Finances and Occupation

Another interesting aspect of the wilderness, is your finances and occupation. While living in the wilderness, you may live on "just enough" and you will receive only as much daily financial manna as is needed. Also, you may be blocked from working at your normal occupation and be retrained into a new line of work that is less distracting and more survivable in a down economy. Though it seems like "not enough", God will make sure that you have what you really need and even throw in a number of very special and wonderful treats along the way. You may go on a cruise without a penny in your pocket.

For many of us, we have learned to become very dependent upon the Worlds system and so called security, and the idea of being outside of that system may be terrifying. We have spent many long years toiling and building a foundation of security for ourselves, and God wants us to be able to lay this all down at His feet and trust Him to provide everything we need. Though you may not get everything you "want", God will make sure that your "needs" will be met. A well will only run dry if God is driving you to a new place. This is all about building your faith, if you understand that it can get you through a lot faster, with a lot less resistance and resentment.

Sometimes the provision will come at midnight, or even a little after midnight just to build your faith, and it may come from the least likely source that you thought it would. God is not trying to be cruel; it's just that real faith means real need and real trust. Without a real problem, you cannot exercise real faith. During this time, Satan may try to accuse God of child neglect and abuse, but after you get used to God coming through for you, you will see that you actually have more security through God than you did before when you tried to make it happen on your own.

You may ask, "Do I tithe in the wilderness?" well that is between you and God. In the New Testament in the book of acts, they gave God 100%, not 10%, and they gave as God directed and required them to. The Israelites did not tithe on their manna in the Wilderness, but when it came time to build the Tabernacle they gave everything they had with joy until finally they actually had to ask people to stop giving. The Tabernacle is Jesus, and as we listen to His voice, you will know what He wants from you. His yoke (load you carry) is easy compared to the legalistic laws some modern day Pharisees will try to lay on you. Jesus' words are always simple and peaceful (even if corrective). Satan's words are always pressuring, critical, and condemning.

It can be very humiliating to live by faith and your friends and family may think that you've lost your mind when you let go of the Worlds system of finances and safety nets. But you will see in time that you will be able to cease striving and enter Gods rest. He may even ask you to give your last bit of money to someone who may not need it as much as you do. Just like the Widow of Zarephath that gave her last bit of flour and oil to feed Elijah the prophet, it is a test of trust on both sides. You must not only give by faith, but you must also learn to receive by faith. How do you think Elijah felt when he took this poor woman’s last meal? Can you imagine the gossip and the ridicule of the neighbors?

You may also be blocked from doing your old job, and the grace that used to be there to do it will just not be there anymore. Like I say, God can make you smell like a rose, or stink like a skunk to anyone He wants, and it is good to follow His grace (God's help, and endorsement) and avoid the hand-slaps that come from rebelling and trying to force something that He is not supporting. God just does this to guide you; He's not trying to be a control freak. The new occupation that you get will be more peaceful and less distracting so that you can still work on your wilderness transformation and not get over-distracted with some high pressure career or company. Besides, when you are working for God only He can fire you, not a human. You may end up working for many "Laban's" during this time, and you will have to learn to be like Jacob, and just trust in Gods authority flowing through an imperfect, exploitative, and unfair human that is over you.

Trust God as you go forward for everything that you need. This may be the hardest at first, especially if you have children, and there may be a little crying or grumbling in your tent, but God will help you to see that you can trust in His goodness and character no matter what you see in the natural. All your problems and needs are the same to God; there are no hard problems for Him, they are all easy. Our cooperation and faith releases God to move on our behalf. Pray about everything, and enjoy the wonderful adventure you are on. You may want to go back to Egypt at times, but God has seen your life lived already and knows exactly how to bring you through this difficult time, and into a healthy, happy, and consistently holy life. All things are possible with God, and all things, means all things.

We may think that we are waiting on God, but God is actually waiting for us to grow up to be trustworthy with the real riches of the Kingdom. You have probably heard about the 3 G's that you must be careful of in ministry; the gold, the glory, and the girls (Guys if you are a girl). We must see the dangers that live inside our hearts to effectively resist their temptation. God is building maturity and character in His people, so that when He pours out His power and finances, it won't go to our heads and trip us up. You are going through Esther’s beauty treatments because you will be presented before the King very soon. Rejoice that you have been counted worthy of this great honor, and be excited about the wonderful things that God has planned for you. God will never fail you.