Prosperity In The Bible

Proverbs 13:22 says, 'A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children...' A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's' children. In order to do this, he must have sufficient resources. How would he be able to do this if he's poor? So what this passage is trying to tell us is that if you weren't able to leave an inheritance behind for your children and grandchildren, you're not a good man. If you're reading this, you should realize that it's the Lord's will for you to make wealth and leave some behind for your descendants. Are you righteous? If you are, then Bible says in your house is "...much treasure" (Proverbs 15:6). In the house of the righteous is much treasure. Wow! This treasure means accumulated, stored or hoarded wealth and riches in the form of money, jewels, precious metals, gems or other valuables. Treasure is a thing or person that is highly prized or valued, rare and costly.

So if you're a believer and you're struggling with poverty, know that it's not the plan of God for your life. Get up and claim what belongs to you. I recommend an article on this blog that throws more light on the subject of righteousness. "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6). One of Jesus' titles is the Prince of Peace. Most know that the Hebrew word shalom is understood around the world to mean "peace." However, "peace" is only one small part of the meaning of shalom. "Shalom" is used to both greet people and to bid them farewell, and it means much more than "peace, hello or goodbye." According to Strong's Concordance 7965 Shalom also means completeness, wholeness, health, peace, welfare, safety, soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord.

Shalom comes from the root verb shalom meaning to be complete, perfect and full. In modern Hebrew the obviously related word Shelem means to pay for, and Shulam means to be fully paid. Jesus is called Sar shalom, Prince of Peace, which perfectly describes the ministry and personality of our Messiah. In other words, the word shalom is a mighty blessing! Simply put, Jesus is the Prince of Prosperity, just like He is the Prince of peace, health, and wholeness. Isn't that wonderful? In Jeremiah 29:7, even as the Jews are taken as captives into Babylon, God instructs them to pray for the peace and prosperity, the "shalom" of that city. God declares His mind: "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11), NIV. God's plans for His people are to prosper us, not to harm us. "So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian" (Daniel 6:28).

God prospers Daniel as he serves the Kings of Babylon and Persia. God prospered him though he was a servant and it doesn't matter where you are now, for the blessings of the Lord do not depend on the type of work you do. "And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed" (Joel 2:26). God's people will eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the Name of the Lord. "Your threshing will continue until grape harvest and the grape harvest will continue until planting, and you will eat all the food you want and live in safety in your land" (Leviticus 26:5). "I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied. There, in the presence of the LORD your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the LORD your God has blessed you" (Deuteronomy 11:15; 12:17).

While reading Matthew 2:1-12, from Jesus' childhood, we see the Father's miraculous provision in operation. A caravan of Magi, wise men from the east, make a long journey to bring priceless gifts to the child Jesus. Researchers have estimated these gifts to be worth around $200,000,000 in modern currency. Jesus Himself promised in Matthew 6:33 that if we will seek first the Kingdom of God, everything we need will be added to us. So I ask the question, have you sought for the Kingdom of God? If you have, what is your current status? If you don't like it, knowledge has come so you can change it! To those who will forsake all to follow Jesus, He promises a bountiful return IN THIS LIFE, not just in Heaven (Mark 10:29-30). My head pastor was talking to us and in his statement, he said, "some of you say God should give you money so that you will build a church for him; you're only lying. If you're only interested in your work or business and doing less for God's house, it's the same thing you will do if He should give you money."

I tell you, I was so touched by this message and it has brought a major change in my life. Jesus says forsake your all, follow Him and see if he will not bless you in this very life. "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again" (Luke 6:38). We also realize from this scripture that as we give to God, He multiplies it back to us again. Even Jesus had a donor base of people who ministered to Him of their substance (Luke 8: 2-3). "And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you" (Luke 24:36). These first words of Jesus to His disciples following His resurrection were in the original Greek, "Peace and prosperity be unto you" (See Strong's #1515).

Jesus Himself was "loaded" because He had a home, large enough to have overnight guests (John 1:35-39). NOTE: This does not contradict Jesus' statement in Luke 9:58, in which He says he "Has no place to lay His head." The context of the Luke passage is seen in verses 52-53: He had entered a Samaritan village, and they would not receive Him. In this instance, He had no where to stay, i.e. "Lay His head." This does not imply that Jesus had no home at all. Jesus' first miracle is one of pure luxury: He turns water into the finest wine served at the marriage feast (John 2: 1-12). "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). Jesus came not just to give life but to give it to the full; abundant life, a life of happiness. Have you also taken notice that people do criticize men of God who look good in terms of their dressing?

Let's read something from John 19: 23-24: "Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did." We find out from this very scripture that Jesus wore a seamless robe, which was a very costly garment. So do you want those Men of God to put on tattered cloths? God forbid! The ministry of Jesus Christ had a great degree of finances flowing through it. Remember when Jesus told the disciples to feed the 5,000 who had gathered to hear him speak? The disciples asked Jesus if he expected them to go into town and purchase enough food for all of them.

If they wouldn't have had enough money to do it, they wouldn't have asked Jesus if that was what he wanted them to do. There was so much of an abundance that the money Judas was stealing from the ministry wasn't even missed; only Jesus was aware of his actions because He could see Judas' heart. I could continue with many other examples, but suffice it to say that the enemy of our souls perverted the truth of prosperity. By withholding finances from God's people, the advancement of the Kingdom has been greatly hindered. The Apostle Paul was also blessed materially. "And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee. He hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul, that he might loose him: wherefore he sent for him the oftener, and communed with him" (Acts 24:25-26).

Felix attempts to solicit a bribe from Paul, indicating that Paul must have been a man of considerable wealth. Why try to get money from someone who has none? By reading the book of Philemon, we find out that Onesimus was a runaway servant of a man named Philemon. Paul meets Onesimus, leads him to Christ, then writes a letter of commendation to Philemon. In this verse, Paul offers to repay Philemon all of Onesimus' debts and back wages. This was no doubt a great deal of money. In order to make an offer like this, Paul must have been a man of substantial means. You should also experience material blessings for it is God's will for you. "Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first [day] of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come" (1 Corinthians 16:1-2).

Paul commands the church to give as God has prospered them, indicating that God prospering His people was a normative part of church life. "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich" 2 Corinthians 8:9. Some think this passage means that Jesus lived in poverty but that's not true. Jesus became poor (by comparison to the treasures of Heaven) that we might be made rich. That's it! This could not be simply referring to spiritual riches, as the entire context of this passage deals with money. "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree" (Galatians 3:13). We once suffered from the hardships of life because we couldn't keep the laws of God. The Word lets us know that Christians are now redeemed from the curse of the law, which includes poverty, as well as sickness and spiritual death.

You can also understand this when you read from Deuteronomy 28:15-45. We're no more cursed! Even ministers are to be paid and paid well. "Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward" (1 Timothy 5:17-18). Ministers are to be well paid, or given "double honor." The word "honor in this verse is the root of the word "honorarium," and is connected, both by context and by definition, with financial support of the ministry (see Strong's # 5092.) For more on financial support for the ministry, you can read Matthew 10: 10; Luke 10: 7; Galatians 6:6; Hebrews 7: 1-11). God gives us richly all things to enjoy. The Apostle John's number one desire was for us to be healthy and prosperous as our soul prospers (3 John 2). Another good part is that God's redeemed people will enjoy His blessings for all eternity (Revelation 21:1-22).

A lot's been said concerning the prosperity of the individual but we ask, "Why does God proper His children?" As a Church, it's God's pleasure to sweep the wealth of this world unto us so that we use it to finance the propagation of the gospel. You may find it difficult to accept this but the reason why most Christians do find it difficult to make wealth is because they have wrong motives for making money. They're missing out on the plans and purposes of God. In the church, everyone can give but do we actually know there's an office for the "giver," just as there're offices for apostles, prophets, healers etc? From 1 Corinthians 12:28 we read: "And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues." These are the various offices of the members pointed out. Some have stations to which they are assigned by the spirit.

Nine spiritual gifts have already been named (1 Corinthians 12:8-10); nine positions in the church are now given. To each the Spirit granted the special gifts required. The Apostles are men sent by the Holy Spirit to preach the gospel. Some are also prophets and remember they don't talk anyhow. They give out what they hear from the Spirit of the Lord. Teachers are men gifted by the Spirit to teach in the church. Miracle workers are also those who have the power to work miracles. The gifts of healings are one division of miraculous powers granted. Helps are spiritual aid granted to helpers, such as deacons. Governments also refer to the administrative abilities of the presbytery. "...he that gives, with liberality..." (Romans 12:8). In this passage of scripture, seven gifts are mentioned. We call them motivational gifts because they are deposited in the believer when he receives the grace of God at repentance. These gifts motivate the believer to Christian service.

One of the gifts is the gift of giving. I have seen this gift in operation in others as well as experienced it myself. It is not talking about giving the tithe or an offering. It is different. The ministry of giving is the gift of God to give, the desire to give at any given moment, whenever the Lord would show you a person, project, ministry or need. Typically, this ministry gift operates in business people; however, it's not limited only to them. It's just that business people usually have greater amounts of finances flowing through their lives than the average Christian. But let me also say that this gift doesn't just operate with large amounts of money. The fact is that if God can channel finances through you, He will channel finances to you. Period! Simply, this means that if you have a generous heart, God is very willing to give you finances so you can be extremely generous. "Be generous and you will be prosperous" (Proverbs 11:25, GNB).

Please study carefully what I quoted from Pastor Gary Carpenter as you continue to read. The scripture we just read also reveals to us that your prosperity is directly related to your generosity. For me, there is no greater joy than giving; generosity is a lifestyle for me. I have this ministry gift and it's a joy to flow in it. It is the same as an anointed speaker; their greatest joy is flowing in the ministry gifts of God. I am convinced God calls and equips certain people to business in the same manner He calls Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers. Giving is a specific ministry in the body of Christ. Unfortunately, most of these people have failed to recognize their calling of and their place in the advancement of God's Kingdom. This failure has severely hampered the growth and establishment of the Kingdom in many regions of the world. Business people are a key to the development of the Kingdom of God.

As the Kingdom expands and grows in any certain area, church growth is inevitable. We already read that it is God that "...giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day..." (Deuteronomy 8:18). This scripture reveals the true purpose of wealth is to establish God's covenant in the earth. So, if the Lord has prospered you, this is the purpose for it. Wealth, and lots of it, is needed to further the Gospel throughout the world. As you fulfill this purpose of God, He expands and increases your wealth so that you can do more. It's interesting to note that the word "establish" in this passage also means "confirm." Just as signs, wonders and miracles are a confirmation of the Gospel, so is wealth. All the patriarchs in the Old Testament were very wealthy men. Look at Abraham, a man whom God blessed, and through Christ, we also receive his blessing.

God bless you!