Part VI of the teaching – Prospering in Difficult Times. Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV & Part V.
How to Prosper in Difficult Times by Pastor Emmanuel S. Olowokere. Jan 10, 2010. Watch photo album of the service
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Sermon synopsis
Every one that became rich in the Scripture went through a difficult time at some point. Your challenge should never make you see prosperity as an impossible target. Your going through should lead to your breakthrough.
Psalm 23: 4 says:
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me”
Let’s check out our pivotal text: Genesis 26 . Our focus would be on the twelfth to the fourteenth verse.
Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him. And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great: For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him.
From Isaac’s example, we could infer that the hands that have done nothing will reap nothing. Because until Isaac sowed in that land, he didn’t start to reap!
In fact, until this twelfth verse, Isaac didn’t seem to have done anything productive “in that land.” But once he took the first step, God kicked in and took over promptly because it was “in the same year” that he started to flourish.
It is important to look around one’s environment for opportunities. They never dry up even in difficult times! You just have to be discerning.
A good example is one of my neighbors. He noticed I had a lawn mower but seemed averse to mowing. He proposed to mow my lawn for what then looked like an insignificant amount per mow. But my lawn seemed to have developed a predilection for rapid growth and so has that insignificant amount. And you know what else he does? He waits until his fee accrues to a significant amount, then requests to be paid. After I cut him a check for $200 on one occasion I had to ask him what he does with my money and the response caught me. How about using my money to pay a family’s gas money for the whole month!
We always tend to be like Isaac was before God made him see the good in the famished land of Gerar; sowed; and flourished. We complain, whine; and all we see are the challenges and difficulties.
Guess what? It doesn’t take a genius to figure what everyone else can see! If only you would dig beyond the surface, and discover the richness of your famished land rather than the proverbial greener grass on the other side. Then you will gladly sow for a bountiful harvest.
Once you sow, you offer God an opportunity to bless you. Since it’s what you sow and when you sow that God blesses.
You can sow in a variety of ways. For instance, you can invest in your career with a higher degree or certification that brings you higher returns. There’s a reason those with better qualifications get better paid. You can also sow a business idea. I’m yet to meet one whose mental ideas have brought any returns. You only reap what you have sown, not what you have thought about sowing.
A seed you sit on at best remains what it is. Sow it and it multiplies or flourishes. We must see our seed then as that which is God-given to get us a bright future.
Time is an example of a seed. It’s one of the greatest resources God has provided us. How productive are you making your time?
Notice also that Isaac didn’t have great store of servants until he had had possessions of flocks and herds they’d cater to. You need to be mindful of your overheads so you don’t dig yourself in. You need to figure your means and then live beneath or within that. Look around to see many who failed to apply themselves to this seemingly simple truth. Progressive prosperity is the way to secure prosperity. You need to evaluate your finance and eliminate waste.
May God grant us the wisdom to go about figuring our way to prosperity and the grace to apply ourselves to it. God bless you richly.
Have a beautiful and glorious week!
