Jan 31st 14 Posted by Natalie Nichols in Fasting, Prayer

The I Am for Your Every Need (1): In Christ Is…

Do you need something desperately? Are you becoming anxious as your situation moves from concern to crisis?

Your need, whatever it is today, has been met in Christ Jesus. It has been met in Him just as the Israelites’ needs were when God was leading them through the wilderness.

At The Red Sea

When God led the Israelites to the Red Sea, they were shut in with the sea in front, the mountains on both sides, and Pharaoh behind. God led them to a place of human hopelessness—to wit’s end!

Had the Israelites simply believed one promise God had made to them, they could have been free from all worry and fear. God had told them where the cloud stopped, they were to stop. He would carry them, and guide them and tell them where to pitch their tent. (Deut 1:33)

The cloud stopped between Migdol and the sea—a place that baffled them and put them at wit’s end! It was impossible for them to figure out a way through the Red Sea … and Pharaoh’s army was fast approaching.

Are you between a rock and a hard place? Between the sea and Pharoah? With no way out?

How did you get there? Do you think the devil put you there? God put you in this place—no matter how bad, how hopeless, or how senseless it seems.

Psalm 37:23 says, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.”

“The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.” (Ps. 37:23, NLT)

“The steps of a [good] man are directed and established by the Lord when He delights in his way [and He busies Himself with his every step].” (Ps. 37:23, AMP)

Long before Israel left Egypt, God’s plan was already set. He had already commanded the winds to blow at a certain day and hour to part the Sea. He had known all along exactly what He was going to do!

In the same way, God has a plan to bring you out of your storm.

“With God rests my salvation and my glory” (Psalm 62:7).

Your way out—the meeting of your need—rests with God. It has rested with Him long before your trouble even started. He’s not worrying, fretting, and ringing his hands, trying to figure out how He’s going to meet your need.

Israel was afraid and fainted at the Sea. They didn’t trust that God loved them and was busying Himself with their every step, providing for their every need.

God still delivered Israel, but they sang their song on the wrong side of the sea. They didn’t pass the spiritual test … and consequently, had to take the test again.

At Marah

Three days after the Red Sea miracle, Israel was back in another test—in need again. They were hot, tired, and desperately thirsty, having traveled in the desert for three days without finding water.

They arrived at Marah, where there was water, but it was bitter and undrinkable. Satan hadn’t led Israel to this testing place. It was the cloud—it was God—who had led them here.

The people cried out in fear, anger—hurling awful accusations against Moses and God saying, “You’ve brought us here to die!”

God knew the waters were bitter. But He had a plan. There was a certain living tree near that bitter pond, and He would use it to purify the waters for Israel.

How many years before had God planted that tree there solely for the purpose of delivering Israel?

How many things had tried to destroy that tree—bugs, disease, people trying to use it for a fire to stay cool at night?

But God had a plan to use that tree! He said, “One day My children are going to come here overcome by thirst, and they’re going to need this tree to purify the waters. This tree is part of my plan to deliver them! Nothing is going to keep Me from meeting their need.”

This tree represents the cross of Christ. God has already planted a tree of deliverance for you! In Christ is the plan, the power, and the provision —and the perfect timing—to meet your need! God just wants you to look to Him expectantly and confidently trust Him.

At Rephidim

Because Israel failed to trust God at Marah, they came to another testing ground at Rephidim where there was no water for the people to drink. It had no stream, no well—not even a trickle of water.

How could God have led Israel there? It must have seemed like a paradox. This was the driest place in the whole wilderness.

On one side you have drought and death and on the other you have God’s leading and His promise to provide. How could the two be reconciled?

But that’s our finite, human perspective. Exodus 17:1 says Israel was led there “according to the LORD’S command …” (Ex. 17:1). And being there was best for Israel, too. Although they couldn’t see it at the time.

God Himself allowed His people to grow thirsty: “And the people thirsted there for water…” (Exodus 17:3).

God allowed it to seem dire—and to be dire in the natural. Babies were crying, children were wailing, grandparents were suffering parched throats. Parents looked at their families and thought, “In a few days we’ll all be dead.” So they turned in anger to Moses, crying, “Give us water to drink!” In spite of having seen God’s love and care for them and His miraculous, delivering hand, Israel was still depending on man—on the flesh!

God had a plan before they got there! He had planned to have Moses go up Mount Horeb to a reservoir of water that He had prepared. Moses was to take his staff (with which he struck the Nile), strike the rock, and water would come out.

The rock represents Christ. (See 1 Cor. 10:4.) Again, we see that in Christ is the plan, power, provision, and perfect timing to meet your need! He is the supply. The need is an invitation to His supply.

At every test God was waiting for a response of faith from Israel.

What is your current Sea, Marah, Rephidem? How are you responding? In faith, or grumbling, complaining, trying to maneuver your way out through human means?

• Are you unemployed? Have you sent out a thousand resumes to no avail? Have you used up all your savings, maxed every credit card, borrowed from every source you can, and exhausted all means of living?
• Are you underemployed? Without enough to make ends meet?
• Are you or a loved one in the midst of a health crisis?
• Do you have a relationship that is broken and needs healing?
• Is your business about to go under?

As children of God, we have other options besides living in fear, worry, and anger at God. God knew what He was going to do for Israel and He knows what He is going to do for you in your crisis. He has a plan and has had it long before you reached this crisis.

God already had a plan to have the winds part the Red Sea. He had already preserved a tree in Marah to heal the waters. He had already chosen a rock on Mount Horeb out of which He would supply Israel’s water for decades … and He has a plan to deliver you!

In Christ is the plan, the power, the provision, and the perfect timing to meet your need! Look to Him expectantly and confidently trust Him.

All Our Needs are Met In Him

The existence of a need is the evidence of God’s supply. The need is God’s way of inviting you to partake of His supply—His meeting of your need. And that need has already been met in Jesus Christ who dwells in you.

“His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness” (2 Peter 1:3, HCSB).

Do you have your doubts as to whether your need has already been met? God’s divine order is that the supply always comes first before the need.

• Which came first, the first Adam or the last Adam? The last Adam, Jesus Christ, existed first. In plan and purpose, He was crucified before the foundation of the world. When the first Adam fell into sin and had a need for redemption, Jesus Christ was already the supply for that need (1 Corinthians 15:45).
• Which came first, air for lungs to breathe, or lungs that needed air. Air came first. God gives the supply first.

Your battle won’t stop until you give up trying to figure it all out—until you throw yourself completely into God’s care and trust Him to be the supply for your need.

• Are you questioning the Lord in the midst of your crisis? Are you murmuring and complaining?
• Are you calling on another person whom you feel, or desperately wish, has the solution for you?
• Are you coming up with strategies for God? Telling HIm how to get you out of it?
• Are you constantly worrying, finagling, trying to find that one solution that will get you out of your mess?

If so, you’re prolonging your trial! From the beginning, God has been wanting your childlike trust and confidence. He wants you to cry out, “Lord, I wait silently for you. My hope and expectation are in you alone! You’re my only way out, but what I want more than out, is YOU!”

A Moment of Worship: He Is

* He Is written by Jeffrey Thomas Pardo, David Crowder, Hank Bentley
* David Crowder Official Video for “He Is” at Austin City Limits Live
* From the Album Milk & Honey on Amazon | Apple

 

Questions:

• What do you desperately need right now?
• Are you worried and preoccupied, constantly trying to figure a way to get your need met — trying to engineer any way out of your situation besides looking to God alone?
• All that you need, Jesus is. He is waiting for you to confidently trust Him and expectantly look to Him alone for the provision of your need.

OTHER POSTS IN THIS SERIES:

• Praise You, Jesus: Alphabet of Praise, Part 1
• Praise You Jesus: Alphabet of Praise, Part 2
• My God Is: Names of God
• 300+ Names, Titles, and Attributes of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
• The I Am For Your Every Need (2): Praise Party
• The I Am For Your Every Need (3): Action Point
• Five Ways to Use the Praise Series (The Names & Attributes of God)

 
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