Summary:

God’s blessing responds to the diligent worker. Work provides a channel through which God’s empowerment to prosper can manifest in the natural realm. Idle people cannot partake of God’s covenant of blessing. You must work diligently if you expect to see increase in your life.

1. Lack is usually associated with idleness or “the folding of the hands” (Proverbs10:4; Matthew 20:1-18).
   
   1. You are commanded to work (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12).
      
      
   2. The blessings of God will never override idleness.
      
      
   3. Idleness and laziness prevent the blessings of God from reaching you.
      
      1. Work is the “catcher” of God’s blessing in the natural realm.
         
         
   4. The diligent worker will experience increase and promotion; however, a slothful or deceitful person will be brought under the rule of another (Proverbs 13:4; Proverbs 12:24).
      
      
   5. There should not be any laziness or injustice among Christians (Proverbs 13:23).
      
      1. Christians should be the best employees.
         
         
      2. Don’t look for ways to deceive your employer by wasting time and money on the job.
         
         
      3. You can lose your job when you cost the owner money.
         
         
      1. The anointing will find you when you are working.
         
         
      
      
   6. Get out of the “servant” mentality and into the “owner” mentality.
      
      
   7. If you work hard, you will bear fruit.
   1.  
      1. Your prosperity is determined by what you do.
         
         
      
      
   2. Jesus and the Father are constantly at work. They are your examples (John 5:17).
      
      
   3. Increase responds to your personal input as a covenant person.
      
      
   4. Whatsoever you do prospers (Psalm 1:3). 
   5. God responds to the diligent with blessings (Proverbs 12:11, AMP).
      
      
   6. Continue to be diligent about your work.
      
      
   
   
2. God gives increase when you do your part (1 Corinthians 3:6).
3. You must work to prosper.
   1. All of the blessed patriarchs in the Bible were hard workers.
      1. Abraham was a 75-year-old cattle rancher.
         
         
      2. As a farmer, Isaac sowed during a famine and received a harvest that same year (Genesis 26:12).
         
         
      3. Jacob was a specialist farmer who worked for Laban for seven years, and the Lord’s blessing reached him.
         
         
   2. According to the law of diligence, something has to open up for you.
      
      
   3. If the patriarchs worked, you have no excuse to be idle.
      
      
   4. If you are lazy, insufficiency is inevitable. You will find yourself a beggar (Proverbs 20:4).
      
      
   5. “Fast” money will dwindle away (Proverbs 13:11). It is only through diligent labor that you will acquire lasting riches.
      
      
   6. Don’t wait for the conditions to be “just right” before becoming a diligent sower (Ecclesiastes 11:4).
      
      1. Your conditional giving exposes a heart of greed that God cannot bless or increase.

Scripture References:

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• Proverbs 10:4
• 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12
• Proverbs 13:4
• Proverbs 12:24
• Proverbs 13:23
• Proverbs 12:11, AMP
• John 5:17
• 1 Corinthians 3:6
• Psalm 1:3
• Genesis 26:12
• Ecclesiastes 11:4
• Proverbs 20:4
• Proverbs 13:11
• Matthew 20:1-18

Pastor Robert Bagonza

Redeemed Church

www.mrolec.org