Dear Partners and Friends,
As I was returning from Little Rock, Arkansas to De Soto, Kansas in the beginning of 2014, I was thinking about some of the assignments the Lord had been dealing with me to accomplish. As many of you know, I began learning the Spanish language almost seven years ago in order to minister the Gospel to our Hispanic community. We had translated Pressure? No Problem! and Intervention Prayers into Spanish. We launched our television program in the Spanish format and expanded to the Hispanic network called Almavision. The Lord had instructed me to make myself available to pastor in Little Rock. I volunteer monthly in the state prison system of Kansas and had just completed the development of our Bible college curriculum into the Spanish language. Many things were on my to-do list and The Lord was adding to my list.
I was counting the cost. I was preparing myself for the responsibility of weekly travel to Little Rock, the work involved in the launching of a brand new work, and the limitations it would place on my administrative role in my home church, Faith Builders International. I calculated the transportation needs, the financial needs, the need for an increase on my staff. As these things were tallying up in my mind, I heard the voice of the Lord in my heart. He said, “You must increase!”
My first thought was, “I have been trying to tell You that, Lord.” I was so caught off guard that the Lord was telling me, “Michelle, you must increase.” I wanted to increase and had desired it for some time. I needed to increase and had needed increase for some time. Like the child who has experienced a growth spurt and now his pants legs are too short, I had many places that were stretched thin in my life. I could have told Jesus that I needed to increase! Instead He is telling me that I need to increase.
I realized at that moment I have a part to play. I began searching the scriptures for increase. I put those verses in my mouth and wrote them on the table of my heart. I am currently in training for increase. Then the Word of the Lord came to Faith Builders Fellowship at the beginning of this year saying this year will be a year of expansion, multiplication, and increase. “Expansion, multiplication, and increase are on my mind. Press in! Press in! You have access to all that is mine. The only limits are those that are self-imposed. So push through the barrier of what has been, what is, and what you can see. Expansion, multiplication, and increase will take care of all these. So prepare. Get ready to go. I’ve opened the doors and prepared the roads. Each week and each month will bring more increase. You will see this is the plan for 2015!”
As a partner with this ministry, I encourage you to press in and prepare. The Lord wants to increase us and He needs us to participate in the increase. Our part involves taking the Word about God’s provision, God’s blessing, and our inheritance in Christ Jesus and planting that Word into our hearts. According to Jesus’ teaching in the parable of the sower in Mark chapter four, the seed is planted in the heart by speaking it. It says, “when they heard the Word.” You can give voice to God’s Word every day and deposit it into the ground of your heart. As you go to bed at night and get up in the morning, the seed will spring and grow up (Mark 4:27). You don’t have to fully understand how the declaration of God’s Word into your heart can change your life to reap the benefit of the Word harvest.
I want to share some of my favorite increase seeds with you. Give them your focus and give them your voice. My family, we must increase for His glory!
“And [God] Who provides seed for the sower and bread for eating will also provide and multiply your [resources for] sowing and increase the fruits of your righteousness [which manifests itself in active goodness, kindness, and charity].” – II Corinthians 9:10 (AMP)
“The Lord shall increase you more and more, you and your children”. – Psalms 115:14
“He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and suffereth not
their cattle to decrease.” – Psalms 107:38
“And he increased his people greatly; and made them
stronger than their enemies.” – Psalm 105:24
“And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.” – Exodus 1:7