A Cabbage or a Car: Why a Man of God Must Receive the Seed

Sermon outline

God provides for His servants and prospers those who honour the house of God and its ministers, so believers must leave the miser mentality behind and live as sowers.

1. It is not my job to refuse the seed

   He confesses that more than once, out of his natural reasoning and a wish to protect the giver, he refused a vehicle someone felt led to sow, and what followed taught him he had been standing in the way of their blessing. During the previous session the Lord told him that by refusing a man's gift he would be holding his blessing, so he called him over and received it. Whatever a person brings, small or large, the man of God's job is to receive it and confer a blessing, because it is seed with an assignment.

   Illustration: When a pastor handed him his car keys after a midnight service, he prayed over the keys and sent him home in the car, which he now calls 'scripturally incorrect'.

   “Irrespective of what a man brings, whether it's a cabbage or a car, it's not my job to refuse it.”

2. Believe His prophets, so shall you prosper

   Teaching on finances in a local church is not to enrich the ministers, because God who called them will provide, as Abraham said, 'God will provide himself a lamb.' Cursed is the man who leans on the arm of flesh; God can command a widow or even a raven to sustain His prophet. On the believer's side of the equation, those who receive a prophet in the name of a prophet, and believe God's prophets, prosper.

   Illustration: A raven is a ravenous bird with no desire to share food, yet God commanded ravens to feed the prophet in the wilderness.

   “Your economics and your longevity and your prosperity is always connected to your man of God.”

   • Genesis 22:8
   • Jeremiah 17:5-7
   • 1 Kings 17:4-9
   • Matthew 10:41
   • 2 Chronicles 20:20

3. In every need, say 'it is well'

   When he was carrying a heavy financial commitment for a church building, the Lord taught him to answer every financial need as the Shunammite woman did: 'It is well.' God is bigger than any need. Believers may go through a hard time or a pit experience, but they will not stay there.

   Illustration: Distracted while talking to his wife, he switched off the parking sensors and reversed into a concrete pole; instead of fuming over 'a piece of tin', he chose to trust God, and church members offered to cover the insurance excess.

   “God is bigger than our need.”

   • 2 Kings 4:26

4. See to God's house and He will see to yours

   As a former Hindu, he has found the word of God true, accurate and operative, because God watches over His word to perform it; ministers make mistakes and wrong turns, but God has never failed them. He urges the men to come out of the miser mentality, never come before the Lord empty-handed, and treat the church's needs as their own. When he asked God for prosperity, the Lord told him that if he would see to His house, God would see to his.

   “If you will see to my house, I'll see to your house.”

   • Jeremiah 1:12
   • Deuteronomy 16:16
   • Haggai 1:9

5. The mentality of a sower

   He breaks the miser spirit off the men and calls them to be sowers of their lives, time, finances, talents and abilities for as long as they live. God prospered him from very small beginnings. As the ark of the covenant brought blessing to the house of Obed-Edom, so everything in a household that honours God will prosper.

   Illustration: While the ark was in Obed-Edom's house, everything flourished: a hen that laid two eggs began laying five dozen.

   “You'll have the mentality of a sower.”

   • 2 Samuel 6:11

6. A priestly blessing over the men

   With the visiting ministers agreeing, he confers a priestly blessing on their households, declaring the curse of poverty broken because they are redeemed from the curse, and speaking multiplication over their marriages, children, work and businesses. He urges them to make wise choices, flee sin and be known as men after God's own heart and soul winners, and reverses every negative word spoken over them by parents, family, neighbours, colleagues or teachers. He prays that every lost thing be recovered, like the sunken axe head that floated.

   “It's so easy to curse people, but God wants us to be the blesser of the church.”

   • Galatians 3:13
   • Acts 13:22
   • Proverbs 11:30
   • Proverbs 10:22
   • 2 Corinthians 13:14
   • Numbers 6:25
   • 2 Kings 6:5-7

7. Freedom from alcohol, drugs and nicotine

   During the blessing and the song that follows, he breaks the spirit of alcohol, drugs and nicotine off any man battling them, and declares freedom from physical and mental infirmities. He prays that God would lift every burden and heavy heart, declaring that the cravings are going and they will never want those things again.

   “If you're grappling with nicotine, I see that cutting off your life right now.”