WHAT YOU GIVE OVER, GOD WILL TAKE OVER

Early this morning the Lord gave me a special word that I hope will be as living to you as it was to me. At the moment of my awakening, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart, "What you give over, I will take over."

THE MARRIAGE OF FAITH AND HUMILITY

We cannot advance spiritually without both faith and humility. Indeed, faith without humility inevitably becomes presumption, while humility without faith never ascends above oppression.

Consider: Faith's nature, in part, is to possess the promises of God. Israel was commanded by the Almighty to possess the Promised Land. Scriptures tell us that, without faith it is impossible to please God and that, whatever is done without faith is sin (Heb 11:6; Rom 14:23). Thus, faith unites the human heart to God. As a result, the sinful appropriate God's righteousness and those who were dead gain access to God's life. Christianity without faith is like a computer without electricity: the circuits of "proper knowledge" may be in place, but there is no light, no power nor functionality.

Yet, where faith possesses, humility surrenders. Consider Christ as our example. There will be a time when every knee will bow and tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Phil 2:10-11); the kingdoms of this world will finally become the kingdom of our Lord (Rev 11:15).

However, Christ's reaction to subduing the world is He then "delivers up the kingdom to the . . . Father" (1 Cor 15:24). This is the humility of Christ: what He conquers, He then surrenders. In America we want the first part, having faith to conquer, but we're not sure we want the second part, giving it back to God. Yet, this is the pattern of those who have followed God: Abraham believes God and a son is born; humility takes Isaac, and offers him back to God. David conquers Jerusalem, then dedicates it to the Lord, calling it the "city of God."

You see, the motive behind the exercise of our faith must mature until what we've appropriated through faith becomes an offering we now surrender back to God. Our goal is not only to create a better life here, but, through surrender, to extend the Kingdom of God to earth. Faith brings to earth heaven's provisions; surrender brings God's presence into those provisions.

OUR TITHE AND GOD'S HEART

So, what we give over to God He promises to take over. Here is where true faith expands into the higher levels of Christlikeness. Yet conversely, we should also realize: what we withhold from God, we also isolate from His ability to inhabit and multiply. This is why the Bible says our tithe is holy unto the Lord. If we give a minimum of one tenth of our income back to God and His purposes, we are releasing into His hands the opportunity for supernatural supply.

I'm not merely talking about money, but faith and surrender. However, tithing is a big part of our becoming complete in God. Why? We demonstrate that our trust is in God. You say, "Francis, are you trying to put your hand in my pocket?" No, I'm trying to put your hand in God's pocket, where you are able to prosper not in the accumulation of things, but in the expansion of God in all the things of your life.

I have nothing to gain from you in teaching this. I don't take a salary from the church and the housing allowance I receive, I then surrender to the work of the Lord. What my faith possesses, my humility surrenders. I am merely sharing a principle. Likewise, I desire that you also enjoy the best that God has for you.

You say, "But I'm not making enough to tithe. I'm going to run out of money." Well, if you think you're going to run out anyway, run out into God's arms, run out trusting Him. In fact, He promises,

"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this," says the Lord of hosts, "if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. Then I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it may not destroy the fruits of the ground; nor will your vine in the field cast {its grapes}," says the Lord of hosts. And all the nations will call you blessed. . ." (Mal 3:10-12).

Again, I'm not talking about money alone, but the issues that speak of the very quality of our lives. Many are suffering from a spiritual "devourer," an enemy that drains away energy, time and resources so that you never seem to have enough. The Lord is saying, "Turn over your finances to Me and I will turn over my resources to you. I will destroy that which is destroying you."

A WIDOW WHOM GOD USED

There's a wonderful story that exemplifies this principle of faith and surrender. During a terrible famine, the Lord told Elijah to, "Go to Zarephath... I have commanded a widow there to provide for you." (I Kings 17:9). Please note, the Lord did not command a wealthy businessman to provide for Elijah, but a destitute widow. We enter the story with the woman, facing starvation, about to prepare a meager last meal for herself and her son. Yet, though she is not an Israelite, she greets Elijah with faith, saying, "As the Lord your God lives. . ." (vs 12)

God's way to activate her faith and to bring her into a supernatural provision was to require her to give over the little she had to fulfill the purpose of God. What seemed like an insensitive, even cruel command, Elijah ordered her to feed him first, and then take food for herself. Although she knew not the plan and provision of God, Elijah knew and he urged her into both faith and surrender. As a result, God provided for her miraculously: "The bowl of flour was not exhausted nor did the jar of oil become empty" until the famine broke. (vs 16)

GIVE WHEN YOU ARE POOR

Denise and I had a time in our lives when we were nearly destitute. Yet, even when we had little, we always tithed. We honored the Lord from the first of our increase. Our giving in faith and surrender gave us many testimonies of the Lord. Remember, when Jesus fed the 5000, the original five loaves and two fish came from a little boy. He could have hoarded his little stock of food, but he didn't. Instead, he turned them over to the Lord and God took over in power.

When I hear people say, "I can't afford to give," I immediately say, "Listen, you can't afford not to give." When faith is activated and surrender perfected, God steps into our lives. I want you to have a testimony of God's supply, where each of us can say, "God came through for me." I'm not saying that we must abandon common sense, but remember, Jesus multiplied the little in a time of need. God multiplied the widow's provisions during a drought. Maybe it's in the times of need that we should surrender the most.

The faith God develops as we give is the same faith that comes through us when we lay hands on the sick. Our faithfulness with money shows Jesus that we can be trusted with greater things such as miracles. Why live in the pitiful little realm of unbelief when we can have the provisions of the Most High?

Recently, I spoke at a conference in Mississippi. Our host, a pastor from Jackson, was only going to be able to attend one meeting due to a business commitment that was going to take him to South America for a week. The trip would have probably secured a financial increase, yet the Lord spoke to this young man to stay at the conference. Struggling at first, he decided to obey the Lord and put his income into God's hands. One hour after he decided to stay, he received a phone call from Russia for an order that was the largest his company ever had, which would keep them busy for the following year!

CHRIST OUR PATTERN

The key to how Jesus always had what He needed is revealed in John 17:10. Praying to the Father, Jesus said, "All things that are Mine are Thine." Jesus surrendered all. Thus, He could continue with confidence in His prayer, "and [what things are] Thine are Mine." So, also with us: Make this a sincere act of surrender.

Beloved, whatever we have was God's in the first place anyway. To those who give all to Him, He says, "What's Mine is thine." We exchange our little for God's much. Whether it is with our finances, our families, our future or our past, the key to unlocking the destiny of God is faith and surrender. What we give over, He will take over.