Frame Your World #9

Psalm 23:5 (NKJV) You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.

A base fear we all face is the fear of “running out”. Not enough money. Not enough food. Not enough shelter or protection. We run out of time, run out of gas, run out of so many things. Some have nothing on the table because an enemy takes it first. That enemy could be an addiction, a debt, an unhealthy relationship. Some have no idea about the blessing and power of the anointing of the Lord. Their cups are cracked and dry.

God never runs out! In His world there is always more than enough of every good thing. There is also a complete absence of every bad thing. He wants it that way in His world, and He wants it that way in our world too. The challenge once again is to learn how to appropriate His supply. How do we get His abundance into our need?

The first step is believing Him. All things are possible to him who believes (God is the Person to be believed) See Mark 9:23, 10:27, Matt 17:20.

Here is just one example of the proof He wants us to live with supernatural abundance and not ever run out of anything.

John 10:10 (NKJV) The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

Jesus Christ has made abundant provision for all of His brothers and sisters. His sacrifice paid the price for us to enjoy His abundance. You cannot say you have abundant life if you are running out of stuff! Abundance means every need met, every bill paid on time, some extra on the side for whatever you want, and an ever-increasing flow of good things from the Lord overwhelming you and your bank accounts.

King David shares with us how God supernaturally provided for him. God is not a respecter of persons, meaning if He did it for David He will do it for anyone who dares to believe Him. God will set a table for anyone who trusts Him. David tapped into it in Ps 23:5. Let’s see how you and I can too.

“You prepare”

David points out that it is God who prepares. This supernatural abundance is not an RRSP. It is not because you made a shrewd deal and reaped a windfall profit. It has nothing to do with working overtime plus an extra job on the side to make ends meet. The Lord has given us everything we need through Jesus Christ. This divine supply flows from His love for you. Your efforts and schemes do not impress God nor obligate Him to notice your need. He only responds to faith! Specifically, faith in Him and what He says.

Our English word “prepare” has a Latin root meaning to create or bring forth, similar to our word “bear” as in to bear fruit. The Bible word in Ps 23:5 has the ideas of set in order, arrange, lay out, get ready. God prepares abundance before we need it. He is never surprised by our lack, never taken off guard by an unexpected bill we have to pay this week. He is always prepared and ready ahead of us. He is the definition of abundance!

“A Table Before Me”

Most believers have no concept of a king’s table. Most of us are ignorant of the quantity and quality of supply available to us in the Lord Jesus.

1 Kings 4:22–23 (NLT)

22 The daily food requirements for Solomon’s palace were 150 bushels of choice flour and 300 bushels of meal;

23 also 10 oxen from the fattening pens, 20 pasture-fed cattle, 100 sheep or goats, as well as deer, gazelles, roe deer, and choice poultry.

That is the kind of table the Lord sets! And if you can receive it He will set one for you. The least born again believer has a better covenant and better promises than anyone in the Old Testament. Our provision and supply from the Lord is greater than Solomon’s! Why? Because the work of the Lord today (getting people saved delivered healed and BLESSED) is greater than Solomon’s.

Now keep in mind, this is in the context of doing the Lord’s work. I am not saying we personally need that much! Solomon could not possibly have eaten all that food! It was for his servants, for his workers, his team members. The picture is simply that God will provide more than you need at whatever stage you are at. You may enjoy an extravagant banquet for one, or multiply that extravagance for all your employees and family. God is not wasteful and He certainly is not cheap! He knows how much to measure to you.

Philippians 4:19 (NKJV) And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

He is not selfish and stingy! When God supplies it is always more than you could possibly need. And for those of you who will nitpick about needs vs wants, consider this.

He gives me whatever I desire (Ps 37:4, 145:19, Mark 11:24, Matt 18:19, John 15:7). My desire must align with His will, but He will fulfill my desire as I walk with Him.

He gives me stuff to enjoy (1 Tim 6:17, Ps 84:11, Rom 8:32, Ecc 5:18)

He wants me not just provided for, but RICH. (Prov 10:22, 2 Cor 9:11, Matt 6:33, 1 Cor 1:5, Ecc 5:19, 2 Cor 8:9)

Could it be we do not enjoy abundant provision because we do not believe He wants to provide for us? Is it possible I am not being enriched, getting richer day by day, because I do not believe He wants me rich? I trust you will allow the Lord to open your heart to receive truth. His truth trumps our opinions and experiences.

Search the Bible! God made Abraham rich. Noah must have been rich because he worked full time for many years building the ark. God made Solomon rich. King David was a very rich man. Check out his offering for the temple in 1 Chron 29:2-5! Paul had to have been a wealthy man because the governor Felix hoped Paul would bribe him to set him free (Acts 24:26). You don’t bribe a king from a state of poverty and lack. Paul also lived in his own rented house for two years while in prison in Rome! (Acts 28:30). Job was called the wealthiest man of his day, and he walked with God (Job 1:1-3). The Bible is clear about the willingness and ability of our God to bless and enrich His people!

“In The Presence Of My Enemies”

This proves this supernatural abundance took place on earth. There are zero enemies in heaven! When Ps 23 was written it was a custom in the Middle East (our term for it today) that when you were invited to a banquet the host was required to provide for you but also to protect you. The resources of the host were on call to protect the guests at his meal.

We all face adversity and resistance but when the Lord provides for us He also surrounds us with His Presence and prevents the enemies of our soul from interrupting the feast. It is inaccurate to think of believing God for provision as a separate response. We must be believing God for HIM. When you get Him you get all His provision, all His power, and all His wisdom and mercy. God does not want to simply be a meal ticket for the needy (He cares deeply about the needy!). He wants to be the Source of everything to you.

God provided supernatural abundance to a widow woman who was about to lose her children to slavery because of a debt her husband saddled her with (2 Kings 4:1-7). That is a supernaturally abundant – and miraculous – supply in the face of the enemy. He provided water out of a rock for several hundred thousand people and all their livestock! See Exodus 17:1-7. After that miraculous expression of our Father’s generosity, the word spread about how much water was there in the desert and the bad guys attacked Israel for their supply. And God protected them supernaturally from Amalek! See Exodus 17:8-13 for that story.

God will personally meet your need, and He will provide for a nation. He has no lack! And He died for the right to share His heart with us.

“My Cup Runs Over”

Psalm 23:5 (NKJV) You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.

David describes the astounding exorbitance of the Lord further by saying He was anointed with oil and his cup ran over.

Anointing with oil was symbolic in the culture of the day. The word used here means literally to make fat! Oil was mixed with sweet fragrances and poured on a guest’s head. A dirty dusty desert traveller would not smell so good after many days on a camel in the heat. The anointing oil was a symbol of refreshing, of favour and blessing, of more supply than needed. It is a picture of generosity, of being made attractive and desired by someone else’s care for you.

For the Christian the anointing David shared is even more significant. It is the Living God in Person who administrates the oil of the Holy Spirit! David’s “head” is Jesus Christ! Jesus is the Anointed One, the Holy Spirit is the Anointing, and God the Father is the Anointer, the Source of all good things. The anointing on the Lord Jesus is incomprehensibly more powerful and sweet than our wildest dreams, and it is on you! We share in His Anointing!

In Psalm 133 the anointing was on Aaron, the “head” of the Levitical priesthood, and it flowed down to the edges of his garments.

Psalm 133 (NKJV)

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!

2 It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments.

3 It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the Lord commanded the blessing— Life forevermore.

The man Aaron was physically anointed with oil poured over him. This oil, representing the anointing (the Presence, the Power, the Person) of God, flowed over down his beard, onto his clothing, and dripped off the edges of his garment at the lowest point. You could say that all of him was anointed.

By saying “my cup runs over” David was indicating there was a continuous flow of anointing in his life. The oil never stopped! And with us today, the presence and supply of the Lord Jesus Christ should never be absent from our lives.

It mentions in vs 1 brethren in unity. There is a physical element to this spiritual anointing. We must be attached to the Body of Christ! All born again believers are baptized into His body, and therefore have access to His anointing, but we must be personally connected to Him. This is done by being submitted to and committed to a local church that carries the heart and vision of the Lord. It is possible to be born again and not experience much anointing because it flows from the head onto the body. If we are separate from His body on earth we do not get the same anointing as those who dwell in unity together.

Another exciting point to note is that vs 3 links the BLESSING of God with the anointing. There is only one BLESSING, and it was always the intent and plan of God that all mankind enjoy it. For those who walk together in unity, covered in the precious presence of the Lord, there is a further expression of His covenantal generosity. He commands the BLESSING on you! Seems like a great reason to look up a good local church and get connected!

Personal Application

We apply this truth to ourselves by saying it. Jesus said in Mark 11:23 we can have whatever we say. So we say Psalm 23:5 out loud, personalizing it like this:

“Thank you Lord that you prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies. Thank you for anointing my head with oil, and thank you that my cup runs over”

I often switch it up by changing phrases when I practice framing my world. For example, instead of “prepare a table” I may say “provide abundantly” or “Thank you for your overwhelming goodness in my life”. God knows your heart! The Bible is meant to lead you to His heart. We come to know His heart as we quote what He said. I may say “grace” instead of anointing because the grace of God is the power of God, which is the same as the anointing. Instead of “my cup” I may say “my life” or “my family is supernaturally blessed”. You get the idea.

The principles of framing your world are constant but the verses you use and the phrases you deploy are fluid and interchangeable. The Bible guarantees we can change our future into whatever we want! So choose wisely when you speak. Every word you say is a seed that you will harvest next week, next year, or maybe later today.

Remember we are learning to “frame our world”. That means when we start framing our world is still a big mess. It is easy to get discouraged looking at the mess of our lives as we begin framing the future we desire.

One thing to remember about quoting Scripture-when you begin to confess a verse by faith you have no understanding at all about how it may come to pass. For example, what does a table prepared by the Lord look like? We know it will manifest here on earth since none of my enemies will make it to heaven (if they do make it, I am in a bad way!). So there must be an abundance begin to show, and increase and a growth, an easing of economic bindings, as I continue to “frame my world” by believing and declaring this verse.

As you grow in God revelation and understanding about how these things work will steadily be enlightened to you. Be patient. Expect the Lord to help you see it and expect Him to do what He said! He promised this in His own blood.

Application for Others

Every person on your prayer list, and every person not on your prayer list, qualify for this promise.

Psalm 23:5 (NKJV) You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.

I will remind the Lord that He promised to prepare abundance for my prayer targets. I remind Him of the blood He spilled to guarantee we qualify for it. I will pray for adequate supply, and then further increase in supply, for my prayer targets. We all move from impossibly broke to very broke to surviving somehow to making ends meet.

As we pursue the Lord we begin to walk with enough to meet our needs and maybe a little extra. But the Lord won’t quit until you are overwhelmingly blessed and extravagantly abundantly provided for. So I may know where they are on the scale of dead broke to divine abundance, and pray for increase to the next level. No one jumps three levels at once. We all must grow in our own heart to carry what He is trying to give us. We prosper not as we think we should but as our soul prospers.

3 John 2 (AMP) Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in every way and [that your body] may keep well, even as [I know] your soul keeps well and prospers.

Prosperity is a by-product of a healthy soul. When praying for others being aware of their soul health enables more accurate prayer. Praying in the Holy Ghost is always a great strategy because you may not know what your target needs to receive your prayer, but He does.

Prayer for Repentance and Salvation.

If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and your Saviour, I invite you to ask Him into your heart. If you knew the Lord but have not been hungering for Him I invite you to consider your ways and repent. He is faithful and righteous to wipe your slate clean when you confess your sin to Him! (1 John 1:9)

1 John 1:9 (NASB95) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

He gave His life for you, and you honour Him when you give your life for Him. It is the right thing to do!

1 Corinthians 6:20 (AV) For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

You must give yourself to God for Him to come into your life and help you change. He will not force you! Ever. But oh! The joy and peace and hope He gives you!

Romans 12:1–2 (NKJV) 1) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2) And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Romans 10:9 (NKJV) that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

You must acknowledge Jesus Christ is Lord, and you must believe He was resurrected from the dead by the Father.

Say this prayer out loud.

Heavenly Father I turn to you and acknowledge You as the Almighty God, eternal and sovereign over all. I have been rebellious, selfish, and deceived trying to live without you. I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that He died on the cross to redeem me from death and sin, and that He rose from the dead, alive forever with You. I ask you to forgive me of all my sin, known and unknown. Please come into my life as my Lord and my Saviour. Thank you for forgiving me, and redeeming me from sin. I choose to trust You and put You first in every area of my life. I will love You and serve You with all my heart, all my soul, all my mind, and all my resources, for the rest of my life, beginning right now. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen!

If you prayed this to the Lord, please let me know! I have some resources to share with you, and will help you on your journey with the Lord.