Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai
INTRODUCTION: In our last study in the series of True Prosperity we looked at how we can be Free from Financial Fear and Making Our Faith for Provision Work every time. We looked at the contrast between faith and fear and concluded that God was our source of provision. In today’s study we shall continue from there as we look at the topic “Our source of Supply”
Genesis 22:14: “Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-Jireh, the LORD is my provider. As it is said to this day, “In the LORD’s mountain it will be provided.”
Philippians 4:19: “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
THE PROBLEM TODAY - LOOKING IN THE WRONG PLACES AS OUR SOURCE OF SUPPLY
There are a number of places we tend to look to for our supply
1. The Government
2. People (family, friends, pastors, congregants, etc.)
3. Our jobs, businesses, salaries, savings, etc.
GOD IS OUR SOURCE!
1. Source—Point of origin. It is a place, person, or thing from which something originates or can be obtained. The beginning place; where something can be traced back to
2. Supply—Provision, inventory, stock
3. Our source of supply is the point of origin for the fulfilment of all our needs. That is why Philippians 4:19 says: “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
4. James 1:17 – “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, nor turning shadow.”
5. 2 Peter 1:2, 3 – “Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, seeing that his divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness…”
The truth that God is our source must be ingrained in our thinking. Especially during economic times like these
UNLOCKING THE CHANNELS TO OUR SOURCE OF SUPPLY
a) Obedience to the Word of God
Psalms 1:1-3: “Blessed is the man who doesn’t walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers; But his delight is in the law of the LORD; On his law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree planted by the streams of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also does not wither. Whatever he does shall prosper.”
b) Confession and Submission
Psalms 23:1 – “The Lord is my shepherd: I shall lack nothing.” This implies that we are sheep; a sheep is completely submissive to the will of the Shepherd.
c) Reverent Fear
Psalms 34:9, 10 – “Oh fear the LORD, you his saints, for there is no lack with those who fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger, but those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing.”
d) Waiting on Him
Psalms 104:27, 28 – “These all wait for you, that you may give them their food in due season. You give to them; they gather. You open your hand; they are satisfied with good.”
Psalms 107:9 – “For he satisfies the longing soul. He fills the hungry soul with good.”
e) Seeking the Kingdom of God
Matthew 6:31-33 "Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' "For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
f) Trusting in God
Jeremiah 17:7-8: “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose trust the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, who spreads out its roots by the river, and shall not fear when heat comes, but its leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.”
g) Giving
Philippians 4:14-16: “Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction. You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone; for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs.”
h) Abiding
John 15:5-7: “I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me, and I in him, the same bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If a man doesn’t remain in me, he is thrown out as a branch, and is withered; and they gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, you will ask whatever you desire, and it will be done for you.”
WHY WE DON’T ENJOY THIS PROMISE MORE
In general, we don’t enjoy the benefits of God as our source because we don’t completely follow the principles of unlocking the channels to our source of supply listed above. Here are two other reasons:
1. Our motives. James 4: 3: “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”
2. Selfishness. Proverbs 11:24: “One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.”
CONCLUSION
Our source of supply is unlimited. It is from the Almighty God. His word says in Psalms 50:12b says: “the world is mine, and the fullness thereof.” He challenged us to prove Him to see if He will not open the windows of heaven, and pour us out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it! To enjoy this great promise we need to be completely obedient to Him.
