Throughout Scripture, God places special significance on the first.
The firstborn.
The firstfruits.
The first portion.
The first and the best.
Why?
Because the first portion reveals where our trust truly is.
Proverbs 3:9-10 says:
“Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.”
Notice the order in that verse.
First comes honor.
Then comes increase.
That is the principle of firstfruits.
Firstfruits is not about giving God leftovers after everything else is handled. It is choosing to put Him first before anything else touches what He has blessed us with.
That principle runs throughout the Bible.
Before Jericho fell, God told Israel that the first city belonged to Him. Before the harvest was fully gathered, the firstfruits were presented to God. Before anything else claimed priority, God did.
Why?
Because whatever is first reveals what is highest in our hearts.
Jesus echoed this same principle when He said:
“Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
Putting God first is not a loss.
It is alignment.
And I’ve seen the power of that principle personally.
Back in 2021, I held my very first Spirit Wind Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. It was the beginning of something the Lord had put in my heart—a gathering where Word and Spirit would move together.
I still remember standing up during that first conference to receive the offering.
At the time, I was twenty-five years old and the youngest minister in the room. I read from Romans 11:16:
“If the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy.”
Then I made a decision that surprised some people.
I told everyone that every offering received during that first conference would go entirely to the guest speakers and to the church hosting the meeting. None of it would go to me personally or even to my ministry.
Why?
Because I believed the first belonged to God.
I believed if the firstfruit was holy, then everything connected to it afterward could carry that same blessing and consecration.
Honestly, from a natural perspective, it did not necessarily make sense. When you are launching something new, there is always pressure to protect yourself financially. There is pressure to hold onto what comes in because you do not know what the future holds.
But faith honors God first.
And firstfruits has always required faith.
The widow who gave her last meal to Elijah understood that principle. Abel understood it when he brought the firstborn of his flock. Abraham understood it when he offered Isaac. Firstfruits have never been about convenience. It has always been about trust.
About a year after that first conference, a couple approached me and said the Lord had instructed them to personally give me ten thousand dollars.
I remember sensing the Holy Spirit quietly speak to my heart:
“You received this because you honored Me first.”
That moment deeply impacted me because it reminded me that God is never indebted to anyone.
You cannot put Him first and lose.
Now, this is important: firstfruits is not a gimmick to force God’s hand. It is not spiritual manipulation. God cannot be bought.
The principle of firstfruits is relational before it is financial.
It is the posture of saying:
“Lord, before I trust myself, I trust You. Before I honor my own wisdom, I honor Yours. Before anything else claims first place in my life, You do.”
That is why firstfruits carries such spiritual power.
Whatever is first sets the tone for everything that follows.
That is true spiritually, financially, and practically.
The first moments of your day matter.
The first priorities in your life matter.
The first place in your heart matters.
And when God truly has first place, it changes everything else downstream.
Romans 11:16 says:
“If the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy.”
In other words, when the first portion belongs to God, it affects everything connected to it.
That is the beauty of the firstfruits principle.
It is not about God trying to take something from us.
It is about inviting Him into everything that follows.
Because whatever we place in His hands first becomes positioned for His blessing, His direction, and His purpose.
Copyright © Murrell Ministries
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
At 18 years old, Elijah Murrell heard the Lord speak three life-defining words to his heart: "Preach Righteousness. Declare Faithfulness. Do Greater Works." Those words became the foundation of Murrell Ministries International and continue to shape everything he does in ministry today.
Elijah is the host of the Greater Than Podcast, which he launched on November 19, 2019. Since its debut, the podcast has reached listeners in over 70 countries worldwide, tackling real issues facing culture and the Church while bringing them back to the truth of God's Word. His teaching style is both practical and Spirit-filled, making deep truths relatable for everyday life.
Before stepping into full-time itinerant ministry, Elijah gained hands-on experience that prepared him for the calling he walks in today. He served as an intern for a television ministry in Texas, where he learned the importance of excellence, vision, and media in advancing the Gospel. Later, he spent a term as an associate pastor in Atlanta, investing in people's lives, preaching, and shepherding a local congregation. These seasons gave him a depth and perspective that continue to fuel his heart for the global Church.
On February 4, 2021, Elijah was set apart as an associate member of Faith Life International under his spiritual parents, Keith and Phyllis Moore. Today, Elijah travels full-time across the U.S. and beyond, preaching an empowering message of righteousness, faith, and the supernatural life available in Christ. His passion is to see believers awakened to their identity in Christ—living boldly, walking in victory, and doing greater works by the power of the Holy Spirit.
(When he is not traveling, Elijah enjoys movies, classic television, sporting events, and Batman)
