The topic of prosperity - especially when spoken of by Christians - tends to make people cringe. To many, it is some sort of blasphemy to be wealthy and Christian, while the more "righteous" way of life is to be constantly struggling and in poverty, barely making ends meet. Churchgoers are quick to say, "I don't believe in prosperity preaching!" as they stand on their self-righteous soap box (made of cardboard and debt, most likely). These are the ones who call any minister in the millionaire-club (or higher) a false minister, and they believe somehow that struggling financially does a glorious service to God and to their faith. Hey, we aren't judging, but we know, as some of us here at VIA used to run in this crowd. Today, we are here to absolutely shatter this false doctrine. It has not benefited anyone, but has only kept many from truly walking in the grace, the purpose, and truth of God's WORD; and it has come against them as a lie from the devil as he has tried to keep many from living the John 10:10 Abundant Life of Christ.
Let's preface with some scripture:
So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
Isaiah 55:11 NKJV
To be a Christian, is to live a life founded on the WORD of God (at least, that is if you want to actually possess the reality of the Christian life in the Kingdom of God, and the promises of His WORD). Scripture shows us that God's WORD is prosperity. It always prospers. It is never impoverished, never lacking, never imperfect. So to be a Christian and oppose prosperity, is to oppose God's WORD, and thus even oppose the nature of God Himself. But most don't realize that.
The definition of poverty is "the state of being inferior in quality or insufficient in amount." God's WORD is never inferior. God is never insufficient. The born-again life was never meant to be inferior in quality, but rather when built upon God's WORD, the born-again life brings prosperity in all areas of life. Will there be hardships still? Yes. The WORD tells us there will be afflictions, persecutions, tribulation, mountains to move, things to overcome and conquer.
But Christ has already overcome it all. His WORD, alive and active within us by the power of the Holy Spirit, has already prospered us to overcome and conquer it all in HIM.
That is the ultimate promise of prosperity. God's WORD is never insufficient. And even the name of God - "EL SHADDAI" - means "ALL SUFFICIENT" and "MORE than enough."
When you truly know God, and you have a Spirit-filled knowledge of His WORD, you know how to truly prosper in life.
Let them shout for joy and be glad, Who favor my righteous cause; And let them say continually, “Let the LORD be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.”
Psalm 35:27 NKJV
Not only is God prosperity in Himself, but He says that when His people prosper, it brings Him pleasure. This completely debunks the false doctrine that God somehow takes pleasure in seeing His people poor and impoverished in life.
The WORD states that God is a good Father, Who gives good gifts. So why would He have any enjoyment in seeing His children suffer?
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
Matthew 7:7-11 BSB
The WORD says that God withholds no good thing from those that walk uprightly in Him, so why would He then withhold prospering those that abide in Him? That is not God's character, and that is not His nature.
For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
Psalm 84:11 KJV
The WORD of God also says that while even strong, young lions- the kings of the jungle- can go hungry, those who seek and trust in the LORD will not lack any good thing.
The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
Psalm 34:10 ESV
Over, and over again, prosperity is a constant theme throughout the Bible- specifically in that God is prosperous in Himself, and those who trust in Him shall prosper supernaturally... even in the midst of trying circumstances.
Disaster pursues sinners, but prosperity is the reward of the righteous.
Proverbs 13:21 BSB
A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.
Proverbs 13:22 KJV
And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19 KJV
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.
2 Corinthians 9:8 ESV
The Merriam Webster definition for "abound" is "to be present in large numbers or in great quantity" and "to be copiously supplied." When we walk with our lives committed to the WORD of God, His WORD prospers in our lives, and He makes us to abound in every single thing that we do.
This is the Kingdom of God. The people prosper, because our prosperity points to the One Who is The Prosperous, Eternal, and Abundant Life- Jesus Christ: KING of kings and LORD of lords.
For some of you, the scripture war has perhaps already begun in your mind. I can hear you quoting:
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Matthew 6:19-21
The LORD GOD is Prosperity. The LORD GOD is Healing. The LORD GOD is Eternal Life. He is Living Water, He is Daily Bread, He is Peace, Joy, Hope, and Love. Anyone, at any time, can hold in their hearts a greater affection for the gifts and the characteristics of God, than for God Himself. Many desire a healing miracle, more than they desire a relationship with God, more than they desire to spend time in the WORD of God. Others idolize physical manifestations of supernatural power, more than they care for the Truth of God's WORD. More often than not, church-goers hold their positions and traditions to a greater affection in their hearts, than they do actually knowing God. The same can go for prosperity. Countless have used and pedaled the Name of God, in order to fulfill their own desire for fame and fortune in this world. Pursuing selfish ambition in the Name of Jesus is not a new thing. It has been done, and it will continue to happen as long as the spirit of antichrist remains in the earth. However, just because others have followed the path of selfish ambition under the guise of Christianity, does not mean that healing, or joy, or hope, or peace, or prosperity, are now evil. The blessings of God are good, when they are the fruit of a root that is established in relationship with God and His WORD.
Here at VIA, we do not advise you to depend on money or to view it as your source of prosperity. Nor do we influence you to make money the object of your heart's affections. We exhort you to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, that everything else that you could ever need in life may be added unto you.
We encourage you to seek the LORD God with all your heart, and put nothing else in life above Him and His WORD. We believe that the path to victory and success in life, is the path of God's WORD, and committing yourself wholly unto it, and unto Him.
All the rest- the knowledge, the wisdom, the healing, the prosperity, the success- is a fruit of that root of commitment.
And as we walk you upon the path of God's WORD, there are strongholds in hearts and minds that must be demolished. One of those lies, is that to prosper financially is "bad." In fact, we now see from scripture that that couldn't be further from the truth of God's WORD. If wealth were evil, then many mighty men and women of God from the Old Testament to the New, would be opposing the WORD of God Himself. To put it simply:
Wealth is not evil, the love of wealth is. As is the love of man, woman, hobby, self, fame, health, and anything else. To love anything or anyone above God, is evil.
God's blessing of wealth is merely a fruit of a prosperous relationship with Him, and a deeper knowledge of His WORD.
Those who prosper in the Kingdom of God understand that God is their Source, and that money is not something we own, but rather something we steward. We are blessed by God with prosperity, that we might be a blessing to others.
There are scriptural principles that, when applied, do prosper you in life because GOD's WORD prospers wherever it goes.
Those who prosper in the Kingdom of God understand that money is our servant, not our master. The flow of it in our lives does not determine our path- God does. Money is a tool we use in life, not a master that rules over us.
God blesses His people with prosperity because of Jesus Christ and what He did to make us righteous, not because of anything we did to make ourselves righteous.
Every good and perfect gift comes from God, including financial blessing. God is the One Who gives us life, hands and a brain that work, talents, and abilities. He is our Source of financial success. Without the blessing of God upon our life, we wouldn't even have the ability to prosper.
Poverty is not humility. True humility is believing God's WORD and receiving it and walking in it. If God says it, then it is the truth.
The money received in the Kingdom of God is not ultimately ours, it is God's. He owns the money, we steward it. This is because the LORD wants to be the One to bear the burden that comes from financial responsibility, not us.
When you believe that money comes by your own sweat and tears, and not from God, then you keep a tighter hold on it. You then become attached to money, it controls you, and you become it's slave. When you see yourself as a steward of God's blessing, money ceases to dominate you, it no longer makes you waver emotionally, and it simply becomes a gift from God and a tool you use for His Kingdom.
The first step to freedom and prosperity in the realm of finances, is to understand that the money you have ultimately is not yours. It is God's, and He has entrusted it to you. Instead of clinging to money, being moved by it's ever-changing numbers in your life, you cling to God and you are only moved by His WORD. Your renewed mind knows:
I am a steward of this money that God has entrusted to me. He is the One Who gives me breath to wake up every day and work. He is the One Who has given me the gifts and talents that I walk in every day in order to make money. He is the One Who led me from one thing to another, leading up to the job I have today. He is the One Who put a vision and a dream in my heart that is generating my income today. He is the One Who created me to be born in the most prosperous nation, at one of the most prosperous times in history. God blesses me, everything I have is because of Him, and He is the Supplier of all of my resources. I am a steward of all that He has blessed me with. I know I am blessed by God because the blessing I have is not dependent upon my performance. I have not done everything perfectly in life. Therefore, I know I am blessed because of God, and His goodness. He IS my Source.
This is where true Kingdom Prosperity begins: in the heart and the mind. What one believes within himself, is what one will reap. Your current life harvest is an accumulation of every seed of thoughts and beliefs that you have held in the past.
For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he
Proverbs 23:7a KJV
As long as one believes that God enjoys the poverty of His people, then one will remain in poverty. As long as one believes poverty equates to righteousness, then one shall still remain in poverty. Righteousness comes from Christ and His blood, His death, and His resurrection. Jesus Christ makes us righteous, and He alone. What you think and believe in your mind and heart, is what you will see made manifest in your life. A poverty mindset, will produce poverty. A slave mindset, will reap the effects of bondage and slavery. The WORD makes it clear that God desires to prosper His people. And the way to go about it, is merely to submit and commit yourself to His WORD. Believe it and receive it on the basis of Christ, not on the basis of your own merit. That is true humility. And in time, you will be exalted and see the blessing of God's prosperity upon your life.
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
1 Peter 5:6
For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
Matthew 23:12
By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.
Proverbs 22:4 KJV
But the humble will inherit the land And will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.
Psalm 37:11 NASB
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