The Instinct to Increase

T.D.Jakes @ Lakewood Church

• "If you don't break up with fear you can miss your destiny."
• "Jesus died not to give us religion, but to give us relationship."
• Matthew 25:14-29 KJV
  For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
• Consider the culture and the context of the time. 

1. This was being told in a caste society: whatever you are born into is what you are supposed to be. 
2. There was no responsibility in a caste system for anyone to uplift anyone or I interact outside of your circle.
3. Slaves were forbidden from owning anything.

• The servants had been gifted.

1. We all have things that we did not earn.
2. I'm an asset not a liability.
3. In spite of...

• God assesses your abilities.
  

1. Not equally... (people who compare themselves to others will never be happy. You should be comparing what you got to what you had.)
2. God is not fair, but he is just. He only gives you what you can handle. (All three men received an opportunity; God wouldn't give me the opportunity if I couldn't handle it)

• Most extremely gifted people are also lonely.
  

1. The gift set them apart from the other slaves.
2. The isolation is an opportunity for you to work your magic.

• Matthew 25:19 NLT...After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money.

1. I don't need to give an account for what he gives me.
2. You have to be excellent on your own level. If you are excellent on your level then God will allow you to break some walls, shatter some ceilings, and step into another dimension.
3. Winners don't bury their talent and expose their fear; winners burt their fear and expose their talent.
4. All 3 servants received the same information but they processed it differently.

• The determining factor for the outcome is not the command, it's the instinct.

1. Though they were slaves, at least 2 of them weren't thinking like slaves.
2. Slaves only obey orders, masters follow their instincts.1