One of the many blessings that comes from reading and meditating on the Word of God is that it becomes a part of you, the real you, your spirit man. The Word is describes itself in scripture, Hebrews 4:12, as being alive and in action to pierce and divide. It takes up residence to build and grow in your spirit man, not your mind. At times, the Holy Spirit will bring that which has been deposited to your spirit to provide understanding and strength.  The Holy Spirit cannot bring out that which has not been deposited. No deposit, no return.

            During the month of August, I was reading a book and a familiar scripture caught my eye. “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,” (2 Peter 1:2). I looked up different versions of the scripture for more understanding. Little did I know that I would be praying for more grace and peace as time passed.

            Part of the month of August and a portion of September are the month of Elul on the Jewish civil calendar. This is a time of much prayer and reflection in preparation for the New Year. During this time I felt compelled to complete an assignment that was five months behind schedule so that I could be in position to receive a new one from the Lord. The bombarding attacks of the enemy came from every direction. Many days during that season and even now, I continue to ask for the multiplication factor of grace to cover and peace in the midst of the storms.

            One of the easiest things to say is ‘I am turning this problem, this situation over to Jesus.’ The problem is in the saying without the completion of total releasing. We want to put our hands on it to add our touch because we feel that Jesus needs our help and subconsciously in the spirit, we have not entered into the rest and leaning of our entire being in absolute trust in His power and wisdom.

            Multiplication is not a problem for the one who save, heals, delivers, and sets free. He even multiplies His own creation. The account of Jesus feeding the five thousand with five loaves and two fish is recorded in all of the four gospels. There was a need and whatever was put into His hand was multiplied. When the disciples gave Jesus the loaves and the fish, they gave Him the problem and the answer.  The answer for the need was the loaves and the fish, but the problem was there was not enough. The answer was really not the answer but a problem because this is all we have. In the midst of all of this, how do you keep this crowd under control?

            Jesus brought order to the situation before He multiplied that which was to be supplied. He took control of the immense crowd  “and he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass. And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties.” (Mark 6:39-40).  Afterwards, Jesus took the loaves and the fish, looked to heaven, blessed and distributed among them all. The Word says that they ate and were all filled with twelve baskets of leftovers.

            There is another account of Jesus feeding a multitude of four thousand after feeding the five thousand that is really not spoke of that often. It is only found in Matthew and Mark. This time Jesus did a repeat performance with seven loaves and a few fish. He had more to multiply and less people to distribute to. One interesting note is that the Word states the location of the five thousand that there were in a desert place and the four thousand were in the wilderness.

            The desert and the wilderness are difficult places to be. But the answer, the water for the desert and the direction for the journey out of the wilderness were right there. Even though I started meditating on the multiplication of grace and peace, which was needed, the focus is now on the second part of the verse, “through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.”  This is my leftover. Has this experience left me seeking to know Him even more? He wants us to know Him in ways that we cannot even imagine. As I was asking for grace and peace to be multiplied, His abounding love informed me of where I was and where He desired me to be, “that I may know Him.” (Philippians 3:10a).

“ For my determined purpose is, that I may know Him, that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly.”

(Philipians 3:10a AMP).

 “Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.”

 (Jude 1:2 KJV)

© September 2012

Becky DeWitt