Realigning Our PerspectiveSample

There is a Prophecy in the Testimony

This passage begins with the story of the miraculous feeding of the four thousand. With just seven loaves and a few small fish, Jesus fed everybody. Verse 8 says, “The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward, the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.”  It was a great victory, an unforgettable moment. Praise God!

Jesus then got into a boat with His disciples, but the disciples forgot to bring bread, and they discussed this among themselves. Jesus said to them beginning in verse 17,

“Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”

“Twelve,” they replied.

“And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”

They answered, “Seven.”

He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”

The point: Every provision of God in the past is more than a testimony - it is prophecy. Don’t leave it in the past. It was supposed to come with you wherever you go.

Exodus 16 records how the children of Israel rejoiced when they crossed the Red Sea. But three days later, they were complaining at the waters of Marah. They failed to bring their testimony with them.

By contrast, consider what David said when he stood before King Saul in 1 Sam. 17:36-37: “Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”

Be encouraged today! If He provided bread in the past, the needs for bread today have already been answered! If He delivered in the past, the needs for deliverance today have already been answered! If He helped us in the past, He will surely help us today. 

Prayer

Lord, help me bring to remembrance all the times that you have provided and delivered me. My life is a walking testimony. Strengthen me so that I may lift my eyes from the situation to You. Today, I turn my testimonies to prophecies. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Life Application

Can you relate to the difference in response between the Israelites in Marah and David’s response? What is your response to today’s situation? What’s keeping you from deciding to change your testimony into a prophecy?