THE PROPHET REWARD New

THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2025

Unlocking Divine Blessings Through Kingdom Hospitality

BIBLICAL FOUNDATION:

FIRE SCRIPTURE: Matthew 10:40-42

MEMORY VERSE: “And he said, About the season, according to time of life, thou shalt embrace a son…” (2 Kings 4:15)

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Chronicles 29:1-36; Romans 14:1-23; Psalm 24:1-10; Proverbs 20:12

INSPIRATION:

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE: Hospitality is love in action.

PROPHETIC WORD FOR TODAY: Henceforth, receive the grace to demonstrate hospitality, in the name of Jesus.

MESSAGE:More Than a Gesture: Understanding Kingdom Hospitality

Beloved, in the whirlwind of our daily lives, where efficiency often trumps empathy and convenience overshadows connection, it’s easy to overlook the profound spiritual power embedded in simple acts of kindness, generosity, and reception. Yet, the Kingdom of God operates on principles that defy worldly logic, principles that unlock supernatural blessings through seemingly ordinary deeds. One such powerful principle is hospitality, especially as it relates to those God sends.

During His earthly ministry, Jesus gave several admonitions to encourage His disciples (and that includes us). He knew that their journey, and ours, would be fraught with challenges, and they would need divine wisdom to navigate the complexities of ministry and life. One of such profound words of wisdom, foundational to our understanding today, is found in our Fire Scripture, Matthew 10:40-42:

“He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.”

This passage reveals a multi-layered truth about spiritual reception and its corresponding rewards. Jesus establishes a direct spiritual chain:

• Receiving His disciples (His sent ones) is equivalent to receiving Him.
• Receiving Him is equivalent to receiving the Father who sent Him.

This immediately elevates the act of hospitality from a mere social courtesy to a profound spiritual transaction. But Jesus goes further, specifically addressing the concept of “the prophet’s reward.” He states that whoever recognizes, receives, and honors a prophet in the name of a prophet will get the prophet’s reward.

The Prophet’s Reward: A Divine Accounting System

What exactly is the prophet’s reward? It refers to the eternal rewards credited to the prophet’s account because of his service to God, but also the divine recompense that is released into the life of the one who supports and receives the prophet. This isn’t about human popularity or financial gain for the prophet; it’s about heaven’s divine accounting system. When a prophet serves God, they accrue spiritual rewards. When you genuinely receive and support a prophet—recognizing their office and their calling—heaven will credit both the prophet’s account and yours. It’s a partnership in divine labor and its ensuing blessings.

This concept extends beyond just “prophets” to anyone God sends. Jesus mentions a “righteous man’s reward” and even the reward for giving a “cup of cold water in the name of a disciple.” The principle is clear: acknowledging and supporting God’s representatives, in whatever capacity they serve, opens a channel for God’s blessings in your own life.

This is not a transactional deal where you manipulate God into giving you something. Rather, it’s a revelation of God’s character: He honors those who honor Him and His servants. It demonstrates that when you sow into Kingdom work, especially through those God has anointed and sent, you are sowing into eternal purposes, and your return is guaranteed, both in this life and the next.

The Widow of Zarephath: Sowing in Scarcity, Reaping Abundance

One of the most powerful illustrations of the prophet’s reward is found in the story of the widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17:8-16). In a time of severe famine, when the land was parched and resources were depleted, God sent His prophet Elijah to this Gentile widow.

Elijah’s request was audacious, almost cruel, given her desperate circumstances: “Bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink.” (1 Kings 17:10). Then he added, “Bring me, please, a piece of bread in your hand.” (1 Kings 17:11). Her response was heartbreakingly honest: “As the Lord your God lives, I have no bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.” (1 Kings 17:12).

This widow was at the absolute brink of starvation. Her request from Elijah was a death sentence. Yet, the prophet, operating in divine authority, pressed on: “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. For thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the ¹jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth.'” (1 Kings 17:13-14). She faced a choice: cling to the last vestiges of her sustenance and face certain death, or obey the seemingly impossible command of God’s servant. Nevertheless, at the risk of her life and her son’s, she obliged. This was not just a donation; it was a sacrifice. It was an act of faith born out of dire scarcity, a radical surrender of her very last meal to a stranger.

Because the widow obeyed Elijah, she and her son enjoyed supernatural supply and didn’t lack food throughout the duration of the famine. Her “handful of flour” and “little oil” miraculously sustained them. Why? It was because she surrendered or offered her little first to God’s servant and heaven multiplied it. She received the prophet’s reward, which manifested as unending provision in a time of widespread scarcity. Her act of hospitality, of honoring the man of God, unlocked an unprecedented miracle of sustenance.

This story challenges us: are we willing to sow even in our scarcity? Are we sensitive to the needs of God’s servants, even when it feels like a personal sacrifice? The prophet’s reward often comes to those who give beyond their comfort zone, sowing into Kingdom work with a heart of faith and obedience.

The Shunammite Woman: Hospitality That Provokes Destiny

Another magnificent testament to the prophet’s reward comes from the story of the Shunammite woman (2 Kings 4:8-37). Prophet Elisha was a man of God who frequently traveled through the town of Shunem. This remarkable woman, discerning God’s hand on his life, told her husband that she perceived that Elisha was a holy man of God. This discernment was key – she didn’t just see a traveling preacher; she recognized a man sent by God.

Her suggestion was simple but profound: they should provide him with a consistent place of rest and refreshment. “Let us make a small upper room on the wall; and let us put a bed for him there, and a table and a chair and a lampstand; so it will be, whenever he comes to us, he can turn in there.” (2 Kings 4:10). The husband agreed, and the woman took good care of Elisha and his servant, Gehazi. This was hospitality born out of reverence for God’s anointed, not a desire for personal gain. She consistently served, without expectation.

One day, Elisha, touched by her unwavering kindness and recognizing her profound hospitality, thought it was time he rewarded the woman for her devotion. He suggested mentioning her honorably to the king or the captain of the host, but she humbly said it was not necessary. “I dwell among mine own people,” she replied, indicating her contentment and lack of desire for worldly recognition or favors.

This humble refusal prompted Elisha to probe deeper. He asked Gehazi, “What then is to be done for her?” Then Gehazi, perhaps having observed her situation, drew the attention of Elisha to the fact that she had no child. This was a deep, unspoken sorrow in her life, a void that worldly honors could never fill. Barrenness in that culture was often seen as a curse or a mark of divine disfavor.

When Elisha sent for her, he delivered a powerful, destiny-altering decree: “About the season, according to time of life, thou shalt embrace a son…” (2 Kings 4:16). This was a specific, prophetic word that shattered years of barrenness. And true to the prophet’s word, that marked the end of her barrenness. In the very next season, she conceived and bore a son. Her consistent, unselfish hospitality, flowing from a discerning heart, unlocked a prophet’s reward that addressed her deepest yearning and transformed her lineage.

Sowing Into Kingdom Needs: Beyond Financial Blessings

These two powerful biblical narratives illuminate several critical aspects of the prophet’s reward:

It’s Beyond Money: While financial support is often part of it, the prophet’s reward can manifest in diverse ways: supernatural provision (widow of Zarephath), breaking barrenness and bringing forth a child (Shunammite woman), divine favor, protection, healing, open doors, accelerated destiny, and even eternal rewards.

It Addresses Core Needs: God, through His prophet, often meets a need that is deep-seated and perhaps hidden from human eyes, a need that only God truly knows and can fulfill.

It Requires Discernment: The Shunammite woman “perceived” Elisha was a holy man of God. This spiritual sensitivity is vital. It’s not about following every charismatic speaker, but discerning those truly sent by God.

It Springs from a Heart of Love and Service: Both women acted out of genuine care and honor for God’s servant, not out of a manipulative desire for reward. The reward is a consequence of faithful, loving action.

It Involves Sacrifice: The widow gave her last. The Shunammite woman expended time, effort, and resources to build a place for Elisha. True hospitality often involves going beyond convenience.

Today, just as in biblical times, ministers of God, pastors, evangelists, missionaries, and prophets often have needs – for financial support, encouragement, a place to rest, a listening ear, or even just a warm meal. Take time to find out a need in the life of your pastor or minister. It could be a simple practical need, a financial challenge, or even a need for prayer and encouragement. Sow a seed into his or her life to meet that need; you will get the prophet’s reward. This isn’t just a duty; it’s an opportunity to activate divine blessings in your own life.

The Call to Action: Be Sensitive, Be Generous, Be Blessed

Beloved, are you sensitive to the needs of others around you? This sensitivity is not just for ministers of God; it extends to the hungry, the naked, the sick, the stranger, and the imprisoned (Matthew 25:34-40). Jesus explicitly states that when we minister to “one of the least of these,” we are ministering to Him. And for a “cup of cold water given in the name of a disciple,” there is a guaranteed reward.

As you attend to all such within your capacity, demonstrating what our motivational quote calls “love in action,” you shall receive the prophet’s reward, the righteous man’s reward, and the disciple’s reward, in the name of Jesus. This grace to demonstrate hospitality, our prophetic word for today, is not merely a suggestion; it’s an empowerment from heaven to unlock the blessings that flow from a generous and discerning heart.

Remember, the prophet’s reward is not limited to physical rewards on earth, but it includes rewards in eternity. Every act of kindness, every seed sown into God’s Kingdom, every genuine expression of hospitality and support for God’s work is recorded in heaven’s books. These are treasures that neither moth nor rust can corrupt, and thieves cannot break in and steal (Matthew 6:19-21).

Let your life be marked by intentional hospitality, a keen eye for the needs of others, and a generous spirit that flows from a heart yielded to God. As you become a blessing to God’s Kingdom and His servants, be assured that heaven’s gates will open wide, pouring out blessings that money cannot buy and limitations cannot contain.

PRAYER POINTS:

MORNING

Father, I receive the grace to be loving, caring, and hospitable, in the name of Jesus. Break any spirit of selfishness or stinginess in me.

I will not grow weary of doing good, in the name of Jesus. Strengthen my hands to sow seeds of kindness and support into Your Kingdom.

O God, make me a blessing to Your Kingdom, to Your ministers, and to those You send, in the name of Jesus.

EVENING

Father, make me sensitive to receive and honor the ones You send, whether they are prophets, righteous people, or disciples, in the name of Jesus.

O God, as I bless Your ministers and Your Kingdom, bless me with blessings that money cannot buy – blessings of peace, joy, fulfillment, divine health, and supernatural breakthrough, in the name of Jesus.

O heaven, open the book of remembrance for me and give me a big miracle today, a pleasant surprise that addresses my deepest needs, in the name of Jesus.

My Father, have mercy on me and give me a pleasant surprise, an unmerited favor that testifies of Your goodness, in the name of Jesus.