Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha
Progressive increase is a function of progressive
processes, Isaac planted seed, reaped a hundredfold and God blessed him and he
began to prosper, continued prospering until he became very prosperous – he had
great number of flocks, herds and servants. Please, see Genesis Chapters 26
verses 12 to 14; 8 verse 22 and Psalm 85 verse 12.
Progressive increase is not a one off activity but a
series of progressive processes that birth increases that add up, multiply and
compound into progressive increases. God works in diverse and mysterious ways.
One of such ways is through progressive processes – the creation of the
universe and everything in it was a series of progressive processes. All power
belongs to God and it is possible for Him to create everything in an instant
yet He chose progressive processes. There must be very significant reasons for
doing so. Please see Genesis Chapter 1. Also, the building of Noah’s ark was a
series of progressive processes (Genesis Chapter 6). So also was the filling of
the ark with living things. Even the flood that destroyed the earth was not
instantaneous. It was a series of progressive activities – the breaking up of
the fountains of the great deep, the opening up of the windows of heaven and
the rain that fell for forty days and forty nights. In like manner the drying
up of the earth and reconstruction was also a series of progressive activities.
Please see Genesis Chapters 7, 8 and 9. Even the release of the Israelites from
Egyptian slavery and bondage was a series of progressive activities that cowed
Pharaoh into releasing the Israelites to leave Egypt. The journey through the
wilderness to the Promised Land was yet another series of progressive
activities.
Progressive increase therefore does not happen in an
instant. God promised Abraham descendants as numerous as the sand of the sea.
This did not happen in an instant. Over a period of time, the descendants came
through Isaac, the child of promise.
Financial increase, fame and power came to Joseph, a
descendant of Abraham through a series of progressive activities and events
that appeared to be huge obstacles in his path. Eventually, Joseph emerged a
global leader, a governor of great wealth and a father of two nations within
the nation of Israel.
For Daniel, increase also came through a series of
events orchestrated or allowed by God and designed to bring him to the pinnacle
of global leadership, success, fame, and financial and material prowess.
Nothing happened in an instant.
The journey of the widow of the indebted prophet to
financial freedom was a series of progressive activities – from seeing prophet
Elisha to borrowing many vessels, packaging the oil and selling the oil.
The virtuous woman of Proverbs Chapter 31 verses 10
to 31 engaged in a series of progressive and financially rewarding economic
activities that made her financially independent – buying, selling, producing.
Please see also Proverbs Chapter 13 verse 11.
This is not to say that financial windfalls do not
occur. Financial windfalls do occur but usually for a purpose. The seven years
of surplus harvests in Egypt for instance were divinely arranged to mitigate
the seven years of famine that followed the harvests. The unexpected windfall
from the hasty exit of the Syrians was orchestrated by God to cushion the
effect of the siege that had culminated in cannibalism - parents eating up
their children. This is usually not a regular occurrence. When Jesus fed the
multitudes with the limited food resources available, it was not a regular
occurrence. It happened twice and in very extenuous circumstances. Thereafter,
it did not happen again.
Beloved, windfalls are acts of God and will always
be a part of our human existence. However, they are not designed to be daily
events or occurrences. Usually, they are one off events designed to cushion or
mitigate droughts, famines, and challenges. Thereafter, the onus is on a person
to partner with God to till the garden of Eden He designed for that person to
enjoy its abundance through daily progressive activities that lead to
progressive increase and abundance as they add up, multiply and compound. The
parables of talents and the prodigal son both illustrate this principle.
The parable of talents addresses the issue of
progressive increase through progressive investment activities while the
parable of the prodigal son illustrates what a person devoid of understanding does
with a windfall – he wasted it on riotous living while his wealthy father and
brother continued earning in daily progressive activities.
Financial independence or abundance is a culmination
of a series of daily progressive financial investment activities or financially
rewarding economic activities. Therefore, engage in financially rewarding
economic activities and reap great financial rewards.
No comments:
Post a Comment