Does God Protect Us in Famine?
Have you recently seen grocery stores shelves empty or nearly empty?
This can cause fear and anxiety about the possibility of famine or food shortages. Maybe you’ve wondered if you should stock up on food or prepare for famine. But what does God say about times of famine?
Does God Protect Us In Famine?
I decided to take a look at what the Bible specifically had to say about times of famine and begin meditating on God’s promises concerning this.
It is always best to know what God says about a situation before it potentially occurs!
Here’s what I found- God will always take care of His people and provide for His people—even in times of famine.
Throughout the Bible, God always provided for His people during times of famine.
God’s Kingdom is an unshakeable Kingdom (Hebrews 12:28). Only things of the world can be shaken.
If you live in the realm of His Kingdom, you won’t experience famine like the rest of the world. We are in the world, but not of it (John 17:16).
Jesus said that when the storms of life come, those who have based their life on being doers of the Word will not fall (Matthew 7:24-27).
It’s Important to Meditate on God’s Promises Before Crisis Occurs
If you don’t know what the Bible says about God providing during times of famine, now is a good time to get that Word in your heart, before you need it.
Build your faith in God’s love and provision by meditating on the following verses:
Bible Verses About Famine
Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy, to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. Psalms 33:18-19 NKJV
The young lions lack and suffer hunger; But those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing. Psalm 34:10 NKJV
Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. Psalm 34:9 NKJV
He has given food to those who fear Him; He will ever be mindful of His covenant. Psalm 111:5 NKJV
You shall laugh at destruction and famine, And you shall not be afraid of the beasts of the earth. Job 5:22 NKJV
I have been young and now I am old. And in all my years I have never seen the Lord forsake a man who loves him; nor have I seen the children of the godly go hungry. Instead, the godly are able to be generous with their gifts and loans to others, and their children are a blessing. Psalm 37:25-26 TLB
In famine He shall redeem you from death, And in war from the power of the sword. Job 5:20 NKJV
The Lord knows the days of the upright, And their inheritance shall be forever. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. Psalm 37: 18-19 NKJV
Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Matthew 6:26-27 NLT
People curse those who hoard their grain, but they bless the one who sells in time of need. Proverbs 11:26 NLT
And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. John 6:35 NKJV
God Provides For His People During Famine
We see God’s provision during famine in the lives of Abraham, Issac, and Joseph.
God told Abraham to leave his father’s house (see Gen. 12). But Abraham brought along his father and so he was delayed. By the time Abraham reached the promised land (Canaan), the land was in famine and Abraham had to go down to Egypt (see Gen. 12:10).
Even though Abraham did not obey God completely, God still provided for him.
By the time Abraham left Egypt, he “was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold” (see Gen. 13:2).
The Bible says that the Lord blessed Abraham with livestock, silver, and gold in the time of famine. This is tangible and practical provision during famine.
When Isaac dwelled in Gerah (see Gen. 26) the land was in famine. He believed God and therefore sowed in the year of famine. He reaped a hundredfold in the same year.
God gave Joseph wisdom to gather food for the land of Egypt during the seven years of plenty.
When the seven years of famine came and “the famine was over all the face of the earth” (Gen. 41:56), Joseph not only had enough for himself, but he could also provide for his family and other nations.
Just like God provided for Abraham, Isaac, and Joseph in times of famine, God will provide for you.
God always provides for His family. When you know you are God’s beloved child, you will not feel discouraged or afraid, even in times of famine.
God Will Prepare You Before Famine Comes
Jesus told us that His Holy Spirit would tell us things to come.
When we listen and believe Him, we will be prepared for any situation. This is what Joseph did in Genesis 41. The Lord told Joseph exactly what would happen over the next 14 years so that he could prepare!
In the book of Acts we see a New Testament example of the Lord warning His people of a famine that was coming.
Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar.— Acts 11:28 NKJV
The Spirit of God can show you what will happen in the future.
However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. John 16:13 NKJV
The next verse says:
Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. This they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. — Acts 11:29-30 NKJV
The disciples had more than enough provision. They were even able to give to other believers who needed help!
God will always make sure that you have more than enough to help other Christians, and then the world.
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8 NKJV
What Can We Expect In Times of Famine?
Like the disciples in the book of Acts, we can expect to have the provision we need to not only have enough for ourselves but also be a blessing to others.
In the natural realm, it can seem like the usual channels of provision are shutting down. But we do not operate in just the natural world. The Bible says we are in this world, but not of this world.
They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. – John 17:16
We are citizens of Heaven (Phillipians 3:20) and God promises that He will “supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19).
God supplies all our needs according to His riches, not according to how well the economy is or how much food is available, but according to His riches.
YOU CAN REST BECAUSE GOD’S SUPPLY IS COMING IN THE TIME OF FAMINE.
Resist Fear of Not Having Enough
Fear tells you that God won’t provide. But fear is a liar. We must remember to resist fear in all its forms.
Worry, anxiety, and dread are all forms of fear, and they all come from the enemy.
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. James 4:7 NKJV
Refuse to fear and resist it with the Word of God. Meditate on God’s incredible love for you, and His perfect love will drive out all fear (1 John 4:18).
God is a good Father, and if you will trust Him, He will provide for you in every situation. No matter what the world is experiencing, it doesn’t change God’s Word.
Stay in faith by resisting fear. Your faith is the victory that overcomes the world!
For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 1 John 5:4 NKJV
Don’t Let the Devil Steal Your Seed
Never let fear stop you from giving and sowing seed. Continue to give, be generous and continue to be a blessing to those the Lord leads you to.
In Genesis 26, we see that Isaac sowed even in a time of famine and got supernatural results.
Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the Lord blessed him. The man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous; -Genesis 26:12-13
This was in a year of famine (Genesis 26:1), but the Lord told Isaac to dwell there and he would bless him. We don’t have to be in a prosperous place geographically for the Lord’s blessing to work!
Isaac believed God’s Word to him that He would bless Him (Genesis 26:3) and so he sowed in the land!
When we believe God, we will continue to sow seed.
It is the blessing of the Lord that makes us rich (Proverbs 10:22) and that blessing isn’t according to our behavior, but according to what Jesus has done for us.
Isaac wouldn’t have increased if he hadn’t planted. I’m sure many people didn’t plant; they probably thought, “What’s the use?” But Isaac believed that God’s Word was trustworthy despite the circumstances in the world around him!
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