What Does It Mean When God Says ‘Open Your Mouth And I Will Fill It’?

God’s promise to fill your mouth when you open it is a powerful image of His desire to provide for His people. If you feel spiritually empty or are facing trials, this verse offers hope.

In short: God wants you to freely ask Him for what you need, fully trusting that He will give you the right words and resources at the perfect time.

In this comprehensive article, we will explore the biblical origins of this concept, what it represents spiritually, how to apply it through prayer and trust in God’s provision, and the blessings that come from surrendering yourself to God’s care.

The Biblical Origin of the Promise

The Quote in Context

The quote “Open your mouth and I will fill it” originates from Psalm 81:10 in the Old Testament. In context, God is speaking to the Israelites after delivering them from slavery in Egypt. God reminds them of how He provided for them in the wilderness after the Exodus.

Even though the Israelites struggled to trust God at times, He continued to sustain them by providing food and water miraculously during their 40 years in the wilderness. God then tells them in Psalm 81:10, “I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt.

Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.” This was a promise that if the Israelites would obey Him, He would abundantly provide for them.

God’s Past Faithfulness

Throughout Israel’s history, God displayed His faithfulness by miraculously providing for His people’s needs. For example:

• During the Exodus, God provided manna from heaven to feed the Israelites daily in the wilderness (Exodus 16:4-36).
• When the Israelites were thirsty, God instructed Moses to strike a rock to bring forth water (Exodus 17:1-7).
• God caused the Israelites’ clothing and sandals not to wear out even after 40 years of wandering in the wilderness (Deuteronomy 29:5).
• When the widow of Zarephath shared her last bit of food with the prophet Elijah, God miraculously caused her flour and oil jars to remain full for many days (1 Kings 17:8-16).

Throughout the Old Testament, God displays His faithfulness to provide for His people. The Psalmist declares, “Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him” (Psalm 34:8). God’s past faithfulness gives us confidence that He will care for us today as well.

When God says “Open your mouth and I will fill it,” He is inviting us to boldly ask Him to provide for our needs according to His will.

The Spiritual Significance

Asking Opens Us to Receive

When God tells us to open our mouths so He can fill them, He is inviting us into a posture of humble asking and expectant receiving. Too often, we rely on our own limited strength and understanding rather than crying out to God for His provision and revelation.

But Scripture tells us that we have not because we ask not (James 4:2). When we come before God with open hands and open mouths, acknowledging our need for Him, He promises to meet that need abundantly.

Some key aspects of asking God to fill our mouths include:

• Praying specific prayers for God to reveal His truth, direction and resources
• Meditating on Scripture to hear God’s voice
• Seeking wise counsel from godly believers
• Waiting patiently and expectantly for God’s timing

As we ask, we must also prepare ourselves to receive what God desires to give us. He may fill our mouths with words of knowledge, prophecy, bold truth-telling, or messages of hope from His Word. We demonstrate readiness to receive from God by cultivating humility, actively listening for His voice, responding in prompt obedience when He speaks, and testifying boldly to others about what He has done.

What a blessing to know that our limitless Creator and Sustainer invites us to partake of the riches of His grace!

Active Participation in God’s Will

God could accomplish His purposes on earth even without our involvement, yet He chooses to invite us into His work. When He says to open our mouths so He can fill them, He is calling us to actively participate in His will. However, this participation requires courage and initiative on our part.

Here are some ways we can actively cooperate with God:

• Use our spiritual gifts to serve others
• Share the gospel and make disciples
• Stand up for justice and truth
• Sing worship songs that glorify God
• Pray fervently for people and situations

Rather than passively waiting for God to act, He wants us to open our mouths and join Him in the work He is doing. He fills our mouths so that His power and purposes can flow through us to accomplish more than we could imagine on our own.

As we step out in trusting obedience, we will see His Kingdom expand in amazing ways. When God says to open wide our mouths, He is calling us into a life of dynamic faith and partnership with Him in bringing redemption to a broken world.

Application Through Prayer

Presenting Our Needs to God

God invites us to present all of our needs and desires to Him in prayer (Philippians 4:6). Through prayer, we can make our requests known to our Heavenly Father, trusting that He hears us and will provide what is best for us according to His will.

Jesus taught that if we ask, it will be given to us (Matthew 7:7). Boldly approaching God’s throne of grace allows us to receive mercy and find grace to help in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16).

Some key points about presenting our needs in prayer:

• We can be honest and sincere, presenting both small and large requests.
• We should pray persistently and patiently, not giving up.
• We can pray specifically, not just generally.
• We can pray boldly while submitting to God’s perfect will.

As we present our needs and desires to God, we can trust that He cares and hears us. He may not grant every request, but will supply all that we need according to His divine wisdom and timing.

Trusting His Provision

Once we have presented our needs to God in prayer, the next step is to trust Him to provide. Although God sometimes answers prayers immediately, more often He answers over time to grow our faith and reliance on Him. How can we trust God’s provision?

• Remember His promises to supply our needs (Philippians 4:19).
• Thank Him in advance for His provision by faith.
• Wait patiently on His timing, which is perfect.
• Trust His wisdom when He answers differently than expected.
• Rely on His daily grace for each need as it arises.

Trusting God can be difficult at times when we do not see immediate answers to prayer. But He is faithful, and as we learn to trust Him more through each situation, our faith is strengthened. We can be confident that God will supply all we need to fulfill His purposes for our lives.

Testimonies of Provision

Throughout history, men and women of faith have shared testimonies of God’s amazing provisions in answer to prayer. For example:

• George Müller cared for over 10,000 orphans through prayer without asking anyone for money.
• Hudson Taylor prayed for resources to support hundreds of missionaries in China.
• Corrie Ten Boom and her family hid Jews during WWII, praying for provision and protection.
• Brother Andrew smuggled Bibles into closed countries, praying for God’s guidance and help.

Even today, many believers have awe-inspiring stories of how God provided healing, food, employment, shelter and other needs in response to prayer. When we open our mouths before God in prayer and obedience to His call, He often fills them with amazing testimonies of His power and grace.

The Blessings of Surrender

Freedom from Anxiety

When we surrender ourselves fully to God, placing our lives in His hands, it can bring great freedom from anxiety and worry. We no longer have to carry all the weight and responsibility on our own shoulders. As it says in 1 Peter 5:7, we can “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

Surrendering to God allows us to trust that He will provide what we need and guide our steps, even when the future is uncertain.

Deeper Connection to God

Surrendering our will to God also deepens our relationship and connection with Him. When we make the choice to submit to God’s plan for our lives instead of demanding our own way, it allows more room for Him to move and work within us. As James 4:7-8 (NIV) says, “Submit yourselves, then, to God.

Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you.” Staying close to God helps us know His heart and opens us up to a richer spiritual life.

Opportunities for Ministry

When we surrender our lives fully over to God, saying “Here I am Lord, use me,” He is able to use us in areas of ministry we may never have imagined. We may find ourselves helping the homeless, comforting the sick, sharing the gospel, or any number of other things the Spirit leads us into.

As it says in Isaiah 6:8, “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!'” Surrendering to be used as God’s hands and feet is both a blessing and a profound privilege.

Conclusion

God delights in providing what His children need when they earnestly seek Him. His promise to fill our mouths when we open them is an invitation into deeper trust, reliance and relationship with Him. As we boldly present our needs, surrender control, and have faith in His provision, we find the fullness of life He came to give us.