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God’s Abundant Provision is Ours to Receive
Episode #508
August 28, 2016
With Martha Kilpatrick and hosted by John Enslow
Special Guest: Carole Nelson and Dave Wentzel
This is the continuation of a series of Podcasts started in Episode #506.
(Martha) Last week I was doing some reading, and I think it was Watchman Nee in The Spiritual Man. I’ll try to find that, what it was. And I realized once again that we were under an oppression. It just sneaks in so subtly. I remember Nee saying, “The enemy comes in an inch at the time.” And you don’t notice it, and then you don’t notice the next inch or the tenth inch. And one day you wake up and you’ve lost ground. And we were all discouraged and oppressed, and I started throwing that thing off realizing it was the enemy and went down to Jennifer. And Jennifer said this statement, “I forget how subtle the enemy is.” And that’s what we forget. It is that subtle. He doesn’t go straight to kill you; he makes you want to die. He’s so diabolically clever, and we are given the mind of Christ that is wiser than the serpent and gentler than a dove. We have that heritage in the Person of Jesus Christ. For some time John and I practiced this, and of course it went away; it phased away. We agreed every day to destroy the plans that the enemy had. And I remember recognizing a freedom and the fruit of that. I think that would be a great thing for every believer to do. “In Jesus’ Name, I close the gates of hell and no plan of the enemy shall prosper.” A lot of times I’m praying for people… Most everybody, I destroy the plans of the enemy, but I have more faith now, because I understand that we have that authority in Jesus Christ to close down the enemy and His territory. And no wonder we’re being attacked! But we threw that thing off, all those things, and renounced it as not from God. Jennifer says this, and I can say it’s true of me too. There has been… I had the chance to share with someone recently that there’s a principle in Proverbs that says, “Wealth gained quickly flies away,” and I believe it’s a spiritual principle; not about money, not only about money. Growth in anything, healthy growth, takes place slowly, and I have always wanted it to be speedy. I’ve always wanted to be somewhere I’m not. Even now, I’m feeling that. But He’s calling me to slow down, to be patient, to let Him have His progression through my life, whatever He’s after. And I think I know what it is. I believe He’s after the huge victory that would be a life of rest. Hebrews 3. Help me. Carole has a little sign, a little picture in her bathroom that is from her grandmother. Yeah. John’s already taken a picture of it, but I’m going to see if I can do it, but you go get it. “Slowly have I learned not to hurry, not to worry. Also slowly learned not to fear while I’m here. All is in God’s hands.” Very simple little mantra or motto of life. Very, very simple intention. That has become my intention. “Slowly have I learned not to worry, not to hurry. Also slowly learned while I’m here not to fear. All is in God’s hands.” And as I sit here in this room with these six people, I am astonished. Our history, it goes back many years. With Carole, the most, some 40 years isn’t it?
(Carole) Over 40 years.
(Martha) Over 40 years. And how patiently and slowly God has built this little group and built my life and built each life chiseling away and getting you where He wants you to be. And someone reminded me the other day of what He said to me when I was diagnosed with cancer. I said, “Lord, You’ve always been there.” He said, “No, I’ve always gotten you where you needed to be at any given time.” And that is more sovereign than anything I could have imagined. “I’ve always been there to get you where I needed you to be at any given time.” That is security, and that’s who He is. He is our keeper, our Lord and Master. In spite of us, He does it. So, Carole gave me the visual picture. I had not seen it, but she gave me the visual picture of not only what was ravaging us and taking life energy through worry, fear, anxiety, discouragement, all those little picky, picky things that the enemy does. And then the solution began. It was work. It was work to solve it, work to solve it of many. It took investment. And so we are today overcomers, and hopefully more on the alert than we usually are. Do you want to say something?
(Dave) 1st Peter, chapter 5, He’s talking, starting verse 5. It says, “You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders, and all of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another,” which we’re talking about vanity. “For God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time,” not when you think, but at the proper time. “Casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert,” going around the fence. “Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
(Martha) Perfect. Thank you so much. Wow.
(Carole) Life. The Lord took us through, took me through the process of seeing the enemy, shoring up the fence, doing what was necessary in order to continue to bring forth life and bring it forth abundantly. And those little cucumbers that were little sticks have now… They’re about 8-12 inches high and they have produced new leaves. So, I’m just thrilled, because I thought they were, I thought they were dead.
(Martha) Dave said the prayer is “to restore the years the locusts have eaten.” And Joan and I were in the garden this morning. I can’t remember why I was telling you this, but about life wants to grow. Oh, I was asking Joan to take the leaves off my kale plants, and she said, “I didn’t know that…” I said, “They want you to pick their leaves so they can grow new ones.” That’s the way real life is. They want to, they are here to feed you, and they want you to take their leaves. And she said, “I didn’t know that. I didn’t know whether you should take the leaves off or not.” So we stripped them down, because they had been attacked down to the nub and just a few little new leaves so that they will put forth, and then they will live through the winter. So, I was telling her this when God said, “Let there be vegetation, let there be seed producing seed after its own kind.” That command is so in nature that the saying is, “Nature abhors a void.” And it’s astonishing to me that if you don’t pick your cucumbers, they’ll stop performing and grieve and die, because they are meant to produce fruit. And we’re supposed to take it. So everything that bears vegetables and fruit is propelled by the word of God to supply for us. And my garden’s kind of languished this year because I’ve not felt well, and I’ve not had much energy. And I feel like I have affected the plants, and that they’re sad because I’m sad. Now that may sound crazy to you, but I live among the growing things, and I know them well. And they have life of a different sort, yes. I don’t mean human, but they have life and respond to life, and they respond… John’s are flourishing, twelve feet high tomato vines and all kind of lavish things, because he’s well and happy and able. And his garden is a reflection of him. So, I’m gonna go put my seeds in his garden and grow over there until I recover. (laughing) No, what it really is, is I took on more than I should have taken on. And so, my weariness I’m sure affected it. It does, it does. If you know anything about living things, they are affected both directions. So, I’m counting on mine to flourish now, because I’m better and we’ve conquered some things. But life is attractive to the varmints, and life is there for God’s children. And death is after our life on every ground. Death is after our life on every ground, not just our health but our very houses and gardens. Death is after you to discourage you. If it can do nothing else but just make you weary and tired of life and anxious, that will do. So, I hope I can learn that discouragement is always the enemy. Because as a child of God with the authority that we have, with the Father who provides everything, there is never a reason to do anything more other than say, “Thank You,” which we’re commanded to do. I also want to mention the book that I’ve just begun to read, and it’s just been published. I don’t think this book has been in print before by Derek Prince, The Promise of Provision. We’re carrying it in the LivingChristianBooks.com. I’ll just read a couple of things from the beginning. I’ve only gotten partly into it, but it’s already extremely encouraged me that to count on His prosperity, His provision. Prosperity, Derek Prince does not define it as money and wealth necessarily. I think we live very prosperously here, and not wealthy at all. “We must learn to represent God as a God of abundance.” He used that word. I’m developing this also for the “Binding and Loosing,” which will come about soon, God willing. But if you’re going to bind and loose, you have to know what God has given so you can receive it. And I told them the story this morning at the breakfast table that in terms of abundance, the word in the Greek means overwhelming, overwhelming supply, outlandish provision. It’s not a small word. It doesn’t mean just enough. It means whatever God has assigned you to do, He gives you the provision to do it. And that is true of this ministry for twenty years. We have what we need. Now, I don’t know that we’ve ever received the abundance that He has for us. So, for the last few days I’ve been waking up every morning saying… I open my arms and say, “Lord, pour out on me Your abundance in whatever form You have it for me. I don’t want to miss it by being constrained and thinking You’re a little bitty God with only a shoestring to hand out. I want to be one who is operating as a child of the Most High God, and I want to receive what You want to give Your child and not grieve You by resisting.” And I’ve had just amazing, amazing things happen on every ground of life, and every ground of practical life. It’s been amazing. So, I want us to come to that mentality. Maybe the Message of the Month would help it. Maybe this book, The Promise of Provision, will give us the faith and ignite in us the faith that God is lavish.
Thank you for this message brethren, It went together with what I read in the book of Ruth. She met the “THE MIGHTY MAN OF WEALTH” in her redeemer kinsman Boaz. She finds favor in his eyes and she gleans from the abundance of his barley fields. She because of her humility and virtue receives Him and all his wealth. She was a lover and love gets it all!
Our true Boaz (Christ) would say to us, “I love those who love me; and they that seek me early shall find me. Riches and honor are with me; durable wealth and righteousness. My fruit is better than fine gold, yea, than pure gold; and my revenue tan choice silver. I walk in the path of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgement: that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasuries,” Prov. 8: 17-21
We miss you all!
Awesome message folks & Martha! In my current health condition, I’m finding that the MORE that I lean on Him for ANYTHING instead of confidence in man or any other source, the MORE of EVERYTHING He has supplied, abundantly. He is so good to His children!
I am full on so many levels…oh my!
Father I pray Your most outstanding blessings on each of these that allow You to feed us lavishly through them. In the name of Jesus, amen.