HOW TO RECEIVE THE INCREASE PART 3 – IMPROVING WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE
HOW TO RECEIVE THE INCREASE PART 3
TOPIC: IMPROVING ON WHAT ALREADY HAVE
TEXT: Mat 25:14-30 KJV 14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. 15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several abilities; and straightway took his journey. 16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. 17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. 18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money. ,X talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. 23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. 26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: 27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. 28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. 29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. 30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
The last studies on the theme on how to receive the increase was receiving increase by association and in that talk we discussed how the association of Lot with Abraham caused Lot to experience the blessings of Abraham.
Gal 3:14 KJV That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
That blessing is on you in Jesus name
We also mentioned the relationship of Joseph with Potiphar. Everything that Portiphar had in town and field increased because of Joseph.
May you experience a notable increase in Jesus’ name.
Lastly we looked at Laban and Jacob. Laban testified that since the coming of Jacob into his life things changed.
All these people experienced an increase because of the people they associated with. He that walketh with the wise shall be wise. May God bring them into your life in Jesus name.
In the second part of the teaching, we looked at receiving the increase by creating capacity for it. Using the widow wife of one of the sons of the prophet as a case study in 2King 4, she received an increase by faith and the little oil she had increased in quantity. May all that you have experienced increase in Jesus’ name.
Many people remembered the woman and the miracle that took place when she poured the little oil into the available jars and how they were all filled. However, many did not bother to ask what happened to the woman and oil after that incident or how come we never heard of the woman coming again to Elisha.
I will continue in the discussion on how to receive the increase from the story of the woman.
2Ki 4:7 KJV Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.
She came back to the man of God and informed him of what had happened and Elisha told her to do two things.
No 1 is to pay her debt. One of the things that can make you experience increase and prosperity is to completely eliminate the yoke of debt and indebtedness from our lives because debt is an afflictor.
Rom 13:8 KJV Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
Each time you see your creditor you feel ashamed, embarrassed and pained. Debts also take away from what you have.
No 2 and the main reason why the woman never came back to trouble Elisha or asked him anything was that Elisha told her to live on the rest. What does Elisha mean by that? He meant that the woman should not consume it all for herself but trade with it, exchange it for money and good things in life. Ladies and gentlemen, one of the ways to receive the increase is by trading or improving on what you have.
In the text that was read for us, a man that was traveling gave his servants talents according to their several abilities.
Ability is the quality or state of being able; capacity to do or of doing something; having the necessary power.
Therefore your ability determines the amount of responsibility that can be entrusted unto you. That was why they received it differently. After this programme the ability of God shall double in your lives in Jesus name.
He embarked on his journey. After a while he came and took reckoning on what they had done with the talents handed over to them. The first came and told him that his five talents had yielded five other talents likewise the second came and told him that the two talents had yielded two more talents.
Pro 14:23 KJV In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.
You shall not run at a loss again in Jesus name. May the labour of your hands be profitable in Jesus name.
The man with one talent buried it and came with that same talent. His master was angry with him and asked him why he didn’t drop it with the exchangers so that he could receive interest on it. He collected the one talent from him and gave it to the man with ten talents.
In a similar story in Luke some complained that the man had ten already, why give him more?
Luk 19:25 KJV (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.)
Two lessons here:
- Each and everyone has been given one thing or the other. The ability to recognise and identify what you have is the key. Elisha asked the woman what do you have in your house? Think about it, there is something that you have.
- God expects us to improve on whatever we have. In this case study the first two servants traded with what they were given and they received an increase. Deut 28 says whatever you set your hands on shall prosper.
When they were complaining that the man already had ten talents, He made this statement:
Mat 25:29 KJV For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
when He was telling the disciples on how they should paid attention to what He was teaching them, he made that statement again:
Luk 8:18 KJV Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.
When Jesus was talking to them about the parable of the sower in Mt 13: 12 He mentioned this statement again.
Mat 13:12 KJV For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
The disciples came to meet Him and asked why He likes talking to the people in parables. He said.
In these passages before us we have the grand rule of God’s dealings with the children of men,—a rule fixed as the pillars of heaven; this is the key to all his providential dispensations, as will appear to men and angels on the great day; and therefore in pursuance of this general rule, I speak to them in parables, says our Saviour, Mat 13:13. “I do not give more knowledge to these people, because they do not use that which they have already: having all the means of seeing, hearing, understanding, they use none of them; they do not effectively see, or hear, or understand anything.”
This is a law of increase in the kingdom even though it is a proverbial expression.
It means that a man who improves what light, grace, and opportunities he has, shall have them increased. From him that improves them not, it is proper that they should be taken away.
It means, whosoever rightly improves what is committed to him shall receive more, or shall be rewarded; but he that mis-improves what is committed to him shall not be rewarded.
Improve means to make (something) better; to increase the value or productivity (of something).
In pecuniary matters in the literal sense of this parable they who improve their money by industry or merchandise increase it. Those who do not who are indolent or vicious lose what they did possess, and it goes into the hands of the faithful and industrious.
The proverb says, “Money makes money;” a man who has capital finds various means of increasing it; it grows as it is judiciously employed. Thus the grace of God, duly stirred up and exercised, receives continual accession, “grace for grace”. (Joh 1:16 ) The Christian”s spiritual forces are developed by being properly directed; Providence puts in his way added opportunities, and as he uses these he is more and more strengthened and replenished.
Whatever you have now God does not want you to hold on to it without doing anything with it. He wants us to improve them, exercise them, use them and they will increase.
There is something that you have that can be exchanged for what you need. It could be muscular strength, academic intelligence, cognitive reasoning, ability to solve problems, all you need to do is to find where there is a problem and solve it. People will pay you for the problem you have helped them solve.
THE OPERATIONS OF THE LAW.
1. In external nature. We not only see the survival of the fittest, but its propagation and extension. Those plants and animals which are most suited to their circumstances not only flourish best; they multiply greatly. Moreover, it is just in them that we are to look for the appearance of new and more advantageous modifications of structure.
2. In our bodily life. The athlete strengthens his muscles with exercise. The musical ear becomes more musical by listening to music. On the other hand, the muscle of the feeble invalid who is not strong enough to exercise dwindles away, and the senses that are not used become dull and blind.
3. In our mental faculties. The powerful intellect of the thinker grows stronger by his thinking, while the feeble intellect of the dullard becomes weaker by neglect.
4. In spiritual experience. The life of communion with God grows deeper and larger the more truly it is lived.
5. In Christian work. This is what our Lord had especially in mind when he proclaimed his great law. It is by working for God that we grow strong in God.
Hear what Peter said:
2Pet 1:5-9 KJV 5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
The Greek word for “add” there is ep-ee-khor-ayg-eh’-o. It means to supply, furnish, present
to be supplied, ministered to, assisted.
Strong’s Definition: to furnish besides, that is, fully supply, (figuratively) aid or contribute: – add, minister
A muscle that is not exercised tends to degenerate and lose its power.” This verse is, “the law of spiritual capital.” “However little grace we seem to have to begin with, it is this we must invest, and so nurse it into size and strength. Each time we use the grace we have, by responding to the demands made upon it, it returns to us increased.
He that has faith shall have more faith. He that has a secret taste for heavenly things shall have a greater love for them. He that has some understanding of the truth of God shall get more understanding of it. God gives to those that have.
Most people delight in saying that they don’t have anything. Maybe they feel they are being truthful and sincere but as we have seen in the economy of God it is not true. You have something. Paul told Philemon this word.
Phm 1:6 KJV That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
The word effectual means to be operational, powerful and increased. I have the wisdom of God, I have the anointing of God, the ability of God is working in me. Declare what you have.
What happens when one has laboured, traded and made efforts and yet there is no increase? There could be the possibility of a destroyer after increase.
Jdg 6:4 KJV And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till likethou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass.
Every power that has encamped or compassed me around to destroy the increase of my life perish in Jesus name.
Psa 115:14 KJV The LORD shall increase you more and more, you and your children.
We release the mandate of increase over everyone in Jesus name.