When Your Need Becomes Your Seed

Most of your life will be spent in a waiting room. Think about it - at the airport, you're waiting. At the doctor's office, you're waiting. At the hair salon... Lord Jesus, you're waiting! And here's what I've learned: how you handle the season of waiting determines whether you'll access what God has already prepared for you.

God's Blessings Are Conditional, But His Love Is Not

Let me establish something right from the start: God is never going to ask you to do what He has not equipped you for. He won't ask you to do something outside your ability to perform it. God will never ask you to do something He hasn't empowered you to do, and He already knows the end result.

Remember this: you're just a vessel being used by God. It's not about you - it's whose hands you're in.

Genesis 1:26 reminds us that we're made in God's image and likeness. Not physical, but spiritual personality and moral likeness. And with that comes authority. Put some respect on your name! Your middle name is "wonderful" because Psalm 139 says you are fearfully and wonderfully made.

The Problem With Getting Out of Line

Have you ever been in a line before and got so frustrated that you walked out, only to come back later? Where did you go? Back to the end of the line! You were already in position, but your frustration got you out of place.

Here's the challenge: every time you get out of line, you're delaying your promised land. God has called you to certain things, but we have no patience. The reality is God knows you're in line and He knows your time. So when you abort the mission by getting out of line, you have to start all over again.

Many of us do this with our faith walk. We walk in with God, something happens, we get out of line, and then we have to start over. Our lives become a constant yo-yo: "I love Jesus, I love Jesus, I love Jesus... oh, something bad happened, well it's so bad I might as well try Jesus again."

Think about it this way: you sow a seed and yank it up the next day. You sow a seed, it starts to bud, you yank it up. Where do you have to start? All over again! Some of you had things God prepared for you, but you can't sit still long enough to allow God to finish the work He has for you.

What You Have in Your Hand

Let me ask you something: who has ever had $1,000 in their hand at some point in your life? That's most of us, right? That net check in college made you feel rich for about two days. That tax return check - you had it.

Now imagine if you had put that $1,000 aside one time and given your coffee habit to your future self. In 10 years, it would be $20,000. In 20 years, $50,000. In 30 years, $140,000!

I'm not trying to make anyone feel bad, but here's the truth: it was never a question of whether you had it. It passed through your hands, and you can't say God didn't give it to you because it was in your hands - you just didn't do nothing with it.

Whether you've succeeded or are on your journey to success, it's always something. Let me be real with you: I bought a Benz before I was ready. Those air shocks went out - that's $8,000! I said, "No, I'm riding low-rider for a while." I saw the Lord - He answered that one!

Sometimes we do things out of season. It's not saying you can't have it; you just can't have it now. When we do things out of season, they become a burden. That's why the Bible says the blessing of the Lord makes rich and adds no sorrow. When God gives it to you, there's no stress because it was your time.

The Widow of Zarephath: Her Need Became Her Seed

Now let's dive into First Kings 17. Elijah the prophet tells King Ahab there will be no rain except by his word. Why? Because Deuteronomy 11 warned that if they turned away from God and served other gods, God would shut up the heavens and there would be no rain.

See, the love of God is unconditional, but the blessings of God are based on conditions. He loves you, but He can't bless a whole hot mess!

God tells Elijah to hide by the Brook Cherith, and ravens will provide for him. Now here's what's crazy: Ravens are unreliable birds! Remember, Noah sent out a raven and it didn't come back. But God used a raven to sustain Elijah.

And Holy Spirit showed me something: sometimes you have a boss who talks down to you, who feels like you need them. But you better understand that God is my source! The job is a resource, but God is my source. God is just using them to bless me.

Sometimes we feel like we can't speak up because we might get fired. But if I get fired, God will hire me! What you have to realize is the king's heart is in God's hands, and God can turn it any way He likes. Don't treat me any kind of way - I know my Daddy!

Three Blessings Through Obedience

When the brook dried up, God sent Elijah to Zarephath - to a widow! This is an oxymoron. If you're going to command somebody to provide, command a king or a rich person. Don't command a broke widow to feed a prophet!

But here's the revelation: why would God send the prophet to a person with a need?

Jesus mentions this story in Luke 4:25-26, and that's when I knew there was something deeper here. Holy Spirit showed me three blessings in this story that unlock everything.

The First Blessing: The Cup of Water

Elijah asks the widow for water. Matthew 10:42 says if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of His followers, you will surely be rewarded.

God had to give her an act of obedience to access what He already had for her. Remember, the blessings of God are conditional. God has given you a master lock, and you have to have the right combination. Matthew 16:19 says He's given you the keys to the kingdom.

The blessing was already ordained, but she had to tap into it. God gave her questions to answer, and as she responded, she was opening the lock. God has already said it - it's already finished. The question is, will you open your eyes to walk in the blessing?

You access the kingdom through obedience. When she obeyed and gave the prophet water, she accessed the first blessing: the prophet's reward.

The Second Blessing: The Bread and Oil

As she was walking away to get water, Elijah called her back: "Please bring me a piece of bread in your hand."

But listen to her response: "As the Lord God lives, I have no bread, only a handful of flour and a little oil. I'm gathering sticks so I can bake it for my son, and then we'll eat it and die."

Why would the prophet ask for food? Because her need became her seed!

You reap what you sow. If you want to change your harvest, change your seed! If you want something different, you have to sow differently. You are only harvesting what you sowed.

Whatever you need is what you need to give. If you need finances, sow finances. If you need friends, show yourself friendly. If you need favor, sow favor. This is basic kingdom principle!

Pastor, I don't have any friends." Well, you're not friendly. "Pastor, I am friendly!" I said, tell your face! The Bible says to have friends, you must show yourself friendly.

When she gave her last meal - her flour and oil - God tapped her into the firstfruits blessing. Ezekiel 44:30 says the first of all firstfruits shall belong to the priest, "so that a blessing may rest on your house."

Romans 11:16 confirms it in the New Covenant: "If the firstfruit is holy, so is the whole batch."

The Third Blessing: The Favor of Belief

Second Chronicles 20:20 says, "Believe and trust in the Lord your God and you'll be established and secure. Believe and trust in His prophets and you'll succeed."

By obeying completely, she locked into three blessings:

1. She provided water, so now she could be watered
2. She provided bread and oil, so she received bread and oil
3. She obeyed, and now she received the favor of obedience

She locked into three blessings just by obeying God!

Stop Leaning on Your Own Understanding

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your path."

When you lean on your own understanding, you're going to fall every single time. God told you "lean not," and every time you lean on your own understanding, you fall!

Don't expect honey buns when you are out of order! You wouldn't bless your kids when they're out of order, so why do you think God will bless you when you're out of order? He gave you instructions: obedience.

"No, I'm going to figure it out on my own." Okay, that's what Jonah thought. Read the Book of Jonah for yourself!

What's Your Combination?

God is trying to unlock things for you, but He's the only one with the combination. The Bible is your playbook - Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. He gives you the book to win.

As a former professional athlete, if I didn't know my plays, they wouldn't put me in the game. Athletes, if you don't know your plays, are you going to play? So why do you think God is going to put you in the game when you don't know your playbook?

The devil's not playing with you - he's trying to kill you! And God would be a bad God to put you in a fight if you don't have your weapons.

You're Closer Than You Think

My brothers and sisters, you have to make a decision: Am I going to trust God's plan, or am I going to lean on my own understanding?

If you knew the blessing attached to every seed you sowed, you would do it more often. But since you don't know what God is doing, you hesitate when God tells you to do it.

God talks to you all the time: "Open the door for her." "Let them in traffic." But you resist because you don't see the big picture.

You don't know when God prompts you to help someone what's going to happen down the road. When you're wrestling with giving, you're not wrestling with the devil - you're actually wrestling with God! The devil is a thief; he's not going to tell you to give.

Whatever area of your life has a deficit, sow in that area.

Stop doing it your way. Release your will and say, "Lord, not my will but Your will." When you release it to Him, you unlock the first key: trust Him.

How long are you going to keep replaying the same bad movie? Trust God. Give it to Him.

Jesus said in Revelation 3:20, "I stand at the door and knock. Let Me in. Let Me help you. Let Me order your steps."

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