TURNING WISDOM TO WEALTH

Ps. 107:2

Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;

We are redeemed already, but you must say so. Saying it affects your life positively. The enemy is the devil. We are sold to him by sin. A healthy mind follows instruction without struggle, it is vibrant. You must refuse to be sad.

1 Cor. 13:11

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

Here, Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost is telling us the marks of maturity. Mature men don"t say everything they are thinking. What portrays childishness is saying all your mind. There are things that must not be seen in you when you are growing.

Three things betray childishness

1. Speech

2. Understanding: G.o.d wants you to have a deeper understanding

3. Thought

We can see the immaturity of the prodigal son

Luke 15:11-12

11And he said, A certain man had two sons:

12And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.

He had little understanding, so he came to the father demanding for his portion of inheritance. Beloved no matter the inheritance you have but with little understanding, you will live like a slave.

Gal. 4:1

Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;

The heir means the owner. But without understanding, people go back into bondage. How can you be Lord of all? Lord over sickness, poverty and so on and yet these things are lording it over you. It is not wrong to be a child but you must not remain a child forever. As long as the heir refuses to grow, he will be under oppression. You must behave responsibly.

The prodigal son showed childishness in speech, in understanding, and in his thoughts. So the prodigal son was like Esau. He had inheritance that he did not labour for. He was the first born. So he took his birthright for granted, he despised the double portion. But Jacob desired it, so the day came that Jacob had the opportunity to obtain his desired birthright. That was the day Esau came home hungry and Esau exchanged the birthright for food. Esau had no discipline and he therefore forfeited the great blessing of his birthright.

The same was the problem of Adam. The garden was given to him and he lost it through disobedience. Beloved, don"t declare independence from G.o.d. Everybody carries a yoke whether of G.o.d or the devil.

The story of the prodigal son is about two brothers in a home of a father. G.o.d gave us freewill, but don"t use it against G.o.d. If you mature, you will not think that coming to G.o.d is bondage. When what excites you is outside G.o.d, then something is wrong. Every Christian has a portion with G.o.d; you don"t have to be envious of anybody.

The prodigal son was younger, and knew his right but knowing that is not enough. He knew he had a portion in the father"s house but he lacked understanding; he was looking for the power outside of his father"s provision.

Beloved, anything you don"t earn, you will lose. Spiritual law does not cancel natural law. You will not give a car to someone that learnt driving just only for two days, and ask him to take you on a long journey. You must safeguard your life by wisdom. Even prayer should not violate wisdom. He came to the father saying "give me instead of make me. He did not stay at home. He took his journey to a far country and refused to be made under his father"s supervision. Beloved, you must earn the trust of G.o.d. There is something you learn when you earn a thing. It makes you keep things. Why did the father allow him to go? You may ask- what you don"t learn by instructions, you will have to learn by experience. But experience is not the best teacher. Many have died in the process of wanting to learn by experience.

He left the house of the father believing in the confidence of the flesh. Beloved our lives must revolve round G.o.d.

Ps. 127:1-3

Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.

Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

When he was at home, the father looked after him. When he left, he had to look after himself. The presence of G.o.d is sufficient for you.

Lk. 15:13

13And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

When you spend your life outside divine supervision you are a waster. His father knew the danger ahead but he could not tell him. We must behave like Esther. She asked from those that knew the king what she would need to do to please the king. She was wise- when you are wise, you will be ahead. After many days of living independent of the father, the prodigal son found himself in the midst of swine. A sheep is not meant to stay in the mud but for a swine, the mud is a natural home.

He found himself in an untested environment started to feel the oppression and pressure that almost drained life out of him. So is the way of backsliders. But he was humble enough to remember he was not meant for the mud.

Lk. 15:17

17And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father"s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

Beloved the beginning of a healthy mind is when you can think through your situation. You should be proactive. You study the past and the future from the present. Although he came to himself, he was still in the midst of the swine. The beginning of solution is your mind. He came to the realization by thinking that the servants in his father"s house lived under better conditions. Beloved, once your mind is changed, it is a matter of time, your situation will change. Poverty can become prosperity; sickness can turn to health. It is the issue of the mind.

He could have died where he was. But he chose to swallow up his pride. Before life is over almost every man will have his turn to play a fool.

Many are not ready to turn. When the prodigal son changed his mind, his circ.u.mstance changed. Beloved, you must stay in the word and allow G.o.d to flush your mind with his word. It is not G.o.d that is withholding your miracle. The prodigal son"s speech changed because his mind has changed. Some don"t change because they don"t hear the word. Even when they hear, they don"t commit to the heart what they have heard.

G.o.d has tied prosperity to your mind. Many today don"t take spiritual things serious. Your eyes, ears, and mouth are the gates to your heart; G.o.d opens them intentionally to be the doors to your heart. May you find life through them in JESUS NAME.

Prov. 4:20-22

My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.

Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.

For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

Our level of growth is measured by our speech. When the prodigal son changed his mind, he went back home. G.o.d gave him a new garment, a new shoe and a ring. He entered into blessing. Beloved, help is waiting for you if you can renew your mind. Don"t wait for a benevolence, don"t go about with a mentality of "give me"; the spirit of "give me" makes other people G.o.d in your life. It is lack of self-dignity to be begging people before you can live. Don"t live by gift, your life should not be tied to men. When they don"t give you, you become offended and miserable.

Why should you be a believer and yet tie your life to one man, that unless he finances your life, you become depressed. Beloved, you must improve in your speech, understanding and your thought. They allowed the prodigal son to feed swine because they did not know where he came from.

They did not know his background. Beloved don"t stay among the pigs- Don"t allow your past to define you, you must go forward. The worthless friends of Job judged him by what he went through.

He cursed himself as if the trouble would never end. But G.o.d restored his lost glory. He challenged him and instructed him to pray for his friends, after which he turned around his captivity.

Job. 42:12

So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she a.s.ses.

Don"t let the devil magnify your issue. When one door closes, other doors will open. When the door of Jerusalem closed unto Jesus, the door to the Samaritans opened.

The woman with the issue of blood said within herself

Mk. 5:28

For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.

And she got her miracle. Your turn around begins when you think right and you say it. It must come from your heart. This woman got her understanding from the fact that it had already being prophesied that the garment of the Messiah would be anointed. Her time of opportunity came and she cashed in on it. G.o.d always gives advantage to people no matter what they have gone through. She has the right speech and good thoughts; she got a miracle that n.o.body had ever got in that circ.u.mstance.

Ps. 45:6-8

Thy throne, O G.o.d, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.

Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore G.o.d, thy G.o.d, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and ca.s.sia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad.

Prov. 6:2

Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.

There was n.o.body healed as a result of touching Jesus" garment before this account. Beloved you must outgrow childish thinking and understanding. Put away immature response. The father of the prodigal son left him to himself because he knew he would not listen. So he allowed experience to teach him. You don"t tell people all you know if you know they won"t listen. Why cast you pearl before swine. Why waste your time talking to someone deaf and dumb.

Prov. 13:2

A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence.

A champion is made by practice not just by knowing alone. When you speak, angels go to work. Learn to practice, speaking what G.o.d says for his intentions are his decisions

Ps. 91:1-3

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my G.o.d; in him will I trust.

Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

You will not abide in the secret place until you say so.

Prov. 18:20-21

A man"s belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

Therefore increase your capacity and level of confession. If you are bold enough to say G.o.d"s word, G.o.d will go to work. Nothing happens until you speak. If you change what you say, you will change what you see. Thought may persist, but thoughts unspoken die unborn.

Phil 4:8

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

You must learn to reject thoughts outside G.o.d"s word. And it shall be well with you. The blessing of G.o.d will overflow in your life.