Non-negotiable requirements for growth

“Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.” Job 8:7

“There was a man named Jabez who was more honorable than any of his brothers. His mother named him Jabez because his birth had been so painful. He was the one who prayed to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and expand my territory! Please be with me in all that I do, and keep me from all trouble and pain!” And God granted him his request.” 1Chronicles 4:9-10 (NLT).

God granted Jabez his request because it was and is still in line with His will for his children. I am not aware of any parent who does not desire the growth of his children.

Notice however that his change did not come until he did something.

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You must understand that there are conditions we need to fulfil if we are going to increase.

Let us look at some of them.

1. Growth requires vision. Genesis 11:3-4. They had a very clear vision of the tower they wanted to build in Babel. Jabez saw himself differently from how his parents saw him. They associated him with pain, difficulty, poverty and littleness. He was able to visualize something better and bigger and a more prosperous life. He cried out and reached out for it.

You need to see something better if you are going to have something better. You cannot possess what you cannot perceive. As far as your eyes can see. Everything happens in your mind before it happens in your life. So your size is limited by your sight. Your size is determined by your sight.

Vision does not speak at the beginning especially a huge vision. Habakkuk 2:2-3.

At the end, it shall speak! That prophetic season of fulfilment has come!

2. Growth requires planning. Luke 14:28 says, “For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?” Remember, only tower planners become tower builders. Planning helps you determine the resources needed and how to get them, the challenges envisaged and how to tackle them, the required tasks so as to schedule them, the results expected so as to measure and evaluate them to determine progress, etc. Planning saves you time, resources, energy, and protects you against failure. Success belongs to the man with the plan. If you are not achieving your desired result, don’t change the vision change the plan!
3. Growth requires resources. The people who wanted to build the Tower of Babel knew the materials they needed and got them ready. Genesis 11:3. But the most important is human resources. The bigger you want to grow, the more people you need to participate. Whether it’s building the church, an organisation, a nation, you need people, lots of people. A nation that does not value its human resources will lose them and consequently will not grow fast and bigger.
4. Growth requires passion. Every accomplishment begins with a strong desire. It takes a strong desire to produce great results. When you find a man of great passion you find a man of great results! When you find a man of great passion you find a man of great position! It is your passion that distinguishes you from the rest.
5. Growth requires God. That is the reason for passionate prayer. Jabez’ hunger for change drove him to pray passionately. He got answers! 1Chronicles 4:9-10 (NLT). Same with Hannah! You don’t pray casual prayers when destiny is on the line. You travail to birth souls into the Kingdom (Isaiah 66:8) and travail to get them established (Galatians 4:19). EVERY DELIVERY REQUIRES LABOUR! It takes praying for the lost to get them converted.

Your prayer for enlargement must begin with prayer for the enlargement of the church. Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. When you pray for the multiplication and advancement of the church, your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly (Matthew 6:6).

6. Growth requires effort. “He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.” Proverbs 10:4. He remains small who is unwilling to work. Personal growth requires personal effort; likewise corporate growth requires corporate effort. For Isaac to grow his business and finances, he had to cultivate a very large expanse of land and sowed seeds even when the conditions were not favourable. It was the time of famine. But he was rewarded with a hundredfold return!
7. Growth requires good health. “But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.” Malachi 4:2. Whether it is an individual, a company, church or nation, health is required for growth. A healthy economy is a growing economy. A healthy nation is a growing nation. God will heal your mind, body, business and everything that needs healing and you will grow and become very great, in Jesus Name!

This is the mind of God: GREAT INCREASE!! It doesn’t matter how small you start, God wants you to become really big at the end. This applies to an individual, a church or a corporate organization. Most people make the mistake of wanting to start big; start small while retaining your goal of a great outcome. Stay with it, be committed to it and soon your dream will be fulfilled.

Get ready for explosive growth in every area of life, in Jesus Name.

Bishop Dr Charles Olowojoba is the General Overseer of Dayspring Bible Church Worldwide with HQ in Abuja, Nigeria & President, Dayspring Christian Ministries Int’l.