₦airaland Forum

Discerning Patterns

Anytime pattern is mentioned, what often comes to mind is something negative or demonic. But that is not what we teach believers. I want to show you something from Mark 6.

The disciples of Jesus had just returned from going out to preach the arrival of God’s Kingdom, healing the sick, casting demons out of the unbelievers, and many people came to them for miracles. They had gone with no wallet, yet they were fed, so they came to Jesus happy, testifying to His glory about all the things they did in His name.

While the conversation was going on, the villagers spotted them with Jesus, and before you know it, they sent signals everywhere. Soon, a multitude over 10,000 people, gathered to hear the preaching. Having stayed for a while, the disciples came to Jesus asking what they should do about the crowd. About 5,000 men were counted, not including women and children. The disciples said the people needed to be sent away because there was no food. But Jesus told them, “You give them something to eat.”

I don’t think the disciples believed Jesus heard them clearly. They had just said there was no food. But the Master said, “Feed them.” How? The disciples began grumbling: “How does He want us to feed them? It’s impossible. Even if we all work now, our wages for a season won’t be enough to buy food for all these people. Even if we had the money and the capacity, where would we find food enough to feed such a multitude?”

Think about it. Why would Jesus ask them to feed the people? Because He knew they had the capacity. It happens to the best of us. In the face of challenges, it looks like we don’t have the capacity to make it work but we do. Jesus is saying, “Do it.”

The disciples had just finished testifying about the anointing upon them, the same anointing they used to preach the Gospel, heal the sick, and cast out demons. Do you know that the same anointing is what it takes to feed the people? There is no higher anointing or “more” anointing.

You don’t grow in righteousness. Do you know that God is not more righteous than us? Because the righteousness we actually have is God’s own. We use His righteousness, meaning we don’t grow in righteousness. Righteousness is Christ in us. The same righteousness a father of faith has is the righteousness a new believer has.

So also, we don’t grow in anointing. The anointing is the Holy Spirit in us. No one has more of the Spirit and another has less of the Spirit. The operations of the anointing may differ, but there is no “more” anointing. We have the anointing. The same anointing you used, which is the Holy Spirit to preach and people believed, the same anointing you used for someone with a headache, is also the same anointing you need to feed the multitudes or solve any challenge before you. That is why Jesus told them to feed the people.

But they weren’t discerning patterns. Jesus didn’t want them to continue with their complaints and murmuring. Do you know that negative vibes and the news you feed on have the power to extract every form of faith, strength, and confidence in you? So Jesus silenced their doubts by asking, “How many loaves and fish do you have?” They said, “Five loaves and two fish.”

Jesus stood, broke it, and gave thanks. It takes foolishness to take something that defies economics, statistics, science, and calculation, and ask people to sit down like you have coolers of food. But He did. He gave it to the disciples to share, and they came back with leftovers!

Then Jesus asked them to go to the other side. While they were in the middle of the sea, even though they followed God’s will and God’s word, they still faced a storm. Sometimes you can be in God’s will and still see storms.

But the disciples, just like us, could have discerned the patterns of God’s help, God always showing up. There is no one reading this who would say they have not seen God’s pattern of love, care, supply, health, favour, mercy, supernatural protection, and provision this year. Just as the disciples had seen while preaching, healing the sick, and receiving provision in Jesus, in the face of the storm they panicked. They tried by their own strength, cried, became moody, sad, depressed, and forgot all the patterns.

The Bible records that Jesus, on the mountain, saw what they were going through. But He didn’t make any move at first, because He expected them to be able to handle it as God also expects us to handle situations, since we have the Spirit in us. They did all they could professionally, but nothing worked. They were stuck all through the night until the early hours, when Jesus came walking on the sea.

They thought they had seen a ghost and cried out. But Jesus said: “Take courage. It is I. Do not be afraid.” That’s the same thing He is saying to us right now. It is in courage that your strength is revealed not when you are sad, crying, or depressed. Do you know that giving God thanks in the face of challenges could also be termed as taking courage?

He came into the boat, and the storm died immediately. But the Bible says in Mark 6:52:

“For they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.”

Not in rebellion, but in not discerning the patterns of God in their lives. Jesus is your source, your life, the author and finisher of your faith, the First and the Last, Jehovah Jireh.

This is why David always reminded himself in challenges, in case he forgot the patterns. David would say: “My soul, forget not His benefits.” Don’t forget the patterns of how God has come through for you. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

It may look foolish, but God uses the foolish things to show Himself.

And that is why we are inviting you to our Gathering of Light in Ajibode, Ibadan.
Date: 4th October
Time: 2 PM

Send us a DM and don’t miss this meeting.