Sermon Tone Analysis

We’re going to continue our teaching on “*The Prosperity of the Lord*.”

*Today I want to qualify you for the Lord’s prosperity*.

You *don’t just qualify because you are a tither*, but *tithing* is a very *important* *step*.

There are *some qualifications* that you have to *go through* *before* *you* can *qualify* to be a channel for God.

*I) *Today we’re going to be looking at *some things* that have *tripped you up* *from flowing in financial blessings*.

*A) **Even though* you’re *living right* morally, you’re a *tither*, and you’re in *submission to God*, it *seems* that the *finances are not coming* in the way they should come.

*1) *Some of you have been a tither for many years but we’re not receiving the harvest that we should be receiving.

*a) **The Bible says* that *we can have* a *hundred fold* on our seed at we sow in the kingdom of God, *but* *many* of us *are sowing* *and* yet *only reaping* *10 percent*, 20 percent, or 30 percent.

*b) *Well we’re going to be *looking at today*, “*How to increase our harvest.*”

*How to qualify for increased*.

*B) **Last time* we *pointed out three things about wealth* *we located the wealth* in *Proverbs 13:22*.

(Let’s turn there).

*1) *In *this verse* it *shows us where the wealth is located*.

*It’s in the hands of the sinner*, the ungodly, or the unjust, but *for us to locate it is one thing*, *but* for us *to get it to move* is *another thing*.

*a) **There are 4 major principles* *that I want to share* with you today *that will* begin to *cause* *the wealth of the wicked to move* your way.

*2) *Turn to *Psalms 112:3*.

*a) **We located where the wealth is*, *now we see where the wealth should be*.

*b) *The basic part of the *wealth is in the hands of the wicked**,* *but* *it should be in the house of the righteous*.

*c) *Now *we used* (*Proverbs 13:22*) which says*, “The wealth of the wicked is laid up for the just,”* *and* (*Psalms 112:3*) which says, *“Wealth and riches shall be in his house,”* *to make* *this* *confession of faith*.

*(i) *“*Money cometh to me now* or *money come to me now*,” *which will begin to cause the money to move*.

*You’re placing a demand on the money*.

*3) *Now turn with me to *Deuteronomy 8:18*.

*a) **We looked at these three points last time*.

*(i) **1st* *where the money is* (it’s in the hands of the wicked), *2nd* *where the money should be* (in the house of the righteous), and* 3rd* *he tells us that he’s given us the power to get it*.

*4) **Every child of God* *has power to get wealth*, but *what happened*?

*a) **Most* born-again believers *are not walking in* the *prosperity* of the Lord.

*WHY?* *MOST DON’T QUALIFY*.

*b) **Wealth* is very *dangerous* *if* your *heart* is *not prepared for it*.

*(i) **It will produce pride*, it’ll produce *arrogance*, it’ll produce a *lack of submission to authority in the church*, it’ll *cause church hopping*, and it can even *cause some to depart from the Lord*, as we saw in the prodigal son.

*(ii) *It’s *very dangerous* to *give* a *child* *something that they’re not ready for*.

*(iii) **We don’t give Danielle a steak knife* to cut her meat.

*Why?* *She’s not ready for it*.

(She’s only one year old).

*c) **It’s the same thing with money*, *if you’re not ready for it, it can destroy you*.

*There’s something about money* *that causes many* *to stop walking in faith*.

*(i) *The *Bible says*, *“The just shall live by faith.”*

It also says, *“Whatever is not of faith is sin.”*

*(ii) **God is not going to give you money* *if it stops you from walking in faith*.

*He has to know* *your ready* *and* that you *qualify for it*.

*C) *Now go back to *Deuteronomy 8:18* again.

*1) *Now notice *in* the *last part of this verse* *he tells us why He gives you the power to get wealth*.

*“That he may establish His covenant.”*

*a) **This power to get wealth* *is not just for you*.

*God needs you* *to get wealth* so that he can *do* some *things* *in this world*.

*(i) **He doesn’t mind* *you having some nice things*; *he wants you have the best*.

*But he also wants you to be a channel for him*.

*b) **When you get that wealth* *God fully expects when he tells you to do something* *in the area of finances* that *you give it without question*.

*2) **In the story* of the *rich young ruler* the *Bible says* that *he had great possessions*.

*When Jesus asked him to give it*, *he could no*t.

*a) **The great possessions he had*, *had him*.

*b) **God wants you have great things*, *but he doesn’t want the things to have you*.

*(i) **He wants to give you great possessions* *so* that *he can tell you what to do with it*.

*(ii) **When he says it’s time to give some here* *and* *to give some there* *he expects you to give it*, *to be a channel* for him.

*c) **But some* you are *not ready* for it.

*Some* of you *are not even tithing*.

*(i) **How can you say*, *“Money cometh?”* *How can you say money cometh* *and* *expect money to come* *when you’re not even in the divine program?*

*(ii) **If you’re not a tither* *you’re in the world’s system* *and* *not on the Word’s system*.

*(iii) **When you enter into the Word’s system of finances* *you must be a tither*.

*(a) **You could be chanting* *“Money cometh, money cometh, money cometh,”* *you might as well give it up* *because money ain’t coming* *unless you’re a tither*.

*3) **It is God’s will today* *in this end-time harvest* *to bless and prosper his people above all people of the earth*.

*God’s Word* *from cover to cover* *is filled with his promises concerning his supernatural provision* *and* *his abundance* *he desires to pour out upon his people.*

*a) **God wants to give his supernatural abundance*, *to those who qualify*.

*II) *The *FIRST PRINCIPAL *that I want to give you *to qualify* you it *is* *ALWAYS KEEP GOD 1ST*.

And *he’s not going to move until he knows that*.

*A) *Turn with me to *Matthew 6:33*.

*1) **Always keep God 1st.*

*a) **You might have to make an adjustment*.

*Is he 1st?*

*b) **You might be able to locate yourself* right now.

*Can he tell you to do*, *what he wants you to do*, *with what you have right now?*

*(i) **If he tells you to do something in the area of finances* right now, *will you obey Him?*

*(ii) **Is he 1st in your life*.

*As soon as you get a check in your hand* *you should be thinking about God*.

*2) **Ask yourself* this, *“Do you have God in 1st place in your finances?”*

*3) **We can sing* to God and *praise* Him, we can *clap* our hands and *dance* before Him, we can *worship Him*, *but if God says give it all to Him now* *will you obey Him?*

*a) **That’s when he’s in 1st place*.

*b) **Ask yourself*, *“Am I seeking God’s kingdom 1st* *or my kingdom.”*

*(i) **Seeking God’s kingdom 1st* *isn’t just praise and worship* *and* *reading his Word* *and living a moral life*.

*It’s a total package deal* *including your finances*.

*B) *The *2ND PRINCIPLE* you must pass *to qualify* for the Lord’s prosperity is this; “*GOD OWNS EVERYTHING AND I OWN NOTHIN*G.”

*1) **If you have this in your heart* *you’re not going to attach your self to things*.

*You might have things* *but things won’t have you*.

*a) *You have to *recognize* that *you are just a steward of God’s money* and things.

*b) *You see how *easy* it would be *to give to God* *if you have this attitude.*

*(i) **God could speak* to you *and say* *give some here*, *and you would say*, *“Okay God, it you’re money.”*

*2) **When he knows you’re* in *a steward* situation *than God will begin to pile it up on you*, *the blessing start flowing*.

*a) *It’s not easy to find a good steward, someone that will listen to Him and obey Him.

*b) **You can’t just come to church* *and sing* *and tell God how much you love him*.

All *those things are necessary* and important, *but* *God will locate you by your wallet*.

*(i) **It’s easy to come to church and pray in tongues*, *it doesn’t cost you anything* to pray in tongues.

*c) **God needs to be 1st* *and* *you need to realize that you are a steward* of God’s money.

*It all belongs to Him*.

*3) **If you get these principles down* *you wil    l become a money magnet*.

*Money* will begin to *come* to you *and* *overflow* in your life.

*a) **There’s no limit to what God will do for you*, *BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE THESE PRINCIPLES IN PLACE 1ST*.

*C) *The *3RD PRINCIPLE* IS *GOD’S 1ST*, *OTHERS 2ND*, *AND I’M LAST*.

*1) **Now* *most* *have this* thing *backwards*.

“*I’ll be 1st*, *God 2nd*, and *others last*.”

But it *doesn’t work that way*.

*a) **That’s where the rich young ruler missed it*.