God of Provision

Photo by Yana Moroz

So Abraham called the name of that place, “The LORD will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided.” Genesis 22:14

When God tested Abraham and asked him to sacrifice his only son Isaac, Abraham knew one thing, God was faithful and could be trusted to provide a lamb for the sacrifice.

The LORD will provide

When Isaac asked him where the sacrifice was, he answers by faith. And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” Genesis 22:7-8

He answers with conviction- God will provide for Himself the lamb.

What if we got to a place where our trust in God’s provision is like Abraham’s? When He asks us to go do something, we go do it knowing whatever we might need will be provided. If what He is calling us to do requires resources we don’t have, we take the step of faith believing He will provide.

Obedience precedes provision

Abraham obeyed even when he did not know where the sacrifice would come from. He doesn’t bother with the details, his was to get to the mountain and leave the rest to God.

Obedience by faith activates provision. Sometimes, we want to wait until we see the provision to obey. We tell God, “ If you show me where the money will come from, then I will take a step of faith. If you show me where the resources are, then I will do what you are asking me to do.” But obedience always precedes provision. When we obey by faith it activates the provision, not the other way around.

God could be asking you to start a business but you have been waiting to see the resources first. Your step of faith could be printing out business cards, creating a free website, or telling people about it.

God may be asking you to start a ministry, but you are waiting until you have people to begin. Your step of faith is showing up to your place of ministry and trusting God for people.

We first obey by what we know, then trust Him for the next instruction. We cannot have instruction number ten when we haven’t even executed instruction one.

Obedience by faith is scary because it’s human nature to want certainty, but we cannot have certainty and walk by faith. walking by faith always requires choosing to be uncertain until God confirms His word, and it is not easy.

On the mountain of the Lord

Abraham says, “ On the mountain of the Lord it shall be provided.”

Provision only comes in the things God has asked us to do. God will not fund things He didn’t start, nor provide on mountains He didn’t assign us. Sometimes, we’re asking God to provide on mountains He didn’t ordain.

Abraham could trust God to provide because he was on the mountain that God had sent him to. Has God sent you there or have you sent yourself? Is that business God’s idea or yours? Is that ministry God’s idea or yours? Is that wedding God’s idea or yours? Is that need in line with God’s word or is it yours? If it’s God, the provision will come.

We can send ourselves to mountains believing God will provide only to end up disappointed and mad at God. We never have to worry about God’s provision when we have heard His voice and are being led by Him. if it is His idea, He will provide. If He started it, He will sustain it. If He began it, He will finish it.

Faith is completed by works

Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his work, and faith was completed by his works. James 2:21-22

By choosing to sacrifice his son Isaac, Abraham completed his faith through works. Our work of faith makes our faith complete. When we obey by faith, it is counted as righteousness by God

Faith has to be accompanied by obedience for it to be fruitful. We can tell God we have faith but never take any step of faith. Our stepping out in faith is what reveals whether we have faith or not.

When we go even when we don’t understand, God sees it as faith. When we do even when it’s not very clear, God sees it as faith. When we step out even before we see the provision, God counts it as faith.

What do you need to do by faith? If you will go even before you see the provision, God will provide. If you will start before it is clear, God will provide. If you step out even before you see it, God will show up.

On the mountain of the Lord, it shall be provided.