Faith Part 3: Bug God

I had no business being the Director over anything based upon my educational background or experience, but when favor rests upon your life, the enemy has to bow down.  I worked for an International nonprofit organization; employees who were committed to our program’s mission; program participants who respected me as a Woman of God the majority of which were brothers who had been in and out of jail at least once but many of them were chronic recidivators until they met me.   What do I mean by favor? For example: free parking at our headquarters downtown San Francisco; promotions three times within one year; consistently meeting and/or superseding my program’s objectives;  my program was the first in the organization to receive an A+ when we were audited; I was given a company car which I drove to and from work every day for approximately 3-1/2 years.  Let me put it to you a different way, I didn’t pay for any transportation related costs period other than bridge toll, sometimes.  When I took the position, I prayed and asked God to use me for his glory and to help us achieve national recognition so that other cities could replicate our model to help even more people get out of the pit of despair.  Every time the opportunity presented itself, I gave God the credit for what he had done.  Once my supervisor asked me why I thought the program was so successful.  I answered:  “I know you may not believe this, but, God’s favor is over this program because I prayed and asked him to bless it.”  Can you say blank stare?  Then I gave her some business jargon that she would understand. 

As a way of saying thank you for my outstanding achievements, I was officially laid off from my 7-1/2 year service on July 6, 2011.  It wasn’t a surprise because the Holy Spirit warned me months in advance and I started to put things in motion to prepare for my departure.  Even in my exit, they had to set a precedence on the severance package offer.  Ironically the same executive who eliminated my position and refused to negotiate with me was made to bow down and sign the approval for the increased severance that I demanded.  Vengeance is mine says the Lord!!!  Though not having a job and leaving the work I loved was a disappointment, I was more upset about not having a car anymore.

Ironically the Lord had been dealing with me about a car but at the time I didn’t see a rush to purchase because of my company car.  I considered a luxury car but I decided against it because of my commute and finally settled on a Volkswagen Beetle but the lay-off now accelerated my need.  Oh, did I mention that my husband was laid off the year before, so a car note was not an option.  Based upon the severance I would have to settle for a used Bug, which was fine, and so the hunt was on. 

My God will meet your every need out of his riches in the glory that is found in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:19 (CEB)

I knew that my request wasn’t selfish and it was line with the word of God (I needed adequate transportation).   I prayed about the Bug, thanked God in advance and then put my faith to work.  We searched Internet and went to a few dealerships, but nothing clicked.  In the mean time I had to readjust my lifestyle to a one family vehicle and coordinate usage with my husband.  Some days that meant accompanying each other to locations that we didn’t particularly want to attend, but we made it work but some days I had to stay home ALL DAY because he had business in San Francisco and I didn’t want to go.  I made an intentional commitment not to have an attitude or arguments behind the car or anything else because I didn’t want my prayers to be hindered.  After the initial request to God about the car, I never asked again, instead I thanked him for it in advance, all the time.

Give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make his deeds known to all people! Psalms 105:1 (CEB)

Every time I saw a Bug, I would start praising God as if it was mines. I took pictures of every bug I

saw; it didn’t matter if it was old, new, red or blue.  On one of my test drives, Carl took pictures of me in the Bug and the interior.   I created a faith album and during meditation, I would play the slideshow and envision myself driving the Bug, what it would feel like, what I would look like, where I would go, what I would do.  God gave me my license plate and then I started to make a public confession to people when the opportunity presented itself.  I would say things like: when I get my car this or that; I’m getting a VW Bug and the license plate is going to say …..  I didn’t care what they thought of me and I wasn’t interested in their opinion, I was intentionally creating the right atmosphere. 

And don’t allow God to rest until he establishes Jerusalem and makes it the praise of the earth.  Isaiah 62:7 (CEB).  When I came across this scripture about 2-1/2 years ago it leaped off the page at me and landed in my heart, my spirit and I interpreted it to mean that we have permission to “bug” God.  One of Webster’s definition for “Bug” is: a person who has a great enthusiasm for something.  What??  I have written permission to Bug God, seriously? I had a complete epiphany about my request in January 2012 and thought to myself it takes the same amount of faith to believe God for a new car as it does a used car.  So I decided that I was going to believe God for a brand new VW Bug.  It was not my place to figure out how or when.  I ordered my customized license plate, did my research, test drove a new VW and turned the intensity of my belief up.  I thanked God for the person with the power, ability and influence who had been assigned to help me with the resources I needed for my new car.

Of course the Committee showed up accusing me of being selfish; reminding me of my financial situation and telling me that I didn’t have the right to a new car, blah blah blah blah blah.  As they continued to spew venomous words of discouragement, I opened the door of my mind and said “Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding and abundantly above all I can ask or think according to the power that works within me.”  (Ephesians 3:20) The Word says I can have what I desire (Mark 11:24).  You should have seen them running.  They tried to catch me off guard again, but I had my “Sword of the Spirit” ready at all times. 

On March 21, 2012 (my youngest son’s birthday).  I was blessed with a fully loaded one of a kind

VW Bug with six miles on it that no one had never been test driven and I didn’t pay ONE RED CENT for that car!  Do you hear me?!  No down payment, no car note and my name is on the TITLE.  Let’s look at the scripture one more time:

And don’t allow God to rest until he establishes Jerusalem and makes it the praise of the earth.  Isaiah 62:7 (CEB).

The last portion of the scripture says … “makes it the praise of the earth.”  Do you know that everywhere I go, people compliment me on that Bug or they ask what kind of car it is, etc.  Attention is drawn to it ALL the time.  That is the last part of the scripture being fulfilled.

So just like God did it for me, he can do it for you.  He is simply waiting for you to decide what you want, make your request and put your faith to work.

Our faith is not confined to things.  We can use the same Law of Faith for healing, restoration in relationships, peace of mind, deliverance from depression, the success of our business, finding a new job, a raise on our job, a home, apartment, husband, repair of a home, obtaining your degree, etc.

Nothing is impossible for God.  Luke 1:37 (CEB)

In His Humble Excellence

Tania