On Sowing and Reaping
Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the LORD blessed him. Genesis 26:12 One of the ways that we experience God’s blessing on our lives is to sow during times of drought. While everyone else is saving for a better day, you and I can trust God to prosper us even when the economy is looking bad. In 2007 - 2008 when the economy of the USA tanked, I had the greatest year of my life financially (up to that point). I have had better financial seasons since, but that was one amazing year. When everyone else in North America seemed to be battening down the hatch for the storm that was upon our countries, Lydia and I began to sow wildly and expect wildly. We were not disappointed. We had saved about $5,000.00 for our house. Independently of each other we heard God say that he wanted us to sow this into the Kingdom. Lydia had been watching a Patricia King show where she heard the testimony of a young couple who had done the same thing and within six months they owned their own home. When she told me this story, I was very excited because God was challenging me to do the same thing! So we sat down and wrote 8 or 9 cheques to sow seed into different ministries that we both wanted to bless. Within six months, I had the highest paying job I had ever had in my life working for the Government of Canada. I ended up getting a permanent job during the financial crisis of 2008. What seemed impossible with man, was possible for God. We also got our first home and within two years sold it at a profit and then bought a one-acre property where our growing family of five children had a private playground and a soccer field as their backyard. Isaac in the above scripture sowed during a time of drought in the land. He didn’t just receive a harvest he received a hundred times the amount that he sowed. God rewards those who hear his voice and are obedient. I had a dream a few nights ago. In it, Jesus appeared to me and said, “Darren you have never gone without money in your pocket since the time that you have known me…” I said, “Yes that is true.” I continued and said, “Ever since I spent those three years studying Kenneth Copeland’s writings I have never lacked financially.” And this is the truth. Many years ago, I bought his books, CDs and DVDs and sowed into his ministry, because he was teaching something that I wanted to know. I wanted to access the wealth of heaven. My dad in heaven is a very rich man. He isn’t cheap either. Those that learn to access his voice and walk in his identity for their lives will begin to see that they were born for greater things. God wants you to possess the lands. He wants you to have homes. He wants your families to be blessed. A lot of Christians get angry with this message. Perhaps some of you reading this are upset now. If so, you must ask yourself why would you ever serve a God that was not able to bless your life? The problem is that some of you are wired to think what I just said is “Name and claim it.” That is not what I am saying. You need to seek God for the blessings that he wants you to have and then you must enter into them. Joshua and Caleb were told by God to enter the Promised Land. An entire generation did not enter that land, because they didn’t believe that God could strengthen them to face the giants there; so they laid down and died in their wilderness. Joshua and Caleb on the other hand, believed God and inherited the bounty that laid before them. They even killed the giants that lived there. They faced the impossible, because they had a word from God. How many of us would have much more, if we waited to hear God’s voice? What could you have possessed if you only heard and believed? Many of you were meant to do more, but you have sunk into less. You allowed your fears to overcome you, instead of trusting God to bless every part of your life. For me, I know in my heart that it is impossible for God not to bless me. These include times of drought. When anxiety and fear try to crash against me, I just shout out to God and say, “Lord, show me how you are going to bless me.” Inevitably his word hits my spirit. I get a dream or a vision which shows me the blessings that are coming, and then his word is like manna to my heart (Matthew 4:4). It becomes the sword that I fight with (Ephesians 6). I wouldn’t be challenging you like this way, if it didn’t work. Trusting God for everything is the most exciting life to live. The greatest joy in my life is to live by faith not knowing how things are going to work out, but to see them work out every time. Having a wife that believes and trusts the same way is also amazing. My wife is wilder than I am. As a result, we have been multiplied many times over. You can trust this great God. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10) and knows how to get it to you. He doesn’t always provide the same way but always provides. He is creative in his support for your life. I pray that you begin to understand these words and that you learn not to resist them but to ingest them. I pray for you today. I know that it can be difficult. I also have faced my battles. I know what this life is like. But ever since I turned to the one true God, Yahweh, his peace has filled me as I trust him to bless me like he says he will. I pray that you hear his voice and also boldly respond. I pray that you will enter the greatest chapter of blessing that your life has ever known. May you become strength for many and may you bring hope to the hopeless. Blessings to you, Darren
