PROSPERITY

PROSPERITY

 

Why should we prosper?

Financial prosperity has been a subject that never fails to light a fire in people. Sometimes that fire is one of faith, in others it is a fire of a less favorable kind.

What makes it such a volatile issue? The simple fact that in the minds of many people money is a dirty business. They have seen it tied up so often with carnality and corruption that they just can’t believe that God would ever give any more money than we absolutely need.

Why would he, is a good question. Since we will never fully understand Gods will about prosperity until we know the why behind it. The why is one of the questions we all need to know the answer to.

Think for a moment, what is Gods reason for prospering his people? Is it so we can watch bigger tv’s or so we can buy finer houses and more luxurious cars?

If you’re like most people it may be difficult for you to even imagine any other reason for prosperity. That is because for the most part your ideas about money have been shaped by a world view that pursues it strictly for the purpose of selfishness and greed. In the word of God the Lord provides us with two entirely different purposes for prosperity.

Deuteronomy 8:18   ¹⁸ But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.

They were to be watchful so prosperity cause them to forget the redeemer who delivered them from the bondage of Egypt and they were to guard against thinking that their prosperity was due to their own intelligence and their own power.

God intends for us to use the wealth he gives us to help establish his covenant on earth.

Ephesians 4:28   ²⁸ Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

Establishing Gods covenant on earth and giving to those in need. That is the purpose of Gods prosperity in your life.

It is absolutely tragic how foreign that is to the way most people think. I have actually heard people say, “I don’t need much prosperity, I am a simple person with a simple life. I just ask for God to meet my needs.”

They think that is having humility, its not, it is actually selfishness. They could have asked God for a enough to meet their own needs and the needs of others around them.

That doesn’t occur to them because when it comes to money brainwashed by a world that says if you have it you have to keep it. What those people are saying is, I only care about meeting my own needs.

Jesus never built a worldly empire for himself, that doesn’t mean he was poor. He was the greatest giver who ever walked the face of the Earth.

It is time to stop pretending that money is not important. God knows it is and you should know it too. That is why he said where your money is that is where you heart is.

Matthew 6:19-21   ¹⁹ Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

²⁰ But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

Psalms 73:12   ¹² Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.

Most of us don’t realize there are two different types of prosperity, one from the world and one from the word. This psalm is speaking of the one from the world. The ungodly who prosper in the world increase in riches.

Let the word of God inspire you to leave the world behind an prosper in faith, to reach out and receive what you as a redeemed child of the living God have a divine right to. You are not to receive the curse of poverty, but the blessings of prosperity.

3 John 2   ² Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

This is referring to financial prosperity and should be the cases for every believer and be in health, speaks of physical prosperity, as your soul prospers is speaking of spiritual prosperity. We have here the whole gospel for the whole man.

One of the reasons people don’t prosper is not because of lack of faith, but our doubt when we are praying for prosperity. A tiny amount of doubt will cancel your faith and keep you from receiving what God has for you.

Stop thinking God will prosper others but not me.

That’s a lie of the devil. Don’t be deceived, God loves you whether or not your prosperous. Prosperity has nothing to do with Gods love for you.

There is to much money in this world and not enough love for the one who created the world. The love of money is the root of all evil, not the money itself.

Mark 10:29-30   ²⁹ And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's,

³⁰ But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.

The bible presents no data to support the idea that being wealthy is wrong. In fact, we find evidence to the contrary. The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and no sorrow is added with it.

Scripture also offers many notable examples of Godly wealthy people: Job, Abraham, Barnabas and Philemon.

God does not disapprove of people with money but does speak out against those who rely on riches as it is in the following verse.

Mark 10:23-24   ²³ And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!

²⁴ And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!

Jesus also said it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.

Proverbs 11:28   ²⁸ He that trusteth in his riches shall fall; but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.

You see why Jesus said it would be hard to be rich. It is because most rich people stop trusting God and start trusting in their money. Therefore, the money gets the glory, not God.

People, even Christians don’t seem to understand the importance of money. Everything, even money belongs to God. Human beings own nothing. Everything you have belongs to God. It is only on loan to you to sustain you and help others.