Greetings in the Name of Jesus and welcome to the PLN Sunday Night Bible Fellowship!
Thanks for joining us tonight as we continue studying one of the special blessings God has for His people: the blessing of PROSPERITY. We know it's a blessing because the Bible under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit says so (Deuteronomy 28:11) and mentions it positively almost one hundred times in all of its various forms. Under the previous Covenant with Moses, God made it available to Believers who obeyed the Law. Under the New Covenant with Jesus it's ALREADY been made available to ALL Believers in Christ by GRACE through FAITH.
Last week we discussed that we need to be focusing on PROSPERITY as one of God's blessings instead of emphasizing the negative perspective many Christians have come to see it in because a small group of preachers has chosen to mischaracterize it. By definition PROSPERITY is a blessing from God but it's not just for the purpose of making us feel good. No, God's blessings contain the favor and empowerment that are necessary to accomplish His related plans and purposes. We can enjoy the blessing of His PROSPERITY to one degree or another but the Lord has something that we're supposed to do with it:
· Help Him establish His Kingdom (Deuteronomy 8:18) and,
· Acquire a surplus (abundance) so we can perform good deeds (2 Corinthians 9:8).
The main point from last week's article is that if we only see PROSPERITY through a negative lens then that's exactly how it's going to manifest in our lives. We can't receive a blessing from God unless we can perceive it and then release our FAITH for it. Believers aren't receiving a lot of blessings God would like to get through to us because we can't get enough of a perception of them to RECEIVE by FAITH. So, if you only see PROSPERITY as a negative thing because you've been focusing on it that way then you won't be releasing your FAITH for it. It's simple: no FAITH, no blessing. It's available by GRACE but the one with a negative attitude about it CANNOT SEE THE BLESSING.
Everyone will NOT be Rich
Tonight I would like to resume the discussion by emphasizing two key points about New Testament PROSPERITY that are routinely misunderstood by many folks in both the pro and the anti PROSPERITY camps. The first is that even though God's PROSPERITY is already available by GRACE through FAITH, according to Scripture not all Believers are going to become financially RICH. Jesus made clear that not everyone in the Kingdom of God will be at the same financial level because more will be given to those who demonstrate they are the better stewards (Matthew 25:29). Directionally we become better stewards by studying and learning about biblical financial principles, and after that by being willing to submit to those principles in FAITH (Romans 1:17 with Hebrews 11:6). But most Christians don't study the Word and not even all of the good stewards who've diligently studied are going to become financially RICH. Becoming financially RICH God's way is available (2 Corinthians 8:9) by GRACE through FAITH but most folks aren't going to be able to RECEIVE all of God's GRACE even though it's available and He's WILLING to make it ALL abound to us (2 Corinthians 9:8).
Now most people at first thought do pretty much associate the word PROSPERITY with becoming financially RICH but as we already know that's not how Bible PROSPERITY is defined. It may be that way in the World but not in the Kingdom of God. Rather, in the Kingdom there's PROSPERITY for the spirit, for the soul and for the body with the result that when all areas of life are PROSPEROUS there's nothing missing or broken anywhere and that produces the PEACE that passes all understanding. Further, the bible concept of PROSPERITY is that there's always a surplus involved in every area of life that should be used as noted above to establish the Kingdom and to bless others. Only a relatively small portion of God's PROSPERITY is financial. But on the other hand financial SURPLUS by definition is always part of God's PROSPERITY.
Just a few days ago I met a Christian couple in our area that is notably PROSPEROUS. Neither the husband nor the wife has a job and they work as unpaid volunteers in a local ministry. When I asked how they make their financial ends meet the husband told me that they live by FAITH, that all their needs are met, that all their bills are paid and that they have a SURPLUS of money in the bank. Somehow the money just comes in and they don't know how that's going to work out from month to month. They tithe on what they receive and they give offerings as directed by the Holy Spirit. Somehow their needs are met. They don't worry about and it and they're content with where they are in life because they are living life involved in doing what they're called to do for the Kingdom of God. They're PROSPEROUS but they're not financially RICH.
Now it is one thing to say that financial PROSPERITY is available to all Believers and quite another to make that into a theology that all Believers will be RICH. I've heard a few TV preachers get lost in that difference once in awhile but I've seen way, way more Believers all over the Internet writing ad nauseam that the mere mention of PROSPERITY is heresy because by default it incorporates a theology that says everybody's going to get rich along with any number of other bad things they've thought of. I expressed last week that I really, really don't like to see preachers trying to manipulate people into giving their money but I'm also saying that there're far too many people in the Body of Christ casting one of God's special blessings in a bad light. Not everyone is going to get RICH but bible PROSPERITY is available to everybody, and if you continue to focus on your negative theology about it the Body of Christ will eventually give up on this special blessing if it hasn't done that already.
Prosperity Does NOT Mean Lusting for Riches
The other point to emphasize tonight is the allegation that the pursuit of God's PROSPERITY is the same as lusting after riches. To be sure there're those who've lusted after riches in the name of PROSPERITY but that didn't change the definition of God's special blessing. To repeat, according to the Holy Spirit PROSPERITY is a blessing from God and there's nothing wrong with pursuing God's blessings once you've found them laid out for you clearly promised and articulated in the Word of God. Any problem comes from what one does with those blessings after they've been RECEIVED.
As already noted God has purpose for your PROSPERITY including the financial portion of it. As you RECEIVE it your first priority is the Kingdom of God and the second is to bless other people with your good deeds from out of it. God will take care of your needs (Matthew 6:33); PROSPERITY is the remaining surplus that you use for His purposes as directed by the Holy Spirit. It is written: the sons of God will be Spirit led (Romans 8:14). If you have anything left over after you've consulted the Lord and carried out His instructions, then the rest of it can be applied to your personal financial growth subject to His direction and approval. And God may very well come a-calling in the future to ask you to help somebody out of your financial growth. You need to NOT let it become an idol that you refuse to let go of if God asks you for it. Indeed, it will come back to you pressed down, shaken together and running over (Luke 6:38)!
If you're living in poverty or lack or insufficiency, it's NOT financially lustful to want to get out of that condition and into the blessing of true PROSPERITY. Please get this: Jesus died on a Cross so you could be redeemed from the Curse of the Law (Galatians 3:13). Poverty, lack and insufficiency are part of the Curse (Deuteronomy 28:48) and Believers do NOT have to stay there. You can become PROSPEROUS. Does that mean you can lust after becoming RICH? No, but it's definitely okay to want to get away from that part of the Curse. Some people might say, "Well what if God wants some Believers to be poor or in lack or in insufficiency for some reason?" Friend, God can do anything He wants to but do you really believe He would send His own Son to the Cross to shed His blood so we could be redeemed from the Curse and then after all that hard work send that same dead, stinking Curse back into the lives of precious Believers especially after the Holy Spirit has put in writing that we're redeemed (rescued) from it? We need to believe what the Bible says and stop listening to the enemy and his ridiculous man made traditions! God does NOT use the Curse in any respect to teach anything, or to discipline someone, or to perfect anything, or for punishment or any other such reason because Jesus has ALREADY paid for the sins that were the cause of the Curse. In fact, He's chosen to not remember our sins (Hebrews 8:12, 10:17) which means in His thinking it's as though Believers have never sinned.
Now it's true that some ministers and other Believers mess up sometimes and start using part of God's portion of a financial surplus for themselves. That's wrong, they shouldn't do that and it makes them poor stewards which God can deal with however He wants to. A number of other ministers appear to be really well off financially and even though we can't see any evidence of wrong doing there're still all those folks on the Internet that want to criticize and find fault and ACCUSE and arbitrarily assign their own unscriptural limits for the amount of wealth Believers should be allowed to have in the course of receiving God's PROSPERITY. But, is it our job to accuse folks of wrong conduct when we have no idea how they came by their financial success? I'm thinking of one well known TV preacher right now who gets criticized everyday on the Internet for his wealth when the truth is most of that wealth came from his personal investments and business. Wherever it came from, accusation is the job of the enemy and judgment is God's job.
After almost two thousand years of anti-wealth conditioning we almost automatically assume when we see wealth in the Kingdom of God that there must have been some funds mishandling or manipulation going on even though we have not the least clue what the Holy Spirit is doing with those financially successful Believers we occasionally run into. It ought to be between God and the wealthy person to account for the wealth and if we can release it to Him to take care of then we can start to concentrate on what God Almighty is wanting to do with us. A really wise thing to do would be to stop comparing ourselves to others (2 Corinthians 10:12-13) and holding them accountable to some unscriptural standards we've imposed on them through our own experiences.
Some Concluding Comments
There's a LOT of wrong stuff on the Internet that focuses on God's PROSPERITY. Today we've just looked at a couple of common mischaracterizations that are causing Believers to think negative thoughts when they hear this special word. What is greatly needed is some BALANCE because in their eagerness to support their extreme positions on either side of this issue, many of our gifted teachers are resorting to unscriptural arguments and traditions and scripture-twisting and downright purposeful inaccuracies. The net result is to continue a two thousand year old Gentile mindset of poverty, lack and insufficiency. Do you ever wonder why so many Christians are not financially PROSPEROUS, some just really poor in the midst of plenty? Or why Christians are approximately as bad off financially as their unbelieving counterparts? Are we not supposed to be different? Do we or do we not have a better Covenant than the previous Covenant (Hebrews 8:6)?
I would love to witness the Body of Christ coming together on this issue and see PROSPERITY for the blessing God intends. It is undeniable that it's a blessing which means we should be focusing on trying to understand it so we can RECEIVE it instead of focusing on some negative, twisted version of it. I'm just sounding the alarm that our focus is in the wrong place and on the wrong things. Change the focus and change the thinking; change the thinking and change the person. The threat of Believers being manipulated into sending offerings to a few TV preachers is nowhere near as great as the threat of missing out on one of God's special blessings. As for me and my house we are pursuing the blessings of God, trying to learn from the Holy Spirit how to RECEIVE them, how to use them the way God wants us to, how to help God establish His Kingdom and looking for opportunities to bless other people. God has promised to REWARD those who seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). Why not try it and find out if it's true?
Thanks for stopping by tonight. We'll be looking for you again next Sunday night on October 20. In the meantime may you RECEIVE through FAITH every available spiritual blessing while you PROSPER in every area of life.
Sinners' Prayer
If you've never invited Jesus to be the Lord of your life, you need to and you can do it today just by saying out loud the following simple prayer:
Jesus I declare today with all my heart that I believe in you and that God raised you from the dead. I acknowledge that my sins have been forgiven and I ask you to come into my life today and be my Lord and Savior. Thank you for salvation and eternal life.
If you were sincere as you prayed this prayer, God has already come into your life and you are a new creation, a totally new species recreated in His image. Now ask the Lord to lead you to a good faith-based, bible-teaching church where you can be equipped to fulfill your potential in the Kingdom of God.
And, when you get a chance have someone help you look up the following scriptures because they confirm what you've done by saying this prayer today and believing what you said:
Romans 10:9
2 Corinthians 5:17
Ephesians 2:8
Prayer Requests
If you have a Prayer Request, please connect to the Link below and follow the promptings. The PLN staff members pray over Prayer Requests every Tuesday morning at 10:00 AM eastern time. Agree with us for God to answer your petition.
http://www.creditcounseling.net/prayer-request.aspx
Donations
If you've been edified by Prosperous Life Newsletter, you may want to consider making a SEED FAITH offering to support the Ministry (Galatians 6:6-7). God has instructed us to simply provide folks with an opportunity to sow seed into good ground so in due season you'll be eligible to reap a harvest and the rest is up to you as the Spirit leads. For your information PLN is a nonprofit gift to the Body of Christ so your financial offerings will usually be tax deductible (consult your tax advisor). Just go to the secure Shopping Cart on the Cornerstone web site by connecting through the following link. We appreciate your support and generosity.
http://www.creditcounseling.net/shop/item.aspx?itemid=1
© Make A Way Ministries, Inc.
204 Turner Circle
Granbury, Texas 76048
