GOD'S PROVISION
Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
We are the workmanship of God. He created us and brought us back into relationship with Himself through Christ Jesus. At the same time, He laid out an individual call for each one of our lives (good works). Not only that, the word “ordained” here is proetoimazo (pro-et-oy-mad-zo) which means “to fit up in advance”. This means that God not only placed a call on each of our lives, He prepared everything so that we can be successful in what He has called us to do. Think about it. This means that if you need a building (or money, or people, etc.) to accomplish what He wants you to do, He has already set them aside in the Spirit realm and we can access them by faith.
We serve a rich God. He doesn’t have to cut back on someone else’s provision to be sure you will have enough. He already set aside whatever you will need to accomplish His purpose in the earth. If we don’t have what we need, it’s because we either aren’t doing what He called us to do, or we haven’t learned how to draw from our heavenly bank account. We have to learn to walk according to faith and not by sight.
It’s difficult because most of us grew up under the worldly education system. We were taught we had to work for what we needed. Now God tells us to do what He called us to do but believe Him for the supply. Suddenly, we realize we really are in the world but not of it. We have resources the world doesn’t know anything about. (That is why Jesus could send Peter fishing for his tax money. Matt.17:27)
In the Old Testament, every time God sent His people into battle, He sent them with a winning game plan. If they didn’t win, it was because they ignored His instructions and tried to do it according to the way of the world system or how they “thought” they should. We can’t improve on God’s plan. He wants us to “win” but if we are to be successful, we have to do it His way.
The first thing we have to do is find out what He has called us to do. This often takes years. God is preparing us as He is revealing His call to us. Then, we have to learn how that call relates to those in the body around us. God believes in the principle of submission to authority. As we become part of the Body of Christ He not only brings those we are to minister to, but also those who support and or oversee us in our ministry. We need to know God’s timing. Has God released us to do what He called us to do? Just as important, we have to know that He has prepared the provision we need and He wants us to have it when we need it. We must learn how to appropriate it and that there is no demon in hell that can steal it from us if we walk in our God given authority. They are all steps along the path to maturity and a fruitful Christian walk.
