Increase is both a fact and a sign of life. It is in the DNA of the universe. Really, there is a scientific consensus that the universe is still expanding. At the human level, God also has a plan for our lives to increase. This is made plain in our text. God’s commitment to increase does not stop with one generation but with all generations. Please note that to God increase is not an afterthought. He made man and imbued him with the power to be fruitful. So lack of increase is an aberration.
God’s commitment to increase does not stop with one generation but with all generations…He made man and imbued him with the power to be fruitful. So lack of increase is an aberration.
When you see a perpetual lack of increase, it is your responsibility to look for the stoppers and remove them. At one point, Joshua’s campaign suffered a setback. God asked him to look into the camp to remove the stopper; otherwise he would not be able to make further progress. Achan’s sin was the stopper on that occasion. When he was eliminated, they returned to winning ways. Similarly, Jesus stood by the grave of Lazarus and told the people to roll away the stone. That stone was a stopper of some sort. When they rolled it away, Lazarus was brought back to life. This is a strong principle for going up in life. Look inward! Too often, people blame their predicament on external forces, some unnamed enemies from their village. However, the greatest enemy lies within each of us. If you conduct an honest assessment of your life, you may soon discover that the bulk of what constitutes stoppers to your quest for progress lies within. As you deal with them, you will find yourself on the path of progress this year.