The Strong’s definition for ‘provision’ is: fore-planning, premeditated, making preparation for. We are not to make provision for our flesh. We do that by storing up spiritual provision. We need anchor verses that will secure us in the face of a temptation to sin.

The enemy uses buried unresolved issues to entrap us. He also uses unconfessed sin ~ hidden sins that continually corrupt our way. Each fleshly reaction indicates that there is something hidden.

Accountability is a key to spiritual provision. James 5:16 says, “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” Ask the Holy Spirit to give you a spiritual accountability partner. It is one of God’s provisions for spiritual maturity.

We need each other. Colossians 2:19 says, “…holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.”

The enemy of our soul uses deception to trap us. Galatians 5:16 tells us how to avoid being ensnared. It says, “…Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” Disobedience allows our flesh to rule.

Romans 13:12 says, “…cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.” Verse 14 says, “…put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.”

We have two natures: carnal and spiritual. Romans 8 clearly expands on this truth. The carnal mind is enmity against God (verse 7). Verse 6 says that to be spiritually minded results in life and peace.

When we cast off something of our flesh, we need an immediate replacement. Remember the story in Matthew 12:43-45. The spirit was cast out. The ‘house’ was swept clean but left empty. When we cast off something of our flesh, we need God’s word to fill in the space.

The Strong’s definition for lust is: a strong desire and intense craving for something. Lust can be positive and not always negative. David expressed strong desires in several of his psalms.

Read this with your ears tuned to his heart-words. Psalm 63:1 says, “O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water.”

Psalm 42:1 was written about a deer about to die unless it can get to water. It says, “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God.” David used the word ‘pant’ to express his heart’s desire.

Ephesians 4:22 gives us the root to derailed lust. It says, “That you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to deceitful lusts.” As I meditated on this verse, I camped on ‘deceitful lusts.’

Yesterday I heard a message called “Strengthen my hands” by David Gibbs, Jr. I want to recap it for you. Nehemiah was a captive, serving a pagan king. The Lord laid a burden on his heart to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem. Impossible task. 

The burden was a call to action. 1 Thessalonians 5:24 says, “He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.” The Lord empowers those who answer His call. Through God’s miraculous intervention the king allowed Nehemiah to go, and he provided the finances and the resources.

The work was intensely fought against by their enemies. Yet, in Nehemiah 6:9 we read Nehemiah’s prayer. It says, “For they all were trying to make us afraid, saying, Their hands will be weakened in the work, and it will not be done.” Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.” After that prayer the wall was completed in 52 days!

Spurgeon and Moody both said that this prayer is the second greatest prayer recorded in the Bible. The first being for salvation. David Gibbs, Jr. encouraged his listeners to pray this prayer every day. Here are his key points:

1. God loves to strengthen the weak. In 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 Paul acknowledged that he was weak. We need to get real with God. James 4:10 says to humble yourself in the sight of the Lord. He knows our heart, but He wants us to acknowledge our weakness. 

2. He is no respecter of persons. Acts 10:34. 

3. He has unlimited power. He wants to strengthen us with the same power that God used to raise Jesus from the dead. What we face is insignificant to His unlimited power. Nothing is impossible for God. Luke 1:37.

If you would like to get these types of messages, go to embassymedia.com. For $49.00 a year you have unlimited access to countless Bible-strong messages that will empower you with truth. I fill my Sunday afternoons with them.

My note: as I typed this I realized that Nehemiah refuted and renounced the enemy’s words through his prayer ~ great strategy for spiritual warfare!

Let’s take another account. Lazarus died and was buried.  In John 11:21 Martha said to Jesus, “…Lord, if You have been here…” Have you ever questioned God’s timing? In verse 26 Jesus said, “And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

We have His written word. Do we believe it? When we hide His word in our heart, it rises up as a defense against the enemy’s fiery darts of doubt. His hidden word shouts out the truth that secures our heart when we are under attack.

Let’s take Thomas. John 21:24-29. Thomas had questioned the living account from the other disciples. Jesus revealed Himself to him. In verse 27 He said, “…Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” Write His words in capital letters on the wall of your heart.

We conquer unbelief through faith affirmations. In the face of our impossibility, we declare God’s word and stand steadfast and immovable in that truth.

As I was meditating on Ephesians 4:17-19 this thought came. A believer can be unbelieving. The enemy of our soul uses fiery dart thoughts of unbelief to derail us. Anytime we have doubts, we can know that our faith is under attack.

The fruit of unbelief is: futile thoughts, understanding is darkened, our vital union with the Lord is cut off, our heart is blinded, and we are given over to the flesh of past feeling. Romans 1:21 says, “Because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.”

Let’s contrast Zachariah (Luke 1:5-20) and Mary (Luke 1:28-49). Zachariah faced the impossible and doubted and was mute. Mary faced the impossible and magnified the Lord. God’s will is that in everything we are to give Him thanks. 1 Thessalonians 5:18.

Paul, a devout Jew, was soundly converted to be God’s messenger of grace. The Lord used him to reveal His mystery. Ephesians 3:10 says, “To the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the  church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places.”

There is more. Verse 11 says, “According to the  eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.” It all fits together like a jigsaw puzzle. Until it was time for the church to be birthed, the mystery remained hidden.

When I think of God’s manifold wisdom, I picture a kaleidoscope. One slight turn and the whole scene changes. Every trial that we go through is part of His manifold wisdom ~ displaying His church before our defeated enemy! Verse 12 says, “In whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.”

God hid His eternal purpose in Himself. That is just so delightful. Ephesians 3:9 says, “…the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God…” 1 Corinthians 2:8 says, “Which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”

Crucifying Jesus was part of God’s eternal purpose. Through His death, burial, and resurrection we have the gospel message.  Read these two verses carefully and then shout hallelujah! 

Ephesians 1:9-10 says, “Having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.”

James 3:18 says, “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.” It is a spiritual blessing that is imparted when we ask.

James 1:5 says that if we lack wisdom, we can ask for it. He will give it to us liberally. Proverbs 2:7 gives us a qualifier. It says, “He stores up sound wisdom for the upright…” The fear of the Lord is reverential trust, and the beginning of wisdom. How do we walk upright? We shun compromise.

Intimate communion sets the stage for impartation. Psalm 25:14 Amplified says, “The secret (of the sweet, satisfying companionship) of the Lord have they who fear (revere and worship) Him, and He will show them His covenant and reveal to them its (deep, inner) meaning.”