OUR PLENTY TOO MUCH PROVIDER
“But my God shall supply all of your needs according to His riches in glory through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)
One of the greatest personal revelations we can ever have is that of God as our personal Provider. When Abraham had his back completely against the wall, he was faced with the terrible option that to obey God meant sacrificing his own son, God provided a ram in the bushes. At that place Abraham worshiped God as his Jehovah Jireh. In each and every one of our lives there will come times when we feel overwhelmed by needs we have that we feel are impossible to meet. God doesn’t just want to come through for us, God wants us to enter into a personal knowledge of His love and care for us and His guarantee to be in a relationship with us throughout our lives to meet our needs.
I know that there were a few key times in my early walk that God set that revelation in my heart, which has allowed me to fulfill my destiny in so many ways. I was seeking to respond to God’s call to move to Northeast El Paso and plant our first church. We didn’t have any money, any place to live. One of our biggest needs was for a car. My car was completely worn out. It took a quart of oil just to drive to work and back. I remember praying for God’s provision. I went to Casa Ford to see what kind of payment arrangements I could get on a cheap car. A weird thing happened. A manager there who knew me told the sales person to find out what kind of car I wished I could purchase. I remember saying, I would love to have this new Ford Fairmont that would seat my family but I couldn’t afford it. He left and came back and said that I was to go and sign some papers, the car was mine. Someone had come by and said, “Whatever car Dale Walker picks tell him it’s already his, an anonymous donor has paid for it.”
This began to form something in my spirit that was more than just gratitude. I began to be aware of the heart of my Father who delighted in taking care of me. I had something better than a billion dollars, I had a Good Good Father who was totally committed to care for me as I sought first His kingdom.
I discovered something so amazing at the same time. God could let us win the lottery or something and give us lots of money. But He wants to give us something even better. A deep inner sense that even when I don’t see the provision it’s there already. God wants to make us aware of a kingdom that is at hand: His storehouse. He has called us to begin to be aware that God wants to position us as co-heirs, not paupers but partners with Him of His abundance. Not for us to become passive or lazy, but to realize that we have an incredible role in releasing His resources to earth to meet the needs of hurting people. I believe the journey to trusting God for our needs is not a way of learning to raise funds but learning how God raises up sons and daughters to be vessels for His rule to come and His will to be done in the lives of those who need to see God can provide for them.
I got more than a car that day. I got a sense that as we started the church I could trust Him and ask Him for all it would take to make a great impact in the lives of thousands of people for His glory. This is exactly what happened.
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