Increase

 Devotion: Fruitful and Multiply — The Law of Divine Increase

Scripture:
"And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion…"
— Genesis 1:28 (KJV)

Personal Reflection:
As I continue to meditate on these first words God spoke to man, I am beginning to see how deeply intentional every word is. Yesterday, I reflected on the power of the blessing itself—God's empowerment to prosper. Today, I see that God did not merely say, "I bless you" and leave it vague; He defined what the blessing includes: fruitfulness and multiplication.

The Hebrew word for fruitful speaks not only of bearing children or producing crops, but of reward, outcome, and consequence. As Jewish scholarship and Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament help us understand, it includes the results that flow from our words and actions. This is echoed powerfully in Proverbs:

• "From the fruit of his words a man is satisfied with good, and the work of a man's hand comes back to him."(Proverbs 12:14, RSV)

• "From the fruit of his mouth a good man eats good..." (Proverbs 13:2, RSV)

• "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits." (Proverbs 18:20-21, RSV)

I am confronted today with a sobering truth: the fruitfulness God desires to give me often begins with my words and is followed by my actions. My words, when aligned with His Word, plant seeds for a harvest that God has already declared as part of His blessing.

The second part of God’s decree is multiply. Here, God is not simply talking about addition but exponential increase—to gather much, to yield much, to give more, to heap. This is God’s economy: obedience brings multiplication, not division. Sadly, many view God as a subtractor—taking away dreams, resources, and opportunities. But from the beginning, God has revealed Himself as a God of increase, pouring out abundant reward on those who follow His ways.

Contemplation:
Do I truly believe God desires to multiply blessing in my life? Not merely for my comfort, but for His glory and the benefit of others? Have my words and actions aligned with His truth, or have I allowed fear, negativity, and disobedience to plant seeds of lack and division?

I am reminded of Jesus’ words in John 15:8: "Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples."Fruitfulness brings God glory.

Today's Confession:
"I have been blessed to be fruitful and multiply. My words are aligned with God’s Word, and my actions reflect obedience to His commands. God is glorified as I walk in the abundance of His blessing."

Prayer:
Father, thank You for being the God of increase. You have blessed me with the power to be fruitful and multiply. Help me to guard my words, that they may always align with Your truth and sow good seed. Strengthen me to walk in obedience, trusting that You reward those who diligently seek You. I renounce every lie that says You are a God who subtracts, and I embrace Your promise of multiplication—for Your glory and the blessing of others. In Jesus' name, Amen.