Noah The Real Story: God Always Extends Chance After Chance, Opportunity After Opportunity

Noah─The Real Story
Sunday, 13 April 2014
Overview
1. Introduction—know the Holy Word, not Hollywood
2. The back story: The devil tries to prevent the prophecy
3. Enter Noah: God’s plan to save mankind
4. Every facet of Noah’s Ark is a picture of Jesus and His finished work
5. There is supernatural grace for your entire family to be saved!
6. Safe in the ark: Your salvation is eternal and secure!
7. Today, the curse has been reversed!
8. Because of the cross, God can no longer be angry with you!
9. Closing Prayer
Introduction—know the Holy Word, not

Hollywood
Pastor Prince addresses the controversial Hollywood movie, Noah. He shares with the
congregation that the movie is biblically-inaccurate, and wants to bring the truth of
God’s Word to light.
Pastor Prince calls out several biblical inaccuracies in the movie.
For example, in the Bible, God told Noah to save his entire family, but in the movie, God
told Noah to kill his family, which is a complete misrepresentation of what is written in
the Bible.
The wrongful portrayal of God and Noah’s relationship made God appear harsh and
unmerciful towards man.
During the fifty to seventy years when the ark was being built, God ordained Noah as a
preacher of righteousness. However, the world had gone so wayward that they did not
respond to the preaching.
GOD ALWAYS EXTENDS CHANCE AFTER CHANCE,

OPPORTUNITY AFTER OPPORTUNITY.
Pastor Prince highlights that, though movies are given poetic license to interpret the
story further, it should never take away the basic essence of the character.
An example of proper use of poetic license is found in the movie, The Passion of the
Christ. When Jesus was a carpenter, He told his mother, Mary, that His woodwork would
one day be popular. Mary laughed, washed His hands, and Jesus sprinkled water on her
in a playful manner. This scene depicts their beautiful relationship as mother and son.
Pastor Prince notes that this detail is not in the Bible, but is likely to have happened.
Pastor Prince highlights that the revelation behind Noah’s story is vital, as Jesus
declared, “As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the days of the coming of the
Son of Man (See Matt. 24:37-39).” In other words, the same scenario is going to happen.
The back story: The devil tries to prevent

the prophecy
Firstly, we as believers have to understand the promise. The first promise in the Bible
comes in the form of prophecy.
In Genesis 3:15, God addresses Satan (embodying the form of a snake), after the fall of
Adam and Eve.
“And I will put enmity

Between you and the woman,
And between your seed (Satan’s seed) and her Seed (Jesus);
He shall bruise (crush) your head,
And you shall bruise (crush) His heel.”
—Genesis 3:15 NKJV
In conception, it is the man who provides the seed, not the woman. This was a prophecy
of the virgin birth, that Jesus would be born as the woman’s seed.
In the act of Jesus crushing Satan’s head, He would crush His own heel. This is a picture
of Jesus dying on the cross to save all of us.
Pastor Prince recounts the stories in the Bible of how the devil—not being omniscient—
tried multiple times to stop the prophecy from being fulfilled, by using mankind to kill
who he thought was the Messiah, but was always unsuccessful.
Enter Noah: God’s plan to save mankind
Pastor Prince goes on to explain that back in the days before the fall had taken its full
effect, man could live for hundreds of years.
Adam lived for 930 years, Noah lived till 950 years old, and the longest living man is
Methuselah at 969 years of age. Even though they sinned, they lived long lives. As they
lived long lives, mankind eventually repopulated the whole earth after the flood.
“Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and
daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that
they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose. And the
Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh, yet his days
shall be one hundred and twenty years.” There were giants (nephilim) on the earth in
those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of
men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men
of renown.”
—Genesis 6:1–4 NKJV
The Hebrew word for “giants” is “nephilim”, which means “fallen ones”.
The bolded text, “in those days”, and, “also afterward”, signify the two eruptions of fallen
angels coming to the daughters of man, before and after the flood.
The word, “mighty” (See Gen. 6:4) means, mighty in size; superhuman in strength;
mighty in wickedness.
The phrase “daughters of men” refer to women (born of Adam and Eve). In the
Septuagint—Greek version of the scriptures in the Old Testament, the “sons of God”
refer to angels.
The Hebrew word for “sons of God” is, “bene ha Elohim”. Anyone created directly by God
is called, “sons of God”.
Pastor Prince expounds on how these fallen angels are not God’s angels, though they
came from Him. They had taken on the form of man, and abused their position during
Noah’s time.
Pastor Prince explains the differences in position between angels and mankind.
“Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the
Lord, and Satan also came among them.”
—Job 1:6 NKJV
The above verse states that Satan too, was considered “sons of God”.
“When the morning stars sang together,

And all the sons of God shouted for joy?”
—Job 38:7 NKJV
The “sons of God” in Job 38:7 refer to the angels.
The devil was out to corrupt the woman’s seed so as to secure his position. With Satan
instigating it, the fallen angels took on the form of man and came to the daughters of
men, producing “nephilim”.
Pastor Prince highlights a similar picture in Greek mythology, where there are creatures
known as, “demi-gods”, one being “Cyclops”.
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Pastor Prince points back to Genesis 6:4.
God promised Noah to never again flood the earth, and the devil thought he could
repeat his plan of sending fallen angels to repopulate the earth to crush the woman’s
seed.
After the floods, the second eruption of fallen angels came to the daughters of men,
and produced the “Anakims”; “Rephaims”—all from the stock of the nephilim. God raised
Israel to exterminate these giants.
Pastor Prince goes on to explain how the devil, knowing the significance of Israel,
utilized these giants to occupy lands and stop the promise from coming to pass.
“And the angels who did not keep their proper domain (original position), but left
their own abode (body), He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the
judgment of the great day;”
—Jude 1:6 NKJV
The word, “abode” appears only twice in the Bible (see 2 Cor. 5:2).
“As (like) Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to
these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh
(perverse sexuality), are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal
fire.”
—Jude 1:7 NKJV
The phrase “strange flesh” refers to the perverse sex fallen angels had with the
daughters of men, which eventually produced wicked giants of enormous size
(nephilim).
“Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every
intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that
He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the Lord said, “I will
destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast,
creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.”
Pastor Prince explains that at this point in time, Noah and his family were the only
people who were pure human.
“But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.”
—Genesis 6:8 NKJV
This is the first mention of grace in the Bible (see Gen. 6:8). The name, “Noah” means
“rest”.
Rest finds grace in the eyes of the Lord. Jesus had no sin, but was full of grace—why? He
was full of rest.
WHEN YOU ARE FULL OF REST, YOU ARE FULL OF GRACE!
“This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect (tamim—
unblemished) in his generations. Noah walked with God.”
—Genesis 6:9 NKJV
“For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell
(tartarus) and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment, and
did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of
righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly.”
—2 Peter 2:4–5 NKJV
The word “hell”, in this verse, is used only once in the entire New Testament. Usually, the
word “hell”, is typified as “sheol” or “gehenna”, but in this verse, it is “tartarus”. It means
that the fallen angels (during Noah’s time) were judged early, and bound in chains.
Pastor Prince shares that fallen angels exist in the form of demon spirits today,
attempting to imitate the chain-bound angels. Those evil spirits attack our minds,
instigate us to do wrong, bring problems into marriages, and cause afflictions in our
bodies.
If you are under attack, get up and bind that spirit! When you use the powerful name of
Jesus against these spirit-caused problems, you command the spirit to leave your
circumstance.
AT THE MENTION OF JESUS’ NAME, EVERY KNEE WILL BOW—

OF THINGS IN HEAVEN (HEAVENLY), ON EARTH (HUMANS),
AND UNDER THE EARTH (INFERNAL).
Every facet of Noah’s Ark is a picture of

Jesus and His finished work
Pastor Prince shares that in the Chinese annals of history, the floods were recorded.
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The Mandarin word for boat, when broken up into individual characters, has the words,
“vessel”, “eight”, and “people”. It paints a picture of eight people in a boat, which
accurately depicts Noah and his family in the ark—Noah, Noah’s wife, their three sons
and their wives.
Pastor Prince shares a word of wisdom for parents, to build the ark before any drop of
rain falls. For the saving of your household, watch what your children see and hear—do
not wait till it is too late to change them.
Make sure your children’s hearts are filled with the words of God. Children are not too
young to understand that Jesus loves them. Speak to them as though they understand
what you are saying, because their spirit is listening and receiving.
“By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear,
prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and
became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.”
—Hebrews 11:7 NKJV
Noah was not righteous because of his character, he was righteous because of the
blood of the Lamb (Jesus). Noah believed in the same blood sacrifice, and was
pronounced righteous by faith.
God had to send the flood because of his grace and mercy—so he could preserve the
human race, and fulfill the prophecy that the Messiah would come and crush Satan’s
head.
Pastor Prince shares examples of instances where the mercies of God and His protection
are displayed.
The word, “perfect” in Hebrew is “tamim”, which means “unblemished” (see Gen. 6:9)
The term is used for the sacrificial lamb that is without blemish. Noah was a picture of
the unblemished lamb, representing that he was untainted by the blood of fallen angels.
This is the reason why God chose to preserve them, and it is the grace of God that kept
them safe in the ark.
“And Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. The earth also was corrupt
before God, and the earth was filled with violence. So God looked upon the earth, and
indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. And God said to
Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence
through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make yourself an ark of
gopherwood, make rooms in the ark, and cover (kaphar) it inside and outside
with pitch (kopher).”
Pastor Prince shares that though Noah built the ark, the ark was God’s idea, and He took
care of everything, including the animals.
For example, God only brought one pair of every kind of animal to the ark, and through
the years, the different genes naturally developed different species and breeds that
repopulated the earth.
God “remembered Noah and all the animals” (see Gen. 8:1), where the Hebrew word for
“remember” is “zakar”, meaning “God remembers”. When God remembered Noah and
all the animals, He met all their needs.
Pitch (see Gen. 6:14) is asphalt, alike the tar used for roads—which is the glue used for
making of the ark.
In the context of this verse (see Gen. 6:14), the word “cover” is “kaphar”, and the word
“pitch” is “kopher” in Hebrew.
Pastor Prince notes that the use of the Hebrew word “kopher” holds significance, as it is
different from the usual Hebrew word, “zepheth”—typically used for the word “pitch”.
The Hebrew word “kopher” is the term used for atonement, and for covering your sins.
The words, “cover (kaphar)” and “pitch (kopher)” mean that it protects not just from the
outside, but all around us. This is a picture of Jesus Christ, who covers us inside and out!
The ark is a picture of Jesus Christ. The ferociousness and divine fierceness of God’s
anger hit the ark, but not one wave of judgment reached Noah.
WHEN YOU ARE IN CHRIST, YOU ARE IN THE ARK!
Jesus said on the cross, “all thy waves and thy billows roll over me” (see Ps. 42:7). It came
on Him, but it never touched us. He took it for us!
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“And this is how you shall make it. The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits
(450ft long), its width fifty cubits (75ft wide), and its height thirty cubits (45ft
high).”
The number, 300, in the Bible stands for victory.
“You shall make a window for the ark, and you shall finish it to a cubit from above;
and set the door of the ark in its side. You shall make it with lower, second, and third
decks.”
Why did God ask Noah to build windows only at the top?
God does not want us to be occupied by all the bad news over the world. He wants us
to look up to Him. Keep your eyes on Jesus and He will provide for us.
WHEN YOU LOOK AROUND, YOU GET DISTRESSED. WHEN YOU

LOOK WITHIN, YOU BECOME DEPRESSED. WHEN YOU LOOK
TO JESUS, YOU WILL BE AT REST.
The sole door in the ark alludes to Jesus being the only door to salvation (see John 10:9).
The location of the door—on the side, represents how Jesus was pierced in His side by a
Roman soldier.
The reason for 3 storeys pertaining to the ark refers to our makeup—we are spirits—we
have a soul and mind; we live in the body. Salvation is for spirit, soul and body.
IF YOU ARE UNWELL, JESUS WANTS TO HEAL YOU. JESUS

WANTS YOU TO ENJOY HEAVEN, ON YOUR WAY TO HEAVEN.
There is supernatural grace for your entire

family to be saved!
“And they went into the ark to Noah, two by two, of all flesh in which is the breath of
life. So those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in asGod (Elohim) had
commanded him; and the LORD (Yahweh) shut him in.”
—Genesis 7:15-16 NKJV
Pastor Prince emphasizes the importance of the names of God in the Bible, as it imparts
a revelation of who God is to us.
The name of God, in this verse (see Gen. 7:16) is “Elohim” in Hebrew. “Elohim” means
“creator”. The name, “LORD” means “Yahweh” in Hebrew. “Yahweh” is the name used for
covenant relations.
Pastor Prince shares an example from the story of David and Goliath. David declared,
though Goliath may have come with a sword, a spear and a javelin, he came with the
name of the Lord (Yahweh), proclaiming that the Lord (Yahweh) would deliver Goliath
into his hands, and all the earth would know there is a God (Elohim) (see 1 Sam. 17:45–
46 NKJV).
The name, “Jesus” in Hebrew is, “Yeshua”—which means “Yahweh saves”. He saves you
from the devil, and even your own self.
God is the one who shut Noah and his family in the ark. When God closes the door, you
are safe inside, and no one can drag you out to the waters of judgment.
Pastor Prince shares a word of wisdom for parents, telling them to place their children in
Jesus’ hands—He will take it and multiply it with His wisdom and grace.
“And behold, I Myself am bringing floodwaters on the earth, to destroy from under
heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything on that is on the earth shall die.
But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark—you, your sons,
your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.”
This is the first time in the Bible where the word “covenant” appears. There is
significance in the first mention. God made a covenant with Noah—whereby once a
family member is saved, the rest will eventually be saved. However, they have to come
into the ark.
When you are saved, it gives God the ability to come into your family and bless each
one of them—it is because of you! God, in His mercy, will create situations that make it
easy for them to believe in Christ.
Safe in the ark: Your salvation is eternal

and secure!
You are eternally secure in Christ—even if you fall, you fall in the ark, not out of the ark.
“Then the Lord said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I
have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation.”
—Genesis 7:1 NKJV
This is the first time the word “come” is used in the Bible. God beckons us to come to
Him—who is the ark. Come to Jesus just as you are.
“Then God spoke to Noah, saying, “Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons
and your sons’ wives with you.”
Jesus is the first one in the ark, and the last one out of the ark—a picture of Him going
before us today.
Today, the curse has been reversed!

“Then the ark rested in the seventh month, the seventeenth day of the month, on the
mountains of Ararat (curse reversed).”
—Genesis 8:4 NKJV
THERE ARE NO SUPERFLUOUS DETAILS IN THE BIBLE—

EVERYTHING HAS SIGNIFICANCE.
Pastor Prince shares the significance of numbers in Genesis 8:4.
In the time of Jesus’ crucifixion, He rose again on the seventeenth day of the seventh
month. This coincides with the same day that the ark rested on Mount Ararat.
In Hebrew, the word “bless” is “barak”. The word “curse” is “arar”. However, the name
“Ararat” means, “curse reversed”!
EVERYONE IS BORN INTO CURSED GROUND, BUT BECAUSE OF

JESUS’ RESURRECTION, THE CURSE HAS NOW BEEN
REVERSED!
“So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with
him. Every animal, every creeping thing, every bird, and whatever creeps on the earth,
according to their families, went out of the ark.”
The word “every” assures us that not one was lost in the ark. Jesus is our ark—in Him, we
are saved, and cannot perish. It is not about how good we are, but how good Jesus is.
Pastor Prince notes that the seven clean beasts brought onto the ark for sacrifice unto
the Lord were the only exception.
When Noah offered sacrifices unto the Lord, it reminded Him of His Son, the one perfect
sacrifice that would end all sacrifices. The Lord then told Noah that He would never
again curse the ground.
Because of the cross, God can no longer be

angry with you!
“I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me
and the earth. It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be
seen in the cloud; and I will remember My covenantwhich is between Me and you and
every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy
all flesh.
The rainbow is a sign of God’s promise. The Hebrew word for “bow” is the same word
found in “rainbow”—it signifies that God will never use the bow to shoot judgment at us
again, but “hangs it in the sky”.
“For this is like the waters of Noah to Me;

For as I have sworn
That the waters of Noah would no longer cover the earth,
So have I sworn
That I would not be angry with you, nor rebuke you.”
—Isaiah 54:9 NKJV
The above verse comes after the sufferings that Jesus went through in Isaiah 53.
God does not have to promise nor swear on Himself, but He did it to show us that He
would indeed, never again be angry with us or condemn us. On the cross, Jesus
absorbed all the judgment and condemnation, which is why today there is none left for
us.
Pastor Prince shares some photos from Israel, where the tombs of giants are located.
THE BIBLE IS MORE ACCURATE THAN ANYONE CAN EVER
DREAM OF. DO NOT LET ANYONE SHAKE YOUR BELIEFS IN
THE WORD OF THE LIVING GOD.
In closing, Pastor Prince emphasizes the importance of having your family in the ark, and
to pray for your children’s protection from the wiles of the devil, despite their young
age. God knows how to protect His people. He reminds us to trust in God, live for Him,
and glorify Him.
Closing prayer
“Father in heaven, in the name of Jesus, I pray for everyone under the sound of my voice.
Everywhere that’s watching this right now, I’m praying for them and their families. I pray
for their children as well. I pray, Father in heaven, because they believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ, I pray that the entire house will be saved—that you’ll bring across their paths Lord,
a laborer of Your word, a preacher, a sharer, that they will share the Gospel so that they
might believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Regardless of how rebellious or how hard they seem
to be against Christ now, we know, Father, that the louder they shout, the closer they are.
We pray, Father, for the salvation of entire families, under the sound of my voice. As You
have promised, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shall be saved, and thy house.
And until then, Father, in the name of Jesus, we rest in the ark—we rest secure in the ark.
Regardless of what goes around us, give us grace not to look out at what is happening
around the world, and be consumed with all the negativism around the world, but help us
and give us grace to look up to You as our provider and our protector. And this week, the
Lord bless you, and the Lord keep you, preserve you and your loved ones from all dangers,
accidents, from every sickness and disease, from all the powers of darkness and the evil
one, through His own shed blood. The Lord make His face shine on you, be gracious to
you, may you find yourself at the right place at the right time, enjoying the free favors of
God. The Lord lift up His countenance on you and your family, and grant to you and yours
His shalom peace, wholeness, and wellness. In Jesus’ name, and all the people say, amen.
God bless you!”
We hope these sermon notes blessed you! If they did, we encourage you to get the sermon
and allow the Lord to speak to you personally as you watch or listen to it.
© Copyright JosephPrince.com 2014

These sermon notes were taken by volunteers during the service. They are not a verbatim representation of the
sermon.
The Truth About Tithing Under Grace

Sunday, 26 May 2019
V I EW SLI D ES GET TH IS SERM ON
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These are notes on the sermon, The Truth About Tithing Under Grace, preached by
Pastor Joseph Prince on Sunday, 26 May 2019, at The Star Performing Arts Centre,
Singapore. We hope these sermon notes will be an encouragement to you!
Be sure to sign up to get updates on the latest sermon notes by Team JP.
Overview
1. Introduction: Don’t live life alone!
2. What to build your life upon
3. There is safety in the local church
4. Submission releases God's favor
5. You don’t have to tithe but you get to tithe
6. The tithe is for your benefit!
7. What we can learn from the three tithes of the Old Testament
8. How to be a good steward with the finances placed in your hands
9. Closing Prayer
Introduction: Don’t live life alone!

If you’re believing God for something, tell it to Him. God never just gives enough, He
always gives you more than enough.
There’s something about coming together to worship in the Father’s house. Whenever
you come to church and gather to His name, there is a corporate anointing that is
released. There are some things that you cannot do until you come together.
You’re not meant to go solo. Life is more than just about living for yourself. Life can get
frustrating and empty when life revolves around just you and your needs.
What to build your life upon

To have a successful ministry/life, you have to build it on these three foundations:
1. Jesus Christ
2. The local Church
3. Israel
1. Jesus Christ has to be first in your life
The most important of the three is Jesus Christ. He has to be first in your life—in every
area of your life.
The Bible doesn’t teach you the ways to love your spouse practically but it teaches you
to love your wife/husband as Christ loves the church. (see Eph. 5:25)
When you love your spouse as Christ loves the church, your eyes will be on the Lord,
and not on your spouse. That helps you to love your wife, that helps you to submit to
your husband even when it’s tough.
The same applies to your work and career.
Why do you go to work? You go to work because you are serving the Lord.
“And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from
the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.”
— Colossians 3:23–24 NKJV
Treat your employer as if you are submitting to the Lord.
The Lord is involved even in these daily affairs of life. Even if you are working for a
secular company, the Lord wants you to treat your employers as if you are submitting to
the Lord. That does not include submitting to your employers in terms of immoral
practices.
2. The local church
The church that Pastor Prince is referring to is not the same as the larger body of Christ.
Here, he is referring to the local church.
Even in the Bible, Jesus takes time to not just address the larger body of Christ but to
the seven different churches (see Rev. 1:1–4). He recognized local churches individually
as illustrated by the menorah, a lampstand with seven different branches.
Pastor Prince wants to focus on the second point today, the local church.
There is safety in the local church

In the local church there’s safety.
In the story of the prodigal son, there’s bread enough and to spare (see Luke 15:17).
There’s plenty in the Father’s house.
When you come together in the Father’s house, there’s safety, anointing, a dispensation
of grace, and fresh favor upon you that you never had before. You won’t leave the same
way you came.
WHEN YOU COME TO GOD’S HOUSE, YOU WILL NEVER LEAVE

THE SAME WAY YOU CAME!
Jesus is with you always but where two or three are gathered in His name, there He is in
the midst of them. Hebrews 10:25 reads, “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves
together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more
as you see the Day approaching.”
There’s safety and protection in the local church.
Submission releases God’s favor

There’s authority and submission in the body of Christ, in the local church.
“The centurion answered and said, “Lord… only speak a word, and my servant will be
healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to
this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes.”
— Matthew 8:8–9 NKJV
The Roman centurion who was himself a man of authority, knew that Jesus was able to
speak a word and his servant, who was sick, would be healed.
Similarly, this same authority is found in the local church and those who are subject to
this authority, will also have authority. There’ll be authority in your words and there’ll be
authority in the things that you do. Authority is realized in the impact of our words.
Words that are backed by authority don’t fall to the ground, they are weighty without
you having to even scream and shout or you trying to create a platform and a name for
yourself.
In the body of Christ, there’s a five-fold ministry. We’re not all called to do the same
thing.
“Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be
submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for
“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in
due time,”
— 1 Peter 5:5-6 NKJV
“Younger people” doesn’t necessarily only refer to those who are young in age, it also
refers to those who are spiritually young. In the church, there are elders, pastors, and
leaders who are there to help, to guide, and to shepherd you.
God doesn’t want you to humble yourself to keep you suppressed; He wants to exalt
you in due time.
We see this in the life of Jesus, even when He was a young child.
Although He was smarter and more knowledgeable than His parents even at the age of
twelve, Jesus submitted to His parents. The Bible records that Jesus increased in wisdom
and stature, and in favor with God and men (see Luke 2:51–52).
SUBMISSION RELEASES GOD’S FAVOR.
Despite being smarter than them, Jesus submitted to His parents. There are some
people who have the idea that I’ll only submit to you if you are smarter and wealthier
than I am. But there is a reward in submission and when you clothe yourself in humility.
“Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority
except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.”
— Romans 13:1 NKJV
Every government is ordained by God, but that doesn’t mean that what’s going on is of
God.
Likewise, there’s authority and submission in the body of Christ. God has appointed
leaders and pastors in the church who are there to lead the people.
When your marriage is in trouble, there is wisdom in seeking counsel with the leaders
appointed over you.
Even Caiaphas, who was a corrupted man, was able to speak the prophecies of God
because of his position as the high priest of Israel that particular year (see John 11:49–
50).
In spite of his questionable character, God could still use Caiaphas’s mouth to fulfill the
prophecy of Jesus Christ, simply because he was the high priest of Israel then.
When you honor and submit to the authority that God has put over a man, God will
release favor upon you.
In the story of Esther, she chose to submit to Hegai even though he was only the
chamberlain of the king. She told him she didn’t want anything but what he
recommended and because of that, Esther found great favor with the king and all who
saw her (see Est. 2:15).
When Ruth in the Bible submitted to her mother-in-law, Naomi, and went to work in the
fields as a gleaner, she found great favor with the most eligible bachelor, Boaz.
When you submit, favor is released.
You don’t have to tithe but you get to tithe.

Watch out for teachings that tell you you don’t have to go to a local church anymore or
those who come against tithing.
The local church is here for you. They are not here with just their own limited capacity,
but they are here anointed by God to help and guide you.
Even when there’s discipline and correction in the local church, it is done out of love.
Pastor warns that there are some grace teachers out there who say you don’t have to
tithe.
The truth is, God doesn’t need your tithe, He’s not a miserly God trying to take your
money away from you.
The devil doesn’t want the church to prosper because a prosperous church is able to do
many things to forward the gospel.
God wants you to be prosperous, not materialistic. Being rich does not necessarily
equate to being bad.
“Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;
And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied,
and all that thou hast is multiplied; Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the
Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of
bondage...”
— Deuteronomy 8:12–14 KJV
When you have silver and gold and all that is multiplied, don’t forget the Lord, who was
the One who gave you the wealth.
“And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this
wealth. But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power
to get wealth, that he may establish his covenantwhich he sware unto thy fathers, as
it is this day.”
Remember Who is the One who gives you the power to get wealth. God’s Word says
that He will give you the power to get wealth not to exalt yourself but for His glory, and
to establish His covenant of grace.
The tithe is for your benefit!

“And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey
Him, called by God as High Priest “according to the order of Melchizedek,” of whom
we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.”
— Hebrews 5:9–11 NKJV
“According to the order of Melchizedek” — Melchizedek was a man who lived in the
times of the Old Testament
Jesus’ priesthood was called according to the priesthood of Melchizedek.
The first words uttered by Melchizedek were only blessings, not curses.
“Of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain” — Pastor prayed that God
would open his eyes to see these things
“Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God
Most High. And he blessed him and said: “Blessed by Abram of God Most High,
Possessor of heaven and earth; And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your
enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tithe (masser) of all.”
— Genesis 14:18-20 NKJV
This is the only account we have of Melchizedek in the Old Testament.
“God Most High” — the very first time, “God Most High” or El Elyon in the Hebrew, was
mentioned, Melchizedek came out bringing the bread and wine, a symbol of the Lord’s
death on the cross, proclaiming the Lord’s death.
When does partaking of the Holy Communion become a legalistic act?
When you consider the Holy Communion as an act that you have to religiously follow
rather than a gift you receive, a time that you commune with the Lord.
Don’t partake of it as a ritual. Every day we need reminders of the finished work, and
that our sins are righteously forgiven by the blood of Jesus. See the Lord bringing His
healing and righteousness to you, and see yourself receiving what He is giving to
you.
Likewise, tithing is a revelation. If you don’t have the revelation to do it, don’t do it.
The Hebrew word for “tithe” is masser, which contains the word, asser or “rich” in
English.
“Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, and take the goods for
yourself.” But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the Lord, God
Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, that I will take nothing, from a thread to
a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I
have made Abram rich (aser)’”
“Lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich’” — Acknowledge that the Lord is the
One who is the source of your wealth, the One who supplies us the life and the health to
even work and to obtain this wealth
No partner asks for only 10% but our heavenly Partner only asks for 10%.
He could have said, “Give because you love Me” but Jesus Himself said, “Give, and it will
be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will
be put into your bosom. For the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to
you.” (Luke 6:38)
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your
sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.”
— 2 Corinthians 8:9 NKJV
God wants you to know that He became poor at the cross so that you might be rich.
The entire context of chapter 8 is about giving and in 2 Corinthians 9:6 it says, “He who
sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap
bountifully.”
“Honor the Lord with your possessions,

And with the firstfruits of all your increase;
So your barns will be filled with plenty,
And your vats will overflow with new wine.”
— Proverbs 3:9–10 NKJV
The firstfruits refer to the tithe. When you tithe the firstfruits, you will experience the
plenty and the overflow in your life.
But is a book like Proverbs that is from the Old Testament, still applicable to us today?
The wisdom in Proverbs is applicable to us even today. There are 31 chapters, one
chapter for each day of the month. Proverbs 3:12 is also quoted in the New Testament,
in Hebrews 12:5–6.
What we can learn from the three tithes of

the Old Testament
In the old covenant, under the Levitical law, there are three tithes that are for the three
festivals, Feast of Pentecost, Feast of Tabernacles, and the Feast of the Passover:
1. First Tithe
2. Second Tithe
3. Third Tithe
1. The First Tithe (maaser rishon)
The First Tithe is the first 10 percent of our firstfruits (or our income) that we give to the
Lord. It is the tithe that Abram gave in Genesis 14 and it is also the tithe that we still give
today. The First Tithe is given to the Lord, to the house of God, and the Levites, the full-
time ministers, eat of it.
There may not be a physical temple that exists today like it did in the Bible, but today
the house of God is the local church, where there is accountability, authority, and
submission, where there are people caring and watching over you.
Honoring the full-time ministers in our local church
“Elders who do their work well should be respected and paid well, especially those who
work hard at both preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, “You must not muzzle
an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.” And in another place, “Those
who work deserve their pay!”
— 1 Timothy 5:17-18 NLT
Paul looked at an Old Covenant law and received a New Testament revelation.
The New Testament reveals the teaching but the details are found in the Old Testament.
The Old Testament unveils the person of Jesus Christ but it also gives you the details.
For example, in the New Testament (Eph. 5:25), it says, “Husbands love your wives” but
in the Old Testament (Song of Solomon), there are many examples of how the Beloved
romances his wife with his words and actions.
“For it is written in the law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out
the grain.” Is it oxen God is concerned about? Or does He say it altogether for our
sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written, that he who plows should plow in hope,
and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope.”
— 1 Corinthians 9:9–10 NKJV
When Paul is referencing the ox, he isn’t referring to an actual ox but he likens it to
those who labor to preach and teach the Word of God. The preacher who preaches is
like the ox treading the grain for the people to feed on. As the elders and pastors are
working to thresh the word of God out for the people, take care of them practically.
Pastor Prince urges preachers and pastors to not abuse the tithes from the church but
be good examples to the people they shepherd. The tithes are to be used for the glory
of God and to build the kingdom of God.
“Or is it only Barnabas and I who have to work to support ourselves? What soldier has to
pay his own expenses? What farmer plants a vineyard and doesn’t have the right to eat
some of its fruit? What shepherd cares for a flock of sheep and isn’t allowed to drink
some of the milk? Am I expressing merely a human opinion, or does the law say the
same thing? For the law of Moses says, “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from
eating as it treads out the grain.” Was God thinking only about oxen when he said this?
Wasn’t he actually speaking to us? Yes, it was written for us, so that the one who plows
and the one who threshes the grain might both expect a share of the harvest. Since we
have planted spiritual seed among you, aren’t we entitled to a harvest of physical food
and drink? If you support others who preach to you, shouldn’t we have an even greater
right to be supported? But we have never used this right. We would rather put up
with anything than be an obstacle to the Good News about Christ.”
— 1 Corinthians 9:6–12 NLT
Pastor Prince encourages us to honor those who are working in full time ministry,
especially preachers who labor in the Word. But his own personal decision is to not draw
a salary so that he can have the moral authority and freedom to speak on this issue.
2. The Second Tithe (maaser sheni)
The Second Tithe is the tithe that is set aside for the three festivals, the Feast of
Pentecost, Feast of Tabernacles and the Feast of the Passover.
Josephus, a renowned Jewish scholar, explains it as such, “Let there be taken out of your
fruits a tenth, besides that which you have allotted to give to the priests and Levites.
This you may indeed sell in the country, but it is to be used in those feasts and
sacrifices that are to be celebrated in the holy city.” (Refer to slide 14)
Today, this is akin to the money we set aside for celebrations with our loved ones.
“Then you shall exchange it for money, take the money in your hand, and go to the
place which the Lord your God chooses. And you shall spend that money for whatever
your heart desires: for oxen or sheep, for wine or similar drink, for whatever your heart
desires; you shall eat there before the Lord your God, and you shall rejoice, you and
your household.”
— Deuteronomy 14:25–26 NKJV
3. The Third Tithe (maaser ani)
“At the end of every third year you shall bring out the tithe of your produce of that year
and store it up within your gates. And the Levite, because he has no portion nor
inheritance with you, and the stranger and the fatherless and the widow who are within
your gates, may come and eat and be satisfied, that the Lord your God may bless you in
all the word of your hand which you do.”
The Third Tithe is a tithe that is distributed to those who are in need; to widows, and to
children who are orphans.
The Bible has a lot to teach us about our daily lives today. We don’t stop reading it after
we know that we have been saved. There is a lot of wisdom and knowledge contained in
God’s Word. The Word of God unveils Christ to us and it is also full of divine wisdom
and instruction on how to lead our lives. When you’re seeking an answer or God’s voice,
read His Word!
How to be a good steward of the finances

placed in your hands
“He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in
what is least is unjust also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the
unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if you have
not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?”
— Luke 16:10-12 NKJV
If you’re faithful with the use of money, God will trust you with the true riches, people.
God considers money a tool; it is the least as compared to the much—people.
That is why in the appointment of leaders in our church, we assess their faithfulness
through their faithfulness in tithing.
When you choose a potential life partner, find a man/woman who is faithful with the
money he/she has.
What does God say about the tithe?
“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,

That there may be food in My house,
And try Me now in this,
Says the Lord of hosts,
“If I will not open for you the windows of heaven
And pour out for you such blessing
That there will not be room enough to receive it.
And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes,
So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground,
Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,”
Says the Lord of hosts;
And all nations will call you blessed,
For you will be a delightful land,”
Says the Lord of hosts.”
— Malachi 3:10-12 NKJV
This is the only place in the Bible where God says, “Try Me.” Here, God reveals the fruit
of what you tithe.
“The best of all firstfruits of any kind, and every sacrifice of any kind from all your
sacrifices, shall be the priest’s; also you shall give to the priest the first of your ground
meal, to cause a blessing to rest on your house.”
— Ezekiel 44:30 NKJV
“Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit
to your trust the true riches?” (Luke 16:11) To God, the default mode of money is
unrighteous.
“For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the
branches.”
The default mode of money is unrighteous but when you tithe the first 10 percent to the
Lord, the rest of it becomes holy and what is holy, the devil cannot touch. What is holy
thrives and multiplies.
You are clean and you are righteous but the money you have isn’t. But when you give
the firstfruits of your income, everything else is made holy and blessed.
Jesus gives us the right reason for tithing:
“But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto
you. But woe unto you, Pharisees! For ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of
herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done,
and not to leave the other undone.”
— Luke 11:41-42 KJV
“and pass over judgment and the love of God” — Here, Jesus is referring to tithing
with the right motives, with the love of God unlike the Pharisees who tithe legalistically.
“not to leave the other undone” — Yet, not forgetting to tithe.

“Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a
tenth of the spoils.”
— Hebrews 7:4 NKJV
Whoever you tithe to, you’re declaring that person is great.
When Melchizedek brought the bread and wine, it is to proclaim Jesus’s death but when
we respond with the tithe, we proclaim that Jesus is alive.
“Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed
that he lives.”
THE BREAD AND WINE PROCLAIM HIS DEATH, THE TITHE

PROCLAIMS HE IS ALIVE!
People will see evidence of God’s blessings on your life to the point that they will say,
“Jesus is alive!”
Pastor Prince shares a quote from John D. Rockefeller (one of the richest men that ever
lived besides King Solomon) who started tithing from a young age. Pastor Prince
encourages young people to start tithing early, even if it’s a small amount.
Closing Prayer
"Father, I thank you for every person under the sound of my voice. Father, I thank You for
the mysteries of Melchizedek that You have unveiled to us today.
I thank You Father that You want Your people to prosper. You want Your people not to be
bound by debt, by the worldly economy that fluctuates but You want them to have their
vision and their treasures in Heaven. Father, I know that everyone under the sound of my
voice Lord, You love them dearly. Not even a hair falls from their head without You
knowing Lord.
Father, I thank You that You will prosper them from this day forth. I pray Father that You
will give them the power to get wealth for the establishing of Your kingdom in the earth.
In the name of Jesus, protect them all throughout this week, from all harm and danger
and from all evil. In Jesus name and all the people said, Amen!”
© Copyright JosephPrince.com 2019

These sermon notes were taken by volunteers during the service. They are not a verbatim representation of the
sermon.
The Truth About Tithing Under Grace

Sunday, 26 May 2019
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These are notes on the sermon, The Truth About Tithing Under Grace, preached by
Pastor Joseph Prince on Sunday, 26 May 2019, at The Star Performing Arts Centre,
Overview
1. Introduction: Don’t live life alone!
2. What to build your life upon
3. There is safety in the local church
4. Submission releases God's favor
5. You don’t have to tithe but you get to tithe
6. The tithe is for your benefit!
7. What we can learn from the three tithes of the Old Testament
8. How to be a good steward with the finances placed in your hands
9. Closing Prayer
Introduction: Don’t live life alone!

If you’re believing God for something, tell it to Him. God never just gives enough, He
always gives you more than enough.
There’s something about coming together to worship in the Father’s house. Whenever
you come to church and gather to His name, there is a corporate anointing that is
released. There are some things that you cannot do until you come together.
You’re not meant to go solo. Life is more than just about living for yourself. Life can get
frustrating and empty when life revolves around just you and your needs.
What to build your life upon

To have a successful ministry/life, you have to build it on these three foundations:
1. Jesus Christ
2. The local Church
3. Israel
1. Jesus Christ has to be first in your life
The most important of the three is Jesus Christ. He has to be first in your life—in every
area of your life.
The Bible doesn’t teach you the ways to love your spouse practically but it teaches you
to love your wife/husband as Christ loves the church. (see Eph. 5:25)
When you love your spouse as Christ loves the church, your eyes will be on the Lord,
and not on your spouse. That helps you to love your wife, that helps you to submit to
your husband even when it’s tough.
The same applies to your work and career.
Why do you go to work? You go to work because you are serving the Lord.
“And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from
the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.”
— Colossians 3:23–24 NKJV
Treat your employer as if you are submitting to the Lord.
The Lord is involved even in these daily affairs of life. Even if you are working for a
secular company, the Lord wants you to treat your employers as if you are submitting to
the Lord. That does not include submitting to your employers in terms of immoral
practices.
2. The local church
The church that Pastor Prince is referring to is not the same as the larger body of Christ.
Here, he is referring to the local church.
Even in the Bible, Jesus takes time to not just address the larger body of Christ but to
the seven different churches (see Rev. 1:1–4). He recognized local churches individually
as illustrated by the menorah, a lampstand with seven different branches.
Pastor Prince wants to focus on the second point today, the local church.
There is safety in the local church

In the local church there’s safety.
In the story of the prodigal son, there’s bread enough and to spare (see Luke 15:17).
There’s plenty in the Father’s house.
When you come together in the Father’s house, there’s safety, anointing, a dispensation
of grace, and fresh favor upon you that you never had before. You won’t leave the same
way you came.
WHEN YOU COME TO GOD’S HOUSE, YOU WILL NEVER LEAVE

THE SAME WAY YOU CAME!
Jesus is with you always but where two or three are gathered in His name, there He is in
the midst of them. Hebrews 10:25 reads, “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves
together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more
as you see the Day approaching.”
There’s safety and protection in the local church.
Submission releases God’s favor

There’s authority and submission in the body of Christ, in the local church.
“The centurion answered and said, “Lord… only speak a word, and my servant will be
healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to
this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes.”
— Matthew 8:8–9 NKJV
The Roman centurion who was himself a man of authority, knew that Jesus was able to
speak a word and his servant, who was sick, would be healed.
Similarly, this same authority is found in the local church and those who are subject to
this authority, will also have authority. There’ll be authority in your words and there’ll be
authority in the things that you do. Authority is realized in the impact of our words.
Words that are backed by authority don’t fall to the ground, they are weighty without
you having to even scream and shout or you trying to create a platform and a name for
yourself.
In the body of Christ, there’s a five-fold ministry. We’re not all called to do the same
thing.
“Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be
submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for
“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in
due time,”
— 1 Peter 5:5-6 NKJV
“Younger people” doesn’t necessarily only refer to those who are young in age, it also
refers to those who are spiritually young. In the church, there are elders, pastors, and
leaders who are there to help, to guide, and to shepherd you.
God doesn’t want you to humble yourself to keep you suppressed; He wants to exalt
you in due time.
We see this in the life of Jesus, even when He was a young child.
Although He was smarter and more knowledgeable than His parents even at the age of
twelve, Jesus submitted to His parents. The Bible records that Jesus increased in wisdom
and stature, and in favor with God and men (see Luke 2:51–52).
SUBMISSION RELEASES GOD’S FAVOR.
Despite being smarter than them, Jesus submitted to His parents. There are some
people who have the idea that I’ll only submit to you if you are smarter and wealthier
than I am. But there is a reward in submission and when you clothe yourself in humility.
“Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority
except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.”
Every government is ordained by God, but that doesn’t mean that what’s going on is of
God.
Likewise, there’s authority and submission in the body of Christ. God has appointed
leaders and pastors in the church who are there to lead the people.
When your marriage is in trouble, there is wisdom in seeking counsel with the leaders
appointed over you.
Even Caiaphas, who was a corrupted man, was able to speak the prophecies of God
because of his position as the high priest of Israel that particular year (see John 11:49–
50).
In spite of his questionable character, God could still use Caiaphas’s mouth to fulfill the
prophecy of Jesus Christ, simply because he was the high priest of Israel then.
When you honor and submit to the authority that God has put over a man, God will
release favor upon you.
In the story of Esther, she chose to submit to Hegai even though he was only the
chamberlain of the king. She told him she didn’t want anything but what he
recommended and because of that, Esther found great favor with the king and all who
saw her (see Est. 2:15).
When Ruth in the Bible submitted to her mother-in-law, Naomi, and went to work in the
fields as a gleaner, she found great favor with the most eligible bachelor, Boaz.
When you submit, favor is released.

You don’t have to tithe but you get to tithe.
Watch out for teachings that tell you you don’t have to go to a local church anymore or
those who come against tithing.
The local church is here for you. They are not here with just their own limited capacity,
but they are here anointed by God to help and guide you.
Even when there’s discipline and correction in the local church, it is done out of love.
Pastor warns that there are some grace teachers out there who say you don’t have to
tithe.
The truth is, God doesn’t need your tithe, He’s not a miserly God trying to take your
money away from you.
The devil doesn’t want the church to prosper because a prosperous church is able to do
many things to forward the gospel.
God wants you to be prosperous, not materialistic. Being rich does not necessarily
equate to being bad.
“Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;
And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied,
and all that thou hast is multiplied; Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the
Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of
bondage...”
When you have silver and gold and all that is multiplied, don’t forget the Lord, who was
the One who gave you the wealth.
“And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this
wealth. But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power
to get wealth, that he may establish his covenantwhich he sware unto thy fathers, as
it is this day.”
Remember Who is the One who gives you the power to get wealth. God’s Word says
that He will give you the power to get wealth not to exalt yourself but for His glory, and
to establish His covenant of grace.
The tithe is for your benefit!
“And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey
Him, called by God as High Priest “according to the order of Melchizedek,” of whom
we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.”
— Hebrews 5:9–11 NKJV
“According to the order of Melchizedek” — Melchizedek was a man who lived in the
times of the Old Testament
Jesus’ priesthood was called according to the priesthood of Melchizedek.
The first words uttered by Melchizedek were only blessings, not curses.
“Of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain” — Pastor prayed that God
would open his eyes to see these things
“Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God
Most High. And he blessed him and said: “Blessed by Abram of God Most High,
Possessor of heaven and earth; And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your
enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tithe (masser) of all.”
This is the only account we have of Melchizedek in the Old Testament.
“God Most High” — the very first time, “God Most High” or El Elyon in the Hebrew, was
mentioned, Melchizedek came out bringing the bread and wine, a symbol of the Lord’s
death on the cross, proclaiming the Lord’s death.
When does partaking of the Holy Communion become a legalistic act?
When you consider the Holy Communion as an act that you have to religiously follow
rather than a gift you receive, a time that you commune with the Lord.
Don’t partake of it as a ritual. Every day we need reminders of the finished work, and
that our sins are righteously forgiven by the blood of Jesus. See the Lord bringing His
healing and righteousness to you, and see yourself receiving what He is giving to
you.
Likewise, tithing is a revelation. If you don’t have the revelation to do it, don’t do it.
The Hebrew word for “tithe” is masser, which contains the word, asser or “rich” in
English.
“Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, and take the goods for
yourself.” But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the Lord, God
Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, that I will take nothing, from a thread to
a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I
have made Abram rich (aser)’”
“Lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich’” — Acknowledge that the Lord is the
One who is the source of your wealth, the One who supplies us the life and the health to
even work and to obtain this wealth
No partner asks for only 10% but our heavenly Partner only asks for 10%.
He could have said, “Give because you love Me” but Jesus Himself said, “Give, and it will
be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will
be put into your bosom. For the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to
you.” (Luke 6:38)
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your
sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.”
— 2 Corinthians 8:9 NKJV
God wants you to know that He became poor at the cross so that you might be rich.
The entire context of chapter 8 is about giving and in 2 Corinthians 9:6 it says, “He who
sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap
bountifully.”
“Honor the Lord with your possessions,

And with the firstfruits of all your increase;
So your barns will be filled with plenty,
And your vats will overflow with new wine.”
— Proverbs 3:9–10 NKJV
The firstfruits refer to the tithe. When you tithe the firstfruits, you will experience the
plenty and the overflow in your life.
But is a book like Proverbs that is from the Old Testament, still applicable to us today?
The wisdom in Proverbs is applicable to us even today. There are 31 chapters, one
chapter for each day of the month. Proverbs 3:12 is also quoted in the New Testament,
in Hebrews 12:5–6.
What we can learn from the three tithes of

the Old Testament
In the old covenant, under the Levitical law, there are three tithes that are for the three
festivals, Feast of Pentecost, Feast of Tabernacles, and the Feast of the Passover:
1. First Tithe
2. Second Tithe
3. Third Tithe
1. The First Tithe (maaser rishon)
The First Tithe is the first 10 percent of our firstfruits (or our income) that we give to the
Lord. It is the tithe that Abram gave in Genesis 14 and it is also the tithe that we still give
today. The First Tithe is given to the Lord, to the house of God, and the Levites, the full-
time ministers, eat of it.
There may not be a physical temple that exists today like it did in the Bible, but today
the house of God is the local church, where there is accountability, authority, and
submission, where there are people caring and watching over you.
Honoring the full-time ministers in our local church
“Elders who do their work well should be respected and paid well, especially those who
work hard at both preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, “You must not muzzle
an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.” And in another place, “Those
who work deserve their pay!”
— 1 Timothy 5:17-18 NLT
Paul looked at an Old Covenant law and received a New Testament revelation.
The New Testament reveals the teaching but the details are found in the Old Testament.
The Old Testament unveils the person of Jesus Christ but it also gives you the details.
For example, in the New Testament (Eph. 5:25), it says, “Husbands love your wives” but
in the Old Testament (Song of Solomon), there are many examples of how the Beloved
romances his wife with his words and actions.
“For it is written in the law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out
the grain.” Is it oxen God is concerned about? Or does He say it altogether for our
sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written, that he who plows should plow in hope,
and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope.”
— 1 Corinthians 9:9–10 NKJV
When Paul is referencing the ox, he isn’t referring to an actual ox but he likens it to
those who labor to preach and teach the Word of God. The preacher who preaches is
like the ox treading the grain for the people to feed on. As the elders and pastors are
working to thresh the word of God out for the people, take care of them practically.
Pastor Prince urges preachers and pastors to not abuse the tithes from the church but
be good examples to the people they shepherd. The tithes are to be used for the glory
of God and to build the kingdom of God.
“Or is it only Barnabas and I who have to work to support ourselves? What soldier has to
pay his own expenses? What farmer plants a vineyard and doesn’t have the right to eat
some of its fruit? What shepherd cares for a flock of sheep and isn’t allowed to drink
some of the milk? Am I expressing merely a human opinion, or does the law say the
same thing? For the law of Moses says, “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from
eating as it treads out the grain.” Was God thinking only about oxen when he said this?
Wasn’t he actually speaking to us? Yes, it was written for us, so that the one who plows
and the one who threshes the grain might both expect a share of the harvest. Since we
have planted spiritual seed among you, aren’t we entitled to a harvest of physical food
and drink? If you support others who preach to you, shouldn’t we have an even greater
right to be supported? But we have never used this right. We would rather put up
with anything than be an obstacle to the Good News about Christ.”
— 1 Corinthians 9:6–12 NLT
Pastor Prince encourages us to honor those who are working in full time ministry,
especially preachers who labor in the Word. But his own personal decision is to not draw
a salary so that he can have the moral authority and freedom to speak on this issue.
2. The Second Tithe (maaser sheni)
The Second Tithe is the tithe that is set aside for the three festivals, the Feast of
Pentecost, Feast of Tabernacles and the Feast of the Passover.
Josephus, a renowned Jewish scholar, explains it as such, “Let there be taken out of your
fruits a tenth, besides that which you have allotted to give to the priests and Levites.
This you may indeed sell in the country, but it is to be used in those feasts and
sacrifices that are to be celebrated in the holy city.” (Refer to slide 14)
Today, this is akin to the money we set aside for celebrations with our loved ones.
“Then you shall exchange it for money, take the money in your hand, and go to the
place which the Lord your God chooses. And you shall spend that money for whatever
your heart desires: for oxen or sheep, for wine or similar drink, for whatever your heart
desires; you shall eat there before the Lord your God, and you shall rejoice, you and
your household.”
3. The Third Tithe (maaser ani)
“At the end of every third year you shall bring out the tithe of your produce of that year
and store it up within your gates. And the Levite, because he has no portion nor
inheritance with you, and the stranger and the fatherless and the widow who are within
your gates, may come and eat and be satisfied, that the Lord your God may bless you in
all the word of your hand which you do.”
The Third Tithe is a tithe that is distributed to those who are in need; to widows, and to
children who are orphans.
The Bible has a lot to teach us about our daily lives today. We don’t stop reading it after
we know that we have been saved. There is a lot of wisdom and knowledge contained in
God’s Word. The Word of God unveils Christ to us and it is also full of divine wisdom
and instruction on how to lead our lives. When you’re seeking an answer or God’s voice,
read His Word!
How to be a good steward of the finances

placed in your hands
“He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in
what is least is unjust also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the
unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if you have
not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?”
— Luke 16:10-12 NKJV
If you’re faithful with the use of money, God will trust you with the true riches, people.
God considers money a tool; it is the least as compared to the much—people.
That is why in the appointment of leaders in our church, we assess their faithfulness
through their faithfulness in tithing.
When you choose a potential life partner, find a man/woman who is faithful with the
money he/she has.
What does God say about the tithe?
“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,

That there may be food in My house,
And try Me now in this,
Says the Lord of hosts,
“If I will not open for you the windows of heaven
And pour out for you such blessing
That there will not be room enough to receive it.
And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes,
So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground,
Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,”
Says the Lord of hosts;
And all nations will call you blessed,
For you will be a delightful land,”
Says the Lord of hosts.”
— Malachi 3:10-12 NKJV
This is the only place in the Bible where God says, “Try Me.” Here, God reveals the fruit
of what you tithe.
“The best of all firstfruits of any kind, and every sacrifice of any kind from all your
sacrifices, shall be the priest’s; also you shall give to the priest the first of your ground
meal, to cause a blessing to rest on your house.”
— Ezekiel 44:30 NKJV
“Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit
to your trust the true riches?” (Luke 16:11) To God, the default mode of money is
unrighteous.
“For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the
branches.”
The default mode of money is unrighteous but when you tithe the first 10 percent to the
Lord, the rest of it becomes holy and what is holy, the devil cannot touch. What is holy
thrives and multiplies.
You are clean and you are righteous but the money you have isn’t. But when you give
the firstfruits of your income, everything else is made holy and blessed.
Jesus gives us the right reason for tithing:
“But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto
you. But woe unto you, Pharisees! For ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of
herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done,
and not to leave the other undone.”
— Luke 11:41-42 KJV
“and pass over judgment and the love of God” — Here, Jesus is referring to tithing
with the right motives, with the love of God unlike the Pharisees who tithe legalistically.
“not to leave the other undone” — Yet, not forgetting to tithe.
“Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a
tenth of the spoils.”
Whoever you tithe to, you’re declaring that person is great.
When Melchizedek brought the bread and wine, it is to proclaim Jesus’s death but when
we respond with the tithe, we proclaim that Jesus is alive.
“Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed
that he lives.”
THE BREAD AND WINE PROCLAIM HIS DEATH, THE TITHE

PROCLAIMS HE IS ALIVE!
People will see evidence of God’s blessings on your life to the point that they will say,
“Jesus is alive!”
Pastor Prince shares a quote from John D. Rockefeller (one of the richest men that ever
lived besides King Solomon) who started tithing from a young age. Pastor Prince
encourages young people to start tithing early, even if it’s a small amount.
Closing Prayer
"Father, I thank you for every person under the sound of my voice. Father, I thank You for
the mysteries of Melchizedek that You have unveiled to us today.
I thank You Father that You want Your people to prosper. You want Your people not to be
bound by debt, by the worldly economy that fluctuates but You want them to have their
vision and their treasures in Heaven. Father, I know that everyone under the sound of my
voice Lord, You love them dearly. Not even a hair falls from their head without You
knowing Lord.
Father, I thank You that You will prosper them from this day forth. I pray Father that You
will give them the power to get wealth for the establishing of Your kingdom in the earth.
In the name of Jesus, protect them all throughout this week, from all harm and danger
and from all evil. In Jesus name and all the people said, Amen!”
Prosper Through Prophetic Preaching

Sunday, 30 June 2019
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These are notes on the sermon, Prosper Through Prophetic Preaching, preached by
Pastor Joseph Prince on Sunday, 30 June 2019, at The Star Performing Arts Centre,
Overview
1. Introduction: Listen to the preached Word and receive a personal word from the
Lord
2. Prophetic preaching reveals God’s great grace toward you
3. Prophetic preaching is all about the centrality of Jesus
4. Placing Jesus at the center of your life brings light into every situation (lessons from
the menorah)
5. Be greatly encouraged and strengthened when you listen to prophetic preaching
6. Prophetic preaching tells you that you’re forgiven and righteous in Christ
7. Listen to prophetic preaching and activate the gifts of the Holy Spirit (lessons from
the menorah)
8. In the light of God’s Word, you will see light
9. Closing Prayer
Introduction: Listen to the preached Word

and receive a personal word from the Lord
The church is not just a building. It’s the people of God coming together that makes the
house of God.
There is an assignment for your life. You were not born by accident. How you were
formed may be an accident but the moment you were conceived, God put an
assignment on your life.
You have a destiny and you are called for an assignment. The Lord has given you gifts
and He has anointed you. Your gifts may be similar to others’ but the way it flows and
operates out of you is unique, just like your fingerprints.
There’s only one of you. You are called for a unique assignment.
Pastor Prince encourages everyone that every time you come to the house of God, their
assignment becomes clearer and clearer as the Word goes forth. You may be a
homemaker, a businessman, or a student—whatever your role is, there is an assignment
from God within that assignment.
The best way to find out what God has for you is to come together in God’s house and
hear the Word preached. Within the preached Word, you will hear God’s personal
word for you.
Prophetic preaching reveals God’s great

grace toward you
“How excellent is thy lovingkindness (hesed), O God! Therefore the children of men put
their trust under the shadow of thy wings.
They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make
them drink of the river of thy pleasures.
For with thee is the fountain of life; in thy light shall we see light.”
— Psalm 36:7–9 KJV
“Lovingkindness” — It is the Hebrew word, “hesed,” which means God’s goodness and
grace.
“Shadow of your wings” — refers to God’s protection.
What makes it easy for people to put their trust in the shadow of His wings? Hearing
about the wonder of His lovingkindness.
WHEN GRACE IS PREACHED AND WE HEAR ABOUT HOW

GRACIOUS GOD IS TOWARD US, TRUST BECOMES OUR
NATURAL RESPONSE TO HIM.
“They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house” — In God’s house,
there is abundance. There is plenty and enough to spare.
In the parable of the lost son, the prodigal son knew that in his father’s house, there was
“bread enough and to spare” (Luke 15:17).
Bread is also a picture of healing (see Matt. 15:26–28).
Likewise, there is healing and health enough and to spare in the Father’s house!
RECEIVE YOUR HEALING AS THE PREACHED WORD GOES

FORTH.
Pastor Prince prays for people with these conditions:
 Heart conditions, high blood pressure, high cholesterol

 Someone who received a report that said he/she has three blocked arteries
 Pain in the back of the right thigh, near the buttock, pain with movement
 Pain between the hip and the waist
Pastor Prince encourages those whose conditions weren’t called out that in the Father’s
house, there is always an abundance of grace for them to receive their healing. There is
God’s zoe life, and that life is readjusting, restoring, renewing, repairing and healing their
bodies as the Word is preached.
“and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures” — Every time you
come to God’s house, He will cause you to drink from the rivers of His pleasure. The
word “pleasures” is the same Hebrew word for “Eden,” referring to the Garden of Eden in
Genesis; it refers to the pleasures as God ordained them to be in the beginning.
“In thy light shall we see light” — In the house of God, as the Word goes forth, you
will begin to find greater clarity about your assignment from God and even in the
practical affairs of your life.
As you hear about the grace of God preached in the house of God, you will find the
grace of God becoming increasingly precious and valuable in your life. And as you
worship Him, you’re also drinking from the rivers of His pleasures.
When something is troubling you or when you’re looking for an answer or a

solution, worship the Lord and listen to the Word of God in the house of God. You
will find that in His light, you will see light in your situation.
Pastor Prince shares that even when he preaches on a particular topic that might not
seem related to your specific situation (e.g. the Second Coming of Christ), you can still
receive a revelation for your business or wisdom that you need to parent your child
through the preaching of the Word.
You don’t need the preacher to preach specifically on the subject you’re struggling with,
whether it’s a marital problem or a familial problem.
GOD’S WISDOM FOR YOUR SITUATION IS REVEALED TO YOU

AS YOU LISTEN TO THE PREACHED WORD.
“The unfolding of your words gives light;

it gives understanding to the simple.”
— Psalm 119:130 NIV
Pastor Prince likens this to a person trying to find a lost key in a dark room. When you’re
trying to find it, you don’t just switch on a torchlight, you flip the switch to light up the
entire room. In that light, you see better and maybe even see what else you may have
forgotten too.
Likewise, if there’s a very practical problem you’re facing, as you spend time in His Word,
the light of God’s Word enters into your situation and opens your eyes to what you
need to see.
Prophetic preaching is all about the

centrality of Jesus
All the books we read will not compare to having an Emmaus experience with the Lord
(see Luke 24:13–35).
The two disciples on the Emmaus road were despondent and cast down from the news
of Jesus’ death. They were upset because they saw Jesus as a means to an end (they
thought that Jesus would redeem Israel), and they thought His death meant that they
would not achieve that end. Israel was their central focus.
Similarly, we can sometimes also see Jesus as a means to an end:

“I want Jesus to heal my body.”
“I want Jesus to help me with my financial life and in my parenting.”
Yet despite the two disciples seeing Him as a means to an end, Jesus took time to be
with them and revealed to them the things concerning Himself in the Word.
THE CURE FOR DISCOURAGEMENT AND DISAPPOINTMENT IS

TO SEE JESUS IN THE WORD. HE’S THE CENTER OF IT ALL.
The things that Jesus can do for us are great, but who He is to us is even better
than what He can do for us.
“And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us
on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”
— Luke 24:32 NKJV
The primary reason for the Scriptures is to reveal Jesus. Even practical marriage advice
given in the Bible goes back to Jesus, e.g. “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ
also loved the church” (Eph. 5:25).
WHEN YOU PUT CHRIST IN THE CENTER, IN HIS RIGHTFUL
PLACE, EVERYTHING IN YOUR LIFE WORKS AS IT SHOULD.
What are you putting as the centerpiece of your heart? Your spouse? Your work?
Nothing short of our Lord Jesus Christ can satisfy our hearts.
Placing Jesus at the center of your life

brings light into every situation (lessons
from the menorah)
Introduction to the menorah in the tabernacle:
“And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. According to all that
I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings,
just so you shall make it.” — Exodus 25:8–9 NKJV
The tabernacle on earth is only a pattern of what it is in heaven. In the book of

Revelation, John saw the seven golden lampstands (see Rev. 1:13) and Jesus Himself in
the midst of them.
The Holy Spirit devotes only about two chapters in the Bible to talk about creation.
While there are innumerable stars in the universe, the Bible only lists God’s act of
creating the stars in a mere five words: “He made the stars also.” (Gen. 1:16).
But it took the Holy Spirit almost 50 chapters to talk about God’s redemption as seen
through the tabernacle. The Holy Spirit deems the subject of the tabernacle of utmost
importance.
Pastor Prince believes that as he shares about the tabernacle and especially on
the menorah (also referred to as the lampstand), the light of God’s Word will bring light
to our situations.
Within the Holy Place of the tabernacle, there are three pieces of furniture: the altar of
incense, table of showbread, and the menorah (the lampstand).
THE MENORAH SPEAKS OF OUR LORD JESUS BRINGING LIGHT

TO HIS PEOPLE.
1. The lampstand is made of pure gold.
“You shall also make a lampstand of pure gold”

— Exodus 25:31–40
The entire lampstand is made of pure gold, which speaks of the purity and beauty of our
Lord Jesus Christ. There is nothing immoral, ugly, or unclean in Him. There’s no mixture,
no sin.
In many teachings on the tabernacle, it has been said that the lampstand represents
Jesus as the light of the world. But if that were true, the menorah would have been
placed in the outer court of the tabernacle for all the world to see instead of within the
Holy Place of the tabernacle.
The menorah exists within the Holy Place because Jesus is the light of the
sanctuary (which represents the church). He is a light for His people.
2. The lampstand is perfectly balanced.
Beauty is all about symmetry and the menorah is perfectly balanced—a center shaft with
3 branches on each side.
Our Lord Jesus is not just beautiful, He is balanced.

When He is firm, He is strong but never hurtful.
When He is kind, He isn’t servile.
When He is humble, He is still princely.
3. The lampstand was made by hammering one talent of gold.
“You shall also make a lampstand of pure gold; the lampstand shall be hammered work.
Its shaft, its branches, its bowls, its ornamental knobs, and flowers shall be of one
piece.”
— Exodus 25:31 NKJV
The talent of pure gold is hammered to form the lampstand. The Lord was “hammered”
at the cross in order for the church to come forth.
“Just as many were astonished at you, so His visage was marred more than any man,
and His form more than the sons of men;”
— Isaiah 52:14 NKJV
The cross was the only time there was no beauty found in Jesus. How could God allow
His beloved Son to go through all this? Unless there is a love that goes beyond all
comprehension. That’s how much He loves you.
Jesus was hammered, so that you and I, His Church, can come forth.
“Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I sawseven
golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of
Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden
band.”
— Revelation 1:12–13 NKJV
“seven golden lampstands” — The seven lampstands represent the seven churches
John was addressing.
“in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man,” — Jesus’ death
brought forth the church.
The bride, the church, came from His side. On the cross, He was pierced on His side.
That was the heavy price for redeeming His bride.
THE CENTER SHAFT OF EACH LAMPSTAND REPRESENTS OUR

LORD JESUS, AND THE THREE BRANCHES ON EITHER SIDE
REPRESENT THE CHURCH.
“You shall make seven lamps for it, and they shall arrange its lamps so that they give
light in front of it.”
“arrange its lamps so that they give light in front of it” — The three branches on
either side of the center shaft were arranged such that they all pointed towards the
center shaft.
This is a picture of the church, us, placing Jesus at the center of our lives.
When Jesus is centerplace in your life, you’ll find that you are led by the Spirit.
You’ll find that you’re able to do things that are supernatural.
Whatever you do, whether it’s your work, studies, loving your spouse or raising your
children, do it unto the Lord. Knowing that of the Lord, you will receive your reward.
When we place Jesus at the center of our lives, we are worshipping Him. Worship
doesn’t just refer to singing. It refers to every area of our lives—loving our spouses,
working for our employers, etc.
“But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and
bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred. Also He said to them, “Is a
lamp brought to be under a basket or under a bed? It is not to be set on a
lampstand?”
— Mark 4:20–21 NKJV
Light represents revelation. When God gives you a revelation, don’t hide it under a
basket or under a bed, don’t misuse it or be passive about it. Share it.
“under a basket or under a bed” — In the King James Version, the basket refers to a
bushel of wheat. It is a term for commercialism. The bed represents laziness or the
temporal pleasures of the world.
Don’t let commercialism conceal the light in you. Don’t let laziness or temporal
pleasures dim that light in you. God has a specific assignment for you. Don’t live life
watching others live their lives.
Be greatly encouraged and strengthened

when you listen to prophetic preaching
After 70 years of captivity, the children of Israel returned from Babylon under
Zerubbabel, the governor appointed over them. There was no pillar of cloud by day or
fire by night but the presence of God was with them. This is the same for us today—
there may not be any physical signs of God’s presence, but we know that He is still with
us.
When they returned to their land, the children of Israel set out to rebuild the temple of
God but their enemies complained to the king, and the children of Israel were
commanded to stop the rebuilding. They stopped rebuilding the temple for at least 15
years.
Yet it wasn’t really because of the king’s command that they stopped rebuilding the
temple for so many years. It was actually because their leaders, Zerubbabel the governor
and Joshua the high priest, were both discouraged. They had lost faith and confidence
in their assignment. So God raised two young prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, to
encourage them.
Today, God is raising a new generation.
Prophetic preaching tells you that you’re

forgiven and righteous in Christ
Pastor Prince gives another example in the Bible of God raising a younger generation:
“And it came to pass at that time, while Eli was lying down in his place, and when his
eyes had begun to grow so dim that he could not see, and before the lamp of God
went out in the tabernacle of the Lord where the ark of God was, and while Samuel was
lying down, that the Lord called Samuel. And he answered, “Here I am!” ”
— 1 Samuel 3:2–4 NKJV
Eli is a picture of an older generation; a distant generation and an old priesthood.
“when his eyes had begun to grow so dim that he could not see” — Lack of
revelation, spiritual blindness. One of the requirements of the high priests in the law is
that he must not be blind because he needed to have insight into the state of the
people.
In the New Testament, Peter says it as such: “For he who lacks these things is
shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old
sins.” (2 Peter 1:9 NKJV)
This tells us that a priesthood that doesn’t preach to the people that their sins are
forgiven is blind.
“and before the lamp of God went out in the tabernacle of the Lord where the ark
of God was” — Eli was never supposed to allow the light to go out.
Eli is a picture of the old priesthood who does not preach on the forgiveness of sins, but
Samuel is a picture of the new priesthood who knows their righteousness in Christ. This
is a generation who knows the grace of God. A generation who isn’t afraid to ask of God
because they know His grace.
Samuel’s name in Hebrew means “to ask of God.” He is born of Hannah, whose name in
Hebrew means “grace.”
Samuel represents a new leadership, a new generation that is rising up to take their
place. You are part of this new generation, the Samuel generation!
—
Back to the young prophets Zechariah and Haggai and their role in the rebuilding of the
temple:
God sent the young prophets, Zechariah and Haggai, to prophesy to the leaders of
Israel (Joshua the high priest and Zerubbabel the governor) who were discouraged.
Regarding Joshua the high priest:

Zechariah had a vision of Joshua decked in filthy garments, with Satan on his right hand
accusing and opposing him (see Zech. 3:1–5). Zechariah revealed that Joshua’s
discouragement was a result of spiritual warfare that the high priest was going
through—Joshua felt condemned because of Satan's accusations. Through Zechariah’s
prophecy, the Lord removed Joshua’s condemnation and placed on him a robe of
righteousness.
We are also in spiritual warfare, and we overcome through God’s Spirit.
When you feel condemned or unrighteous, listen to preaching that tells you that you
have been made righteous in Christ!
Regarding Zerubbabel the governor:

Zechariah delivered this message from God to Zerubbabel: “‘Not by might nor by power,
but by My Spirit,’ Says the Lord of hosts. ‘Who are you, O great mountain? Before
Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone with shouts
of “Grace, grace to it!” ’ ”
— Zechariah 4:6–7 NKJV
When there is opposition as you go about in your assignment and calling that God has
given you, God will be the One who gives you the grace for it. Not by might, not by
power, but by His Spirit.
WHATEVER YOUR GREAT CHALLENGE IS TODAY, SAY, “GRACE

GRACE!” TO IT!
When you do that, you’re declaring that it’s not by your own might or your own power,
but by God’s Spirit.
Trust in God’s grace, His unearned and unmerited favor.

“The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands shall also
finish it.”
— Zechariah 4:9 NKJV
When God looks at you, He calls forth the end result just like He did for Gideon while he
was still hiding in the winepress. God called Gideon a mighty and valiant man even while
he was hiding from his assignment to defeat Israel’s enemies (see Judg. 6:12).
GOD DOESN’T SEE YOU AS YOU SEE YOURSELF. HE SEES HIS

CALL ON YOUR LIFE, AND HE WANTS YOU TO SEE YOURSELF
AS HE SEES YOU.
Listen to the preached Word and align yourself with the Lord’s opinion of you. You will
prosper.
“So the elders of the Jews built, and they prospered through the prophesying of
Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they built and finished it,
according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the command of
Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.”
— Ezra 6:14 NKJV
As you hear the anointed word preached, you will prosper through the prophesying.
The devil doesn’t play fair. He doesn’t give you a break from his attacks.
If you feel like the devil is attacking you 24/7, listen to the Word 24/7. If you’re going
through a difficult season, listen to the Word and you’ll begin to prosper in your
intimacy with the Lord and prosper in your mental health and emotions.
“Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it
will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.” ”
— Mark 4:24 NKJV
Listen to prophetic preaching and activate

the gifts of the Holy Spirit (lessons from the
menorah)
“There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his
roots. [1] The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of [2] wisdom and [3]
understanding, the Spirit of [4] counsel and [5] might, the Spirit of [6]
knowledge and of the [7] fear of the Lord.”
— Isaiah 11:1–2 NKJV
In Isaiah 11, we see how the sevenfold spirit is upon Jesus (see Rev. 1:4).
The Spirit of the Lord is the center shaft and the other six branches represent other gifts
of the Spirit.
Within the Spirit of knowledge, counsel, wisdom, understanding, might, and fear of the
Lord, we can see the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12:7–11:
The Spirit of wisdom and understanding includes [1] the word of knowledge, [2]
word of wisdom and [3] the discerning of Spirits.
These gifts are your inheritance. They are not given to you just for use in the church but
also for every other area of your life—your business, your parenting, your marriage, etc.
The Spirit of counsel and might includes [4] the gifts of healing, [5] the working of
miracles, and [6] the gift of faith.
This is what Paul prayed over the churches: that they would have the Spirit of wisdom
and be strengthened with all might in their inner man, and Pastor Prince prays for the
congregation to have this Spirit as well.
“...strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and
longsuffering with joy”
— Colossians 1:11 NKJV
How do you know if you’re strong spiritually? You’re patient with people and with
circumstances. God has strengthened you to the point where you find joy in being
patient.
The Spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord includes [7] the gift of different
tongues, [8] the interpretation of tongues and [9] the gift of prophecy.
“His delight is in the fear of the Lord,

And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes,
Nor decide by the hearing of His ears;”
— Isaiah 11:3 NKJV
THE SPIRIT OF GOD GIVES YOU COUNSEL. DON’T GO BY THE
SIGHT OF YOUR EYES OR HEARING OF YOUR EARS. JUDGE
BASED ON THE SPIRIT OF GOD.
That’s how Jesus lived. He was never flattered into having a good opinion of people and
He was never slighted into having bad thoughts about people.
Leaders, when you follow the Spirit, you’ll be like Jesus and lead others well. When you
counsel someone, listen to the person but more importantly, listen to the Spirit in you.
For the problems that you have today, don’t go into the world to try to find the solution
or answers.
The menorah (God’s light) is in the Holy Place (the church). You’ll find your answers in
the church. Natural light has no answers for supernatural problems. It is in the house of
God where you’ll hear the Word of God preached and where the light of His Word
can bring supernatural light into your situation.
In the light of God’s Word, you will see

light
“Three bowls shall be made like almond blossoms on one branch, with an ornamental
knob and a flower, and three bowls made like almond blossoms on the other branch,
with an ornamental knob and a flower—and so for the six branches that come out of the
lampstand.”
The lampstand is akin to an almond tree. In Israel, the almond tree is the first tree to
bring forth fruit after the winter. The almond tree is a picture of the resurrection of
Jesus.
If you calculate the number of decorations, you’ll find that each branch has 9
decorations while the center shaft has 12 decorations. In total, there are 66 decorations
on the menorah, which corresponds to the 66 books in the Bible—39 books of the Old
Testament, and 27 books in the New Testament.
The menorah is therefore also a picture of God’s Word.
In God’s Word, you will find all the light that you need.
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
— Psalm 119:105 NKJV
GOD’S WORD IS WHERE YOU’LL FIND THE DIVINE WISDOM

THAT YOU NEED FOR EVERY SITUATION IN YOUR LIFE.
Whatever your situation or challenge is, you can read His Word and receive His
extraordinary wisdom and supernatural help for it.
Closing Prayer
“This coming week, in the name of the Lord Jesus, the Lord bless you and the Lord preserve
and protect you from all harm, danger and evil. The Lord makes His face shine on you, be
favorable to you. The Lord lifts up His countenance on you and your families, and grant to
you and your loved ones His shalom health, wholeness and peace.

Noah The Real Story: God Always Extends Chance After Chance, Opportunity After Opportunity

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Noah The Real Story: God Always Extends Chance After Chance, Opportunity After Opportunity

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Noah─The Real Story

Sunday, 13 April 2014

Introduction—know the Holy Word, not

Pastor Prince calls out several biblical inaccuracies in the movie.

GOD ALWAYS EXTENDS CHANCE AFTER CHANCE,

The back story: The devil tries to prevent

“And I will put enmity

“When the morning stars sang together,

The “sons of God” in Job 38:7 refer to the angels.

WHEN YOU ARE FULL OF REST, YOU ARE FULL OF GRACE!

AT THE MENTION OF JESUS’ NAME, EVERY KNEE WILL BOW—

Every facet of Noah’s Ark is a picture of

WHEN YOU ARE IN CHRIST, YOU ARE IN THE ARK!

The number, 300, in the Bible stands for victory.

WHEN YOU LOOK AROUND, YOU GET DISTRESSED. WHEN YOU

IF YOU ARE UNWELL, JESUS WANTS TO HEAL YOU. JESUS

There is supernatural grace for your entire

Safe in the ark: Your salvation is eternal

Today, the curse has been reversed!

THERE ARE NO SUPERFLUOUS DETAILS IN THE BIBLE—

Pastor Prince shares the significance of numbers in Genesis 8:4.

EVERYONE IS BORN INTO CURSED GROUND, BUT BECAUSE OF

Because of the cross, God can no longer be

“For this is like the waters of Noah to Me;

© Copyright JosephPrince.com 2014

The Truth About Tithing Under Grace

V I EW SLI D ES GET TH IS SERM ON

Introduction: Don’t live life alone!

What to build your life upon

1. Jesus Christ has to be first in your life

The same applies to your work and career.

Treat your employer as if you are submitting to the Lord.

There is safety in the local church

WHEN YOU COME TO GOD’S HOUSE, YOU WILL NEVER LEAVE

There’s safety and protection in the local church.

Submission releases God’s favor

SUBMISSION RELEASES GOD’S FAVOR.

When you submit, favor is released.

You don’t have to tithe but you get to tithe.

The tithe is for your benefit!

Jesus’ priesthood was called according to the priesthood of Melchizedek.

This is the only account we have of Melchizedek in the Old Testament.

When does partaking of the Holy Communion become a legalistic act?

“Honor the Lord with your possessions,

What we can learn from the three tithes of

1. The First Tithe (maaser rishon)

Honoring the full-time ministers in our local church

2. The Second Tithe (maaser sheni)

3. The Third Tithe (maaser ani)

How to be a good steward of the finances

God considers money a tool; it is the least as compared to the much—people.

What does God say about the tithe?

“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,

Jesus gives us the right reason for tithing:

“not to leave the other undone” — Yet, not forgetting to tithe.

Whoever you tithe to, you’re declaring that person is great.

THE BREAD AND WINE PROCLAIM HIS DEATH, THE TITHE

© Copyright JosephPrince.com 2019

The Truth About Tithing Under Grace

V I EW SLI D ES GET TH IS SERM ON

Introduction: Don’t live life alone!

What to build your life upon

1. Jesus Christ has to be first in your life