FAITH TO RECIEVE
Faith to Receive: Understanding the Spiritual Principle of Giving
In the journey of faith, one of the most profound yet misunderstood principles is the relationship between giving and receiving. While many believers focus solely on receiving God's blessings, there's a fundamental spiritual truth that often gets overlooked: faith to receive always begins with faith to give.
The Two Dimensions of God's Provision
Scripture reveals something remarkable about how God provides for His children. In Isaiah 55:10, we read about rain and snow coming down from heaven, watering the earth so it brings forth and buds, "that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater." This ancient truth is echoed in 2 Corinthians 9:10, which speaks of God ministering "seed to the sower" and "bread for your food."
Notice the distinction: God doesn't just provide bread for eating. He provides both bread AND seed. Everything that comes into your hands arrives in two dimensions—one for consumption and one for multiplication. The bread is for your immediate needs, but the seed is for your future harvest.
This is where many believers miss the mark. They view everything God provides as bread to be consumed, never recognizing that within every provision lies a seed for their future. When we consume everything without sowing anything, we inadvertently cut off our own harvest.
The Gospel Built on Giving
The entire gospel message is founded on the principle of giving. John 3:16 begins with these powerful words: "For God so loved the world that He gave..." The subject of this verse isn't just love—it's giving. God demonstrated His love through the ultimate act of giving: His Son.
This establishes a kingdom pattern. Prosperity in God's kingdom isn't accidental or arbitrary; it's part of our heritage as believers. Second Corinthians 8:9 makes this clear: "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might be rich."
Christ paid the price for your prosperity. You are not the poor trying to become rich; you are the rich awaiting manifestation. This isn't arrogance—it's understanding your position in Christ and the inheritance that belongs to you.
The Principle of Seedtime and Harvest
Genesis 8:22 establishes an unchangeable law: "While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest...shall not cease." This divine order means that sowing always precedes reaping. You cannot expect a harvest where you've planted no seed.
Luke 6:38 reinforces this principle: "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."
The mathematics is simple yet profound: give sparingly, reap sparingly; give bountifully, reap bountifully. God multiplies back to you based on what you've sown, not based on what you've kept.
The Widow of Zarephath: Faith in Desperate Times
One of the most powerful illustrations of giving in faith comes from 1 Kings 17. A widow in Zarephath was down to her last meal—literally preparing to eat and die with her son. She had one handful of flour and a little oil. Her situation couldn't have been more desperate.
Yet when the prophet Elijah arrived and asked her to make him a cake first, she wasn't exempted from God's principles of prosperity. Notice that word: first. Elijah specifically instructed her to make his cake first, then prepare for herself and her son afterward.
This is the principle of honoring God first with our resources. The widow obeyed, and God's promise followed: "For thus says the Lord God of Israel: 'The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth.'"
Her obedience in giving—even in her desperate state—unlocked supernatural provision. The barrel of meal didn't waste, and the oil didn't fail. God rebuked the devourer on her behalf.
Overcoming Fear in Giving
The primary obstacle to generous giving is fear. Fear whispers that you won't have enough, that you need to hold on tightly to what you have, that giving will leave you lacking. But Elijah's first words to the widow were: "Fear not."
Fear is the opposite of faith. When we give out of fear, we're not really giving in faith at all. True faith-filled giving acknowledges God as Provider, trusting that He who clothes the lilies and feeds the sparrows will certainly take care of His children.
Many believers struggle financially not because they don't work hard, but because they've allowed fear to keep them from engaging God's principles of prosperity. They've consumed all their bread and sown none of their seed. Then they wonder why there's no harvest to reap.
The Sacred Nature of the Tithe
Throughout generations, the practice of tithing—giving the first ten percent to God—has been a cornerstone of biblical stewardship. While the method of tithing shifted from the Old Testament to the New Testament (from compulsion to love-motivated giving), the principle remained constant.
Tithing represents honoring God first with our resources. It's not about giving God the leftovers after we've done everything we want to do. It's about acknowledging that everything belongs to Him and that we're merely stewards of what He's entrusted to us.
The testimony of tithing speaks for itself. Those who faithfully tithe often find that their 90% goes further than other people's 100%. Why? Because God rebukes the devourer and opens windows of blessing that cannot be explained by natural mathematics alone.
Stewarding Resources with Eternity in Mind
We must remember that we're stewards, not owners, of the resources God provides. One day, we'll stand before Him and give account for how we managed what He entrusted to us—our time, our words, and yes, our finances.
This perspective transforms how we view giving. It's not about pastors taking advantage or churches manipulating people. It's about partnering with God in advancing His kingdom and positioning ourselves to receive the harvest that comes from faithful sowing.
Moving Forward in Faith
If you've struggled with giving, today is your opportunity to break free from fear and poverty mentality. Recognize that:
Remember: faith to receive always begins with faith to give. When you understand this principle and walk in it, you position yourself for the abundant life Christ died to give you—not just spiritually, but in every area of your life.
In the journey of faith, one of the most profound yet misunderstood principles is the relationship between giving and receiving. While many believers focus solely on receiving God's blessings, there's a fundamental spiritual truth that often gets overlooked: faith to receive always begins with faith to give.
The Two Dimensions of God's Provision
Scripture reveals something remarkable about how God provides for His children. In Isaiah 55:10, we read about rain and snow coming down from heaven, watering the earth so it brings forth and buds, "that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater." This ancient truth is echoed in 2 Corinthians 9:10, which speaks of God ministering "seed to the sower" and "bread for your food."
Notice the distinction: God doesn't just provide bread for eating. He provides both bread AND seed. Everything that comes into your hands arrives in two dimensions—one for consumption and one for multiplication. The bread is for your immediate needs, but the seed is for your future harvest.
This is where many believers miss the mark. They view everything God provides as bread to be consumed, never recognizing that within every provision lies a seed for their future. When we consume everything without sowing anything, we inadvertently cut off our own harvest.
The Gospel Built on Giving
The entire gospel message is founded on the principle of giving. John 3:16 begins with these powerful words: "For God so loved the world that He gave..." The subject of this verse isn't just love—it's giving. God demonstrated His love through the ultimate act of giving: His Son.
This establishes a kingdom pattern. Prosperity in God's kingdom isn't accidental or arbitrary; it's part of our heritage as believers. Second Corinthians 8:9 makes this clear: "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might be rich."
Christ paid the price for your prosperity. You are not the poor trying to become rich; you are the rich awaiting manifestation. This isn't arrogance—it's understanding your position in Christ and the inheritance that belongs to you.
The Principle of Seedtime and Harvest
Genesis 8:22 establishes an unchangeable law: "While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest...shall not cease." This divine order means that sowing always precedes reaping. You cannot expect a harvest where you've planted no seed.
Luke 6:38 reinforces this principle: "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."
The mathematics is simple yet profound: give sparingly, reap sparingly; give bountifully, reap bountifully. God multiplies back to you based on what you've sown, not based on what you've kept.
The Widow of Zarephath: Faith in Desperate Times
One of the most powerful illustrations of giving in faith comes from 1 Kings 17. A widow in Zarephath was down to her last meal—literally preparing to eat and die with her son. She had one handful of flour and a little oil. Her situation couldn't have been more desperate.
Yet when the prophet Elijah arrived and asked her to make him a cake first, she wasn't exempted from God's principles of prosperity. Notice that word: first. Elijah specifically instructed her to make his cake first, then prepare for herself and her son afterward.
This is the principle of honoring God first with our resources. The widow obeyed, and God's promise followed: "For thus says the Lord God of Israel: 'The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth.'"
Her obedience in giving—even in her desperate state—unlocked supernatural provision. The barrel of meal didn't waste, and the oil didn't fail. God rebuked the devourer on her behalf.
Overcoming Fear in Giving
The primary obstacle to generous giving is fear. Fear whispers that you won't have enough, that you need to hold on tightly to what you have, that giving will leave you lacking. But Elijah's first words to the widow were: "Fear not."
Fear is the opposite of faith. When we give out of fear, we're not really giving in faith at all. True faith-filled giving acknowledges God as Provider, trusting that He who clothes the lilies and feeds the sparrows will certainly take care of His children.
Many believers struggle financially not because they don't work hard, but because they've allowed fear to keep them from engaging God's principles of prosperity. They've consumed all their bread and sown none of their seed. Then they wonder why there's no harvest to reap.
The Sacred Nature of the Tithe
Throughout generations, the practice of tithing—giving the first ten percent to God—has been a cornerstone of biblical stewardship. While the method of tithing shifted from the Old Testament to the New Testament (from compulsion to love-motivated giving), the principle remained constant.
Tithing represents honoring God first with our resources. It's not about giving God the leftovers after we've done everything we want to do. It's about acknowledging that everything belongs to Him and that we're merely stewards of what He's entrusted to us.
The testimony of tithing speaks for itself. Those who faithfully tithe often find that their 90% goes further than other people's 100%. Why? Because God rebukes the devourer and opens windows of blessing that cannot be explained by natural mathematics alone.
Stewarding Resources with Eternity in Mind
We must remember that we're stewards, not owners, of the resources God provides. One day, we'll stand before Him and give account for how we managed what He entrusted to us—our time, our words, and yes, our finances.
This perspective transforms how we view giving. It's not about pastors taking advantage or churches manipulating people. It's about partnering with God in advancing His kingdom and positioning ourselves to receive the harvest that comes from faithful sowing.
Moving Forward in Faith
If you've struggled with giving, today is your opportunity to break free from fear and poverty mentality. Recognize that:
- God provides both seed and bread in every provision
- Giving isn't loss; it's investment in your future
- Only God can truly secure your prosperity
- Fear is the enemy of generous giving
- Honoring God first unlocks supernatural multiplication
Remember: faith to receive always begins with faith to give. When you understand this principle and walk in it, you position yourself for the abundant life Christ died to give you—not just spiritually, but in every area of your life.
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