I used to have a real hard time receiving from God. I would give, give and give but I always seemed to feel guilty about receiving anything in return.
Of course, I’d had a lifetime of “you’re not worthy” stuck in my head and that’s probably the main reason why. But there were a few other reasons too. One of them is what I can now call “the fear of men” (Isa. 51:7; Ps. 31:19).
The first time God really blessed me with abundance, I took about five steps back and said, “Whoa, God. I’m not worthy. Really, Lord. I’m really not worthy. You can’t give me this. I just can’t take it.”
But He just said, “Enjoy yourself.” I said, “Oh…but I can’t. People are going to talk, Lord. Are you sure about this?”
“Well, I wouldn’t give it to you if I weren’t sure. Go ahead, enjoy it,” He replied.
Everyone But Me…
I’d always loved blessing others. But when it came down to me I’d think, “Oh, I can’t take this. I’m a minister of the Gospel and people worry about how much material stuff we have. I can’t have anything like that. I’m a preacher.”
And do you know what? It took me a while before I could receive with a good heart. Chipping away at that old religious mind-set could have been much harder had God not given me a good reprimand, though. And you know, it took that reprimand from God to convince me that I really was worthy of receiving financial blessing.
He made me see that I should be blessed not just because of anything I’d done, but because of what Jesus had done! He made me worthy through His blood. And preacher or no preacher, I’m now entitled to everything that blood bought!
If you’re not a minister, you might not understand what a liberation that is. Let me explain. You see, if you’re a preacher, people are always eyeing what you’ve got. They want to know how much money you make, what kind of car you drive, where you got your shoes and what’s in your fridge!
Unless you’re dirt poor and struggling with an illness, it seems like everybody thinks you’re a slimeball! And that can wear on you. It’s like being convicted daily when you haven’t done anything wrong.
People always cock their head back, sneer and say, “How much did you pay for that, Reverend?” insinuating that I must be a crook if I’ve got something nice. Many times I’d find myself trying to convince them that I’m “one of the good ones.”
When they sarcastically say, “Oh, isn’t that nice?” I knew they really meant “You must have spent a bundle, Reverend. I wonder where you got that kind of dough?” Then I’d find myself stuttering, “Uh, uh, well thanks. I got it on sale—50 percent off!”
What I really wanted to say was, “Oh, that old thing? My wife got that at the junkyard down the street from our run-down shack. But she’s handy. She slapped a coat of discontinued paint on it, tightened a few rusty screws with a 10-year-old butter knife and well, there it is! Nice, huh?”
No More Excuses
But one day the Lord reprimanded me for talking and thinking like that. It was just after someone had questioned me about something materialistic and I was feeling kind of guilty for having something so nice.
In the middle of my pity party the Lord said, “Jesse, what are you doing? Just tell them I gave it to you. If they have any problems tell them to come talk to Me about it! Don’t you ever make an excuse for My blessings in your life!”
And it has been my motto on prosperity ever since: never make an excuse for the blessings of God in your life. It’s exactly what the Lord told me to do and I don’t feel bad about obeying Him.
I’m not a greedy man and I’m no crook. Nobody can make me feel guilty for God’s blessings. I’m a giver, so I’m bound to be a receiver! I love to bless others and I love to be blessed! And there ain’t a devil in hell who’s going to make me feel guilty for going out in the field and gathering up my harvest!
I love what a good friend of mine says when somebody asks him, “How much money do you make?” He is a minister just like me and he always says, “I don’t make money. I live by my giving. What I sow is what I reap. Don’t get mad at me if I’m blessed. I can’t help it, I just keep on sowing and I just keep on reaping. My heavenly Father meets all my needs according to His riches in glory.”
That is so true and I love it so much that I’ve adopted my friend’s reply as my own. I live by my giving! I sow and I reap! I can’t out-give God because He’s too much! Of course I’m blessed! How could I not be? Just look at Who my Dad is.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Jesse Duplantis, minister of the Gospel, motivational speaker, television personality, and best-selling author, has been in full-time ministry since 1976 and is the founder of Jesse Duplantis Ministries, located in the Greater New Orleans area of south Louisiana in the United States of America. With over four decades of sharing his unique blend of humor and faith around the world, generations of believers have been inspired by his messages and countless numbers have come to know Jesus Christ as Savior through his ministry.
Known for his unflinching, status-quo-breaking messages and humorous take on experiences in the life of the believer, Jesse continues to draw large audiences of believers through social media, television, and meetings held around the world. With speaking engagements booked years in advance, Jesse Duplantis continues to keep an intense traveling schedule, flying throughout the United States and the world preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. With no booking agents pursuing meetings for him and no set fees imposed upon churches for speaking engagements, Jesse chooses his outreach meetings based on the same two criteria he always has: invitations that come in and prayer over each one. This uncommon way of scheduling in today’s world means Jesse’s many followers may find him speaking in some of the largest churches and venues in America and the world, as well as a great many small and growing congregations, too. No church is too big or small for the Holy Spirit, as he says.
Side by side with his wife Cathy Duplantis, the co-founder and chief of staff of Jesse Duplantis Ministries and the senior pastor of Covenant Church in Destrehan, Louisiana, Jesse continues to fulfill his life’s calling by daily taking up the Great Commission of Jesus Christ: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). Through social media, television broadcasts, books, and other ministry products, as well as through many evangelistic meetings, the JDM website, the JDM app, and Voice of the Covenant magazine, Jesse Duplantis continues to see growth in his ministry and expand each year while maintaining his roots. Jesus is the center of his life. The salvation of lost people and the growth of believers is the purpose of his ministry. And for both he and his wife, every day is another day to “Reach People and Change Lives, One Soul at a Time.”