A Famine Does Not Mean God Has Left: Secrets of Increase
Dr RJ Sing, 1 hr 39 min, from The Law of Recognition
Originally recorded as “The Law of Recognition: Secrets of Increase, Part 1 (16 August 2015)”
Sermon outline
A challenge is never proof that God has left you: he has increase on his mind, so rise from where you are, enlarge your thinking, keep sowing, and expect him to increase you more and more.
Main text
- Genesis 12:10-16
- Genesis 13:14-18
- Isaiah 54:2
- Psalm 115:14-15
Opening
He greets the church and those watching on television and the internet, welcomes them with Romans 10:17, and asks the ushers to hand out the sermon outline. He says they are still dealing with the law of recognition: recognising the environment we are in, the people God has connected us to, and where God has brought us from. This morning's subtitle is 'the secrets of increase', part one, and before turning to the notes he adds a few scriptures about Abram.
A challenge does not mean God is not with you
There was a grievous famine in the land and Abram went down to Egypt. That shows something about the economy and ways of God: never read a challenge as a sign that God has left, because he will never leave you nor forsake you. In Egypt Pharaoh treated Abram well for Sarai's sake and gave him flocks, herds, servants and camels. What looked like trouble was God at work, about to transfer increase into his life.
Illustration: Pharaoh thought he was only looking at a beautiful woman, but God was working in Abram's life. He puts the result in modern terms: the man came out of the famine rich.
“It does not mean to say that when you have a challenge, God is not with you.”
- Genesis 12:10-16
- Hebrews 13:5
- Psalm 139:14
Arise: God is bigger than your mistakes
After Lot had separated from him, God told Abram to lift up his eyes, and to arise and walk through the land. Whatever you are facing, arise from it. If you have made mistakes, God is bigger than them, and when he calls you he even makes up for your wrong turns. Some believers are like Pharisees who say God is punishing you; say that God is blessing and about to increase you. There may be a shaking in your life, the world or the church, but God is going to increase his people.
“God is bigger than your mistakes.”
- Genesis 13:14-18
- Romans 8:31
It is the presence of the Lord that increases you
Abram could tell Lot to choose first, left or right, because he knew it was not the land that would increase him. In the same way it is not your money, your friends or your contacts that will increase you, but the Lord and his presence. That is the message of the day: God has increase on his mind.
Illustration: Abram said to Lot: you choose. If you go left, I will go right; if you go right, I will go left.
“It's not your money that's going to increase you, it's the presence of the Lord.”
- Genesis 13:8-9
Enlarge the place of your tent: do not go backwards
When challenges hit, do not retreat in your thinking, economise on your expectations or hide in a corner. Whether there is famine or there are giants in the land, God is well able to bring you through. Do not be like Gideon, who saw himself as the least while the angel called him a mighty man of valour. The enemy wants you to throw in the towel, but God has raised us up and seated us in heavenly places.
Illustration: He speaks to those who have had enough and are going forward: not looking in the rear-view mirror but through the windscreen of the car.
“I'm not looking in the rear view mirror, but I'm looking through the windscreen.”
- Isaiah 54:2
- Numbers 13:30
- Judges 6:12-15
- Ephesians 2:6
The God of increase: more and more, you and your children
God provides seed for the sower and multiplies your resources for sowing. The psalmist does not pray for one increase but for increase more and more, and not for you only but for your children, including children not yet born. We give someone one gift and say, no more; God is not like that.
“He's not stingy. He's not cut out like that.”
- 2 Corinthians 9:10
- Psalm 115:14-15
Seed time comes first, and ask for a thousand times more
Isaac sowed in the land and in the same year received a hundred times as much as he had planted, and the Lord favoured him with blessings. He says he did not arrive where he is by chance: God fed him, taught him and started him with seed time. He then prays Moses' blessing of a thousand times more over the church, and reasons that the faith used for thirty, sixty and a hundredfold can be used for the thousandfold. If earthly parents give good gifts, how much more will the Father.
“God started with seed time.”
- Genesis 26:12
- Genesis 8:22
- Deuteronomy 1:11
- Matthew 7:11
A checklist: what God wants to increase in your life
Reading from the printed notes, which he tells them to study at home, he runs through a list of things God wants to increase: your rejoicing, your worship, revelation, wisdom, finances, your lifespan on the earth, promotion, joy, truth, humility, the work of your hands, strength and obedience. Do not watch what others are getting; focus on the Lord. He rejects the spirit of death and claims long life, and says God can promote you without taking anything from another person. The way up is the way down: the more you humble yourself, the more you are lifted.
Illustration: When good news hits you, you will break into praise even while standing among people who are not born again, and they will wonder what has come over you.
“You are the apple of God's eye.”
- Psalm 91:16
- Psalm 30:5
- John 16:13
Putting it into practice
- Do not read a hard season as a sign that God has left you.
- Arise from your challenge and stop replaying your mistakes.
- Enlarge your thinking: do not cut back your expectations when pressure comes.
- Keep sowing seed, because seed time comes before harvest.
- Read the notes at home and speak increase over your hands, your household and your children.
Closing
He has the church lift their hands and confess that there is a blessing on their lives and hands, then command the enemy to take his hands off their children, grandchildren, households and finances. They give one another a high five and say, I see something good happening to you, and together they prophesy and receive a miracle for the week. The recording carries on after the message with a short story about Adrian and altar calls, church news about a new generator with a call for pledges, more worship, and a prayer for a visiting minister.
Declarations he led
- God is well able.
- There's a blessing on my life, there's a blessing on my hands, there's a blessing on my spirit, there's a blessing on my feet. Everywhere I go I carry peace, love and joy unspeakable.
- Take your hands off my children, my grandchildren, my relatives, my household, my finances, in the name of Jesus.
- I see something good happening to you.
- Lord Jesus, I prophesy a miracle this week. In the name of Jesus, I receive it.
In his words
- “God will never leave you, and God will never forsake you.”
- “God is bigger than your mistakes.”
- “There might be a shaking in the world. There might be a shaking in the church. But it doesn't matter. God's going to increase us.”
- “I'm not looking in the rear view mirror, but I'm looking through the windscreen.”
- “God has increase on his mind.”
Every scripture in this message
- Romans 10:17
- Genesis 12:10-16
- Hebrews 13:5
- Psalm 139:14
- Genesis 13:14-18
- Romans 8:31
- Genesis 13:8-9
- Isaiah 54:2
- Numbers 13:30
- Judges 6:12-15
- Ephesians 2:6
- 2 Corinthians 9:10
- Psalm 115:14-15
- Genesis 26:12
- Genesis 8:22
- Deuteronomy 1:11
- Matthew 7:11
- Psalm 91:16
- Psalm 30:5
- John 16:13