Your Employer is NOT your Provider
Published: September 02, 2008
Philippians 4:19 cites, And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. I know we have all applied this Scripture to monetary needs, but today I challenge you apply it to your career - -more importantly your paycheck. Many times we view our employer as the one who provides but truly God is the provider and the employer is the vessel God is using. Not only did God say He would supply all our need, but He also commanded us to be fruitful and multiply. If your career has yet to be fruitful and multiply, stop and ask the following question: Am I depending on the wrong source?
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Often we take the liberty to decide that need and want are the same. So there are no further misunderstandings, let’s first make a clear distinction between two words often used interchangeably when clearly we should view them differently. Need: Necessity; obligation. Want: To desire greatly; to wish for.
How often have we looked at our paychecks and reduced God to a “want God” instead of celebrating Him for the “need God” that He truly is? In case I have lost you here, let me share some practical examples of how we do so: I want designer handbags and shoes, but I need to be presentable in the workplace. I want an expensive car, but I need transportation, even if it’s public, to get back and forth to the job. I want a big house with a pool and fireplace, but I need to stay warm. I want to eat at fine restaurants, but I need to fast to hear from the Lord. I want to be paid more money, but I need additional credentials. I want that big office, but I need to minister to the jobless who are broken and hopeless.
What if God said, I want to see you complete your destiny, but I need to call you home today because you are way off track? Every day that God gives us in the workplace is a new day to be fruitful and multiply. He has already supplied what we need; He is just waiting for us to apply what He has given accordingly so that we can see His provision manifest. When God said, “He would supply all your need”, that is exactly what He meant. God never intend for us to live paycheck to paycheck, barely make ends meet, or in some cases, just survive. He intended for us to walk in our God given destiny so that with His help, we will be fruitful and multiply.
As part of His kingdom, everything we do, touch or encounter should be fruitful and multiply exceedingly. My challenge to you is to apply the following Scriptures to your life from a career perspective.
Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth. Genesis 1:28
And as for you, be fruitful and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth and multiply in it.” Genesis 9:7
Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from your body. Genesis 35:11
Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will make of you a multitude of people, and give this land to your descendants after you as an everlasting possession. Genesis 48:4
For I will look on you favorably and make you fruitful, multiply you and confirm My covenant with you. Leviticus 26:9
Remember more than 70% of your lifetime is spent in the workplace. That is too much time to be anywhere - and not prospering in the things you need. As I close, let me pause here to dispel the myth that it takes a six-figure income to be prosperous. Prosperity is when you have enough for you and can help someone else.
And one last thing, the Greek word for all - is ALL!
Stephanie C. Harper, PHR, CCP, CHRM is a 17 year human resources professional in Atlanta, GA. Author of Why Should I Hire You? and A Kingdom Built Career (foreword by Bishop Noel Jones),she is also editor and Publisher of CAREER Magazine. For more info visit www.StephanieHarper.com or www.TheCareerMag.com
Copyright © 2012 you129 & Stephanie C. Harper. All rights reserved.
Craig
June 01, 2010
I think it’s a fear of not having and that not having stems from our belief system. It’s the different conversations we have with our children. Our language that we use. My buddy told me that his kids were getting job. They are early in high school. I agree they need to learn how to work, but why wasn’t they given the opportunity to bring out their talents. How can they turn there talent into a business.
So, they are being taught how to earn money and not taught how to create money. We need to have more faith in the lord and change our language on how we teach our kids about money.