Provision Promises (11 page)

The Bible tells us that He was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.

Jesus came to be crushed for us. He came to be bruised, scourged and pierced. Why? So that all that He is—health, life, wholeness, abundance, fruitfulness, grace, goodness—can flow out like golden oil into our lives!

My friend, whenever you use the holy anointing oil for healing, provision or protection, remember that Jesus has already been crushed for your total well-being. See the work as completely finished and enter into rest. That's how you receive your victory!

I
s anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

—James 5:14-15

It shall come to pass in that day that his burden will be taken away from your shoulder, and his yoke from your neck, and the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil.

—Isaiah 10:27

He personally bore our sins in His [own] body on the tree [as on an altar and offered Himself on it]... By His wounds you have been healed.

—1 Peter 2:24, AMP

...by His stripes we are healed.

—Isaiah 53:5

HEALTH THROUGH THE OIL, BREAD AND WINE

A brother from New Zealand shared an amazing healing testimony with me. After undergoing two surgeries, he was diagnosed with grade eight prostate cancer and given a grim report by his specialist.

A couple, who were elders from his church, anointed him with oil and prayed over him. He felt God's power go through him. Following this, his wife would anoint him every night with a bottle of oil, and they would pray and take the Holy Communion together. His symptoms started to disappear and he began to feel so much better.

At his next checkup, his specialist was amazed. She proclaimed his blood test report "fantastic" because it showed all indicators in the normal range!

Beloved, the oil, bread and wine represent Jesus' finished work at the cross. Jesus provided His own body to be punished for the healing of your diseases and afflictions. Rest in the reality that by His stripes you are healed!

Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

—Hebrews 12:2

I
have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

—Galatians 2:20

"...all things are possible to him who believes."

—Mark 9:23

REST IN JESUS WHOSE FAITH NEVER WAVERS

Did you know that our faith can sometimes stand in the way of us receiving our miracles? How? When our faith is in our faith and we are preoccupied with it. Instead of looking unto Jesus, we look at ourselves and ask, "Do I have enough faith?" or "Did I pray with enough faith?"

My friend, it's not about faith in your faith, but faith in the person of JESUS, whose faith is perfect and never wavers! When you are preoccupied with Jesus—His goodness, grace and compassion toward you—you will have unconscious faith. When you see His grace, God sees your faith!

Beloved, stop trying to muster up more faith. Simply rest in Christ who has all the faith for your miracle. Jesus has no doubt that His finished work is enough to bring about your breakthrough. All you need to do is see His grace and latch onto His faith that never wavers, and receive the provision and breakthrough you need!

Jesus is the only one whose faith never wavers.

Latch onto His unwavering faith and receive your provision.

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

—Matthew 11:28-30, The Message

JESUS GIVES YOU TRUE REST

Jesus lived in the unforced rhythms of grace. Everything He said and did was beautiful, perfectly timed. Always at the right place at the right time doing the right thing, His every word and deed went up to the Father as a sweet-smelling aroma.

My friend, Jesus wants you to learn His unforced rhythms of grace. He wants you to flow with Him. He's not hard to follow—His yoke is not heavy or burdensome. It is easy and light. When you walk in His ways, you will find true rest.

Beloved, Jesus' ways are not rash and impatient. He will never give you a prompting to spend more than you have. He will never lead you into a place of lack. Instead, He will lead you to see God's goodness that is already evident in your life. He will lead you to faithfully and diligently step from one level of increase to another. As you keep company with Him, He will teach you how to live the Christ-life.

The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you."

—Jeremiah 31:3

As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.

—John 15:9

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

—Romans 8:38-39

YOU ARE THE DISCIPLE WHOM JESUS LOVES

I used to think that of all the disciples Jesus loved, John was most loved by the Lord because the Bible calls him "the disciple whom Jesus loved." Then one day, I discovered that the phrase "the disciple whom Jesus loved" only appears in John's own Gospel. In other words, it was John who called himself the disciple whom Jesus loved!

Was John being arrogant? Did Jesus love him more than the rest? No, Jesus loved all twelve disciples the same, but John personalized and practiced Jesus' love for him!

My friend, that's what you ought to do too. Don't just say, "Yes, yes, Jesus loves everybody." Say, "Jesus loves ME!" Say, "I am the student whom Jesus loves," or "I am the disciple whom Jesus loves," or "I am the mom whom Jesus loves!" Every day, personalize, practice and rest in Jesus' love for you. Expect good things to happen to you when you believe that Jesus loves YOU in an intimate and personal way!

... "You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

—Mark 1:11

To the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

—Ephesians 1:6

Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him...

—1 Samuel 17:49-50

KNOW YOU ARE GOD'S BELOVED AND WIN

As Jesus came out of the waters of baptism, the heavens parted, the Spirit descended upon Him, and the Father said to Him, "You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Then, going into the wilderness in the power of knowing that He was the Father's beloved, our Lord Jesus overcame every one of the devil's temptations.

My friend, when you know that you are the Father's beloved because you are in Christ the Beloved, you will have the power to overcome every challenge the devil throws at you. Now, you are probably familiar with the story of David and Goliath. But did you know that David's name means "beloved"? It takes one who knows that he is God's beloved to bring down the giants in life!

So whether your giant is a financial crisis, chronic illness or destructive addiction, rest in the knowledge that you are God's beloved. It will strengthen and sustain you, and give you the faith, favor and wisdom to knock your giants down!

Good things happen to you when you believe that Jesus loves you.

YOU are God
'
s beloved, in whom He is well pleased.

And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

—
I
John 4:16

How precious is Your steadfast love, O God! The children of men take refuge and put their trust under the shadow of Your wings.

—Psalm 36:7, AMP

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

—1 John 5:14-15

BLESSINGS OF THE LORD'S BELOVED

Jesus loves ME. Three simple words that can make a big difference in your life when you believe them.

For some time, a precious lady in the Netherlands had been believing God for a financial provision. Then, she watched one of my television broadcasts and caught a revelation of how much the Lord loves her. For the first time, she prayed for her financial need with the revelation that Jesus loves her. "That very day," she said, "two new clients called me. The following week, I asked God again for His provision, simply trusting and resting in His love for me. Guess what? Three new clients called! Now, I know it is because Jesus loves me that He blesses me. It's not because of what I've done or not done. Getting a revelation of this truth has made such a difference that I am sharing it with my family, relatives and every person I meet!"

Breakthroughs come and amazing things can begin to happen to you when you truly believe how much Jesus loves YOU.

And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."

—Matthew 8:20

So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

—John 19:30

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?... Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

—Romans 8:35-37

MORE THAN CONQUERORS THROUGH JESUS' LOVE

Jesus said, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." I find this statement so beautiful. Let me tell you why.

In the original Greek text, the word for "lay" is a very unique word, klino. The only other place it is used in terms of Jesus resting His head is at the cross. When Jesus hung on the cross and cried, "It is finished!" the Bible says, "And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit." The word "bowing" here is the same Greek word, klino.

Beloved, it was only at the cross that the Son of Man finally found a place to rest His head. Jesus found His rest in redeeming us, in loving us. We, in turn, find rest in feeding on His sacrificial love for us. Whatever the challenge or need you are facing today, He has made you more than a conqueror through His love!

For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.

—2 Corinthians 1:20

As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

—1 Peter 4:10

The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath...

—Deuteronomy 28:12-13

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

—Jeremiah 29:11,
NIV

ARISE AND SHINE!

Beloved, all of God's provision promises toward you are yes and Amen! Right now, I want you to say these words out loud:

I declare that I am special in Jesus' eyes, and He loves me unconditionally. I have an awesome destiny. Jesus has equipped me with gifts, talents and abilities. Today, I receive the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness to reign in life. I give thanks that His favor surrounds me like a shield and opens doors of opportunities for me. Because of Jesus, I shall be the head and not the tail, above and not beneath, the lender and not the borrower. I shall not suffer lack but be surrounded by His abundance, His wisdom, His peace and His protection.

Thank You, Jesus, for Your finished work at the cross for me. I receive a fresh revelation of Your love right now and thank You that everything my hands touch shall be blessed! I believe with all my heart that I am greatly blessed, highly favored and deeply loved! Amen!

Prayers

If you would like to receive all that Jesus has done for you and make Him your Lord and Savior, please pray this prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank You for loving me and dying for me on the cross. Your precious blood washes me clean of every sin. You are my Lord and Savior, now and forever. I believe that You rose from the dead and that You are alive today. Because of Your finished work, I am now a beloved child of God and heaven is my home. Thank You for giving me eternal life and filling my heart with Your peace and joy. Amen.

As you partake of the Holy Communion, keep seeing and declaring how you have been healed by Jesus' stripes. Keep seeing and declaring how His blood has washed away all your sins and qualified you to receive all of God's blessings, including His righteousness, provision and restoration.