Give What We Have

On my drive home from the airport last evening I had an interesting exchange with the Lord. I was thinking about some of the things I had read in Bill Johnson's book, and thinking about how we should have access to the same miracle working power that Jesus demonstrated, through the power of the Holy Spirit. I felt like the Lord said to imagine what it would be like having the world's richest father, and he assigned the role to you to spend or give away all his wealth. My first thought was that I would be driving a nice expensive car. Then I thought, no that would be selfish, and pointless. What would be better would be if I was just able to walk up to people and take care of whatever financial need they had, regardless of how big. As I started thinking about that, the Lord jumped back in and said, "that's what I want you to walk in, in the area of healing and miracles." He immediately brought to mind several scriptures:


(NIV)Acts 3:1-8
One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer---at three in the afternoon. [2] Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. [3] When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. [4] Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” [5] So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.
[6] Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” [7] Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. [8] He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.


(NIV)James 4:3
When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.


(NIV)John 14:12-14
Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. [13] And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. [14] You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.


(NIV)Luke 11:9-13
“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. [10] For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. [11] “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? [12] Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? [13] If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”


I felt like the Lord said that His desire was for us to walk in the assurance of His heart motives, and know that He will work through us to touch those around us. He wants us to be as confident in that, as if we really were the children of the richest man in te world, for we really are. His resources are beyond our comprehension, and He really is sovereign over all things. As Graham Cooke has said, anything we can imagine is not anywhere near as big as God thinks and dreams for us.


Lord, help us to walk in this reality!