Radical Faith in the Radical Grace of a Radical God
I believe the Lord has given me a new understanding about poverty and prosperity. I've always resisted the prosperity gospel — and always will!!! But a short post by one Facebook friend last year seemed to throw open the floodgates of my understanding. She mentioned how she and her sister are basically poverty-stricken and yet, the Lord enabled them to share not one but two turkeys with others in need on Thanksgiving and then again for Christmas. And I told her that poverty is more a mindset than it is a financial or material reality [I didn't know I thought that way until I wrote it!]. I reminded her that she and her sister had not stored up riches here on earth, but their riches are in Heaven, and it's from that stockpile that God enabled them to be a blessing to others, even in the midst of their own perceived lack!
This goes beyond the Christian's basic understanding of spiritual poverty and prosperity, though. Yes, we all know that prior to accepting Christ as Savior, we were spiritually bankrupt. But after getting saved, we are no more spiritual paupers, but are Kingdom princes and princesses! Yes, we all would assent to that understanding. But what God has given me to understand goes beyond that. It's about our spiritual poverty or prosperity actually impacting our physical/material poverty or prosperity.
Here's how it plays out: Although I may be poor financially, I am rich in Christ and therefore can afford to give and give — even when my bank balance says I don't have it — because, after all, He's in charge of my bank balance and He has promised to meet all of my needs if I will simply trust Him to do so! So, I keep giving even when logic and math tell me I can't afford to give, whenever and whatever He asks me to, and He keeps taking care of all my needs.
For example... I became "disabled" in 2000. I lost my job, my car, my home, most of my possessions, my independence, and even some of my church family. But on 13th July 2003, God asked me to get up and go to India. I didn't hesitate. I knew His voice and I knew He wouldn't ask me to do something for which He had not already made provision. From beginning to end, He has taken care of every detail: the money I needed for my Passport and Visa; a new laptop; money for travel; and my accommodations in India with several Indian families. And the "icing on the cake", as we say in America: I was planning to have my cat put to sleep because no one could take her for me, but God sent a total stranger during my moving sale who just "happened" to take in cats that no one else wanted! She picked up Ashley the morning I left for India. From beginning to end, I knew that I knew if I did what He was asking, Father would prove Himself faithful and take care of me. And He has and does!
I've been living and giving and trusting like this for years, but it's only recently that I've begun to understand the principle behind it and give it voice.
I think we might call this "Kingdom Economics 101", which is totally illogical in the natural world, but which has been working for me and tens of thousands of other Christians for years — so long as we let Christ handle the books!
Is this what the prosperity gospel preachers have been trying to teach? No.... I don't think so. This isn't about sowing $1 and reaping $100. This is about living radically free by God's radical grace and trusting this radically-loving God to always do what He says He will do! Radical grace and radical freedom in Christ, as I'm beginning to understand them, are difficult for a lot of us to get because invariably, along the way, we get sidetracked and bogged down by various "kingdom principles" that become kingdom rules of conduct that then bind us and restrict us from stepping out in radical faith when He challenges us to do so.
Of course, one of the first questions that comes to mind when we start talking about our spiritual poverty or prosperity affecting our actual poverty or prosperity is: "How can I apply my spiritual prosperity to my real circumstances here and now?" And the answer is mind-blowingly simple. Keep complaining about your financial and material poverty or your health problems and disability or whatever-else-you-can-think-of and you will reap what your tongue has sown! Or, make professions of faith and do whatever it is the Lord is asking you to do [whether it makes sense or not, whether you think you can do it or not], thereby allowing room for the physical/actual and the spiritual to come into alignment with one another and with God's Word. Remember, God's Word will not return to Him void. If He said it and you acted in faith on it, HE WILL DO IT!
God's Word is replete with promise after promise of not only His desire to provide our every need, but of His ability to do so. [See the Bible verses below...] Of course, our primary and greatest need is, and always has been, to be found not guilty before our righteous and just Creator and to be free from the penalty of sin, which is death. Out of His radical love for us, God provided radical grace in the form of His Son, Jesus Christ, to not only take in His body the penalty for our sin, but to declare us forever "Not guilty!" This was the greatest and most difficult gift He could ever give us! It represents the epitome of "radical"! So, logic then begs the next argument: "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" (Romans 8:32) "Freely give..." "Freely give..." Can't let go of that phrase... "Freely give..." Freely give! It says, "Freely give!" It says God will freely give me all things!! Not hesitatingly . . . not with conditions . . . not with regret or resentment or repudiation . . . not grudgingly . . . . but freely! Now, that is radical!!
God has come to us with radical [unreasonable, revolutionary, extravagant, to the maximum extreme] grace, and He asks us to exercise just as radical a faith in His radical love and promises! Let me reiterate. I'm not talking about giving in order to get. And I'm not not talking about financial or material gain. I'm talking about victory over the enemy's attempts to destroy our witness or steal our peace. I'm talking about divine favor over us and success in all that we set our hand to accomplish in His name. I'm talking about obedience, about doing what the Lord asks you to do when He asks you to do it, whether it makes sense or not, whether you can "afford" it or not — physically, financially, materially, or otherwise. That's radical faith in a radical God who is radically gracious and who always does what He promises! Thus, as we practice radical faith in God's radical grace, then prosperity or poverty [success or failure / peace or frustration / ability or disability] will be defined by our mindset [if we have the mind of Christ] instead of our financial/material/physical reality.
I believe God is saying to us, "If you want to be among those who 'endure to the end', then you need to get radical about believing all that I've shown You in My Word about Myself and about My faithfulness to My holy Name and to My Word!"
As I looked over what I wrote above, I realized the importance of us arming ourselves with some Scriptural support — verses we can speak over ourselves or our situation. In fact, why wait until the moment of testing? Why not pray these over ourselves anytime, all the time?
Of course, the most common verse we all know is Philippians 4:19— "And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus."
Other verses in the New Testament that speak directly to God supplying our needs are:
2 Corinthians 9:10
He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.
2 Corinthians 9:12
For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.
Galatians 3:5
Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith—
1 Peter 4:11
whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies — in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
2 Peter 1:5
For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge,
Of course, we know that God's provision is not limited to financial or material gain. Rather, He also promises in His Word to equip us for the work/ministry to which He has called us. In other words, our giving a financial gift may be "reimbursed" by God in the form of an educational opportunity or revelation about a better way to perform a certain task. Or, He may instill in us a greater sense of peace or joy or an increase in the manifestation of the fruits of the Spirit.
Ephesians 2:7
so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 3:16
that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
1 Timothy 6:17
As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.
Romans 11:33
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
In the above verses, we get a sense of an inexhaustible abundance. It is out of God's stores of rich grace, which can never be exhausted, that God promises to give us His everlasting kindness, power, peace, strength, and knowledge. In other words, His grace is ample [more than sufficient, as in radical grace] for all our wants! Some Old Testament verses that I particularly favor that primarily speak about God being the Source of all that we need:
1 Chronicles 29:12
Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all.
Nehemiah 9:25c
...So they ate and were filled and became fat and delighted themselves in your great goodness.
Psalm 36:9
For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light.
Psalm 30:5a
...his favor is for a lifetime.
Psalm 35:27
Let those who delight in my righteousness shout for joy and be glad and say evermore, "Great is the LORD, who delights in the welfare of his servant!"
Proverbs 3:4
So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man.
Proverbs 11:25
Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.
