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"But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint."
(Isaiah 40:31)
God meets our needs in accordance with His will, knowledge, power, and timing. If we have a genuine need and it is not being met by God, then we have to realize that the issue is not with God but with us. Pastor Charles Stanley has some excellent teaching on this subject of God meeting our needs or providing for us as His children. Stanley believes in this principle so much that he included it in His 30 Life Principles series of messages that he preached at the FBC Atlanta, GA.
Yesterday, we noted the first two reasons why God has not yet met our needs. I will restate them briefly here and then share the remaining reasons provided by Stanley:
- You cannot live in sin and expect Him to meet your needs.
- We must respect God's timing.
- We cannot pressure God or make Him hurry. He is getting us ready. We have to be willing to wait on God and refuse the urge to try to help God. He does not need our help. He only asks us to trust and obey Him and then wait on His perfect timing. Isaiah 64:4 states, "For since the beginning of the world, men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides You, Who acts for the one who waits for Him."
- We have to be open to the means by which God chooses to meet our needs. God's timing and processes are perfect. Let Him meet each need when and how He chooses. God may provide for you through people you do not even know. I think of a businessman in TX who is a friend and supporter of our ministry. A few years ago, he had a friend reach out to him who wanted to bless a nonprofit. He had never heard of us, but my friend shared about DFEA, and this friend of my friend gave our ministry the largest financial gift we have ever received! I mean, God met that need, and I did not even know the person! We must get our thinking in line with His thinking. It was an Ephesians 3:20 moment for us: "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."
- We must keep our focus right. Matthew 6:33 states it so plainly: "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." Stanley said to make your focus the Father and not the need; seek His rule and reign in your life. Focus on Him and please Him, and you will not have to worry about your needs being met.
- Do not try to use God to meet your needs. Love Him and trust Him.
- The last reason we do not see our needs getting met is, we simply do not trust God. As His children, we should ask, believe, and then walk with assurance and confirmation that He will meet the need. Believe as if you already have it. Walk in the assurance that it is a done deal. Obey Him and watch Him work. Don't argue with God about it anymore. When He knows it is time, it will show up. Lay it down; trust in God, and then watch Him work. Do not worry about tomorrow.
I hope this teaching on God's provisions for your needs has been helpful for you. Feel free to forward these devotions to someone you think they might help. It may be the very thing God uses to bless and encourage them.
I am grateful for all those who pray for us and support our DFEA ministry financially. If you would like to know more about DFEA, please visit dfea.com.
If you have a prayer request, feel free to send it to us at: pray@dfea.com |
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