Your Dry Patch Will Turn Green: The Second Secret of Psalm 23

Sermon outline

Because the Lord is your shepherd, call your life, home, business and church a green pasture, and keep saying it with joy until what you see catches up with what you say.

1. My cup runneth over: do not come under a dry-cup spirit

   God's word says your cup must run over. If someone keeps bringing you bad news about how tough things are and you keep sympathising, you come under that spirit and your own cup slowly dries up. Answer that you come from the company of faith, that faith comes by hearing the word of God, and that the word is all you can speak. Even when it does not look like it is running over, say that it is.

   Illustration: He gives the reply to make: 'Brother, I don't know about you, your cup may be running dry, but my cup is running over.'

   “People of faith don't walk by sight. We walk by faith.”

   • Psalm 23:5
   • Romans 10:17
   • 2 Corinthians 5:7
   • Romans 4:17

2. Goodness and mercy follow those who walk in wisdom

   Goodness and mercy are not following some people because from sunup to sundown they make reckless decisions. Walk in the wisdom of God and think through how a decision will affect you tomorrow. Push fear, doubt and unbelief out of your home, your workplace and your circle of influence, because if you invite them in you invite lack in with them.

   Illustration: Reading 'you prepare a feast before me in plain sight of my enemies', he says your enemies will watch you having lobster, prawn and calamari, and adds, 'That's my version.'

   “The foolish decisions you're making today is the fruit you'll eat tomorrow.”

   • Psalm 23:6
   • Psalm 23:1

3. Blessings overflow: you are the seed of Abraham

   He has the church stand with hands held out and say 'blessings overflow' as a spiritual exercise. Whatever anyone else's story is, as for me and my household we serve the Lord. Older believers can say they have been young and now are old and he has not let them down; the young can say they watched the Lord bless their parents and grandparents. Beyond any family line, believers are the seed of Abraham and one new man in Christ, so the household of faith does not look at colour. God is not a man that he should lie.

   Illustration: When your children ask how the family is going to manage, tell them you really do not know, but the Lord has not let you down before and will not let you down now.

   “I got a different bloodline.”

   • Joshua 24:15
   • Psalm 37:25
   • Galatians 3:29
   • Ephesians 2:15
   • Numbers 23:19

4. Until the manifestation comes, rejoice

   You may need patience for the manifestation. If it has not come yet, sit tight, because your due season is on its way, and in the meantime rejoice. He has made up his mind that in 2015 he wants no sadness around him. People affect an environment: a few gloomy words and everything around you is depressed, and the spirit of faith goes out. So push to be joyful and look past the hurts, the pain and the lack.

   Illustration: However important you are and whatever you give or drive, if you come in full of sadness and gripe he will give you a dose of castor oil, wash you with the word of God and bring you right.

   “If you did not have manifestation yet, honey, sit tight. It's on its way.”

   • Galatians 6:9
   • Hebrews 10:35
   • Hebrews 12:1

5. You are God's home, so fear no witchcraft

   David said he would live in God's house for ever. In the new covenant Jesus went away so that he could send the Holy Spirit to live with you as guide, teacher, advocate, standby and helper, which makes every child of God the home of God. Greater is he that is in you, so there is no place for fear of witches, fortune tellers or stargazers. You have a covenant with the Most High God, as David told Goliath, and when an attack comes all you have to cry is the name of Jesus.

   Illustration: Goliath came with his sword and his army. David came in the name of his God and dared to call him an uncircumcised Philistine, because David had a covenant.

   “No witchcraft can affect you unless you submit to it.”

   • Psalm 23:6
   • John 16:7
   • John 14:16-17
   • 1 John 4:4
   • 1 Samuel 17:45
   • Philippians 2:9

6. Secret number two: he makes me to lie down in green pastures

   Last week was secret number one, the Lord is my shepherd. This week is the second verse. If you hit a dry patch it will turn green, and if you hit a problem with no way out God will turn it around. You need nobody's permission and no horoscope, because believers ascribe to the word of God and not to astrology. You are blessed coming in and going out, and a man or woman whom God has blessed cannot be taken down.

   Illustration: He has learned in his own life that once God has endorsed somebody you had better become friends with them and rub shoulders with them, so that the anointing and the blessing rub off on you.

   “If you hit a dry patch in your life, it will turn green.”

   • Psalm 23:2
   • Psalm 23:1
   • Deuteronomy 28:6

7. Satisfied sheep: the green pastures of restoration

   Sheep lie down in green pastures when they have everything they need and are satisfied, and God's children should walk and talk as satisfied people. The opposite is murmuring, complaining and whining, which changes your atmosphere. David uses the language of faith to paint a picture of restoration, so look at the restoration and not at the losses. Say daily that God is your source of supply, talk creation, victory and abundance, and picture yourself resting in the green pastures of your business and your job. The church itself is a green pasture and cannot fail.

   Illustration: Go home, lie down and keep saying 'green pastures'. If your husband asks for tea, tell him to hang on a minute. He pictures the money owed to you arriving with interest by email and SMS while you sleep.

   “We read the psalm in funerals, and it has its place. But we're going to read it in faith so we can get much more out of it.”

   • Psalm 23:2
   • Psalm 23:5

8. Do not defend your prosperity

   Some people will be jealous of your car, your house, your clothes and your children's schools. Let them be. You need not fight them, show off or explain yourself. When someone compliments you, say thank you, and if you want to say more, say it is the favour of God because you serve the Lord and seek his kingdom first. Prosperity, like healing and like Christ himself, is known only by revelation, given by the Spirit to those who hunger and search the scriptures.

   Illustration: If someone admires your suit, you do not have to convince them you bought it on sale at half price. He also gives the church a testimony to use: that they are in a church with a special grace on it, and that they collect that grace every Sunday and function in it all week.

   “Don't defend your prosperity.”

   • Matthew 6:33