coming to the Lord's table, and receive your victory, restoration and wholeness!

Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses, weaknesses, and distresses) and carried our sorrows and pains [of punishment], yet we [ignorantly] considered Him stricken, smitten, and afflicted by God [as if with leprosy]. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain]peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole.

—Isaiah 53:4-5, AMP

For you are becoming progressively acquainted with and recognizing more strongly and clearly the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ (His kindness, His gracious generosity, His undeserved favor and spiritual blessing), [in] that though He was [so very] rich, yet for your sakes He became [so very] poor, in order that by His poverty you might become enriched (abundantly supplied).

—2 Corinthians 8:9, AMP

CRUSHED FOR OUR TOTAL WELL-BEING

How is holy anointing oil produced? By crushing olives in an oil press to extract the oil. This is a beautiful picture of the crushing of our Lord Jesus, which began in the Garden of Gethsemane. "Gethsemane" literally means "oil press."