All I Need - A Devotion

Philippians 4:12-13 (NLT)
I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

Contentment is a lost concept in today’s society. People never seem to have enough to stifle complaints and settle dissatisfaction. Grumbling through life chasing the American Dream yet always coming up short of the peace and joy they are after while crying out to God in His Absence. The secret of living in every situation whether with a full stomach or empty belly or whether I have plenty or little at all is what we all are after to live in accordance with Paul’s declaration and admit “I can do everything through Christ” and I have all I need. How do we get to this place in a world that is lacking? How do we find the satisfaction that proves elusive? What will it take for God’s People to discover the depth of His Grace, Mercy and Love? God will supply all your needs according to His Riches in Glory! (Philippians 4:19) It is not as far away as you may think but rather than looking around, we must first look inside to claim God’s Provision and Prosperity for our life evident in His Promises.

Genesis 26:21-22 (NLT)
Isaac’s men then dug another well, but again there was a dispute over it. So Isaac named it Sitnah (which means “hostility”). Abandoning that one, Isaac moved on and dug another well. This time there was no dispute over it, so Isaac named the place Rehoboth (which means “open space”), for he said, “At last the LORD has created enough space for us to prosper in this land.”

The Lord created enough space for us all to prosper. It is imperative that we abandon hostility. God has precious promises that have your name on them and no one else’s. You do not have to fight any other person for what the Lord has told you is to be yours. Jealousy and envy will keep living water from flowing through your life because it implies that your Father is unable to provide for you. It is a lack of faith. You must learn to look to God for your provision, prosperity and blessing not other people. No one is in your way. You just have to be ready to do it His Way. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Any other way leads away from contentment, peace and complete satisfaction. Unforgiveness and bitterness thrive in these parts. We must learn to look only to the Lord and what He has for us so we can love others as Jesus Christ instructed us to love them. Servants seldom are at the front of the line, most always bringing up the rear. Do everything in life as unto the Lord and you will have everything God promised. You will live in the Promised Land called “More than Enough”. It is an “open space”. Your inheritance has your name on it. God will not allow anyone else to claim it but waits on you to ask for it.

Exodus 9:27-29 (NLT)
Then Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron. “This time I have sinned,” he confessed. “The LORD is the righteous one, and my people and I are wrong. Please beg the LORD to end this terrifying thunder and hail. We’ve had enough. I will let you go; you don’t need to stay any longer.” “All right,” Moses replied. “As soon as I leave the city, I will lift my hands and pray to the LORD. Then the thunder and hail will stop, and you will know that the earth belongs to the LORD.

The enemy cannot keep you encumbered when God is ready to set you free. The storms of life not only prepare God’s People to receive the Promise but strip the captive of his hold. The enemy cannot keep you when God is ready to let you go. If we could only learn to hold tightly to our faith in the midst of opposition rather than becoming friendly with the captor in order to escape. Compromise will never produce God’s Best in your life. You will never have the peace of God setting for substitutions. God is about to set you free. Do not back down. Never give up. Just wait on the Lord even in the fiercest storm. He is planning your escape from captivity and bondage. Our source of strength must be the Lord. Sometimes we are lost in what we think is freedom but really is the wilderness. There was a man roaming the caves and hills of a cemetery. He had great power and strength and could not be bound by any form of physical restraint. His heart was however wrapped up in a satanic spirit. His soul was possessed by satan. (Mark 5:3-7) The Lord came and instantly released the man from his bondage to experience real freedom from the inside out. God wants to do the same for you. Maybe you are thinking today, surely I am in no way “possessed” by an ungodly spirit. Anything contrary to God’s Will, Way and Word are in direct opposition to His Spirit living on the inside of you. It will keep you from discovering all that God has for you in an attempt to steal, kill and destroy. The Holy Spirit works to unseat any other power and authority that we have willingly allowed to take hold of our life in order that Jesus Christ and His Kingdom will reign.

I Samuel 16:1 (NLT)
Now the LORD said to Samuel, “You have mourned long enough for Saul. I have rejected him as king of Israel, so fill your flask with olive oil and go to Bethlehem. Find a man named Jesse who lives there, for I have selected one of his sons to be my king.”

There are things believers must get over in life in order to have the Promises of God. One is definitely mourning, complaining and whining when God doesn’t do things our way. God always knows what is best. His Will is the Best Plan for our life. You will never make it through unless you decide to give up trying to have it your way and accept God’s Way as the only way!

Exodus 16:16-18 (NLT)
These are the LORD’s instructions: Each household should gather as much as it needs. Pick up two quarts for each person in your tent.” So the people of Israel did as they were told. Some gathered a lot, some only a little. But when they measured it out, everyone had just enough. Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough. Each family had just what it needed.

The Blessings of God will never be measured like the provision of God. God provides everything we need to live. If you have more than you were born with than you are blessed. Let that thought sink in as the wants and desires of your heart are measured against such a revelation. God supplies everything that we need and tells us not to worry about what we will eat or drink. “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.” (Matthew 6:31-32) In the wilderness, God taught the Israelites how to depend on His Daily Provision. Can you do the same? Each week I plot, plan, notate and shop for the next week’s meals. Cutting coupons and strategically planning our menu in order to budget money, I spend a great deal of time working it all out. However, the truth is even if I did not do all this additional work to make it happen, the Lord already provided everything that I need if I will go take it. But when if I was afraid the grocery store would run out of food or close its doors, it is likely that I would begin to hoard items in fear my family would go without. Some things would spoil before we could eat them all and be a waste of my time and resources. However, I know that the store is open each day. If it closes, there are many other grocers in town where I could find the items that I need. Therefore, I have no fear of lack. If I cannot trust God to provide my needs daily, how will I ever trust Him enough to ask Him for more. Each family has all that they need. We just need the common sense to identify God’s Provision by faith and not let fear of lack dominate our life. We have more than enough. God supplies all that I need.

Philippians 4:19 (NKJV)
And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

God will supply all you need. It is already done. You are blessed with what you have but will probably never know this until you do something with it. Elijah requested a meal from a widow woman who confessed to the prophet that she was preparing their final meal before they would die from starvation. So he said, “Don’t be afraid! Go ahead and do just what you’ve said, but make a little bread for me first. Then use what’s left to prepare a meal for yourself and your son.” The woman did what the prophet said and the Word of God says, “So she did as Elijah said, and she and Elijah and her family continued to eat for many days.” (I Kings 17:12-15) The secret to discovering God’s Provision in your life is to do the right thing with it. God’s supplies are in abundance but our faith is lacking. “You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.” (2 Corinthians 9:7-8) In giving, we prepare to receive. You will never know how much God has provided until you see how far it goes. Faith is required.

Romans 12:3 (NKJV)
For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

Faith is the secret to discovering God’s Provision and Promises. You cannot have it without the Grace of God through Jesus Christ. Faith allows us to step into the Presence of God and live there. Problem is we never do anything with our faith so our soul does not prosper. We love money more than God and work harder to attain it. (Ecclesiastes 5:10) But when we invest that tiny seed of faith given to us by the Lord to discover His Kingdom and its economy things begin to change. Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, “Why couldn’t we cast out that demon?”“You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.” (Matthew 17:19-21) God has provided us faith but we never do anything with it. Just enough becomes more than enough by trusting the Lord with our entire life including everything that we have. When we begin to live by faith and trust the Lord to provide, we will move into a position of righteousness that allows us to prosper in His Kingdom.

Joel 2:12-14; 18-19 (NLT)
That is why the LORD says, “Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Return to the LORD your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish. Who knows? Perhaps he will give you a reprieve, sending you a blessing instead of this curse. Perhaps you will be able to offer grain and wine to the LORD your God as before.

“Then the LORD will pity his people and jealously guard the honor of his land. The LORD will reply, “Look! I am sending you grain and new wine and olive oil, enough to satisfy your needs.
You will no longer be an object of mockery among the surrounding nations.”

I came across our son’s graduation picture. Filled with pride, I smiled back at the grinning young man. He has been fighting hard to keep walking through the wilderness to his total healing and restoration from cancer. It has been a long journey and the young man that I see today differs greatly as his hair is growing back and he works to gain weight. In my sadness, the Spirit of God on the inside pokes my heart. Faith wells up as I claim total restoration for my son. I repent for thinking even for a second that I would settle for anything less. What is fighting for your faith today? Are you going to let it win? You may pass through the waters many times before you are ready to swim, but will you keep going? On the other side is the tree of life promised by our Lord, He is more than providing for His People. (Ezekiel 47:2-5) Truth is the Lord does that for everyone. The rain falls on the just and unjust. God wants to bless you on the other side of this trial. The Promise is for you but will you make it through to receive it. The Lord has an inheritance for His Children! It is more than enough to prosper your life from the inside out. Are you willing to do whatever it takes?

Luke 11:5-8 (NLT)
Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.

The Lord invites you to be shamelessly persistent. He will be faithful. Everything you need is in His Kingdom. How hard will you knock? He has promised that the door will open to those who continue to knock. The Lord tells that all who seek Him will find Him. Do you believe it? Enough to invest your life – all you are and all your worth into having it? (Matthew 13:44) God tells us that if we will be faithful according to His Word that He will open the windows of Heaven and pour out a blessing that we cannot contain. (Malachi 3:9-10) How much of your life are you willing to commit to having God’s Very Best? Are you content with provision or are you after His Promises?

James 2:14-18 (NLT)
What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”

I wonder if the Children of Israel realized how wealthy they actually were when they left captivity. It became apparent when they began to give it to the building of God’s Temple. I wonder if there is true tangible wealth hidden in our life to be discovered only by faith as we give our life away? Has God hidden monetary and spiritual wealth yet to be discovered in our faithfulness and obedience to God? It would be sad to think we were living day to day out of dumpsters if there was an overflowing abundance in our pantry, we just refused to open the door! Faith must be used to increase and multiply. It is required to access God’s Kingdom and our inheritance. It is where just enough becomes to more than enough prospering to all that I need!

Psalm 37:18-19 (NLT)
Day by day the LORD takes care of the innocent, and they will receive an inheritance that lasts forever. They will not be disgraced in hard times; even in famine they will have more than enough.

3 John 1:2 (NKJV)
Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.