Promise Message - January 2025


IT WILL BE PROVIDED

Genesis 22:14 'And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.'

This is the promise the Lord is giving his children this new year. As we enter this year, when we submit ourselves in the hands of the Lord, everything shall be provided in the mount of the Lord. When we cast our burdens on the Lord, he will take control of everything. In this new year, we shall not carry any burdens and worries. The Jehovah Jireh will take care of all your needs. In all the valley-like situations, the Lord God the provider will take care of everything. The Lord shall send his children assistance in all the directions. When we abide in the mount of the Lord, all our needs will be met.

In this chapter 22, we can come across the greatest challenge faced by Abraham. In his personal life, he has faced many situations and battles in all stages of his life. However this challenge is considered to be great when compared to his previous struggles. This challenge taught him lessons and built him. Abraham names this place as 'The-Lord-Will-Provide'. The meaning of the Hebrew word 'Jireh' is to see , inspect and to consider. We read in Genesis 1:10 'And God saw that it was good.' Just like the word Jireh means to see, it can be compared to the act of Lord seeing it was good. In this year, the Lord will see our lives and he will guide our lives. The Lord will not only see but also consider and will understand us. When we sees us, he will come down into our situation and he will do his work. This was the experience of Abraham. The Lord saw him and he provided him. He took care of him. In this year of Jireh, we will witness this experience where the Lord sees our situation and he will provide our needs. Let us meditate few stages on how to receive the provision of the Lord.

TEST

Genesis 22:1 'Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”'

The first stage of the provision of God is test. We can see the Lord took Abraham for testing. When we faces trials and tests, the Lord will not abandon us. The Lord is mighty to lead and provide us amidst of tests. Generally, we need to know from where are we receiving temptations. There are tests from Satan and also from God. The test of Satan will pull you towards to sin. But the test from God will pull you closer to God himself. We need to know this difference and have a discerning spirit to identify tests. As per the verse, the Lord himself tests Abraham which means it will pull him closer to God. By this test Abraham was not expected to produce faith but to reveal faith. We read in Romans 12:3 'as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.' Test will help to reveal the faith we have on the Lord. Let us not consider tests as painful and bad thing. We need to see it as a training to showcase our faith. Let us not be discouraged seeing tests in this year.

Abraham was feeling very lonely when he was facing this test. There was no one else to share all these issues. He might have been in doubt if the Lord was there in his side. At the time of test, we all will feel left alone and silence around us. We read in Genesis 22:15 'Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven.' If everything is quiet at the time of testing, do not be worried. The Lord will speak to us at the right time. In the life of Abraham, the Lord sent his word to him at the time of his trials. The Lord instructed a few things to Abraham. It also intervened and iterated his word second time. This year, the Lord will intervene and he will provide us his instructions. During the time of Abraham, all the other pagan Gods were asking its devotees to give their children through sacrifice. In the end of his test, he receives a revelation. Abraham got to know that Yahweh God is not like other Gods. The Lord did not take Isaac but he saved and provided Isaac. The Lord will prove that he is different. The Lord is not an idol, he can see, he can hear and he is still alive. He is not a man to change his heart. Abraham endured until the end of his test to witness the provision of the Lord.

OBEDIENCE

Genesis 22:1 'Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”'

Here we see Abraham responded to the Lord saying 'Here I am.' The provision of the Lord needs our obedience. This experience of obedience plays a very key role as it clearly reflects our love for the Lord. Those who love God will obey the Lord. Initially, we can see Abraham proved his love for the Lord when he leaves the land behind. He confirms he loves the Lord more than his father. He also proved his love for the Lord when he was ready to sacrifice his son. More than his past (his land - his father's place) and his future (his son), he proves he loves the Lord God more than anything. We read in Genesis 22:5 'And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.”' Here we read 'worship' is mentioned for the very first time in the scripture. By his obedience and sacrifice, Abraham says he is going to worship the Lord. The Hebrew word 'shachah' means to bow down. By obedience we not only love the Lord but also worship the Lord. We read in I Samuel 15:22 'So Samuel said “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.' We see Obedience is always superior. By this, we can receive anything from the Lord.

The obedience of Abraham started in verse 3, we read Abraham rises early. He prepares things for sacrifice. He acts in wisdom and he know where he should go and which place he should offer sacrifice.  In verses 7-8, we communicates very well to his servants and leads them.

The primary way to receive the provision of Lord is through obedience. Many people seek blessings but they do not want to obey. They look for loopholes instead. Best example is the prodigal son. He did not want any relationship with his father but he wanted his possessions. His desire led to his downfall. Finally, when he decided to mend his ways which is when he was restored all this blessings and provisions.

PROVISION

Genesis 22:14 'And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”'

Finally, the provision of the Lord. The angel intervened in the final moment. Although, Abraham proved his faith by attempting to sacrifice, there was a sacrifice that is required. The Lord God provided a ram to sacrifice which replaced his son Isaac. The right time the Lord provided the ram for sacrifice. Usually, we refer provision of the Lord to material things in this world. But provision in the words of Abraham was different. We read in Genesis 22:8 ' And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together.'  Firstly, the Lord will provide for what we give back to him as worship. Whatever we received in our lives is not for us. We need to give it back to the Lord.
In this new year, the Lord will change us as givers. We need to start giving our talents and skills to the Lord.

Isaac is the closet person to be compared with Jesus. When we compare the lives of these two characters, it will help us to understand certain truths. There are many similarities between Isaac and Jesus Christ.

1. Two fathers willing to sacrifice their sons.
2. One out of obedience and other out of love.
3. Two sons laying down to be sacrificed willingly.
4. Both were led up to the mountain.
5. Both carried wood on their shoulders to the mountain.
6. Both felt abandoned by their father.
7. First representation of father's love , greatest representation of father's love.
8. Isaac received a ram - Jesus became the lamb.

Today, we can receive the provision of the Lord through Christ. We read in Acts 17:28 '..or in Him we live and move and have our being..' Only through the sacrifice of Christ, we are being provided and taken care of. We also read in Colossians 1:16 'For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.' Jesus Christ is the one and the only provision we require to run this new year. We need to follow Jesus for all kinds of provision. The final proclamation of blessing through the provision of God is recorded in Genesis 22:16-18 'and said: “By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son— 17 blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. 18 In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.'Amen.

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