Chasing Pennies When God Gave You a Million Rand Idea
Dr RJ Sing, 21 min, from The Law of Recognition
Originally recorded as “The Law of Recognition: A God-Inspired Idea”
Sermon outline
God often speaks through an idea, so recognise a God-inspired idea when it comes, act on it in faith, and stop letting self-criticism and dream killers bury it.
Main text
- Proverbs 8:12
Opening
He says he will share quickly and briefly on the law of recognition, a subject he has already started and spoken on quite a bit, and that he wants to take it to the next level. He gives the subtitle, the recognition of a God-inspired idea, and reads Proverbs 8:12: wisdom lives together with good judgment, and knowledge and discernment are found in God's Word and in the preaching of it.
1. Ideas are golden gates to immediate change
Do not discard or shelve ideas as 'just a thought'. God may not speak in an audible voice or through an angel, but He will give you an idea, and that is God speaking to you. An idea is a thought God plants in your mind so that you can solve a problem for someone, and solving problems is what brings money. It takes faith to act on it, and you should not be afraid of making mistakes, because you learn from them.
Illustration: Money will not just walk to you. When you solve a problem you make yourself a commodity, and people will pay for the service you render.
“An idea is a thought divinely planted by God that could solve a problem for someone.”
- Proverbs 8:12
Stop being so critical of yourself
Still under his first point, he says we major on everything we did wrong and forget the right decisions that brought us to where we are. Like Paul, forget what is behind and press on. Meditating on negativity stops the flow of creative ideas, so that when God is showing you something about tomorrow you fail to grasp it. Go home and meditate on what you have done right, because that gives you the confidence to embrace the future.
Illustration: The right decision to buy a house made you own a house; the right decision to buy land made you own the land. Many of us grew up with critical parents and family, and we still criticise ourselves in the same way. We have all lost money and trusted people we should not have, but we have also made money and made good investments.
“When we meditate on negativity, it stops the flow of creative ideas in our mind.”
- Philippians 3:13-14
2. Methods for creating wealth are guaranteed to the obedient
A God-breathed idea cannot be left to float away. It takes faith, an investment of time and the grabbing of a window of opportunity: God gives the idea, but you must run with it, implement it and make it work. It is God who gives power to become successful, so thank Him for others who succeed instead of envying them, because there is enough space for everybody. God bound Himself by an oath to Abraham to bless his seed, and His grace supersedes our mistakes. If you have the idea but not the money, ask Him for an idea for the money too.
Illustration: A man of God planted a seed and God gave him the idea of writing very small books, which sold millions of dollars' worth. Oral Roberts taught that 'more than you have room to receive' means ideas, concepts and insights, not cash stuffed into a room. A discouraged man whose idea had been rejected again and again heard Oral Roberts preach, pulled the box back out of the attic, and is now worth millions. A famous billionaire said one good idea can enable a man to live like a king for the rest of his life.
“God who gave you the idea is the same God that will show you how to get the money.”
- Deuteronomy 8:18
- Galatians 3:29
- Isaiah 54:17
- Malachi 3:10
Enter God's presence to receive God's commands
In God's presence He enriches you, gives you grace to overcome, ideas, plans, dreams and visions, and connects you with the right people at the right time. Do not sit on an idea or chase pennies when God has given you a far bigger concept. Think bigger and do not settle for second best. When God speaks, listen, even if the idea seems absurd, and be careful whom you tell: share it only with someone you can trust, who will agree with you and help bring it to pass.
Illustration: Myles Munroe said the richest place in the world is the graveyard, because so many people died with ideas they never implemented. The night before, he had watched a television programme about an Afrikaans man who went to America in 1999, came home, and built a communication application for Afrikaans people that now has a million followers.
“Don't share your dreams prematurely with dream killers and dream stealers.”
Putting it into practice
- Treat a God-inspired idea as God speaking to you, and act on it instead of shelving it.
- Go home and think about the things you have done right; stop rehearsing your mistakes.
- Thank God for other people's success instead of envying it.
- If you have the idea but not the money, ask God for an idea for the money.
- Spend time in God's presence, and share your dream only with people you can trust.
Closing
He closes by saying that in the law of recognition you must recognise a God-inspired idea, and that it will be tailor-made for you: you are one of a kind, so you need not compete with or mimic anyone. His prayer for the church on Father's Day is that God will give them great inspired ideas and that they will not flush them away. He has them stand, urges them once more to applaud themselves for what they have accomplished and to keep a thankful heart like David, then prays, breaking condemnation and the spirit of heaviness and speaking garments of praise and God's blessing over them.
Declarations he led
- You didn't do too bad.
- God, I want that idea. I'm living for that idea.
In his words
- “An idea is a thought divinely planted by God that could solve a problem for someone.”
- “Now, there's a huge difference between a good idea and a God idea.”
- “If God can do it for you, He can do it for me.”
- “Are you chasing pennies when God gave you a million rand concept?”
- “There's only one of you. So don't try to be somebody else.”
Every scripture in this message
- Proverbs 8:12
- Philippians 3:13-14
- Deuteronomy 8:18
- Galatians 3:29
- Isaiah 54:17
- Malachi 3:10
- Romans 8:31
- Acts 13:22
- Isaiah 61:3
- Numbers 6:25