Has it Already Been Done?

So I hope that you all read my last post, which was our testimony, if you haven’t done so you may want to check it out. Now I move on to the next phase, and in order to get my mind around this, I would like to explain it to you. I hope that this will help to strengthen my faith, and help you to do the same with yours.

So my wife and I are pregnant, now it is time to start believing for the financial provision. I have been running my own business for a few years now, but it is not quite at the stage where it can support both of us. I have asked God if I should quit it and get a full time job, and He has told me in no uncertain terms to keep the business. Now my spirit is telling me to do that, but my brain is throwing a wobbly, because logically it is a very risky move. I have been a Christian for long enough to know to listen to my spirit, but how do I have that peace, when my brain is disagreeing? One way I find that helps, is to understand why I can expect it to happen. Understanding scripture helps to build faith. If we understand God’s promises, it is easier to believe them.

One of the main issues which I have come across of late, are 3 generally accepted statements, which we as Christians tend to believe and say. I’m not sure if they are true though, here they are:

1. It will happen in God’s time.
2. Pray until God gives it to you.
3. If it is God’s will, it will happen.

Now I don’t want to be rude, as I have heard all of these comments by people that I love and respect, but they are misleading at best. They are often said to encourage, but they do not encourage me, let me explain. Let’s start with number 3, if it is God’s will. Yes, it is God’s will that I prosper. How do I know this? Simple, the Bible says so. Yes, you may know someone who loves Jesus who is not prospering, but that does not change what the Bible says. So if the Bible says that God wants us to prosper, and we are not prospering (yet), then what is the problem? The problem is that we have not yet received what God has given. This brings number 2 into play, if God has already given it, why do we need to pray? Well in short, we shouldn’t pray only for things, praying is just communicating within a relationship. If you have a best friend, and you only ever talk to them when you want something, what do you think would happen? I pray because I love God, I try and pray mostly just for the sake of it. Do I sometimes get sucked into praying only for things, yes, but that shouldn’t be the case. So where does that leave me? I don’t need to wonder if it is God’s will, I know it is, so 3 is irrelevant. God has already provided for me, so I don’t need to hassle Him in prayer. Still not sure of this? Let me ask you a simple question. When did Jesus save you? If you’re thinking about when you became a Christian, then you’re wrong. Jesus saved you 2000 years ago on the cross, you ACCEPTED it when you confessed with your mouth that you believed that Jesus is Lord. Now you may thing that I am splitting hairs, but I am not, I believe this is true for most things. Jesus did what He needed to on the cross, we just haven’t received it all yet, which brings me to number 1. If things always happen in God’s timing, then why did the Israelites spend 40 years doing a 2 week journey? Was that God’s plan, or their disobedience?

So here is where I am now. I believe that it is God’s will that my business prospers, I also believe that He has already provided me with all that I need in order to see this happen. I know that I need faith, and I know that I need to be obedient to what I believe that God is telling me. There is a fine line between knowing that God has done it, believing that we will receive it, and taking any action required on our part. Doing all of this without worrying, is what I am trying to get right.

Any thoughts? Do you agree with me on this? Do you understand it differently? How do you get this balance right? I would be interested in your views on this, it is not something that I have accomplished, but more a current walk of mine. I know what I believe to be the truth, but walking in that is a whole other story.

Richard