Management for Kingdom Increase
God’s intention is for our increase. And the way to achieve this is for our proper management of the resources His resources in creation.
Genesis 2
4 This is the history of the heavens and of the earth when they were created. In the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens–
5 When no plant of the field was yet in the earth and no herb of the field had yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not [yet] caused it to rain upon the earth and there was no man to till the ground,
6 But there went up a mist (fog, vapor) from the land and watered the whole surface of the ground–
7 Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath or spirit of life, and man became a living being. [I Cor. 15:45-49.]
8 And the Lord God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden [delight]; and there He put the man whom He had formed (framed, constituted).
9 And out of the ground the Lord God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight or to be desired–good (suitable, pleasant) for food; the tree of life also in the center of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of [the difference between] good and evil and blessing and calamity. [Rev. 2:7; 22:14, 19.]
10 Now a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from there it divided and became four [river] heads.
11 The first is named Pishon; it is the one flowing around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold.
12 The gold of that land is of high quality; bdellium (pearl?) and onyx stone are there.
13 The second river is named Gihon; it is the one flowing around the whole land of Cush.
14 The third river is named Hiddekel [the Tigris]; it is the one flowing east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.
15 And the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to tend and guard and keep it.
What do managers do?
Follow the laid down policies
Oversee the daily running of the organization
Plan budget, time, resources and provide direction
Recruit, deploy staff and manage relationships
Some points from Gen 2
- Because there was no man, there was no rain (symbol of the blessing) and because there was no rain, there was no growth. When a man who is willing to take responsibility is available, God sends the blessings and the assignments
- Is it possible you are experiencing the mist of blessing in your life when rain is possible?
- When God found a man, in this case, he made one, he immediately planted a garden, and he made provision and work.
- He made provision for expansion if the man got interested
- The man is to tend (cultivate) and guard (protect) and keep (care) the garden. That is management.
Until there is a man to take this responsibility, the overflowing blessing of God is withheld.
So it is dangerous to show signs of mismanagement of whatever is in your care because it determines your promotion.
The Principles of Management for Kingdom Increase involves the following:
- You own nothing. Everything in the kingdom belongs to the King. It belongs to God and takes the pressure from you.
Rev 4:11
“You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created
and have their being.”
- You manage everything in your possession and will give account for them. That is where you have to take responsibility for what is in your care, and channel it for better results. Manage your mind, your relationship, your properties everything
Luke 16:
1 ALSO [Jesus] said to the disciples, There was a certain rich man who had a manager of his estate, and accusations [against this man] were brought to him, that he was squandering his [master’s] possessions.
2 And he called him and said to him, What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management [of my affairs], for you can be [my] manager no longer.
3 And the manager of the estate said to himself, What shall I do, seeing that my master is taking the management away from me? I am not able to dig, and I am ashamed to beg.
3. God won’t give you more than you can manage.
Matt 25:14-30
14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag,[a] each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.
4. Your increase starts when you value what you have and take responsibility for its increase
Matt 25
16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’
21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’
23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’
5. In the kingdom, it is okay for the rich to be made richer, for those who have much to have more. He doesn’t take from the rich or reduce them to give to the poor.
Matt 25:26-30
26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Parable of the Talent.
Luke 16:
10 He who is faithful in a very little [thing] is faithful also in much, and he who is dishonest and unjust in a very little [thing] is dishonest and unjust also in much.
11 Therefore if you have not been faithful in the [case of] unrighteous mammon (deceitful riches, money, possessions), who will entrust to you the true riches?
12 And if you have not proved faithful in that which belongs to another [whether God or man], who will give you that which is your own [that is, the true riches]?
Everything in your hand now is a test. Pass the management test and the King will ensure your promotion