Promise 5: He Who Gathers by Labor Will Increase

“Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished, but he who gathers by labor will increase” (Proverbs 13:11 NKJV).

Do you want the Lord to increase you, instead of just letting you stay at the same level all your life–or worse, going backward? Do you long to increase in anointing, joy, power, victory, wealth, health, prosperity of every kind, healthy friendships, happiness, and strength?

If so, then it’s time to pray aggressively for the Lord to not only bless the work of your hand, but to actually give you increase in every way as well.

Today, we are claiming the promise that “he who gathers by labor will increase.”

This verse really stuck out to me one day recently. Here’s what happened:

One day, I was exhausted from working very hard for an extended period of time. However, I felt like I wasn’t getting anywhere with my work.

Although I could definitely see results from my labor, I didn’t feel like it was taking me higher. I just felt like my work had me in a place of sustaining–but I was working so hard that the “sustaining” didn’t really seem worth it. I felt like, and still feel like, that hard work at that level should bring increase.

Therefore, when I read Proverbs 13:11 and saw God’s promise that “he who gathers by labor will increase,” alarm bells went off in my spirit.

Why? Because I could see on the page in front of me that the results I wanted were promised to me by God. BUT, I also realized that I had never thought to pray for that result–actual increase as a result of my hard work–to happen in my life!

I mean, I’ve prayed for the Holy Spirit of increase to rest on me in all I do. And that is a great prayer; a powerful prayer. But I had never specifically prayed that all my work would bring me increase.

Additionally, as I was pondering these things, Holy Spirit brought 1 Corinthians 3:5-9 to my remembrance. This passage says:

“Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.

So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building” (1 Corinthians 3:5-9 NKJV, emphases mine).

In the passage above, we see Holy Spirit (who dictated the Scriptures personally) telling us that GOD is the One who gives the increase. Additionally, we see that God rewards Spirit-led labor. And that hit me hard, because we can work all we want to–but unless God gives the increase, our work is futile.

And for God to give the increase, we must pray for increase.

As I pointed out here, in this teaching article about spiritual warfare and how your answers have been dispatched …

Your prayers give God permission to move in your life. Psalm 115:16 says this:

“The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s; but the earth He has given to the children of men” (Psalm 115:16).

All authority in heaven and earth belongs to Jesus, but He has delegated authority over the earth to us as His “middle managers.” That’s why we’re kings and priests unto our God.

And God respects free will.

He respects the “middle managers” He has appointed. So, if we want Him to move in the spheres over which He has delegated authority to us, we have to ask Him to do so. We have to ask Him to move. That “asking Him to move” is called “prayer”–continuous prayer.

So if we want increase in our lives …

… if we want our work to actually bring us increase, and not be futile …

… then we have to ask God for increase.

That means we have to pray the Scriptures about increase back to Him. And when it comes to Proverbs 13:11:

“Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished, but he who gathers by labor will increase” (Proverbs 13:11 NKJV).

… then we have to pray that the Lord would add His increase to our labors, so that we who gather by labor truly would increase.

This promise gives me hope, and I hope it gives you hope too.

Here’s why:

• It promises that, with God’s help, our labor really will do some good. Our work is important, and will produce good results.
• It promises that our labor will not only do good for others (your boss, your company, your coworkers, your customers), but it will do you some good.
• And it carries the inherent premise that God will protect you from anything that would cause you to DECREASE.

Thank You, Lord Jesus. Thank You, Abba Father.

He who gathers by labor will increase.

It’s a beautiful promise–and a far more important promise than it probably appears to be at surface level. So why not pray it today?

• Just pray and ask the Lord to help you gather by your labor.
• But then, remind Him of His promise to bring you INCREASE as you labor and gather.
• Point out to Him that He is the only One who can give the increase, and ask Him to do so.
• Thank Him, and give Him all the praise!

Did this word about “he who gathers by labor will increase” speak directly to your heart today? If so, leave a comment below!