True Prosperity

The following post is courtesy of Pastor Duane Vander Klok from Resurrection Life Church. Pastor Vander Klok can be seen on his TV show (also available on the web) Walking by Faith. All scriptures are from the New King James Version of the Bible unless otherwise stated.

How prosperous are you?

When asked that question, many people see dollar signs or take a quick inventory of their worldly goods. What came to your mind? Did you think of cars, homes, boats, jewelry, or a long awaited dream vacation?

While Biblical prosperity includes having enough money to do what God has called you to do, it also includes having good health, peace of mind, good relationships, and much more. The apostle John wrote, “I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers” (3 John 1:2). In this verse alone, you can see that Biblical prosperity is multi-faceted. God desires that you would prosper in your spirit, soul, and body. True prosperity is much more than money and the things it can buy.

Poverty vs. Prosperity

I knew a man in South America who lived in a tiny hut that took only two days to build. He had a wife, a couple of children, a little plot of land with a few chickens, and wore only a loin cloth. It might seem to you that he lived in a state of poverty, but he couldn’t imagine being more prosperous.

I knew another man who lived in a huge home on acres of land. He had a wife and two children, a couple of expensive automobiles, membership in a country club for the elite, and a big boat. Judging from appearances, you’d say he was more prosperous than the first man. But, was he really?

Contrary to popular opinion, true prosperity does not come from having large sums of money or from possessing an abundance of this world’s treasures. Suppose the man with all the “stuff” found out that he had cancer, or his wife left him for another man, or his kids were on drugs. Would he be enjoying prosperity? What if everyone he knew hated him, or he lived in constant fear? Would you still call him prosperous?

Spiritually Rich

Someone who is prosperous in God’s eyes is rich because of his spiritual condition. It has nothing to do with his material possessions, but it has everything to do with his relationship with God. Similarly, poverty is not the result of a poor financial state. In reality, poverty is a destructive spirit sent from the devil to rob people. No one is poor just because they have no money; they are poor because Satan has stolen their health, family, relationships, or dreams.

Jesus told this parable in Luke 12:16-20: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. He thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. ‘I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” This man was a millionaire; yet God called him a fool! Like him, you can have all of the things the world has to offer; but if you are not rich toward God, you are not prosperous.

Seek God First

Some people make the mistake of seeking God only for what they can get from Him, but Jesus said, “…seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). If you seek only after God’s blessing, you will miss out on things that He wants to add to your life, but when you seek Him first, He is able to bless you.

Faith makes a difference. Hebrews 11:6 says, “Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” It makes a difference when you pray and read God’s Word. It makes a difference when you worship. It makes a difference when you obey His Word and when you give your tithes and offerings to God. All of these actions are related to seeking God, and He will reward you as you seek Him first.

Success comes from doing things God’s way. You may have a good marriage, but if you do not value marriage the way God does, you may lose it. The same is true with your finances or any other area of your life. If you do not value what God has given you, you may lose the blessing He intends. However, when you seek God more than you seek any other thing, you will value what He values and consistently make good decisions.

As you get to know God better by praying and reading His Word, He is able to make you prosper.  He will also help you develop a lifestyle that enables you to maintain and pass on that prosperity.

Generational Blessings

God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He wants to be your God, your children’s God, your grandchildren’s and your great-grandchildren’s God. He wants the prosperity He gives you to flow from generation to generation. The apostle Paul spoke to Timothy about this when he said, “…I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also” (II Timothy 1:5).

God’s will is for every area of your life and the lives of your descendents to be blessed. For example, it is great if you have a good marriage. It is even better when your values influence your children so they can have good marriages, too. It is good when you do well financially, but it is even better when you pass on the ability to successfully manage finances to the next generation.

When you are truly prosperous, you will teach your children to seek God first through both your words and actions. They will learn by your example that faith and prosperity can be passed on from generation to generation.

Don’t Settle For Less

No one can afford to be satisfied with less than God wants to give, so why settle for prosperity only in the financial or physical realm when it is available in every area of your life? Jesus said, “The thief does not come except to steal, kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). Remember, Satan is the one who causes sickness, disease, pain, poverty, and anything else that brings lack into your life. Jesus overcame the power of the devil so you can have an abundant life!

Proverbs 10:22 says, “The blessing of the LORD makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it.” It is God’s blessing that makes you rich. As you seek Him first, He is able to bless you and manifest His presence in your life. He becomes your sin-removing, life-giving, truth-revealing, burden-bearing, problem-solving, joy-restoring, prosperity-granting God. In addition, the scripture says that He adds no sorrow with it.

True prosperity is so much more than money. You can prosper in every area of your life as you grow spiritually – that’s God’s plan. He will supply everything you need – and even enable you to pass your prosperity on to your descendents – when you:

(1) Seek Him first   
(2) Have right values
(3) Make right decisions
(4) Live according to His Word.

My prayer for you is that you will live a life that is rich toward God so that you can be truly prosperous. Don’t settle for less!

Comments

[BenC]

Thank you for posting this! As someone who has come into a little extra money this year, all of my thoughts have been about how my wife and I want to spend it or how we want to pay off debt. What we NEED to do is come before the Lord and ask Him how we should be using it. It may be that He wants us to pay off debt or allow us to use it to buy something we need, but we need to ask first and this post reminded me of that. Again, thanks for posting it!

[Scott Riddle]

We had a great series at North Point Comm. Church entitled "How to Be Rich" in August of this year. The messages can be found (audio and video) at the church's website, www.northpoint.org, and clicking "Message Library." Scroll down to August 19 for the first in the series. While off topic, I also highly recommend the 9/16 and 9/23 messages by Louie Giglio.

We have a couple of the larger "prosperity" churches in Atlanta (you know, the ones where members are falsely "promised" wealth by their pastors who have several houses, Bentleys, and have deemed themselves annointed by God and thus unaccountable). They have made the news lately since Congress wants to check their books. It is a good time to recognize that God has never promised riches, or good health. Seeking God is the key, and if we are blessed with some wealth, the joy will come with handling it wisely.

[The Saving Freak]

Handling money wisely is always a joy for my wife and I. When we put down on paper every month how we are going to spend what God has given us. The hardest lesson is to realize the money isn't yours in the first place.

[cardoffer]

I like this post. This is the truth. I am a big spender. So start up to think how to get some money from banks. (Not robbing!) I have put your link in my blog. Could you add my blog in your list? Thanks.

[Fred]

Excellent post!