When you accept that God is your provider and not yourself, your anxiety vanishes, your needs are met, and you’ll have perfect peace.
Here are five things you do when you don’t believe God is your provider:
- You have anxiety and stress about bills.
- You put up with abuse from your employer.
- You hustle too hard. Money is your god.
- You’re selfish and won’t help others in need.
- You get money immorally or illegally.
Many people who struggle financially are plagued with anxiety because they don’t know that God wants to be their provider, how he provides, and what they should expect when he provides. In this talk, we discuss how meeting the needs of his people is another benefit of the kingdom of God.
Key passages
The words of God encourages and gives us peace about financial matters. The principal passages in this talk were Matthew 6 and Philippians 4.
Matthew 6:19-34
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. (Matthew 6:19-34)
Phillippians 4:6-19
6 Be careful for nothing; [anxious for nothing] but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things…
19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-19)
Anxious defined: experiencing worry, unease, or nervousness, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome. Wanting something very much, typically with a feeling of unease.
What to expect from God
Many of us, especially living in America, desire a standard of living that is beyond necessity. Living in the United States is rich compared to most countries. If you think you deserve to meet American standards or higher—you’ll be mistaken and disappointed. God’s provision means:
- You’ll have adequate food, clothing, and shelter.
- What you need may come from your employer, self-employment, the government, religious organizations or the Church.
- Your shelter may be your own home, a rental, living in your car, friends, family, or a temporary refuge via a ministry.
- In all this, you won’t have to beg, for the scriptures say: “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread” (Psalm 37:25).
Why does God provide in this way?
“Bare essential” living (especially in America) humbles us and tests us to see if we’ll serve God with little to nothing. Satan accused Job of only serving God because of God’s abundant blessings (see the book of Job). God proved Satan wrong. Will you past the test of love for your creator? Will you be content with whatever God gives you?
Biblical examples of God’s provision
When we study the Bible, we see how some of God’s faithful servants were cared for, we have to take note of these examples. Here are three:
- Jesus said he had no home when some inquired about following him (Matthew 8:19-20). Jesus slept in the mountains after teaching in the synagogues (Luke 21:37).
- John the Baptist lived in a cave, in the wilderness, eating honey and grasshoppers. (Matthew 3:3-4).
- The prophet Elijah had food sent to him by ravens and drank from a brook. When the food ran out, God fed him through the widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17:6-16).
Important notes
This doesn’t mean we should not save money, seek to grow our income, or believe “poverty” or homelessness is what you should expect as a kingdom citizen. It’s also important to note that being rich or wealthy is not a sin.
I’m not saying: Quit your job and start a business. Be led by the Spirit. God can maneuver people on your job and he can give you the wisdom to start a business.
I’m not saying: Focus on ministry full time and neglect work. No. Work. Paul made tents, Christ’s disciples fished, and Jesus was a carpenter. Be led by the Spirit.
There will be seasons in our life when we have an abundance and times when we have very little. The goal is to be thankful and content and rest in God’s provision.
This ministry is no longer in service. I left the Christian faith and no longer agree with some of the content posted here. However, this website will remain available for archive purposes. Read the details in my last post.
I am very pleased with what I read it definitely confirmed how I am too trust our Heavenly Father for his provision thank You Neal for the message