Biblical Prosperity
There is much confusion about prosperity today. Much of the problem has to do with our unwillingness to believe that God wants to bless us. We must understand that Jesus has redeemed us from the curse (Gal. 3:13). We do not have to live under the financial bondage that Satan wants to bring on us. It is God’s will to bless us. The Bible tells us that we are to have sufficiency and more. We are to have an abundance for every good work.
2 Corinthians 9:8 (NKJV)
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
Lack is your enemy. It is the enemy of the Kingdom of God.
1 Kings 17:9 (NKJV)
9 “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.”
You don’t have to give to go to heaven but someone else may not go if you will not give. The advancement of the Kingdom of God requires money. This is why giving is the foundation of prosperity and not receiving. Our commitment to giving God’s way is the foundation of prosperity in our lives. It is more blessed to give than to receive.
Acts 20:35 (NKJV)
35 I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
This is why we must be faithful stewards of the finances God places into our hands. We return the tithe but the 90% is also His. Stewardship implies responsibility and obedience. Our stewardship can make the difference in souls being won or lost.
The purpose of prosperity is for His people to place in God’s hands that which is necessary for Him to establish His covenant on this earth.
Deuteronomy 8:18 (NKJV)
18 “And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.
It is up to us to fund the advance of His Kingdom on this earth. Only that which we place into His hands through our giving is what He can use.
This is why we have to believe that God wants to do more than just meet our needs. Notice that 2 Cor. 9:8 tells us that we have sufficiency and abundance for every good work. Our overflow is what is going to touch the world. So God wants to bless us in such a way that we are so blessed that we have more than enough. From our overflow preachers are sent, churches are built, souls are saved, and the world is reached with the life giving message of Jesus Christ.
This is why it is important that the church prosper. The church can’t prosper unless the members of the church prosper. We must claim the promises of God’s Word related to abundance. Souls weigh in the balance. The world can’t afford for us not to prosper.
Genesis 12:2-3 (NKJV)
2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
There is to be divine order in our giving.
John 6:1-15 (NKJV)
1 After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias.
2 Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased.
3 And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.
4 Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near.
5 Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?”
6 But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.
7 Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.”
8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him,
9 “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?”
10 Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
11 And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted.
12 So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.”
13 Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.
14 Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”
15 Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.
The lad could have given his lunch to the person next to him and that would have been admirable. But notice how the lunch was multiplied when given to ministry. Notice the order Jesus required before distributing the bread. Our tithes and offerings are to be brought to the house of God and entrusted to the ministry or leadership to distribute it as they are led by God.
Malachi 3:8-12 (NKJV)
8 “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings.
9 You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation.
10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.
11 “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” Says the Lord of hosts;
12 And all nations will call you blessed, For you will be a delightful land,” Says the Lord of hosts.
We must bring the tithe into the temple storehouse where our spiritual shepherds minister to us. When we obey the Lord in our giving God will open the heavens over our lives (2 Cor. 9:6-11) and we will be a blessing to God's Kingdom and this world.
