Take Action on Your Promise

When I was in Bible school, it seemed like I was always fasting. Sometimes it was just a day, sometimes 3 days, and every once in a while it would be longer. In fact, I ate so little that when I first met my wife I only weighed 121 pounds. At first glance this may sound extremely spiritual, but most of the time I was on what I liked to call, "forced fasts". I wasn't avoiding food because of some deep, intimate encounter with God, but because I just couldn't afford it.

During one of these "forced fasts", I was in the middle of a break between Bible classes and I had an amazing craving for a soda. Sadly, I didn't even have enough money at the time to buy one, as every spare penny had gone into my gas tank to get me to school.

While I was wandering around the campus, I felt one of the strongest unctions in my spirit up to that time, and the Holy Spirit was telling me that God was going to give me a soda. As strange as it may sound, it was one of the most powerful spiritual encounters of my life. God was teaching me something about provision and blessing, and it's a moment I remember vividly some 12 years later.

I knew I had to do something, to take some kind of action to show that I truly believed this word He had deposited in my heart. I wasn't going to just walk around in an empty field waiting for something to drop out of the sky. I had enough sense in me to realize that God uses other people to bring blessing and provision into our lives.

So, I started marching (and praying) across the parking lot towards the school cafeteria, with all of the passion and zeal of a young Bible school student. I was high on faith, and I knew beyond a shadow of all doubt that somehow, someway...God was going to give me a soda.

As I entered the crowded vending machine area, I had no clue what was going to happen, or how this promise would be fulfilled. I just knew it was going to happen. I walked up to the soda machine without a penny in my pocket, but with full assurance that I was about to get a drink. Willing to look foolish for Jesus, I lifted my finger up and started to push the button on the machine, though I had not placed even a nickel in the slot. Just as I did, a young man at the table behind me yelled over the noise of the crowded snack room, "Hey man, you want a soda?"

I turned around and there it was, an ice cold can of carbonated, caffeinated sugary goodness...free of charge. Apparently this fellow student of mine had accidentally hit the wrong button when buying his own, and so he just so happened to have an extra one that he didn't need...the exact second that I walked up.

What would have happened had I just hid myself in a prayer closet and tried to "faith it in"? I'm certainly not implying that faith is unimportant, but what I am saying is that faith without works is dead. When God gives you a promise, he expects you to TAKE ACTION & begin making preparations for the fulfillment of that promise. It's an act of faith that shows you truly believe he is going to do what He said He will do.

Has God recently given you a promise about your finances or your business? What have you done to get prepared for its fulfillment? I'd love to hear your story below.