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In the natural, God made seeds to work. If they're put in the right dirt, He gave each seed the ability to be stimulated by the soil, spring up, increase and bring forth fruit.


Here in Louisiana, we're good at growing oak trees. I've been told that Disney World actually gets a lot of its big trees from right here in Louisiana. New Iberia, of all places! They don't want puny, stick trees. They want the big ones! And it seems that New Iberia has a longer growing season than other areas of the country. The conditions there are right for growing oak trees.

When I started landscaping for Phase Two of the building project for our new International Headquarters, I was like good, ole Walt. I didn't want a stick tree that I had to wait a hundred years to see get to eight feet tall. I wanted some big trees! I figure if a stinking mouse and a fairy can have a big tree, then why can't a white-headed preacher?

I've been to Disney World and let me tell you something—they've got some beautiful landscaping in that place. But have you taken a look at the yards of most of the Pentecostal churches where you live? They don't have big trees. They've got shrubs the size of your shoe!

When it came time to do landscaping for our headquarters, I looked around at the barren wasteland (that is what it looks like after construction) and said, "Gimme the big stuff!" The landscapers rolled 18-wheeler trucks onto this property holding 24' tall trees on their beds. You should see the place now. It looks like Mickey Mouse is about to walk through the door to me. And do you know what? Those oak trees are taking off even more, because they're in good soil!

When it comes to sowing financial seeds, the place you choose to give is important. If you try and grow corn in Alaska, it's not God's fault if it won't grow. You just stuck your seed in the wrong mud. Alaska's conditions and mud just don't grow corn as easy as it does in other places.

If The Soil Ain't Right, Whatever You Sow Just Won't Grow
I don't care how many times you dig it out of the ground and move it around the yard. If it isn't in the right place, it won't grow. It will lie dormant unless the conditions change.

You don't have to go digging around in the dirt and finding out what's wrong with your seed when it's in the right place. Dirt-digging days are over when the seed is in good ground. When the ground is right, in due season those seeds will spring up, increase and bring forth like they should.

I see a lot of people going down to the seed to make sure that it has been planted right. Mentally, they move it around and around in their heads trying to figure out new ways to make the thing grow. But once a person knows that the ground they sowed in is good, trust has got to kick in so that the seed will grow.

Sowing a seed is about trust—trust in God's operational system. When you trust the system, you simply plant the seed and go trustfully away, believing that you heard from God and sowed correctly.

Don't Disturb The Seed, Disturb The Weeds!
When you trust in God's operational system, you don't waste time meddling around in the dirt, wringing your hands, hoping the seed will spring up. That's disturbing your seed. Instead, disturb the weeds! What are the weeds? There are two major ones—doubt and unbelief. You can take it to the bank that if you're worrying about it, you've got a weed. If you're doubting God's process, you've got yourself another weed. Both need uprooting for your faith to work.

I've made up my mind about giving. I refuse to waste time worrying about the seed I planted. How do I stop the worry and doubt? First things first—I pray about where I sow! Prayer helps me to know that I'm doing what God would have me to do, instead of just giving according to my emotions.

If you give at whim, it's just plain harder to have the certainty necessary to stand strong in faith for a harvest. 2 Corinthians 9:7 plainly says that we should give 1) with purpose, 2) not grudgingly, 3) not because it's a necessity and 4) cheerfully. You take the worry and doubt off the seed when you pray first and give according to the scripture.

You know how weeds are. Once they take root, killing them is tough. They can go through famine and drought. You could run over them with an 18-wheeler and the next day they'd still grow another 18 inches if it rained! That's what happens to doubt and unbelief if you don't kill it before it takes root in your heart.

Don't Put Your Seed In Shock
Another problem some people have is this—they're constantly jacking with their seed. Their doubt and worry causes them to never leave the seed alone. They're in the dirt all the time trying to do the seed's job, trying to make it work—working it over and over in their minds. But, a seed will go into shock if you mess with it too much! Double-mindedness hinders faith.

Learning how to go away trustfully and let the seed do its work is a part of God's process of sowing and reaping. God's process can't work when worry is always being showered over the seed.

I encourage you to get away from the "dig it out of the ground" days when it comes to your finances. Worrying, doubting and striving won't help you one bit. They sure won't help you get anything God has promised in His Word. Sowing in good soil and having faith in God's system is what will move you from seedtime to "Sprang up time!"

Living From Crisis To Crisis Isn't Living By Faith
I know some ministries that are always digging in the dirt. They could rename themselves "Dirt-Digger Ministries." They don't have faith in God's system. So, worrying gives them ideas to "raise money" for the good things they're doing. I've heard about ministries and churches that deliberately create a crisis when they need money in order to jerk on people's emotions so that they'll give.

Creating a crisis is wrong. It's not God's way; it's a religious man's logical way of getting finances. It sounds good to the natural man. It might even work for a while. But it's not what God wants us to be doing because it removes Him from the picture. It's like someone trying to get a harvest without ever planting a seed—they're digging around in the dirt, just hoping to find a carrot or two so they can make ends meet!

God has so much more for His people, whether they're in ministry or not. He put the sowing and reaping system into affect for everyone regardless of position, occupation or calling. And, He expects us to use it in faith and do it with a good heart.

Shower Your Seeds With Scriptures
That Declare God's Promises Every Day

Everything in the Word of God starts as a heart issue and finances are no different.  Let's face it, it's a lot easier to trust in God's system of sowing and reaping when you've got God's promises in your heart. And you do that by studying the Word of God, allowing it to dwell within you and then, speaking its promises over your own life. Nobody can do that for you. You've got to do that for yourself.

I shower my seeds with scriptures that declare God's promises to me every day.  I say good things about myself, because God says good things about me! And besides, why would I want to chime in with the devil? I don't need another person beating me down and making me feel less than I am. If nobody else is for me, at least I've got two people—God and me!

When it comes to the Word and finances, I know that I've got to believe it seven days a week for my faith to keep that seed on course to "sprang-up" time. Sunday shouting just doesn't cut the mustard if you don't believe it when Monday afternoon rolls around—do you understand what I'm saying? Faith is a lifestyle.

Going trustfully away never means leaving the Word, it actually means you dwell on the Word and it gives you the trust you need to keep the faith going. Remember, if you don't have the Word of God in your heart, you'll have a tough time declaring it. Shower the seeds you sow with scriptures that will enforce Satan's defeat and declare your victory.

I talk to myself in the mirror in the morning. You might think I'm crazy, but I stir up my gift with God's promises! And consequently, the gifts keep on coming to me! I'm blessed and I don't mind anybody knowing it. It isn't about lip service for me. I'm not quoting scriptures for nothing.

This is a heart thing for me! I latch hold of the Word and those scriptures keep my faith on track. There is power in the Word of God. There is even more power in a Child of God who is using that Word.

Look, I don't care if you have to talk to yourself in the mirror like I do—whatever works, do it! Whatever practical means you've got to take to keep you trusting in God's system of prosperity... do it!

Why I Preach Prosperity
There are some people who ask me why I talk so much about this subject. My response is pretty simple. It's in the Word! And besides, this is a conviction for me. How can I not speak of the things God has shown me? How can I not share the revelation He has given me? How can I not tell people that it has transformed my thinking and caused the greatest parable in the Bible to come alive to me personally?

Look at me! I'm living, walking proof that God blesses His kids. Do I look broke? I'm not. I used to be! But not anymore! God's operational system has changed all that.

He Was Made Poor So That You Might Become Rich
I was a poor kid whose parents got saved and started going to church! When people would ask me what religion I was I'd say, "Name one. I've been there." My Mama and Daddy were some searching people—but every church we found taught poverty was holy. I was spoon fed the stuff from childhood.

But, let me tell you something, God made a way for poverty to be eradicated when He sent His Son to the cross! He was made poor so that you would not have to be. He was stripped down to his naked flesh for you. They even took the Man's clothes!

I've got revelation on this prosperity thing! I know better now. I know I was taught wrong. Poverty is not good. Prosperity is not bad. It's the other way around and it's high time the church world knew it!

I have no other choice but to teach it, preach it and live it! If I don't do it, I make this Word that God has given me of no effect. And I refuse to let what I know stop with me! This must go forth so that others who were just like me can know without a shadow of doubt that God loves them and has made a way out of poverty and into prosperity through His Word!

Hold On! Hold Fast! Hold Out!
Study for yourself and allow the Lord to prove to you what is His will and His way concerning prosperity. Then, declare what He said and put your faith in what He promised you. Every scripture you declare is like flexing your faith muscle in the area of your finances.

Those scriptures are what will help you to stick to your commitment to leave the seed alone and go trustfully away. The bottom line is that committing to mentally leave the seed you sow alone is an exercise of faith on your part.

It's not about forgetting about the seed, because to do that would be negligent farming! It's about leaving the seed to do the work God created it to do—and showering it with the Word of God!

A Delay Is Not A Denial
Sure, delays happen. We're all human and Satan hinders us sometimes. But, remember this, he doesn't have the power to stop a Child of God. He doesn't have the power to stop you.  You can take back what's yours by simply not accepting the delay as a denial and by making a quality decision to put your faith back on course concerning the seed.

You make a choice when it comes to this when you ask yourself, "Will I let this hindrance steal my victory? Or will I put my foot on this devil's neck and take back what belongs to me?"

God is on your side! Never mistake a delay on your harvest for a denial from God. God doesn't deny His children the thirty, sixty or one hundred fold return. He set up sowing and reaping and He hasn't stopped it yet (Gen. 8:22). Just hold on to what God told you. Rebuke the devil off your finances and hold fast to His Word. Hold out until you get what was promised to you.

Remember, it isn't your job to know what method God will use to get your harvest to you. It's your job to simply pray about the soil, sow in good ground and use faith by believing in God's system enough to go trustfully away.

Shower your seed with the Word and that divine Word will fertilize the seed. "Sprang up" time is inevitable! God will give you more than you can receive if you just hold on, hold fast and hold out!

Jesse Duplantis Ministries
All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Author Biography

Jesse Duplantis
Web site: Jesse Duplantis Ministries
 
Jesse Duplantis is a dynamic evangelist who has traveled throughout the world since 1978 preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He is the founder of Jesse Duplantis Ministries (JDM), which has its International Headquarters in America and additional offices in the United Kingdom and Australia.
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