2024 PROPHETIC WORD: Miraculous Provision Is On the Way! Welcome to the YEAR of OVERFLOW!
"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows."
Psalm 23:5, ESV
Some of you are stepping into the year of OVERFLOW, marked by the hands of God! The definition of overflow means "to fill a space to capacity and spread beyond its limits." The Lord will multiply your five loaves of bread and two fish right before your eyes!
Your overflow will then be used to feed others, and the gospel of Jesus Christ will ignite like an unstoppable wildfire!
Our God can provide exceedingly and abundantly more than we can ever ask or think. We serve a Father who lavishes His children with beautiful promises and an overflow of blessings!
The Bible tells countless stories about the God of Overflow.
As the Israelites journeyed through the wilderness, Yahweh provided them manna and quails in abundance. He brought them water from a rock. God provided oil to a widow that didn't stop flowing until the jars were filled and she paid off her debt. He made the Red Sea overflow to destroy the enemy in their tracks (Deut. 11:4). God also made the Jordan River overflow at its banks (Joshua 3:15) before holding up the edges to allow His people to crossover into the Promised Land!
Jesus Himself declared in John 10:10b:
"I came that they may have life and life more abundantly [to the full, till it overflows].”
The word abundantly comes from the Greek perissos, which carries the idea of going beyond what is expected. The gift Jesus offers us is eternal life and victory even amid a fallen world.
When Christ speaks of giving life "abundantly," He's referring to a superior, extraordinary life, surpassing what might be considered normal or expected. Some people equate this verse to health, wealth and comfort. However, Jesus Himself declared that believers would suffer hardships and persecutions while on earth (John 15:20).
So a "life more abundantly" is a life lived with Christ, in step with the Holy Spirit, and infused with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
A life with Christ is marked with overflowing mercy, grace, love, miracles and transformative power! We receive an eternal inheritance of God Himself even while on earth.
We limit ourselves when we see abundance only through the eyes of material gain. There are people worldwide with plenty of money and power, but still feel empty without knowing the Lord Jesus.
True abundance is understanding that Christ died for our sins and sent the Holy Spirit as a love offering to dwell and abide with us while on earth.
True abundance is found in a relationship with Christ that constantly grows and expands as the fruit of the Spirit blooms in our lives.
True abundance is knowing that we serve a God who provides for our every need, and we can rest in knowing that the Lord has everything under control.
As you step into the land of overflowing miracles in 2024, you will experience a deeper abiding relationship with Jesus Christ, and His love will saturate every fiber of your being.
The year 2024 will be also marked with divine provision even concerning your physical needs.
In the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he wrote:
"And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19, ESV)
In context, Paul is expressing gratitude for the financial support he received from the Philippians and assures them of God's provision.
The verse highlights a profound truth about God's faithfulness in meeting the needs of His people. The One who clothes the lilies of the field and feeds the birds of the air is very mindful of what you lack. This season, the Lord is beckoning you to venture into the deep waters of faith, trusting in His guidance even when circumstances seem challenging. Jesus will provide!
In 2024, the God of Overflow will turn your barren places into fertile ground. What seemed lost will be restored, and the abundance that was delayed in your life will soon burst forth! You will witness miracle after miracle. All you have to do is BELIEVE!
God's overflow is on the horizon, and the Lord is about to astonish you with His extravagant kindness, goodness and GIFTS!
LESS IS MORE WHEN GOD IS INVOLVED🍞🐟
Jesus knew all about the overflow in His earthly ministry. Four of His most profound miracles involved releasing provision through other people's hands. Faith without works is dead. As you partner with Christ in 2024 and put in the work, you will witness an overflow of blessings in the least likely places! Make sure to follow God’s instructions and step forward with SIMPLE TRUST!
When Jesus turned water into wine, the servants put in sweat equity, filling the jars to the brim with water. Then Jesus told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet" (John 2:7-8). The servants needed radical faith to obey and do what Jesus said because all they had was His word. They got to partner in the first miracle of Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry.
On two separate occasions, Peter and the boys went fishing and toiled all night, coming up empty without any catches. Jesus then told them when and where to let down their nets, and they caught an overflow of fish. Their lack was the gateway for God's glory to be made manifest. Jesus allowed the disciples to then bring in the overhaul with their own hands.
Then, with the feeding of well over 5,000 people, the multitude was in a place of barrenness and hunger before love broke through. Jesus took what the disciples gave Him (five loaves and two fish), looked up to heaven, gave thanks, and broke the loaves. "Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people" (Matthew 14:13-21). Even today, Jesus allows us to be vessels of His glory to the earth.
Here are some lessons to remember….
It's through the "breaking" that God's provision often starts to flow in your life.
When you give Jesus what you do have, He multiplies your little and makes it great.
Miracles often happen when you step out of your comfort zone and follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance. God’s plans and instructions rarely make sense to our human minds, so it requires FAITH!
In 2024, it's essential to distribute everything Jesus brings to your life because your overflow will significantly benefit others.
When the Father gives you a word of encouragement, release that same word to others. When God overflows your heart with love, distribute that same grace and kindness to people. When Jesus miraculously provides for your physical needs, give back to those who have less. When the Lord “feeds” you with forgiveness, release that same mercy towards others.
Sometimes, our lives are the only Bible that anyone will ever read. Your willingness to help others will reveal the glory and majesty of King Jesus to a lost and hurting world.
The feeding of the 5,000 was the only miracle — aside from the resurrection — recorded in all four gospels. The story was important to all the writers and still resonates with believers today. While the disciples saw the crowds, Jesus saw people. That's what the Holy Spirit is emphasizing at this time. We must see PEOPLE and their needs and places of lack and utilize the power of the Holy Spirit to help them.
John 6:5-7
When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd approaching him, he asked Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.Philip answered him, "It would take more than half a year's wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!"
Philip responded that it was impossible, but he forgot about the God of OVERFLOW!
His mind immediately went to the project's cost, and he tried to logically solve a problem without tapping into the unseen realm.
Jesus knew that when it comes to miracles, "It's not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit," says the Lord Almighty.
With just five loaves and two fish, Jesus multiplied what was available in the natural world and turned the food into an overflowing miracle to feed everyone. We see here the limitless nature of God's resources and His ability to exceed our expectations!
Jesus had the power to snap His fingers and just make food appear in front of everyone. However, He wanted the disciples to be involved because someday they would spiritually feed people in the same way.
As stated in Mark 6:41, “He broke the loaves apart and kept giving them to the disciples to give to the people.”
The disciples had to trust Jesus to provide; their giving depended on what they received. They went back to the Master repeatedly to gain their provisions before releasing them to people.
Today, God continues to work through people similarly.
The Holy Spirit is highlighting this story because He wants us to remember the GOD OF OVERFLOW this season.
Jesus provided "as much as they wanted" (John 6:11), and "they all ate and were satisfied" (Matthew 14:20).
Christ did not just meet their needs; He lavished them with so much food that "twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish were leftover" (Mark 6:43).
The disciples were likely starving because it'd been a while since they ate (Mark 6:31). However, Jesus saved the best for last. Twelve large baskets of food remained (Mark 8:19), and the twelve disciples likely got to eat more than anyone else!
The lesson here still resonates today: when we serve others, God provides for us. Those who live with a servant's heart are the most blessed.
FOUR KEY LESSONS TO REMEMBER
While acknowledging the scarcity of their resources, Andrew did alert Jesus to the child with five loaves and two fish (John 6:8). The critical thing to remember here is how meager the provisions were. It puts in contrast just how magnificent this miracle was. This teaches us the importance of having faith in Jesus and giving whatever we have available to God, trusting in His ability to multiply and provide.
We aren't told how Andrew came across the child, but he might have been looking over the crowd for someone with something available. He seemed to take a proactive approach in a place of lack and perhaps thought the small lunch bag might interest the Master. Andrew might have conversed with the child to know what was available. The point here is that we should always take inventory of what we do have and present it to Jesus. And on that note, children can also be a vessel through which the Lord Jesus works. We should never overlook even the "small ones" in our lives. A child might hold the answer to your breakthrough!Jesus directed the people to sit down in an orderly manner before the miracle occurred. They were called to be in a place of rest and surrender to receive the overflow miracle. When Mark told the story (likely through Peter's remembrance of the event), he even mentioned that the grass was green (Mark 6:39). The Bible is rarely descriptive, so this tidbit might have been included to reveal that the Passover was near.
Why does this matter? It reminds us of how the Lord delivered the Israelites from bondage and fed them miraculously in the wilderness, too! Moses divided the people into units of hundreds and fifties, just like Jesus commanded the multitude to be separated! In modern times, God divides us in the same way. We are to serve and love the people the Lord Jesus has entrusted us with, and we must shepherd them well. All of God’s people have been given a “group” to feed and serve, just like the disciples.
Secondly, we serve a God of order, and He often works systematically. Our cooperation with His instructions is essential. When the Lord asks you to do something, it might seem strange at first. However, as you obey and surrender to His instructions, that's when the overflow takes place. We should not look at the situation with our eyes; we must tap into the unseen realm for our faith to come alive. With God, ALL THINGS really are possible!
3. After the miraculous feeding, Jesus instructed the disciples to gather the leftovers. This reminds us of the importance of gratitude, hospitality and stewardship. We are called to appreciate and wisely manage God's blessings, recognizing that nothing He gives is to be wasted. Also, before the miracle took place, Jesus first gave thanks to God. We should always praise the Lord in advance for what He's about to do!
4. The miraculous feeding of the 5,000-plus unveils the comprehensive approach of the ministry of Jesus Christ, serving as a blueprint for how the Lord inspires us to help others. Jesus prioritized spiritual nourishment first and imparted teachings about the Kingdom of God to the crowd. Only after attending to their spiritual hunger did Jesus address their physical needs. This story reminds us how God really does care about complete healing. He doesn't do anything in part. Jesus cares about your spiritual, emotional and physical well-being. He has great compassion for you!
As we move into 2024, I pray the Lord Jesus brings extraordinary miracles that will even catch you by surprise!
Some of you will see your apostolic gifts explode as you step forward and walk into new beginnings with the Lord.
In particular, some people will take on new leadership mantles in the body and help kingdom pioneers build in new ways. The Father will use your very hands to feed others and bring kingdom realities to a lost world.
Remember, we are not called to stay in a building and wait for others to come in. We are called to be "sent out" and serve as the hands and feet of Jesus Christ to a lost world. We are to love others with the love of Christ. We are called to spiritually “feed” others with all the glorious words that Christ deposits into our hearts.
Less is more in this season; as you give the Father what you do have, He will multiply your gifts, talents and resources to feed others. We glorify the Father by using what He's already placed inside us to help others.
Make sure to always place your relationship with Christ above all else! Do exactly what Jesus says, even if the path, plans or instructions seem strange! You are stepping into a season of miraculous OVERFLOW, and your story will be used to help others crawl from a place of spiritual lack to overwhelming abundance! You will show them the way, just like Jesus taught you!
God has such BIG plans for you in 2024. Don't ever give up! True faith is not wishful thinking or even optimism; true faith is defined as "simple trust" and relying on God even when we don't have all the details. The Lord Jesus loves you so very much. Something special is ahead for you, and you will undoubtedly know that Christ was working behind the scenes!
