(By Derrick)
This is post no 2. in our series ‘Seeking the Heart of God For Your Finances‘. (See the introductory post here)
The purpose of this series is not to figure out how we can grow rich, but more importantly it’s about understanding and seeking the heart of God, which effortlessly leads us into places of prosperity and wealth.
Now you can listen to the detailed audio teaching of this message on SoundCloud here:
1 Chronicles 29:28 KJV says, And he (David) died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honour: and Solomon his son reigned in his stead.
Let’s examine the life of David to see if we can apply some of the kingdom principles that bought wealth, prosperity and the kingdom into his life.
1. Your relationship with Jesus will bring the promotion
A Philistine giant Goliath was challenging the Israelites for an one-on-one. While everyone knew that they would get riches, wealth and King Saul’s daughter in exchange for Goliath’s head, no one could dare to stand up to him in Israel except for David. David overcame and Goliath became his opportunity because of his relationship with the living God.
Your relationship with Jesus puts you in a place for manifesting the kingdom. Promotion and favour is always around the corner for a person who places the highest value on his relationship with God. Never fear challenges, in fact you should see them as opportunities for your promotion. You and I have the Holy Spirit in us, therefore we should be fearless just like David. Just as God used a Goliath to get David to the throne, your problems have come to promote you!
2. Honour God first
David honoured God more than man or the world. It did not matter how the world judged his actions but he walked as a lover of God. He was a man who built his relationship with God on a rock solid foundation of love. How many of you remember his wife criticising him when he danced before the Lord? How many of you remember people making fun of you when you refused to compromise on your work targets using the worldly ways of success? How many of you stayed committed to sowing into the kingdom of God when there were a thousand temptations to splurge your income?
Always honour God and His Word first and He will cause an overflow of material blessings into your life.
3. Be faithful in your assignment
While his brothers were serving in King Saul’s army, David was given the responsibility to keep his father’s sheep. And he was faithful to take care of what was assigned to him. David took this task to his heart serving with integrity and selflessness, and at times even risking his life to save his sheep.
God wants us to be faithful in the things we do, knowing that we are working for the Lord and not man. He wants us to be a people of praise and thankfulness (and not grumblers or complainers).
4. Seek His counsel first
In every big and small decisions of his life, David always inquired of the Lord. The Bible says ‘Commit your ways and plans to the Lord and you will succeed (Proverbs 16:3).
How many of us end up choosing the wrong careers, jobs, businesses and making the wrong financial decisions? That’s because we never consult the Wonderful Counselor. We lean on man’s arm of flesh, rather than God. Sometimes we even testify how God made a way when actually it was always the way we wanted things in our life. But in the end wisdom is proved right by her actions! Always be led by the Spirit in all your decisions, of course including the monetary ones.
Look at what Jeremiah 17:5-8 says:
Cursed is the one who trusts in man,
who draws strength from mere flesh
and whose heart turns away from the Lord.
That person will be like a bush in the wastelands;
they will not see prosperity when it comes.
They will dwell in the parched places of the desert,
in a salt land where no one lives.
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.”
5. Honour Authority
David honoured authority and therefore God trusted him with the throne. When fleeing from Saul he never even once took advantage of his position, anointing or calling to replace his errant leader but instead shot down comments from his close aides to harm King Saul.
Here is the kingdom principle to learn – Always respect your authority. It was meant to protect you and promote you. Men/women respect your earthly masters, women your husbands, children your parents, church your pastors, elders, etc. It’s really easy to talk bad about your boss or gossip against your ‘unadjusting’ or ‘errant’ leader, but how many times have you actually prayed for them? They may not be the way you want, nevertheless choose to obey God and as you obey Him, God will lift you up!
Stay tuned for the next post in the series…