God Will Provide, Part 3 (cont'd)

Here's the way to make sure you don't live in fear. The best way to develop a fearless lifestyle is to be faithful. If I want to be fearless, I have to be faithful. I have to be full of faith so I have no room left for fear. Hello and welcome to Destined for Victory with Pastor Paul Shepherd, Senior Pastor of Destiny Christian Fellowship in Fremont, California.

Wherever you are, however you may be listening, thanks for making this part of your day. 2 Timothy 1-7 says, God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of love and of power and of a sound mind. God not only wants you to live fearlessly and faithfully, He's made it possible. Coming up next, Pastor Paul shows you what that kind of faith looks like as he shares some of his own experiences from his life and ministry. Stay right here or visit pastorpaul.net to listen to Destined for Victory On Demand.

You can also subscribe to the podcast at Google Podcasts or wherever you enjoy yours. But right now, here's Pastor Paul with today's message, God Will Provide. One morning the Holy Spirit started speaking to me as clearly as I've ever heard Him speak to me. I was laying in the bed and I was awake but looking up and listening to the Lord. My wife woke up, looked over and saw me and she said, what in the world is on your mind? And I said, oh, the Lord's speaking to me.

She said, by what? And I told her what was happening, that He was telling me that what He had shown me at the mega church in Florida and the self-consciousness I had at the Crystal Cathedral were Him telling me, when you build that worship center, I want you to build boxes just like you saw in Florida, teach the people how to give according to the word of God, and then let them give in the boxes. And I asked the Lord laying there, do you know how much money we're going to need when we get to the new worship center? At that moment, that morning, our church's budget at the time was a large growing church required $75,000 a week.

That's what we needed at the time. When we moved to the new worship center, we had already calculated with the overhead and all of that, we were going to need $100,000 a week to make budget. And so I laid there, asked the Lord, did He understand that?

Was He aware of the budgetary needs? See, I'm real with my walk with God. There's no future in front. I said, God, 100 grand, and now you're telling me build boxes and hope they put 100,000 in them? And I wanted to say, are you crazy? But I knew it was the word of the Lord. Just like this widow, the Lord had already whispered to her, you're going to have to feed somebody.

So it is very believable that this widow could have been out there gathering sticks to her mind. He tripping, the Lord tripping. Because I know what that's like, because that's where I was. And I remember when I got back to the church that next Sunday after laying there that morning hearing from the Lord, I called that church in Florida. I said, would you all do me a favor? One of you all take a picture of one of your tithing offering boxes and send it to me.

I gave them my email address, so they sent me a digital copy. So the next Sunday in all four of the services in our little building, I put up that picture. I explained to them in all four services what happened, and this is the way God told me to build these. So the worship center we're building right now, when we get in there in August of 2004, you will see these boxes.

From that day forward, we will never again pass the basket. You will give or not give through that means. When I said that in all four services, people broke out in applause. And the devil said, you know why they clapping, don't you?

They clapping because when they get over there, if you think they're giving you $100,000 a week, you got another thought coming. But my wife had already said earlier when we were laying there that morning, she said, the Lord is going to provide. And I said, I hope you are a prophetess. I sure hope that's God speaking to you and you just not trying to build me up.

It was God speaking to her. Do you know from the moment we walked in that building in August of 2004, first of all, attendance jumped 700 people a week. Because we had a bigger building and when it was growing in the little building, it was four services with overflow and two of the services we were locking people out. Here's some locked out folks. Y'all were in there in time, but y'all saw the outside folks. They would start forming the line for the next service.

That's why we had to build the big thing. And so suddenly 700 people a week more are coming to church. And so I explained when we got in there, here's how we give. I'm still going to teach on tithe and offering because I want y'all to be blessed. I can't bless you if I don't tell you about money. See, a lot of folks say they always tell my money. Well, if I don't talk about money, you won't know what to do with your money. If I word is a lamb to my feet and the light to my pathway, if God gives us the money and he's the source, he's the one to tell you what to do with it.

If you think, you know, it's my money where you just cursed yourself because if it's yours, it's not God's and if it's not God's, he won't bless it. So suddenly the offerings jumped up. We never had a single close call. In the five years I pastored that church in that building, never a financial close call. Always had what we needed and then some. And the budget that started out in that building needing $100,000 a week before I left that pastorate, we needed almost a quarter of a million dollars a week. And God supplied it without the basket coming.

And I realized then that I was used to thinking I had something to do with it. Because when the Lord wouldn't let me see it because there's no more baskets, I said, I don't know whether they give it or not. And he said, seek ye first the kingdom and my righteousness. I didn't ask you to be the offering observer and ask you to look at the phone. I ain't getting nothing today. It wasn't my place.

So he just took me out of it altogether. And this lady heard from the Spirit and she could have been protesting. We don't know, but it's very likely she could have been protesting in her heart when Elijah shows up and asks for water.

As she's going to get that, he said, oh, and would you bring me some bread while you're going? That's when she said, now look at it, it's a test. Y'all got to stop failing and flunking your test. Because if you flunk your test, God's not like some of these schools. He's not going to give you the degree anyway.

Do you know we got people in certain segments of the country, they graduate in high school and can't read. What in the world? God won't do it.

He'll give you the makeup. And so look at this lady. She explained to him that she and her son about to eat this last and they're going to go.

They're going to die after that. First of all, I want to point out what she said. When he asked for her to bring a morsel of bread, she said, as the Lord your God lives, verse 12.

She passed the test because you know some of y'all would not have. As the Lord your God lives, you'd be like, wait, hold on. Just stop pretending.

Somebody would be like, wait, what? You see me? She didn't have any internal negativity going on. All she's doing is saying God is my witness. All I have is a little flour and a little oil. I'm gathering these sticks so I can prepare that, make that into whole cakes or bread, and then my son and I are going to eat that and die. So when she said I don't have any bread, she was truthful.

She hadn't prepared it yet. Some of us have got to learn, watch your internal dialogue. Watch your internal dialogue because your internal dialogue speaks of where you really are. As a man thinks in his heart, so is he or she.

It's what's going on on the inside. See, you can look ever so faithful and holy on the outside, but God is examining your heart. She didn't have any internal negativity. She didn't say, I don't believe this big old robust preacher come up here wanting me to give him something.

Ain't even worried about it, I'm a widow for God's sake. See, you could have had all that going on, but that's not the language of faith. She said, as the Lord lives, here's the deal, I'm going to eat this and die. So she didn't cancel it out and look at what he says in response to that, do not fear. And then he says to her, do as you've said, but make me a small cake from it first.

Wait, huh? Y'all know if a preacher busts up on you. Tell me, don't worry about your son. Hook me up.

Oh, I shudder to think. I shudder to think what they would say to me if I ran up on somebody talking about the Lord said, your son going to be all right, take care of me. Coming up next, the rest of today's Destined for Victory message God will provide with Pastor Paul Shepherd. If you've never stopped by our website, pastorpaul.net, I invite you to do so when you have some time. You'll find all of Pastor Paul's recent messages on demand, plus a host of great resources in our online store, including books and DVD messages from Pastor Paul.

Learn more about the ministry and about all the great things friends like you are doing through your prayers and financial support. Once again, go to pastorpaul.net. And if you love listening to Destined for Victory, we know you'll enjoy watching selected video clips by subscribing to Pastor Paul on YouTube. To find more details and links to all of his social media, visit pastorpaul.net. Well, if you're committed to doing God's will, he'll always provide the means for you to achieve it, but he'll still test your faith along the way.

Here's Pastor Paul with the rest of today's Destined for Victory message God will provide. Look at what happens. After he says this, then he tells her the why. He says, make it for me first. Bring it to me. Bring it to me. There's another opportunity.

Y'all feeling that, isn't it? Make it and then bring it. I'm going to be standing right here. Bring me my cake. If I'm inclined to make it for you, you better know. You better be outside my door waiting to see if I hand you something to come back out.

Go back over to the city gate where you're standing and feed you like I'm some waiter. Got to watch your internal dialogue because the Lord is listening. This isn't about Elijah. It's not about the church. It's not about the radio ministry.

It's not about any of that. This is the Lord speaking. When you're dealing with his kingdom, it's all about him. I'm believing for millions. I got a big vision. I want to see God do things in a spectacular way, but it's going to come from some person who hears God tell them what to do, and they're going to have to respond and do it.

It's not up to me whether they do it. They're going to have to hear God for themselves. I broadcast a friend of mine. I'm preaching at his mega church once, and afterwards we're having a meal and he's telling me about a listener who just gave a million dollars.

It really wasn't a listener, just somebody who knew of his ministry and knew that he did a lot of media ministry and the church served a lot of people in their city and all that. There was a man, as it turns out, was a multimillionaire who needed to unload a lot of money just to keep in the right tax bracket. A lot of folks have to give. That's how much money they have.

They have to give to lighten their tax burden. His phone rang and a man called and he said, I'm not a Christian. I'm not a person of faith, but I know of your ministry. I know the kinds of things you do, and I need to give, so I've decided to give you a million dollars. The man told him, when you receive the check this week, do not call me. I don't want an acknowledgment. I just want you to receive it, use it for what you all are doing.

Do not call me. And so the pastor said, sure enough, a few days later, here comes this money, a million dollars. We put it in, it went in. Because how many of you all know, just because the checks say a million, it actually went through. He has a lot of big donors, so he's used to picking up his phone and calling his big donors and thanking them. He took the phone without thinking, called the man. The man said, didn't I tell you, do not call me. Hung up the phone. And so when the pastor's telling me, I said, well see, he told you you couldn't call him. He didn't say nothing about me. He said, so why don't you hook me up with his number?

We both laughed. The fact of the matter is, God can bless you through any resource he chooses. He was an unbeliever blessing a ministry. And so he said, don't fear, don't let your head get involved here. Your head will make you miss your blessing.

Because conventional wisdom is not the wisdom of God. In the kingdom, we receive by giving. In the kingdom, God blesses us as we unload. And so he said, don't fear. Do this, but give it to me first and bring it to me.

And afterward, make some for yourself and your son. For the Lord says, the bit of flour will not be used up. The jar of oil won't run dry until the day that the Lord sends rain on the earth.

Do you see what God said to her? I'm testing your obedience. Here's the way to make sure you don't live in fear. The best way to develop a fearless lifestyle is to be faithful. I want to be fearless, I have to be faithful. I have to be full of faith so I have no room left for fear.

Did you all get that? The best way to be fearless is to be faithful. You're going to have less fear the more faith you have. The more I walk by faith, the less I have the fear.

Because God is taking care of me because I put my life in his hands. I'm doing what Matthew 633 says. Jesus said, seek first the kingdom of God. Don't seek first, here's what I think I need to do.

That's a formula for disaster. The first thing is seek the kingdom. When you have next to nothing, give. That's what we're being told here.

Not hoard. See what you have in your hand, you think it is bread, it's seed. When you sow it, you reap from it.

Oh, I got a word for somebody if you'll hear it. What you got left is not bread, it's seed. You don't eat seed, you sow seed and let the produce of the seed feed you. And so she sowed it in obedience. She went in there, made that bread, came back out to the city gate, shut down anything that was trying to bubble up. I don't believe I'm walking back ahead of this man.

None of that going on. She's just going out there saying, yes sir, here you are. And then she gets back home and she looks in the cupboard and flour is overflowing.

And she looks in the vessel and the oil is overflowing. If you take care of God's business, he said I will take care of you. This is no scheme. This isn't are they trying to get over on me. No, this is God teaching you. I'm the source. And when I give it to you, the first thing you do is honor me.

Somebody here needs to learn. You didn't grow up tithing. I grew up in a household of faith. They taught us as kids to tithe.

You didn't grow up like that. If you heard anything about giving at church, it was a negative thing in your household. Or you didn't go to church at all. And so now here you are in church and something in you is saying, as soon as they mention money, they're trying to get over and you better hold on to your money.

They're trying to get you up to be cursed. Soon as you have the opportunity, say, Lord, I'm giving this to you because I'm believing you. Somebody's got to learn when I give God what I have and I sow it into the kingdom, he's the God of the harvest and he will produce not just more of it. Sometimes he'll give you 30. Sometimes he'll give you 60.

Sometimes he'll give you a hundredfold return. I don't know if you've ever experienced it, but I've had God take the little I had and stretch it in incredible ways. I've had God take care of needs. Have God tell other people to bless me. And he'll do the same for you. Do you remember when you were a child and you were hungry?

Was there any doubt your mother and father would feed you? Well, that's the kind of faith God wants from you today. As Jesus said, assuredly I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Thanks so much for being here for today's Destined for Victory with Pastor Paul Shepherd. To hear any recent message on demand, including today's teaching God will provide, visit pastorpaul.net. That's pastorpaul.net. And stop by anytime to find out more about the Destined for Victory ministry.

You can shop for resources at our online store or make a safe and secure donation at pastorpaul.net. In appreciation of your generous gift today, we'll send you Pastor Paul's booklet, Trusting God in Scary Times. When the Lord told Abraham to send Hagar and Ishmael away from the family home, what followed was a great deal of uncertainty and angst.

God had promised Abraham that he'd make a nation out of his firstborn son, but circumstantially it looked pretty bleak. You may have times in your life when fear instead of faith tries to take the wheel. In this helpful resource, Pastor Paul walks you through Genesis chapter 21 and shows you how to rely on the faithfulness of God in the darkest of moments. Again, it's called Trusting God in Scary Times and it's our gift to you this month by request for your generous gift to Destined for Victory. Call 855-339-5500 or visit pastorpaul.net to make a safe and secure donation online. You can also mail your gift to Destined for Victory, Post Office Box 1767, Fremont, California 94538. Again, the address is Destined for Victory, Box 1767, Fremont, California 94538. And then if you need prayer today, the Destined for Victory ministry team would like to join you in prayer. From the homepage at pastorpaul.net, use the contact us feature to let us know how we can pray for you.

And while you're there, be sure to ask for Pastor Paul's monthly letter of encouragement, yours at no cost or obligation. There are things that tend to position themselves between the right now and the destiny we plan to arrive at. And I want to talk to that issue, especially because sometimes our opposition can be fierce, can be foreboding. The things that come against us, if you're not careful, can cause you to live in fear. That's tomorrow when Pastor Paul Shepherd shares his message when opposition comes. Until then, remember, he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion. In Christ, you are destined for victory.