Honor Keeps It / Dishonor Depletes It

Or, another way to put it is:

Proverbs 1:7 states “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”  Wisdom is knowledge applied in the right manner to obtain the best outcome.  The type of “fear” referred to in Proverbs is reverential honor.  When we are unwilling to honor and trust God or come under and submit to His authority, we should not expect His wisdom to be imparted to us.  This truth applies to other persons (and is even a principle that is true in finances).  For example, when we are unwilling to honor or respect a teacher, a leader, a pastor, a boss, a parent, etc., the wisdom or knowledge that person could impart or pass along to us will not be received or retained due to our lack of honor and respect.

Also:

From John Bevere’s “Under Cover” devotional (John Bevere’s book by the same title is a great read on this subject):

Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor.” He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them.
Mark 6:4–5 NIV, emphasis added

These verses tell us Jesus could not do any miracles in His hometown. It does not say, “He would not”—that would deal with His will. It says “could not,” which means He was restrained. Why? The answer is twofold. First, Jesus had not come the way the people wanted, so they did not receive or honor Him. Second, they were too familiar with Him.

Through Moses, God had told the people of Israel, “I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren” (Deuteronomy 18:18 NKJV). But the people didn’t honor Jesus as the Spokesperson for the Father or as Messiah.

Only those with hungry, teachable, and humble hearts after God could see the hand of God on Jesus and therefore receive from Him. Jesus located the hearts of those who were truly after God and those who merely had a form of godliness but were blinded by insubordination.

There is a fundamental truth for all of us here: many times God will send us what we need in a package we don’t want. This will cause the true condition of our hearts to manifest, exposing whether we are submitted to God’s authority or resistant to it.

“You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.”
John 8:19 NKJV

Those who know the Father recognize His authority in those He sends. It doesn’t have to be explained, taught, or proven.

We receive someone as having been sent by God when we honor their position or office. The degree to which we receive and honor a messenger sent by God is the degree to which we will receive from God through that person. Give great honor and honor will be your portion.

God longs to bless us through the people He sends, but a lack of honor will hinder His intentions. Seek God’s wisdom about the people He’s placed over you. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in honoring the authorities in your life. As you grow in honor, you will grow in your experience of the blessings of God!

For more information regarding the ministry of John and Lisa Bevere, go to:  www.messengerinternational.org