PROSPERITY
Why you should prosper.
Financial prosperity is a subject that never fails to
light a fire in people. In some that fire is one of faith, in others it is a
fire of a less favorable kind.
What makes it such a volatile subject is 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 can’t believe that God
would ever give us any more money than we absolutely need.
The question is why would he give us more money? We will
never fully understand Gods will about prosperity until we know the why behind
it. We all need to know the why.
Think for a moment, what is God reason for prospering his
people? Is it so we can get bigger TVS or finer houses or maybe a more
luxurious car?
If you are like most people it may be difficult to even
imagine any other reasons for prosperity. The reason is, your view about money
has been shaped by a world view that pursues it strictly for selfish purposes,
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 watchful lest prosperity caused them to forget the redeemer
who delivered them from the bondage of Egypt. 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 give 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. Those
are Gods purposes for prosperity.
It is tragic how foreign that concept is to most peoples thinking. I
have actually heard people say: I don’t need much prosperity. I am a simple
person with simple needs. I just ask God for enough to meet my needs.
They are mistaken if they think that is humility. It is not, it is
selfishness. They could have asked God for more money than they need, take what
they need out and use the rest to help others. They have been brainwashed by a
world that says if you have money you have to keep it.
Without realizing it these people are saying, all I care about is
meeting my own needs.
Jesus never built a worldly empire for himself, that does not mean he
was poor. It simply means he was the greatest giver who ever walked the face of
the earth.
It is time to stop pretending that money is not important, you know it,
and God knows it. Why do you think he said where your money is there will your
heart also be.
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:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Psalms 73:12
12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the
world; they increase in riches.
Most of us do not realize that there are two different types of
prosperity, one from the word and one from the world. Ps.73:12 speaks of the
latter.
Let your faith stir withing you and reach out and receive what you as a
redeemed child of the living God have a divine right to. Don’t accept the curse
of poverty, rather accept the blessing of hope and 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 case for
every believer. Be in health, speaks of the physical prosperity; as your soul
prospers is speaking of spiritual prosperity. Here is the whole gospel for the
whole man.
One reason people don’t prosper, believers, is not from lack of faith,
it is from doubt when they pray. The tiniest amount of doubt will cancel your
faith and keep you from receiving what God has for you. He is waiting for you
to ask and believe you will receive.
Don’t think he will prosper others and not you. That is a lie from
Satan. Do not be deceived God loves you whether or not your prosperous. Your
lack of prosperity has nothing to do with his love for you.
There is much love of money in the 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.
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. 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, however, he does speak out against those who rely on riches as this
young man did in the following verse.
Mark 10:23-24 17 And when
he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and
asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good?
there is none good but one, that is, God.
19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery,
Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy
father and mother.
20 And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these
have I observed from my youth.
21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him,
One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the
poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and
follow me.
22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved:
for he had great possessions.
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.
Now we begin to
see why Jesus says it is hard to be rich. It is because rich people stop
trusting God and trust in their money. This gives money the glory, not God.
People, even
Christians, don’t seem to understand the importance of money. Everything, even
money belongs to God. we as human being own nothing. Everything we have belongs
to God. it is only on loan to sustain you and to help others.
Don’t be afraid
to ask God for finances, enough to help others and enough to further the
kingdom.