(Everything I Do) I Do It For You

I think most Spirit-filled Believers understand that the Holy Spirit supplies us with every spiritual endowment necessary to teach, preach, witness and perform the spiritual works we have been assigned.

I'm going to pose some questions to you, readers. Do you need a reliable, trustworthy babysitter? Do you need a reliable, trustworthy car to get you where you need to go? Do you need books to help you learn whatever it is you're lacking in knowledge? Do you need a job that enables you to spend more time with your family? Do you need a pay raise? Do you need a smaller or larger home, or just a home that is yours? What practical needs do you have that are necessary for you to do the work of The Kingdom? Think about that. Make a list if you need to, and I encourage you to ask the Holy Spirit to help you with it!

So, here's where we are this week. I can't write about anything except what I know, and this is what I know.

In all the months (14 of them to be precise) that I was unemployed I never once missed a car insurance payment. (It was the only bill I had to keep up with, and it was the only one that God provided for...). My son and I never went hungry, we never suffered any major illness, he and I both had good clothing handed to us and in some cases, paid for by others. We lived rent-free in a good, safe, warm home.

God Himself, ministered to the undeniable needs that years of abuse had loaded onto me. He personally took the mending of my spirit and soul into His care. He saw to it that my practical needs were met by generous brothers and sisters in Christ. One of my cousins even gave me a car! A good car!

I am convinced that those 14 months were a kind of "Spiritual ICU" for me. I came out of that situation with greater, stronger faith than I have ever known, my spirit and soul were well on their way to being mended by our Faithful Lord, and my trust in God and his infinite goodness was established, which made living in any circumstances a blessing!

Why am I sharing that with you? Because God has shown me, by taking care of my needs (every kind of need I've had) that HE ALONE is responsible for equipping me to do His Kingdom work. He stocks the shelves, He fills the pantry, He is always providing whatever it is we need to finish the assignment He has given.

As Believers, we must understand that we have been given oversight of Kingdom business. According to Ephesians 4, 1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12, we all have an individual job to do. We are equipped by the Holy Spirit to do what God asks of us.

God is a shrewd businessman! He is the "Master of the Vineyard", as Jesus told us in the parable of Mark 12. Jesus told the disciples in Luke, "Occupy (that is 'conduct business') until I come." (Luke 19:13 KJV) In other words, do the business of the Kingdom of God faithfully and enforce the victory I secure for you until I return. That is our primary goal as the Body of Christ. Our individual contribution is as varied as it can be, yet we have all been outfitted to do our part.

Jesus used the imagery of the vineyard, owners, servants and farmhands frequently throughout the Gospels. He shared parables about managers and their staff. They were all analogies for US to better understand the relationship of God, not just as Father, but also as Master or Boss. We take our direction from Him, or at least we should be!

No farm owner worth his salt would ever assign a laborer the job of plowing and seeding a field without supplying his laborer the seed and all the equipment necessary to do the job right. After all, this crop has to bring a decent profit, right? It would be ludicrous to think that as a laborer with a job to do we would not be provided the appropriate tools to do the job well!

There is an overly-familiar scripture in Philippians that I want to call your attention to. This is how THE MESSAGE puts it:
"You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need, His generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from Jesus!" (Phil. 4:19 TM)
Paul was addressing a congregation who tirelessly and faithfully made sure his practical needs were taken care of. Their generosity is lauded throughout this letter to them. In his final thank you he assures them that every need they have will be taken care of by God, just as they have been so diligent to take care of his needs.

The Philippian church had a job to do, and Paul wanted them to know that it was God's desire to see to it that they received everything they needed to do their job well. A large part of that assignment apparently was taking care of Paul! Still, they always had enough.

If you know your assignment, or if you are seeking God for clarity on your assignment in The Kingdom (and yes, even YOU have one!) know this: God has already stocked your tool shed! God never assigns you a job without first preparing things for you so you can do your work efficiently and effectively. This is to His glory and it pours to us simply because HE is good, not because WE are good! (Get that outta your heads!)

In the 37th Psalm, David wrote, "...I've never seen the righteous forsaken, nor their seed begging for bread." Now that is a testament to the God we work for, who is our Master. When we are living righteously (and that word simply means when we are doing things God's way, not our own way...that's what righteousness is...) then you need never worry about where "it" is going to come from, whatever "it" is for you.

In these days of economic woes, Believers must understand clearly and take to heart what Jesus said, "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." We may be in it, but we don't operate like it! Yes, this worlds' economic state is a botch-job. It does affect us daily. But, our Manager does not work on the world's economic system! He works from the economic principles of HIS KINGDOM! We are subjects of HIS KINGDOM and KINGDOM PRINCIPLES apply to us, as well! This should bring every Believer peace and assurance that since He called us, He alone has equipped us.

Read that again. He alone has equipped us. Past-tense, implying it is already done! We simply need to ask with expectation of receiving, knowing that God's goodness and His promises to us are more than enough for us to 'take to the bank'. His reputation precedes Him, and in the words of Bishop Jakes, "Lord, your credit is good with me!"

If He called you, He has already provided for what He called you for...count on it!

Be blessed this week, Beloved! Know that you are not identified by what you accomplish for Christ, but you are identified by what Christ did for you (and what that one act STILL accomplishes for you, every day!)

IN CHRIST ALONE...

Jennifer H. Barnes
UPLIFT! Editor