Matthew 14:18-20: “Bring them here,” He said. Then He told the people to sit down on the grass. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, He gave the bread to the disciples, who distributed it to the people. They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers.

Take notice that the miracle in the above Scripture began with a command. Jesus told them to bring the fishes and loaves to Him. What need are you faced with today? Take it to the Lord in obedience. Doesn’t the Word of God tell us to take our burdens and cares to the Lord and leave them on the altar? When life brings us into a situation that requires more of us than we have to offer, we must learn how to activate our faith by standing on the Word.

To the disciples, the five loaves and two fish didn’t seem worth mentioning, but Jesus knew the value of what they had and wanted to show them the hidden potential. We have things we own, and we have connections with other people in our life that have potential, but we can’t always see the potential that is right before our eyes. Our humanity can cause us to see only the obvious and not the potential, when it comes to our resources. When we mix the Word with our faith, it takes our eyes off of the obvious and places them on the potential.

Faith will reveal and release the potential that creates miracles, but we must be willing to activate our faith. Let’s look at the example found in the book of Kings. God had commanded the widow to feed the prophet before he had entered Zarephath. When he asked her for a cake, the woman tried to ignore God’s command and Elijah’s request, but later she obeyed. It was very good for her that she ultimately obeyed God because it allowed the prophetic anointing on Elijah to show the woman what she had in her own house. However, because of her fear she couldn’t see the potential.

What do you have in your possession that, once it’s given to the Lord, could become the next miracle that will break your cycle of lack? Remember Jesus told the disciples to bring Him the fish and loaves. Elijah commanded the widow to bring him a cake first, and then (after he had eaten) she could fix one for herself. Take your lack before the Lord today and keep bringing it until He reveals through your eyes of faith the hidden potential and releases His power upon it to supply all of your need. Those who trust in the Lord shall not lack. The Lord is my Shepherd, and I shall not be in want.  —submitted by Asa Dockery, US