31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:31-33)
When Jesus said those words, He meant it. Jesus has never once lied and being God cannot even be tempted to lie. He is perfect in every way and has never let me down.
Yet earlier this year I was seriously struggling to believe that God really is who He says He is.
The reasons were simple: In April of this year I needed about $2,000 to pay my taxes, while people I respect and love had recommended that I get a paying job and leave YWAM (making me doubt God's call and provision), and I didn't have time to work on my own to get the money I needed in time. I was stuck, and all I could do was cry out to God and be faithful to what I thought He told me to do.
The clock was ticking, and the IRS needed their money.
Wednesday before tax day on the following Monday: I slept most of the day, didn't do anything about the financial situation, and felt hopeless and discouraged.
Thursday before tax day: I made two phone calls to my faithful supporters and within an hour those two people committed to give me $2,400 total. It was a miracle. I felt the affirmation from Heaven that God would not only provide for me in all of my daily needs, including paying taxes to the government, but even more that my specific mission by backed by God. 24/7 prayer in Washington DC really is on God's heart and this financial provision was a huge testimony to me of that.
My God is faithful to His promises and has never let me down, especially in the area of finances. I'm still debt-free and have been primarily supported by others while volunteering with YWAM for the last three years.
Another delicious layer to this testimony came a few weeks ago while I was eating sushi with my friends.
It started out as just another night eating dinner, with casual conversations dispersed throughout our table of 9. Then the question came: who has a testimony?
After waiting a few moments, I piped up and began to tell the story you just read about my taxes. Right after I got done telling the story, my friend Gabriel said that the Lord showed him in a vision this exact scene earlier this year. (Gabriel is a very gifted friend who has this kind of thing happen on a regular basis). Basically God showed him ahead of time that he would be in that exact place at that exact time, hearing my testimony, and it came to pass! Gabriel said that when he gets visions showing the future like that he really pays attention when they come to pass because it's a confirmation that everyone involved is where they are supposed to be.
So here in our group we had an amazing testimony that Gabriel was shown would be told earlier that year. Then another girl said she recently had a dream from God in which the message was John 6, which includes the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 miraculously. Then we really paid attention because God was clearly speaking multiple times about His miraculous provision. With many of us urgently needing financial provision we were very encouraged.
Then to top off this amazing night of encouragement, our waitress came up and told us that our check had been paid for, and she didn't even know who paid for it. I think it may have been an angel, but I can't prove it. I just know that God was really speaking to us that we were truly following Him, He really saw us and that He really cared for all of our needs like the greatest Father we could ever imagine.
He knows the hairs on our heads, he knows every longing in our heart, he knows us on our good days and on our bad days, and He loves us the same. How great is our God!
Thanks for all the prayers and support that God uses in my life, and may you be blessed with the assurance that if you seek first His kingdom He will supply your every need.
For the Lamb to receive the reward of His sufferings,
Nathan Uttley
