I Will Never Drive a Scrap Car Again: 7 Secrets of Kingdom Prosperity

Sermon outline

Prosperity is a decision and God's portion for His people: like Isaac, obey God, seek His kingdom first, tithe and sow, walk in faith and love, and you will become a visible symbol and source of blessing whose every work prospers.

1. Prosperity is a mindset and a decision

   The one who delights in God's Word and meditates on it day and night is like a tree planted by streams of water, and whatever he does prospers. Prosperity is a decision you must make: enough is enough. If you tolerate poverty there is no room for prosperity, and if you criticise prosperity, poverty will be your portion.

   Illustration: In his younger days the scrapyard was his favourite place, because that is where he bought all his spare parts, until the day he decided he would never be poor again and never drive a scrap car again. When he made that quality decision he started to prosper.

   “I will never be poor again. I will never drive a scrap car again.”

   • Psalm 1:1-6

2. Guard your heart and be steadfast

   He calls Proverbs 4:20-27 God's medicine bottle: keep His words in your heart, guard your heart, keep your mouth from perversity and your eyes straight ahead. People dig holes for themselves with their mouths through gossip and slander instead of quoting the Word. Whatever challenges have come, do not let the elementary things slip, such as tithing and sowing, because a non-tither lives under a closed heaven; walk in love and reconciliation as ambassadors for Christ, and stay steadfast even when colleagues and family criticise you.

   “Do not let elementary things in the kingdom of God slip from your hands.”

   • Proverbs 4:20-27
   • 2 Corinthians 5:20
   • Malachi 3:10

3. Secret one: obey God

   God told Isaac not to go down into Egypt but to dwell in the land He would show him. Prosperity is on the other side of your obedience: the willing and obedient eat the good of the land, or, as the Message Bible puts it, feast like kings.

   “Prosperity is on the other side of your obedience.”

   • Genesis 26:2
   • Isaiah 1:19

4. Secret two: seek first the kingdom of God

   Isaac was in the world but not of it. The world has its own philosophy, but we are children of the Most High in a new kingdom and a new economy. Make the kingdom your priority and blessings will flow from every side, even in drought, without becoming an extremist to the left or the right.

   “It is a new kingdom and a new economy.”

   • John 17:16
   • Matthew 6:33

5. Secret three: sow, tithe and seed into the kingdom

   When you tithe and sow you are transacting with God and participating in His economy. Isaac sowed in famine and reaped a hundredfold in the same year because Abraham, who tithed to Melchizedek and obeyed God on the mountain, had schooled him. God is a multi-generational God: if curses can travel down generations, so can blessings, so teach kingdom prosperity to your children.

   Illustration: Before the service he had prayed over someone's brand-new car and felt that the mentality of 'just enough' was over.

   “If curses can travel from generations, then blessings will travel to generations.”

   • Genesis 26:12
   • Genesis 14:20
   • Genesis 22:7-13
   • Deuteronomy 28
   • Genesis 18:19

6. Secret four: always walk in faith and love

   Without faith it is impossible to please God, so put pressure on your covenant: in a crisis remind the Lord that you are a tither and a seed sower. The gifts of God are without repentance, and you must not fling away your confidence, because it carries a great reward.

   Illustration: William Branham, he says, fell into doctrinal error late in life, yet the power of God was still on him: after a car crash, while dying, he reached out and touched his injured wife, and she survived.

   “Put pressure on the covenant of God.”

   • Hebrews 11:6
   • Romans 11:29
   • Genesis 26:21
   • Hebrews 10:35

7. Secret five: be a symbol and source of kingdom prosperity

   Abimelech's people saw plainly that the Lord was with Isaac. Some religions plant a flag at their homes to show which god they serve; your life is a flag fluttering in the wind and shouting favour, blessing and prosperity. God makes you a symbol and a source of blessing, blessed to bless the families of the earth.

   Illustration: A flag planted outside a home to show which god the family serves.

   “Your life is a flag, flying and fluttering in the wind.”

   • Genesis 26:28
   • Zechariah 8:13
   • Genesis 12:2-3
   • Psalm 67:7

8. Secrets six and seven: prosperity will be seen, and whatever you do will prosper

   Prosperity will be visible in your life and go higher and higher, because God is on your side. Whatever a child of God does will prosper when he keeps the words of the covenant. You will not only be a symbol of prosperity; you will sparkle like jewels in a crown.

   Illustration: A picture of rings set with a multitude of sparkling diamonds that a jeweller had sent him.

   “Not only will you be a symbol of prosperity, but you will sparkle.”

   • Genesis 26:26-29
   • Deuteronomy 29:9