God Supplies Us With What Sustains Us

Apr 29, 2025

Good morning and welcome to the Spirit of Stress newsletter! It’s a pleasure to be with you in spirit this morning. I hope you have your Bible and your coffee, tea, or your favorite drink. I hope you are moving into the Spring season full of joy and hope. But if you’re not, I pray today’s newsletter spurs you on to pray like David did in Psalms 51:12. I know the Lord will sustain you.

There’s something interesting about being lost spiritually and knowing it. It’s not something you forget, not entirely. I can vividly remember some of the worst times of my life. Having lost the joy of my salvation and a willing spirit, I ran to sin to feel alive. This is our tendency as humans. We can’t live without joy, and if we don’t find joy in the right things, we’ll look for joy in the wrong things. But with each indulging sin, I only felt more dead, lost, and empty. I was so aware of my condition, which made me feel more helpless. Looking back, I can see God’s hand in allowing me to see my condition and helplessness. Today, we’re going to talk about how God supplies us with what sustains us. We’re going to talk about having the right joy and willing spirit, and we’re going to talk about the importance of praying for them. But first, let’s pray.

Opening Prayer

God, thank you for being our provider. Thank you for supplying us with everything we need to be sustained. We look back and see your hand in it all. You’ve given us countless reasons to trust you with all of our days. Help us today to take hold of your word. Help us to grow in our faith. Help us to grow in our confidence in you. You are worthy of being fully trusted. Help us to know that you are an able God. Holy Spirit, exalt our God within us and in doing so, let peace wash over us. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Joy of Salvation

This scripture begins with, restore to me the joy of your salvation. It is this joy alone that matters. All other joys can’t replace the joy of the Lord’s salvation. No other joy comes with rest for the soul. A man may have the life he wants— the job, family, and house he wants, and each of these things may bring him joy, but if he doesn’t have the joy of the Lord’s salvation, he is, of all people, most miserable. He can only have joy in part and in denial. In part because it is a joy only for his mind and heart, not his soul, and in denial because he must deny its brevity. Soon, those joys will pass, and without the Lord’s salvation, the worst of his days are ahead of him.

The joy of the Lord’s salvation is an outpouring of the new, regenerated creature.

When we have lost sight of the joy of our salvation, we run to sin. We run to something that will cause a dopamine release in the brain. Satan knows this very well, and he works tirelessly to remove the certainty of our salvation from our hearts and minds. Our joy cannot be found in this world. Yes, God gives us many temporal blessings. The Bible says, “he who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord,” (Prov. 18:22). And it says, “children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him,” (Prov. 127:3). But, let us not exchange the lesser for the greater. The spiritual blessings God provides for us far outweigh the temporal. Our spouse is not our savior, nor are our children. The joy they provide us could never measure up to the joy of the Lord’s salvation. They could never provide us with rest for our souls. The joy of the Lord’s salvation is not fleeting; all other joys are. In fact, all things of this world are passing, which is why we’re told to live as such.

“What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.”

1 Corinthians 7:29-31

Paul’s point here is to help us not put much stock in this world. All things will soon be gone, good and bad alike. So, don’t put your hope in this world because of the good things you have or experience, and don’t be hopeless because of the bad circumstances and experiences you go through.

Consider It Pure Joy

It would be irresponsible of me not to take time to highlight how we persevere in the faith. It is not in comfort, but in trials.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. let perseverance finish its works so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

James 1:2-3

God supplies us with what sustains us— the joy of the Lord’s salvation, and a willing spirit, and we find here in James that it is often in our trials. Difficult times test our faith and produce perseverance, which ensures that we do not lack anything. We are refined in the fire, not in a place of comfort, but in a place of discomfort. Scripture does not say, whom the Lord loves, he makes comfortable. No, it says, whom the Lord loves, he chastens (Heb. 12:6, Prov. 3:12). Some of our trials come from the hand of our loving Father. He poured out his wrath on his Son for our benefit. Will he not also chasten us for our benefit, for the benefit of others, and to glorify his name? And what he allows Satan to do, he works for our good. Consider Job, Satan could only do to Job what God allowed him to do. God’s name was glorified, and God worked it for Job’s benefit. Our trials and afflictions don’t point to our condemnation, they point to our salvation.

“The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.” Acts 5:41
“I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” John 15:18-19

Be encouraged through your times of trial and testing. Enjoy your days and live good lives in the sight of the Lord. “Nehemiah said, ‘go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength,” (Neh. 8:10).

Willing Spirit

I don’t think this needs to be expounded upon exhaustively, so I’ll keep it brief. To persevere, we must have a willing spirit. We cannot go in a way we do not want to go. If we do not desire to be holy and sanctified now, if we don’t get any satisfaction out of living Godly now, what joy would we have in heaven? If you love to roll around in your sin, then heaven would be no heaven for you. If you don’t long to be in the presence of the Lord now, if you don’t enjoy sitting quietly at his feet now, why do you think you will enjoy it in heaven? Lastly, if you don’t want to spend five minutes with the Lord, why do you think you will want to spend eternity with him?

Praying for the Joy of Salvation and a Willing Spirit

We pray for them because we know God is the one who supplies them. David is not looking to anyone else to supply him with what he needs to be sustained. He doesn’t run to a person, and he certainly doesn’t look to himself. David didn’t think much of himself. He wasn’t the oldest, tallest, or strongest amongst his brothers. He was easily overlooked by men, but he was chosen by God. David knew this. He said of himself, “but as for me, I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my helper and my delieverer; you are my God, do not delay,” (Ps. 40:17). He falls to his knees and cries out to God, restore to me the joy of your salvation, and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me. He knows that if he doesn’t have the joy of salvation, he has no strength. He knows if he doesn’t have the joy of salvation, he will look for joy in the world, and he knows he can’t restore it himself. He knows he needs a willing spirit, and he knows God needs to grant it to him. So, he prayed.

With David as our example, a man after God’s own heart, let us follow in his footsteps and pray for God to restore to us the joy of salvation and grant us a willing spirit. Yes, we must be willing, but unless God helps us to be willing, we never will be. It is by the grace and power of God that we have a new heart and willing spirit. Paul said it this way, “therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose,” (Phil. 2:12-13). Throughout the Psalms, David is working out his salvation in fear and trembling.

“Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.” Psalms 57:1
“Turn to me and have mercy on me, as you always do to those who love your name.” Psalms 119:32

The apostles, prophets, and patriarchs are examples of men plucked from their purposeless lives, or worse, their destructive lives, and called to serve the Lord. And he supplied them with what they needed to sustain them. Even the grace to cover them when they fell. Unless God comes to grant us a willing spirit and works in us to will and to act, we are lost without hope. So, we run to our God and take refuge. We run to plead for mercy, for the joy of salvation to be restored to us, and for a willing spirit. The writer of Hebrews prayed this way, “now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen,” (Heb. 13:20-21). So, we pray the same — and he shows up!

Haven’t we all learned that by now? In all of David’s moments of despair, he looked back on his life and said, “I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread,” (Ps. 37:25). For those of you reading this who are well along your journey through this life, can you not say with unwavering confidence that the Lord provides? And for those of you who are young and unsure of what God can and will do for you, let me tell you of the countless saints the Lord has ushered into his kingdom— more than the stars in the sky or the grains of sand on the earth. Let me tell you of the countless mountains he’s moved, the treacherous storms he’s brought them through, the milk and honey poured into their souls in their hour of grief, and the green pastures he’s brought them to. With a mighty hand, he has marshalled them all. I don’t know about you, but I look forward to an eternity of testimonies being told by each and every one of them. You can be sure that God’s promises are yes in Christ. Let’s pray.

Closing Prayer

Lord, you are our refuge and our provider. You are the well we draw from. There is no other way for us to be sustained. We beseech you, Lord, restore to us the joy of your salvation and grant us a willing spirit. Equip us with everything good for doing your will, and work in us to will and to act in order to fulfill your good purpose. Have mercy on us. We know you will never forsake us. We know you are our strength. We know we can have no victory over our enemy without you. Give us peace and rest as we take refuge in you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Until next time, God willing, may the Lord bless you and keep you.

Spiritual Tip

Pray the Bible. In the Word of God, we find men praying to God. More often than not, those are prayers we can trust. Unless, of course, they’re rebuked for they’re prayer. Read carefully.

Exercise Tip of the Week (ETOW)

It’s more advantageous to preserve movement than it is to preserve strength. Strength is relative— how much strength do you need at 75 years old? Not much. But you have to tie the same shoe, sit on the same toilet, and get in and out of the same car. Prioritize mobility, motor control, and conditioning.

Book Recommendation: The Saint and His Savior, by Charles Spurgeon

Read it here for free!