The Christian life is a spiritual journey. And like every journey in this world there are ups and downs. As a result of the lockdown many Christians are living through the downs of the journey right now. Some have lost their jobs, lost their loved ones, and their health. When we go through difficult trials how should we live? The Bible calls us to live by faith and not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7; Gal. 2:20). More specifically, the Lord calls us to trust in His precious promises. They are one of the primary means that He uses to sanctify us (2 Thess. 2:13) and to provide for us (Heb. 11:6).

In this blog, I’d like to briefly share part of my journey with you in order to show you how God has taught me to depend on His promises for my provision. Through my own story, I hope to both encourage and challenge you to also stand upon the rock-solid promises for your daily spiritual, emotional, and physical needs.

God spoke to me through His Promise in Matthew 6:33

In 2008 God called me to a particular school where I worked as a schoolteacher for 7 years. I was happy and content. However, in 2015, the Lord seemed to be calling me to teach at a small Bible college. While this seemed like a wonderful opportunity, and one that I wanted to take hold of, the college could not afford to pay me a salary immediately. So, I was hesitant to obey the Lord’s call in this regard because I was concerned about my financial stability. How could I know that this was His will? I needed a word from the Lord.

Then one morning in 2015, the Lord spoke to me. No, I did not hear His audible voice. He spoke to me through one of the many promises in His word. I remember opening my Bible to Matthew chapter 6 where Jesus was teaching His disciples not to worry about their lives. He used the birds of the air to make the point that if God takes care of these little creatures, then how much more will he take care of them. He concluded by saying to them, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matt. 6:33).

I had read verse 33 many times before as a Christian. However, on that particular morning it leaped off the page and straight into my heart because I believed it for the first time. No longer did I see it as a propositional statement. It was a promise. A promise for my financial provision! God was not promising me a salary or immeasurable riches. He was promising to provide me with everything that I needed to do His will.

God confirmed His word to me through the testimony of George Mueller 

A few minutes later the Lord confirmed His word to me through the testimony of George Mueller. As I was surfing the web I came across an article about his life and faith. Until that time I had never heard of him. I quickly learnt that during the 1800’s, Mueller opened and managed 5 orphanages, helping over 10 000 orphans in his lifetime. What challenged me about his testimony was that he relied completely on prayer and faith in God’s promises to provide for the physical needs of his orphanages.

At the end of his life he died with possessions to the value of $20 000 dollars. Yet, he had handled more than $200 million in his lifetime. And he never once asked another person directly for money! While he cared deeply for orphans, his primary goal was not the physical needs of his orphans but to glorify God using only prayer and faith. Secondly, he wanted to encourage other Christians to live by faith and trust God. So, faith was central to everything he did.

As a result of God’s miraculous provisions in his life, many people assumed that he had the gift of faith (1 Cor. 12:9). However, Mueller insisted that he did not possess this spiritual gift. He wrote, “This is not the faith I exercise to meet my needs and the needs of the orphans. Rather, my faith is the same faith every believer has. This is faith that begins at conversion and grows little by little” (Mallin 2015). He called this trust-obeying faith in God’s word the “grace of faith.” It simply refers to the faith that every Christian is called to exercise in the promises of God on a daily basis.

The grace of faith is the faith that every Christian is called to exercise in the promises of God on a daily basis.

In the space of about 30 minutes the Lord used the promise in Matthew 6:33 and the testimony of George Mueller to confirm that it was His will for me to move to the Bible College. I remember sitting in my study chair that morning and weeping like a baby. My tears were filled with joy and sorrow. The Lord had answered my prayer, but He had also showed me that my security had been in my job and in my salary. From that day on I decided to live by faith alone in God’s promises.

An example of God’s miraculous provision in my life

As a result of practicing the grace of faith and trusting in God’s promises, I have witnessed the Lord’s faithful provision over and over again in my life. For example, one morning in 2017 when I got up to teach at the Bible College, I received a notification on my phone that an anonymous donor had deposited R3000 into my bank account. I was thrilled. Little did I know that on my way back home I would puncture one of my tires. After an assessment of all my tires, I was told that I needed to replace not just one but all of them because of their poor condition. The cost was around R3000! Without this I would have not been able to drive to College, teach the Bible, and fulfill God's will. So, He gave me what I needed.

Look, learn, and believe in God’s promises

Friend I have been speaking about God’s promises, but do you know them? Have you looked for them in His word, learnt them, and believed them? Many Christians have read Matthew 6:33, but how many of them actually believe that what Jesus said is true for their own life? If you’re such a person, then choose to live by this promise today! There are many other great and precious promises in God’s word. Here are some of my favourite ones regarding God’s promises to provide for our needs.

• For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless (Ps. 84:11).
• He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? (Rom. 8:32).
• I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength (Phil. 4:11-13).
• Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” (Heb. 13:5-6).

In conclusion, remember that the Lord is faithful and He knows how to take care of His children, especially when they go through trials and tribulations. He promises to withhold no good thing from those who walk uprightly and trust Him. So, put your trust in His word today and watch Him take care of your needs in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19). If God said it, then we can take Him at His word. We can trust Him without wavering!