To participate in God's plan for increase, we must understand that it does not come the way the world thinks it should. We see this in the life of Jesus.

Jesus Himself was the Seed that would be sown to create a harvest of deliverance for all of mankind. He said:

The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.
(John 12:23-24)

His life was to be a seed that dies in the ground, but the result would be His life multiplied in people. Jesus went on to say how we would experience the same thing:

He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.
(John 12:25-26)

John the Baptist said, "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30).

To the world, this way of thinking looks upside down. That is not a natural way of thinking, but it is the way God works. The way up with God is first down. Increase is a result of what you give not what you get.

For your life to multiply, you must let go of your own life and sow it into His life. When you die to yourself, you will find that His life will now rise up in you. Your life is now His eternal, supernatural life. Then, the new life of God will be flowing within you. Philippians 2:5-11 describes this further:

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.

And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus first became as a man and let go of His position and reputation. He did not consider His equality with God a thing to cling to but became a bondservant. As the result of letting go, He was given a Name that is above every name.

You do not need to fear that God is going to degrade you or crush you. He is always working to lift you and build your life into something wonderful. However, it will always mean you will have to embrace His way—letting go of the way your flesh or reasoning works.

This is the way to godly increase. You sow the seeds, and God brings the increase. Then you reap the harvest and enjoy the fruit. Now you have something to give to others.

Source: Breaking Financial Barriers by Dennis Burke
Excerpt permission granted by Dennis Burke Publications