This story is found in Mark 6:32-44, Luke 9:10-17, and John 6:1-13.
This morning we continue our series entitled, “The Year of Supernatural Manifestation”, with our mini-series on “The Miracles of Jesus”. We have been looking at the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 for a few days now. This will be the last message pertaining to this miracle.
In today’s message, Part 4, I will make the point when you have a set amount of resources, how far those resources go depends whose hands they are in. When faced with a hungry crowd, the only resources available were two fish and five loaves of bread. The resources were obviously woefully inadequate for the need. While the two fish and five loaves were in the hands of the little boy, they could only feed the little boy. But everything changed when they were placed in the hands of Jesus. That’s what we will discuss today.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. Everything changes when you put it in God’s hands.
a) In the story of feeding the 5,000 the need was clear: over 5,000 hungry men (not counting the women and children). All the food they had was a little boy’s lunch, two fish and five loaves of bread. While the two fish and five loaves were in the hands of the little boy, they could only feed the little boy. When they were given to Jesus, everything changed. The same can be said for your situation, when you get God involved.
b) Jesus took the fish and loaves, lifted them up, gave thanks to the Father, and then gave it to the disciples to distribute. Once the Father was invited into the situation, the possibilities were endless. Likewise, the situation you are facing this morning may seem bleak. You may be up against something that is humanly impossible. But if you do what Jesus did, and that is look up to God, give thanks, and get Him involved in your situation, the impossible suddenly becomes possible.
c) Once God was involved in the situation, the fishes and loaves multiplied. But notice that they did not multiply in the hands of Jesus. They multiplied in the hands of the disciples. Jesus gave them the fish and loaves and as they distributed them, the resources kept multiplying in their hands. Here’s my point: once you get God involved in your situation — your business, your project, your family, your finances, etc. — then The Blessing ON YOU will spill over to everyone associated with the project. People working WITH you will experience The Blessing BECAUSE of you. Just because you chose to take the project from YOUR HANDS and place it IN GOD’S HANDS!
d) When something is in your hands it can only go but so far. But when you place it in God’s hands, the possibilities are endless!
2. Never eat your seed.
a) When the two fish and fives loaves were placed in the hands of Jesus, the lunch became a seed in the hands of the Lord of the Harvest. God multiplied the seed, thousands ate, and there were 12 baskets of food left over. None of this would have happened if the boy had eaten the seed.
b) The Bible teaches us that God supplies seed for sowing and bread for eating (2 Cor 9:10). When you receive resources, you should pray and ask God how much of what you received is seed for sowing and how much is bread for eating. If you eat everything that comes into your life, then you will fail to position yourself to receive harvest. But if you are led of God’s Spirit, He will tell you how much to sow and how much to eat.
c) God is not against you having fun. He actually promotes it. God will freely give you all things to enjoy (1 Tim 6:17). But you must know how much of what He gives you is seed (for sowing) and how much is bread (for eating/enjoying). Don’t eat all your seed. If you do, you will miss out on God’s best.
d) The earth functions on a system of buying and selling. God’s Kingdom functions on a system of sowing and reaping. When you learn to sow a portion of everything you receive, you will transition from this world’s system, to God’s system, and take it from me, it is MUCH better!
Closing Confession: Father, this is a year of Great Victory for me. This year I transition from the system of buying and selling and I learn to maximize the system of sowing and reaping. Father, You provide seed for sowing and bread for eating. You then lead me, by Your Spirit, to know which is which. I never eat my seed. I take my seed OUT OF my hands and I place it in YOUR HANDS. Once my seed is in YOUR HANDS, it multiplies and comes back to me as a harvest. Living this way, everyone associated with me, gets to participate in The Blessing that is on my life. I am a sower and my seed positions me to also be a reaper! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
