The Rich Young Ruler: A Prophetic Word To A Generation by Apostle Joshua Selman: MP3 Download & Sermon Notes

Five Forces That Produce Excellence

The preacher in Ecclesiastes gives us wisdom — Ecclesiastes 9:11:

• The race — connected to speed. Life is a function of time. You must master the art of gaining time. Ephesians 5:16: redeem the time, for the days are evil.
• The battle — connected to strength. Emotional, spiritual, and physical strength. Isaiah 40:28–31: God does not faint or grow weary, and those who wait on him shall renew their strength. Your journey in life will be a disaster until you master the spiritual dynamics that maintain strength.
• Bread and sufficiency — connected to wisdom. There is a relationship between bread and wisdom. When you lack wisdom you will lack bread.
• Riches — connected to understanding. In all your getting, get understanding.
• Favor — connected to skill and value. When you are valuable, you schedule seasons of favor that reproduce themselves again and again.

Under normal circumstances, if you do not have speed you will fail a race. If you are not strong you will lose battles. Without wisdom you will lack bread. Without understanding, riches will be far from you. Without skill, favor will be far from you. The preacher is not saying ignore this — he is saying that in addition to this reality, there is still a condition that can circumvent all these things. Except the realm of the spirit fights you, nothing will defeat you on earth when you have mastered all five.

The Rich Young Ruler

In Mark 10:17–22, a gentleman came to Jesus. The Bible identifies him by three descriptions: rich, young, and a ruler.

• Rich — richness implies wisdom. Through wisdom comes promotion and lasting results.
• Young — the words rich and young hardly go together, because it takes time to learn the principles of lasting wealth. Yet this man had gained dominion over time. Speed was at work in his life.
• Ruler — he was recognized by the government of the day. They saluted the investment of wisdom upon him. Favor was evidently at work.

This young man was also remarkably humble. He ran to Jesus. He knelt down. He did not say "give me eternal life" — he said "what shall I do?" He was responsible, accountable, and teachable. He called Jesus Master — only a student calls another Master. He had integrity, honor for the fathers, and the passion to keep learning. Rich, young, a ruler — and still running to Jesus.

His question reveals his thinking: As far as this realm is concerned, I have taken advantage of the knowledge that brings speed, strength, bread, riches, and favor. I have conquered this realm, and I did it fast. Now I hear there is an advantage beyond this realm. What must I do?

One Thing Thou Lackest

Jesus beholding him loved him — before any correction, he commended what was done — and said: one thing thou lackest. He did not say you lack speed, strength, wisdom, understanding, or skill. You have done everything well. But there is one thing. And the test would reveal it:

Go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor — and come, take up thy cross, and follow me.

The man left sorrowful — for he had great possessions. That sorrow revealed the condition of his heart. Luke 12:34: "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." His heart had drifted — not intentionally, not with his knowledge — but the side effect of having plenty had done something to him.

This is not a message about one young man. That young man was a generation — the finest within a generation, one that had done what many before it could not. Generations past struggled with speed, strength, wisdom, understanding, and skill. Here came a generation that learned, corrected, and conquered all of it. Rich. Young. Ruler. And yet when they stand before Jesus, he says:

One thing thou lackest.

A Prophetic Word to This Generation

Young people are conquering realms of wealth. Men and women of God carry anointing, character, diligence, prayer, fasting, and honor for the fathers. This generation no longer has a problem with prayer — God has helped us. No longer a problem with fasting. No longer a problem with ignorance of scripture. No longer a problem with anointing or wealth. God commends all of it.

But the master is still saying: be careful — one thing thou lackest.

The test is this: sell your sense of relevance. Part ways with the attachment. He did not literally mean sell everything — it was a test to reveal the heart. That young man's pain was not because of the absence of results. His pain was because of the excellency of results. Unknown to him, his heart had become connected to the treasure.

Matthew 22:37: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind — this is the first and greatest commandment." Matthew 15:8: "These people draw near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me." The problem is not the preaching. The problem is not the fasting. The problem is the heart.

Spirituality can become a product. Ministry can become a product. Anointing can become a product. And because the product being traded is spiritual, you can deceive yourself that your heart is right. The treasure has become the idol — prayer as a product, fasting as a product, Bible study as a product, a name, expansion, reputation.

Colossians 3:1–3: "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God."

The Real Invitation

Jesus was not sarcastic. He loved the young man. He commended what was done. But before you mark your script and give yourself an award — the Master says: there is still one thing.

The greatest weapon of mass destruction for this generation right now is a corrupted heart.

God is calling this generation to re-examine the heart. The results are not the problem — many have mastered them. However, there is something that can still come upon men even while they are talking of Eternity. It is the condition of the heart. This is why God has delayed lifting many. The seasons that are coming require a corrected heart — and if it is not corrected, this generation will still lose it and become a lesson for the next, in spite of all the preaching, fasting, prayers, and giving.

Lord, before I preach this — start with me. I lay down every idol and throne I have made. If there is any hidden motivation that has been driving my pursuit for you — prune it. Bring me to a point where I am a dead man without you. Where your treasure is, let my heart be. Not my ministry. Not my anointing. You. In Jesus name.

God is speaking to someone: the seasons that are coming will require a corrected heart. I decree that before this generation ends its race, there will be a restoration — a return to the first love. You are a rich young ruler — and the Master says: one thing, just one thing — give me you. Everything else can wait. In the name of Jesus Christ.