Have a need or feel inadequate? Here’s what to do when you get stuck or have a need. It’s one of the greatest lessons you can learn. You'll also get verses to help you understand God’s authority and encouraging promises.

Don’t let a lack of faith, talent, training, vision or natural ability stop you from the great things God has planned.

Through this series, you’ll learn how to live well & enjoy God's promises. You are loved by God; He knows your name. He has a plan for your life. Get helpful advice, encouragement, and hope for a life well lived in 2021 and beyond.

Are you walking in faith and victory? Set your eyes on the promises of God. You only have one life journey; say yes to Jesus. Like the parables of the buried treasure and the valuable pearl, stop at nothing to gain your entry into the kingdom of heaven.

The battle is the Lord’s (thank God!).

Do you see the problem, or look to the one who can solve it?

There is a single event told by four different people (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) about Jesus feeding the 5000. Matthew tells us that after Jesus learns that John the Baptist is beheaded, Jesus and his disciples withdrew to a quiet place. But things did not remain quiet, because the crowds followed Jesus and, as he looked at the people, he felt compassion for them.

Mark tells us that Jesus saw the people as sheep without a shepherd and he begins to teach them throughout the day. Jesus would have taught about the Kingdom of God and, as he did, Jesus healed the sick and ministered to the hurting.

Jesus ministered to both the physical and spiritual needs of the crowd and that is what he desires each of us to do as well.

The disciples have already seen Jesus do many miracles and teach about the Kingdom of God:

• They witnessed Jesus’ authority over sickness and how he cast out demons.

• They witnessed Jesus commend the faith of the Gentile centurion.

• They experienced Jesus calming a storm and were amazed that even the wind and the waves obeyed him.

• Jesus raised a dead girl back to life, opened blind eyes, healed a leper and taught the scriptures like no other teacher. Jesus taught as one having authority.

• Jesus taught the disciples the cost of following Jesus and to not be afraid, but to be on guard spiritually, at all times.

• They witnessed Jesus withdrawing several times to pray and also Jesus’ reliance on God the Father.

The Disciples personally observed Jesus’ authority over many things, but in all of this, they still lacked understanding of what to do in times of need. The disciples did not understand Jesus’ heart of ministry regarding love and compassion for those in need. They had yet to embrace true spiritual compassion for the spiritually lost and those in need. The disciples lacked vision, they lacked faith, they lacked the understanding of Jesus’ authority over all things, and how they could turn to Jesus themselves in their times of need and ministry. This includes simple things like feeding the hungry.

The disciples lacked the spiritual drive of being involved in ministering to the lost. The disciples needed a personal lesson in taking their needs and their inability to Jesus in order to meet the needs of others. They needed to learn to look past the problem and to the one who can solve the problem, Jesus.

Do you let your limitations get in the way of God’s plans?

What about you? Can you see yourself ministering to others in need? Does a lack of faith, talent, training, vision or natural ability stop you from helping someone?

The disciples did not see how they could help the people and yet Jesus tells the disciples to bring what little they had to him. We must learn to take the limitations we have and give them to Jesus. Remember, the battle is the Lord’s. We can do nothing within our own power or authority.

It is Christ, and in the authority and power of Christ, that we can do anything. Paul says, “I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13).

“That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10, NIV).

It was not until Jesus’ death and resurrection, not until the disciples and all who were filled with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, that they began to truly understand the power and authority that was available to them in Christ.

The disciples needed to grasp the truth of Christ’s power and authority in their hearts. When they did, God used them to change the world!

• The Kingdom of God advanced.

• People were delivered from sin and sickness.

• Needs were met and the first century church grew and lives were changed for all eternity.

This miracle of feeding the 5000 was a teaching moment for the disciples, but let it also be a teaching moment for us today.

Do you know what to do when you’re stuck?

Imagine: You are one of the disciples.

You’re in a remote place and it’s getting late. Jesus has been ministering all day. People are healed, but now it’s getting late. Your faith is soaring by this time, seeing God moving in people’s lives all day. But it’s late in the day and time to get back to everyday living. Sort-of like a Sunday night service where God moved mightily, prayers were answered, people saved, another person healed and now it’s time to head home.

Here, in Matthew 14, the disciples are urging Jesus to send the people away. It’s as if they were saying, “Jesus, your work is done here, our work is done here. Let’s send everyone home.”

Rather than sending people on their way physically hungry, Jesus tells his disciples, “Now it’s your turn. You give them something to eat. They don’t need to go away.”

We need to apply this same truth that the disciples learned:

• We need to understand the authority of Jesus.

• We need to understand that a little is much in Jesus’ hands.

• We need to understand that God uses you and me to accomplish his plans and purposes in people worldwide.

• We shouldn’t be in such a rush that we overlook the practical needs of others or what Jesus is trying to teach us.

‘When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”

16 Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. 18 “Bring them here to me,” he said. 19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children’ (Matthew 14:13-21).

I can only guess the disciples took a double-take, and said, “but Jesus, you want us to do what? You want us to feed them?” The disciples’ first thoughts must have been “we don’t have the resources to feed all these people. We don’t know what you want us to do Lord. We don’t know how you want us to do it. So, let’s let the people go to the villages to meet their needs.”

Jesus tells his disciples, “No you do it. You feed them.”

Like the Disciples, we often forget the power and authority of Jesus. Most of us would immediately look to our own ability and resources as being lacking. We see our inability and shortcomings before we understand Jesus’ ability to answer prayer and meet the needs of those in need.

Many of us would see the overwhelming need and realize the situation is way beyond our ability, and all too often, we forget to look to Jesus and his authority for the situation at hand.

Jesus wanted the disciples to learn to go to him in times of need. We need to learn to go to Jesus first with our needs, rather than thinking as the world and going to someone or something else to meet the need.

Do you bring what you have to Jesus?

Like the disciples, we would probably come up with reasons to send the crowds away to the surrounding villages.

But that answer is void of spiritual vision. Void of faith in Jesus’ ability and authority. Void of Jesus.

Unlike the disciples, Jesus had a different idea. Jesus was about to stretch the disciples’ faith and spiritual understanding. Jesus was preparing the disciples for a future time. A time when he would be seated at the right hand of God, in Glory. For the time when he would be interceding in Glory for the believers. A time when the disciples and believers everywhere needed to learn to go to Jesus for whatever daily need would arise.

So, the lesson begins. Jesus tells his disciples “You give them something to eat.” What was Jesus thinking? The disciples only had a few loaves and two fish, barely enough to feed themselves, certainly not enough for over 5000 people.

The disciples lacked faith and only saw an impossible situation. They lacked spiritual vision of the impossible made possible with Jesus. The spiritual lesson of turning to Jesus in times of everyday needs is one we all need to remember.

Jesus tells the disciples to bring what they had to him. Then he tells the disciples to have the crowd sit down in an orderly fashion.

One of the greatest lessons we can learn today is to bring what we have to Jesus.

Bring everything to Jesus and he’ll do great things:

• Our talents.

• Our gifts.

• Our abilities.

• Our resources and our needs.

• Even our lives.

He will use all of it for the glory of God. Whatever we have, we can place in Jesus’ hands.

The disciples did not realize it at the time, but one day soon Jesus would not be around physically. They would all face impossible situations alone and they needed to have the knowledge and understanding of what to do.

Remember, give it all to Jesus.

Do you know the authority of Christ & the promises of God?

Like the disciples, we need to have a greater understanding of the power and authority we have in Christ.

Here are some verses every believer should remember:

• “In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11).

• “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

• “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5:17-19).

• “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority” (Colossians 2:9-10).

• “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

• “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

Know without a doubt you are in Christ and, as you pray, pray in the name of Jesus. Pray in faith and in the authority of Christ. Pray with the expectation that what you ask will happen. We are told that we are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, sharing in his suffering and glory (Romans 8:17).

Know that you have been crucified with Christ and he lives in you. Live by faith in the Son of God, who gave himself for you (Galatians 2:20).

Hold on to God’s promises:

Ask, believe, and it will be yours!

“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (Mark 11:24).

Everyone who asks will receive!

“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:9-13).

Whatever you ask in Jesus’ name will be done!

“And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it” (John 14:13-14).

Whatever you ask will be given to you!

“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples” (John 15:7-8).

Do you know the importance of praying in the power and authority of Christ?

Motives are important. James 4:3 tells us that our motives in prayer are important. We should not expect to receive if our motives are wrong.

Jesus in the garden gave us an example: before his arrest and death Jesus prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). Jesus knew he could trust God in every circumstance. He wanted to do the will of the Father and did not force his desires. Jesus knew the Father was in complete control.

The disciples needed to learn that Jesus knew what he was doing and that Jesus was able to take the few loaves and fish and multiply them. The little resources the disciples had were multiplied to satisfy the need, with an abundance of leftovers. Jesus then had the disciples pick up twelve baskets full of broken pieces after all had eaten so that nothing was to be wasted.

All were satisfied that day, both spiritually and physically.

I know we have looked at a number of scriptures, but I want you to see the importance of knowing you are in Christ and praying in the power and authority of Christ.

Taking everything to Jesus rather than attempting to go it alone or send people away without meeting their needs is an important lesson to learn. Place in Jesus’ hands what you have, even faith the size of a mustard seed, and wait upon the Lord.

Jesus can do much with little if we will allow him, and God will get the glory when he does. He will use you to minister to others. He will use you to pray, and you can believe God to heal and deliver others from spiritual and physical bondage. He will use you to meet the needs of others if you will allow him.

Know beyond a shadow of doubt the authority, power and ability of Jesus, and take all your needs and requests to Jesus. He will satisfy your soul. He will use you to help others in need as he works through you, to the Glory of God.

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This and other sermons brought to you by Faith Chapel, an Assemblies of God church in Pleasanton, CA.