GROWTH PRINCIPLE #1

BEFORE WE CAN GROW WE MUST BELIEVE THAT GOD WANTS US TO GROW.

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Growth: increase in size and development, expansion, enlargement, addition multiplication, prosperity, success, something that is grown by a process.

A Growth Principle: is a spiritual law, command, truth or promise that causes God’s blessings, prosperity and increase to be activated in our lives. A principle works the same way for everyone, everywhere, at anytime and it does not change.

Illustration: There are 8810 promises/principles in The Bible.

1) GROWTH IS POSSIBLE IF WE BELIEVE.

Mark 9:23 (NLT) “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”

2) THE FIRST COMMAND GOD GAVE MAN WAS TO GROW.(God commanded and blessed man to be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth.)

Genesis 1:28 (NKJV) – Then God blessed them and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth…”

• Fruitful (parah): increase, grow, branch off, produce abundantly

• Multiply (rabah): become many, become numerous, enlarge, increase, multiply
(people, animals, things), to grow large, increase greatly

• Fill (malā): be full, overflow

• Truth: Whatever God commands us to do, He empowers us to do. Growth is a blessing.

3) JESUS EXPECTS US TO ALWAYS BE FRUITFUL & GROW.(We must resist the temptation of agreeing with an anti-growth mindset. Example: “I am content with a small ministry and I don’t want to grow.” Jesus is not ok with us being unfruitful.)

John 15:2 (NLT) He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more…. 8 When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.

4) GOD NEVER CREATES OR INVESTS IN ANYTHING WITHOUT EXPECTING IT TO GROW.(If we are not growing, we are not walking in the full blessing that God purposed for our lives. In this parable growth is expected, praised and rewarded. If we believe and invest the talent, resources and opportunities that God has given us we see growth and be rewarded with a promotion to manage more of God's resources and people.)

Matthew 25:14-30 (NKJV) – 14 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. 15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey… 19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ 21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’… 24 “Then he who had received the one talent came and said…I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ 26 “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant… you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents…

Truth: All who invest will experience growth. We don’t need to increase and grow at the same level, but we are supposed to grow.