Here we have a familiar story of the Bible taking place at the height of Jesus's earthly ministry. This is the only miracle story other than the resurrection found in all four gospels.
Jesus had to do a miracle on this day for more than one reason. First, there was the need – the people were hungry. They were in a desolate area which made space, storage, distribution, and manpower needed to bring in food for five thousand people unimaginable. Surely, this was a miracle setting.
We see a great multitude following Jesus because they witnessed the miracles he performed on those that were diseased. He would try to slip away, but as soon as they found out where he was, they followed him. Yet, he never turned them away. He ministered to their needs. This miracle was not done for the crowd alone but as a teaching for his disciples. For Jesus already knew what he was going to do to feed the crowd. He had already ordered the mother of a young lad exactly what to pack in his lunch box that day. He wanted to prove Phillip. It was a testing of his faith, and he will prove you and me the same way.
Situations don't just happen by accident or by chance but each arranged by the hand of God. He already knows what you're going to do when a situation occurs. He wants you to know just how little faith you really have. So, he uses a young lad to teach his disciples a severe lesson in faith.
When he asked Phillip, “Where shall we buy bread that these may eat?”, Phillip did a quick assessment of what he could see with the natural eyes (the crowd and the amount of money on hand which wasn't enough). What the natural eyes see are barriers to block our faith. Doubt and unbelief followed what Phillip saw even thought the GREAT I AM was standing there in his midst. Phillip calculated the crisis without Christ. We must not make the same mistake. Christ must always be counted in our crisis.
God had given them power and authority to heal the sick a few chapters back, and they had been everywhere preaching the gospel and healing the sick. Now, they're standing in the midst of Christ and a crisis and act as if they never knew him nor experienced his power.
Remember, in Christ is unlimited power and authority to do exceedingly and abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us! Do not allow the lack of resources to blind you to God's unlimited power. He is the GREAT I AM, El Shaddai, The Almighty God, the power with all power and not a God in recession or depression.
When Jesus said on the cross, “It is finished”, that's exactly what he meant! He finished what the Father had sent him to do, and he has deposited himself on the inside of us (the church) to continue his work in the earth! What we must know and understand is that we (the church) have been equipped, called and authorized by God to feed the multitude. Why? Because we are now HIM in the earth because he lives on the inside of us!
- Evangelist Brenda Hansley
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