Don’t Trust in Prosperity

Sing praise to the LORD, you saints of His,
    And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.
For His anger is but for a moment,
    His favor is for life;
Weeping may endure for a night,
    But joy comes in the morning.
Now in my prosperity I said,
    “I shall never be moved.”
LORD, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong;
    You hid Your face, and I was troubled.

(Psalm 30:4-7)

Prosperity is wonderful. God wants us to prosper. In another psalm, David says this: “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). In 2 Corinthians 9:8, Paul gives us a good description of prosperity when he says, “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.” This is the abundance of grace He desires to extend to you and me. I’m all for it.

And yet, prosperity can quickly become a big problem for us. David recognizes it in Psalm 30. He experienced prosperity and felt very secure: “I shall never be moved,” he declared. He understood exactly where it came from and he praised God for it: “LORD, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong.”

Everything was great. But then something happened and David looked for God — and could not find Him. He panicked. “You hid your face, and I was troubled,” he said. Somewhere along the way, David had begun looking to his prosperity, instead of to God, for his security.

It can be very easy for our focus to drift away from the Lord because of our circumstances. They often seem so tangible and immediate, when often God does not. And it does not matter whether circumstances are favorable or desperate, they can distract us either way. Remember how Peter walked on water with the Lord Jesus, until he looked around and realized how rough were the wind and the waves, and he began to sink. But then he cried out to the Lord — who had been there all along — and was rescued. Jesus lifted Peter out and returned him to the boat.

But in the scene David recalls for us in Psalm 30, it was not desperate circumstances but the false security of prosperity that shifted his trust away from the Lord. Then when something happened that caused that security, if not his prosperity, to vanish, David was troubled and wondered where God was. Like Peter, he had lost sight of Him. God was still there, even though His face was hidden. Then, realizing once again that it was God Himself, and not the prosperity he had received from God, that made him secure, David cried out to the Lord and was rescued. Reoriented now in his faith, he rejoiced in the Lord:

You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
    You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,
To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent.
    O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever.

(Psalm 30:11-12)

God wants to bless and prosper every one of us, but He wants us to trust in Him and not in the blessing or the prosperity. The “good times” may come and go, but it is the Lord Himself who will keep us safe and make us whole. When our trust is in the Lord, though there may be weeping in the night, there will be joy in the morning, for He is always there for us — even in the dark — and His favor endures forever.

True Prosperity

Prosperity is the ability to use God’s power to meet the needs of other men, whether it’s financial, or physical, or spiritual, or mental, or social, or whatever. That's true prosperity.

~ Kenneth Copeland, The Laws of Prosperity
Kenneth Copeland Ministries, 1982

Prosperity is the possession of everything you need for yourself and loved ones with enough surplus to give to those who need help. If you have only the bare necessities, you are not prosperous. And if you have all the sufficiencies of life but no more, that is not prosperity. But, if you have everything you need with something left over for the poor, that is prosperity.

 ~ Oral Roberts, My Favorite Bible Scriptures
Oral Roberts Evangelist Association, 1963

I like those definitions of prosperity. Prosperity is not just about us but about God and what He wants to do in the lives of others. I take my own definition, which is very like these, from the apostle Paul.

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. (2 Corinthians 9:8)

The Flourishing Mindset of Prosperity

Yesterday, we looked at Proverbs 11:24-26, the comparison between those who are openhanded with their resources and those who are close-fisted, and the results each one receives. Here are more examples of sowing and reaping, and the attitude that leads one into prosperity.

He who earnestly seeks good finds favor,
But trouble will come to him who seeks evil.

(Proverbs 11:27)

This first one is about the man who seeks what is good, not just for himself but also for those around him. Not passively watching for it but actively planning and promoting it. He “earnestly seeks” it — the Hebrew verb means that he rises up early with the dawn to go after it. He shows favor to others, and that begets favor. He finds favor with God because he reflects the heart of God, and with men because they are blessed by his diligence. He prospers because he helps others prosper. On the other hand, the one who is out for himself at the expense of others will find a lot of trouble for his selfishness, and it will ultimately lead him to poverty.

He who trusts in his riches will fall,
But the righteous will flourish like foliage.

(Proverbs 11:28)

Here is the heart of the matter — the core issue: What are you trusting in? Some trust in riches. They may have a lot of money or they may be completely broke, but it they are looking to wealth and riches as the answer to their problems, the source of their supply, they will inevitably fall. Putting your trust in riches is a poverty mindset, not the path to prosperity. It is thinking like a poor man.

Compare this now with the righteous. “Righteous” is a word that speaks of covenant relationship. God offers them friendship and promises to take care of them in all things. They believe God and are reckoned as righteous, just as Abraham believed God and it was put to his account as righteousness (Genesis 15:6). God made covenant with Israel and promised to take care of them if they put their trust in Him. When they believed God and followed His instructions, they prospered; when they looked to idols and worshipped other gods, they lost all they had.

God now offers a new and better covenant with all who receive King Jesus the Messiah. The “righteous” are those who put all their trust in God, not in money. The result is that they flourish — they break forth, abound and prosper. They are exemplified by the man in Psalm 1, who delights in the instruction of the Lord and meditates on it all the time (Psalm 1:2). They are like trees planted by rivers of water, bringing forth fruit in season; their leaves do not wither, and whatever they do prospers (Psalm 1:3).

Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24). Mammon is the mindset of the world that idolizes money. Serving that mindset leads to worry and lack. Jesus gives the antidote a few verses later:

Therefore do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (Matthew 6:31-33)

The kingdom of God is His rule and reign in the world. The righteousness of God is His way of doing and being right. When we diligently seek after that, putting our trust in Him alone, we will always have everything we need.

Will You Scatter or Hold Back?

There is one who scatters, yet increases more;
And there is one who withholds more than is right,
But it leads to poverty.

(Proverbs 11:24)

It might seem counter-intuitive, but the one who “scatters,” who disperses and gives freely out of his resources, is the one who sees increase in his resources and has all he needs. But the one who holds on to what he’s got and is tightfisted with his resources, giving only sparingly, will end up in lack. The Message says it this way: “The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller.”

Surely the apostle Paul had this in mind when he said, “He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully” (2 Corinthians 9:6). He was taking up a collection for the beleaguered believers in Jerusalem and seeking generous support for them. But the principle is universal: How you sow is how you will reap.

The psalm writer speaks of the righteous man and the blessing that comes upon him because, “He has dispersed abroad, he has given to the poor” (Psalm 112:9). The Hebrew word for “disperse” is the same one for “scatter” in Proverbs 11. This is a man who does not withhold his resources but gives freely and generously. Part of the blessing on him is that “wealth and riches will be in his house” (v. 3). Why? Because God can trust him to use it properly and give with an open hand, just as God does. As Paul said, “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” (2 Corinthians 9:8). Generosity begets generosity, abundance begets abundance, and prosperity begets prosperity. But those who hoard and refrain from helping others — that is a poverty mindset, and it begets poverty. Wisdom goes on to say,

The generous soul will be made rich,
And he who waters will also be watered himself.

The people will curse him who withholds grain,
But blessing will be on the head of him who sells it.

(Proverbs 11:25-26)

The “generous” soul is, literally, the one who blesses (berakah). That is, he freely blesses others by his generosity. The result is that he will himself be abundantly blessed and will prosper. Because he has helped meet the needs of others, satisfying their thirst, his own needs will also be met. It is easy to become so focused on meeting our own needs that we forget about the needs of others. But if we will give attention to helping others, we will find that it comes back to us in unexpected ways and there will always be more than enough.

Even in our business dealings, it is the generous man who will prosper. The example here is of a vital commodity in a time of need. The man who withholds it from the market, in order to drive up the price, will be cursed by the people who need it most — he is trading on their misery. But the one who sells his produce at a reasonable profit will have the blessing (berakah) of the people. He benefits them and they benefit him. The Message renders verse 26 this way: “Curses on those who drive a hard bargain! Blessings on all who play fair and square!”

The first man is trying to squeeze all he can out of the situation, to bleed the market dry. He is playing a zero-sum strategy and thinks that he can prosper only at the expense of others. The second man is not afraid to about leave some money on the table. He understands that when he helps his customers prosper, he will prosper as well.

It is really all a matter of sowing and reaping. What you sow is what you will reap, and always in proportion to how you sow. Jesus taught this principle: “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you” (Luke 6:38).

That is a powerful promise for those who have learned to sow bountifully.

Blessed to Prosper in Difficult Times

In Jeremiah, God describes the judgment that was about to fall on the nation of Judah because the people had turned away from Him and put their trust in false gods and foreign alliances.

The sin of Judah is written down with an iron stylus;
With a diamond point it is engraved upon the tablet of their heart
And on the horns of their altars,

As they remember their children,
So they remember their altars and their Asherim
By green trees on the high hills.

O mountain of Mine in the countryside,
I will give over your wealth and all your treasures for booty,
Your high places for sin throughout your borders.

And you will, even of yourself, let go of your inheritance
That I gave you;
And I will make you serve your enemies
In the land which you do not know;
For you have kindled a fire in My anger
Which will burn forever.

(Jeremiah 17:1-4)

Historically, this was the time when the southern kingdom of Judah was carried off into Babylonian captivity. The idolatry of the people ran so deep that they even sacrificed their children to their idols. They revered the altars on which they shed the blood of their sons and daughters to their Asherim, the carved totems of their pagan god.

Because of this, God said that all their wealth and treasure would be taken away from them, along with their lands, including the high places where they looked to their idols for protection. They were going to lose all the inheritance that God had given them. They were giving it up of their own in turning away from Him! They would become the servants of their enemies in a land that was no longer theirs, a land they no longer recognized.

This is what would happen to the nation as a whole. But then God breaks it down to an individual level. For there were those who remained faithful to Him even in the midst of those who turned away. Of the latter, He says,

Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind
And makes flesh his strength,
And whose heart turns away from the LORD.
For he will be like a bush in the desert
And will not see when prosperity comes,
But will live in stony wastes in the wilderness,
A land of salt without inhabitant.

(Jeremiah17:5-6)

Those who turn from the Lord and put their confidence in men will end up like the dry, barren shrubs of the salty wastelands. Even when prosperity comes, they will not see it. They will have no faith and be too full of bitterness to recognize when and how and where it comes. Instead, they will be anxious and envious, railing and complaining against those who seem to be better off than them. It is a curse of their own making. They turn away from good by turning away from God.

But God has something different for those who continue to trust in Him. They will be blessed to prosper, even in the difficult times.

Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD
And whose trust is the LORD.
For he will be like a tree planted by the water,
That extends its roots by a stream
And will not fear when the heat comes;
But its leaves will be green,
And it will not be anxious in a year of drought
Nor cease to yield fruit.

(Jeremiah 17:7-8)

God pronounces good upon those who trust in Him. They place no confidence in anyone or anything else. Their expectation and refuge is in Him alone. Consequently, they will be like the trees “planted” by water. The word in Hebrew actually means to be transplanted. God lifts them out of the parched places and establishes them in well-irrigated places where they can stretch out their roots and receive all they need.

Even when the heat comes, they will not “fear.” The word here is raah, which means to “see.” In fact, it is the word used for “see” in verse 6. Those who trust in men and idols will not see when prosperity comes. Those who trust in the Lord will not see when the heat comes; they will be so richly watered that it will not harm them. Indeed, their leaves will be “green.” This word is raanan, which means to be fresh and luxuriant; figuratively, it speaks of prosperity. There will be no anxiety, no worry, no fear, not even in drought. For there will be life — not merely surviving, but thriving.

They will not cease to yield fruit, their harvest will not dry up, nor will their crop fail. They will be blessed to prosper even in difficult times. They will have more than enough for themselves and out of their abundance they will be able to help others. They will not hold back but will have enough blessing to share. For their trust is in God, who 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” (2 Corinthians 9:8).

This is not the promise for a time far off in the future. It is for here and now. Just as it was true for those living in Jeremiah’s day, it is still true in these days.

Do you see your prosperity?

The Soul of Prosperity

But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

(Psalm 1:2-3)

True prosperity does not come from outside us. It arises from within. It begins as delight in the Lord and in His ways, His instruction (torah, the Hebrew word for “law” can just as well be translated as “instruction”). That is, it starts as an attitude, an orientation of the heart. It grows and develops by giving diligent attention to the Lord and His instruction. In other words, it is a matter of the soul, the inner being.

God is big on that. Indeed, He promised that He would make a new covenant with us in which He would internalize His ways in our hearts.

Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah … I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. (Jeremiah 31:31, 33)

More than that, He promised He would give us His Spirit, the Holy Spirit, so that we would not only be able to understand His ways but also to do them.

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. (Ezekiel 36:26-27)

God has fulfilled His promise. He has cut a new covenant with us in the blood of Jesus the Messiah. At the Cross, Jesus defeated all the powers that stand against us. At the Last Supper, He took the cup of wine and said, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:28). Then at Pentecost, fifty days after the Resurrection, God put His Spirit within us, to enable us to fulfill all that is required and do what is right. All who receive the Lord Jesus receive the Spirit of God. That now changes everything, for Paul tells us,

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)

What the law engraved on tablets of stone could not accomplish in us, because it was external to us, the Holy Spirit dwelling within us can. As we yield to Him, He brings forth this fruit in our lives. This positions us to live in divine prosperity in all things. The Apostle John’s prayer for Gaius in 3 John 2 shows that this is the desire of God for everyone of us:

Beloved, I prayer that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

When we are out of joint with God, we are out of joint with ourselves, with others and with creation as well. But as we turn to Him, we come into proper alignment. Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). The kingdom of God is His rule and reign; His righteousness is the rightness of His way of doing and being. When this becomes our priority, everything else will be taken care of itself. This is the prosperity of soul that prepares us for prosperity in all things.

Prosperity of soul is the soul of prosperity.

How to Prosper in Everything

He is like a tree planted beside streams of water
That bears its fruit in season
And whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

(Psalm 1:3 HCSB)

True prosperity is not a function of the economy. It does not come from Wall Street. It cannot be guaranteed by the president or Congress. Therefore, it cannot be taken away by Wall Street, by the president or Congress. It does not arise because of an “up” economy, so it cannot be lost because of a “down” one.

True prosperity comes from God.

It does not come by following the advice of the world, acting the way the world acts, thinking what the world thinks (v. 1). It comes by a radically different path, rooted in a completely different source. It comes by delighting in the instruction of the Lord, the “law” of the Lord. The Hebrew word for “law” is torah and means instruction. God wants to instruct you, to teach you how to prosper.

If you will delight in His ways and let His instruction saturate your heart, fill your thought and direct your path, you will be like the man in Psalm 1:3.

• You will be like trees planted beside streams of water. This is stability, even in a drought season, because the streams of God do not dry up.
• You will bear fruit in season. When the season for bearing fruit comes around, you will not miss it. You will not cast off your fruit early, in the unripe stage, nor will it come too late to be any good. It will come in its proper time.
• You will not wither away. Your supply will not dry up. God is your source and will keep you fresh and green to keep on bearing fruit in His courts (Psalm 92:12-15).
• Whatever you do will prosper. When you follow the direction of the Lord, your efforts will not be in vain but will produce good things.

Whatever you do will prosper. God makes a similar promise in Deuteronomy 28:8, “The LORD will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand.” This, of course, assumes that you are setting your hand to something. Some people focus on their circumstances and let that keep them from doing anything. But if you are not putting your hand to something, there is nothing there for the Lord to command the blessing on. When you sow seed, He can multiply it for the harvest, but when you sow nothing, there is nothing to multiply.

Now, notice that God says, “Whatever he does shall prosper.” It would be wrong to make this just about finances — it is about so much more than that. It is about everything in your life. By the same token, although it might sound very pious and spiritual, it is just as wrong to think that financial prosperity is somehow excluded from the promise of God — whatever includes everything!

This is not just an Old Testament promise, as some have supposed, as if God does not want to do the same thing for us under the New Testament. The apostle John demonstrates the will of God for us when He says, “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers” (3 John 2). The blessing of God on those who love Him is for every area of life today, just as it has always been.

Do not focus on the circumstances, the drought, the famine, the “down” economy. These do not determine the prosperity of your soul or even of your finances. But love the Lord with all your heart, delight in His ways and look to Him for instruction and direction in your life. Focus on Him as your source and supply, and whatever you do will prosper.

A Deluge of Blessing

“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.” (Malachi 3:10)

“Windows of heaven” presents us with interesting imagery. The Hebrew word for “window,” arubah, speaks of openings such as lattices or sluices. “Heaven” speaks of that which is high and lofty. It can refer to the sky and the reaches of space, as well as the spiritual abode of God. We find this unusual phrase only a few times in Scripture.

• In Genesis 7:11, the fountains of the deep were broken up and the windows of heaven were opened up to inundate the earth with rain and floodwaters during the Great Deluge.
• In 2 Kings 7, Samaria was besieged and in dire famine, Elijah, the prophet of God, said that within twenty-four hours there would be a great abundance of food. An officer of the king doubted him, saying, “Look, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, could this thing be?” (v. 2). Elijah answered, “In fact, you shall see it with your eyes, but you shall not eat of it.” And so it happened.
• In Malachi 3:10, the word of the LORD calls for the people to “bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house.” He challenges them to test Him and see “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.”

“Windows of heaven” speaks of a flood, in the case of Malachi 3:10, a deluge of blessing. Notice that it is “poured out.” The Hebrew word means to make empty or empty out. This is no small thing. God promises to empty out all of heaven onto those who trust, test and obey Him in the area of tithing.

Now, tithing is no longer a requirement for Christians, who are not under the Law of Moses but under the Covenant of Grace in Jesus Christ. But God still does honor giving and pours out all the provision of heaven in a great flood on those who honor Him with their gifts. Writing to the believers at Corinth on the subject of giving of one’s resources, Paul teaches them, “He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully … 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” (2 Corinthians 9:6, 8).

Notice the fullness of this abundance: ALL grace, ALWAYS having ALL sufficiency in ALL things, plus ABUNDANCE for EVERY good work. It is a flood of blessing, enough to bless not only us, but those around us.

God pours out all of heaven on our behalf, and we become receivers when we learn to become givers. It is a deluge of blessing.

Prosperity Defined

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. (2 Corinthians 9:8)

That's a good definition of prosperity: Always having all sufficiency in all things PLUS abundance (that is, more than enough) for every good work.

I like how Oral Roberts put it:

Prosperity is the possession of everything you need for yourself and loved ones with enough surplus to give to those who need help. If you have only the bare necessities, you are not prosperous. And if you have all the sufficiencies of life but no more, that is not prosperity. But, if you have everything you need with something left over for the poor, that is prosperity.

~ from My Favorite Bible Scriptures
(Tulsa: Oral Roberts Evangelist Association, 1963)

The plan of God’s grace for you is prosperity — always having all sufficiency in all things, with abundance for every good work.

The Process of Prosperity

Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God. (Deuteronomy 28:1-2)

Prosperity requires process. It is not instant, nor it is automatic. Notice how this divine promise begins: “It shall come to pass.” “Come to pass” indicates process. It means that there is period of time between when the promise is implemented and it fully manifests, and that requires patience.

What is the process or prosperity? First and most importantly, it is diligently hearing and obeying the voice of the Lord. The Hebrew employs an idiom here to emphasize the point. The verb literally means to “hear with hearing.” We are to listen to the voice of the Lord, not idly or casually, but with great focus and intent, and a heart to obey. He also tells us to “observe carefully all His commandments.” The Hebrew verb means to attend to, to guard and protect, to have high regard for the commands of the Lord. This speaks of priority. Jesus put it simply, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). This is foundational to every form of prosperity, in the natural realm as well as the spiritual.

• “Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country” (v. 3). This requires establishing a home base of operations, participating in the community and the marketplace, and managing our properties and business affairs.
• “Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks” (v. 4). Here is the process of faithfully bringing up our children, and diligently overseeing our commodities.
• “Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl” (v. 5). Do you have a “basket” ready for gathering in your harvest? Your “kneading bowl” may be blessed, but it still must be worked.
• “Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out” (v. 6). Going out and coming in speaks of purposefulness, not of idly wandering about.
• “The LORD will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways” (v. 7). Are you prepared to stand and resist the enemy, the thief who comes to kill, steal and destroy? The Bible says that when we submit to God and resist the enemy (the devil), he will flee (James 4:7).
• “The LORD will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you” (v. 8). The process here is to establish your storehouses and start setting your hand to various enterprises.

The LORD will establish you as a holy people to Himself, just as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the LORD your God and walk in His ways. Then all peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they shall be afraid of you. And the LORD will grant you plenty of goods, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your ground, in the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. The LORD will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. And the LORD will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them. So you shall not turn aside from any of the words which I command you this day, to the right or the left, to go after other gods to serve them. (Deuteronomy 28:9-14)

All throughout, the process requires faithfully listening to the voice of the Lord and quickly obeying, making Him the priority in everything. Then you will not only be blessed, but you will become a blessing to all around you.

Prosperity is a process that lays hold of God's blessing.

Here is an audio reading (MP3) of this passage, with relaxing background music. It is called “Choosing Life” and is a bonus track on our Healing Scriptures and Prayers CD Volume 2.

How to Make Your Way Prosperous

Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. (Joshua 1:6-8)

Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

(Psalm 1:1-3)

God delights in the prosperity of His people (Psalm 35:27). He desires for you to prosper in all things and be in good health, even as your soul prospers (3 John 2). Prosperity of soul begins with what you delight in. “Delight yourself in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). You delight in the Lord by being attentive to His law — literally, His instruction — marinating in it until it tenderizes you and your life takes on the flavor of who He is. When you do, your desires are changed, directed by the beat of His heart, and He will gladly fulfill them. Then you will prosper in everything you do and have good success.

Soak in the Word of the Lord, with ears to hear and a heart to obey. Then you will make your way prosperous and nothing will be able to hold back your success.

Prosperity in This New Year

Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.

He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

(Psalm 1:1-3)

Psalm 1 is a very good place to start off the new year. It offers us wisdom, prosperity and the sharp contrast of two very different ways.

First, there is the way of those who are flat-out wrong; not only morally wrong, but ultimately also strategically wrong — it does not work. In the last half of this psalm, we discover that the ungodly (those who reject the way of God) are like chaff driven away by the wind (v. 4). They will not be able to withstand the judgment of God (v. 5), but will perish in their way (v. 6). This way is wrong from beginning to end. It offers bad counsel, leads to corrupt actions and speaks with bitter, negative words.

It is good to be well-rid of such things, but that is not enough—they must be replaced with something much better. Enter into the second way:

But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.

Here is a focus that is completely different — the law of the LORD. Now, we often think of law as something that hinders us in our pleasures and pursuits. But that is not what the “law of the Lord” is about at all. The Hebrew word for “law” is torah and can just as well be translated “instruction.” See, God offers us instruction in how we can live and enjoy life to the fullest, to get the maximum benefit and pleasure. That’s why this psalm begins with “Blessed is the man.” It is not about sanctimony but about bliss — deep happiness.

The instruction of the Lord offers the best counsel of all, the wisdom of God. His ways and thoughts are higher than ours, but He gives us His instruction so we can know His ways and think after His thoughts. They properly focus us and lead us into prosperous actions that bring prosperous results.

The instruction of the Lord teaches us how to think, act and speak. That last one is very important because the Bible teaches us that the world was created by words: God said, “Light, be!” and light was. God also created us to be speaking creatures, and our words can be very powerful, but apart from Him we simply don’t know what to say, so we often speak words that are very destructive.

But God has given us His Word, and the man who delights in it, who derives the greatest pleasure and benefit from it is the one who is always meditating on it. Now, the Hebrew word for “meditate” literally refers to what we might call our “self-talk.” When we meditate on God’s Word, we are talking about it to ourselves. As we do, this Word begins to teach us, revealing things to our inner man.

Jesus said that it is out of the overflow of the heart that the mouth speaks (Luke 6:45). When we continually let the Word of God be the source of our meditation, our self-talk, then that is what our heart will be filled with. Consequently, that is what our mouths will begin to speak, which is something we will appreciate especially in times of great difficulty.

Delighting ourselves in the instruction of the Lord and always letting it speak to our heart produces great results: “He shall be like a tree, planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.” We do not have time to unpack those statements here, but it is all good and a description of bliss.

Happy New Year!

Agreement in Jesus’ Name is a Threefold Cord

Someone asked if it is necessary to get in agreement with another in order for our faith confession of the Word to come to pass.

If we have faith in the Word of God, even if nobody else is believing it with us, it is still more than enough to get the job done, because the promises of God are sure. The thing about coming into agreement with others concerning matters we are believing God for is that it is a very great encouragement to our faith; we know that we are not alone in it, but there is someone else who is standing in faith with us. It helps us stay focused and not give up. It also helps us to check our heart so that we are not believing with the wrong motive, or for something that does not belong to us. And when the thing we are believing God for comes to pass, we know there is someone with whom we can rejoice. So getting into agreement with another is a very powerful thing. God honors it.

Think about Leviticus 26:8, where God says of those who obey and honor Him that five shall chase a hundred (1:20 ratio), and that one hundred shall put ten thousand to flight (1:100 ratio). When there is agreement, the increase in effectiveness increases exponentially. That is, it doesn't just add up — it multiplies!

Or consider what the Preacher said in Ecclesiastes 4:9-12:

Two are better than one,
Because they have a good reward for their labor.
For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.
But woe to him who is alone when he falls,
For he has no one to help him up.
Again, if two lie down together,
they will keep warm;
But how can one be warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered by another,
two can withstand him.
And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Or remember how David described the blessing of unity, which is essentially about coming into agreement:

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brethren to dwell together in unity!
It is like the precious oil upon the head,
Running down on the beard,
The beard of Aaron,
Running down on the edge of his garments.
It is like the dew of Hermon,
Descending upon the mountains of Zion;
For there the Lord commanded the blessing —
Life forevermore.

(Palm 133)

And of course, wherever two or three are gathered in Jesus' name, He is there in the midst — it is an open heaven. When we are in agreement with Jesus and with each other about anything on earth, we have a direct line to our Father in heaven, and it will be done for us. Guaranteed.

Sometimes the only one we have we can agree with is Jesus, and that is powerful enough. But it is even better when we have someone else and it becomes a threefold cord.

Blessed in All Things

Now Abraham was old, well advanced in age; and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. (Genesis 24:1)

Abraham lived a long and healthy life of abundance and wealth — God had blessed him in all things. The NIV says “in every way.” Not just in spiritual things, but in all things; not just in spiritual ways, but in every way.

So what does that have to do with you and me? Just this: God wants us to enjoy the same blessing. That’s why Jesus came.

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. (Galatians 3:13-14)

Jesus did not go to the cross for us just to deliver us from the curse of the law; He went so that the blessing of Abraham would come upon all who believe the promise. God blessed Abraham in all things and in every way; Jesus came so that we, too, could be blessed in all things and in every way.

Just as God’s blessing on Abraham was not just in spiritual things and spiritual ways, but in all things and in every way, so His blessing on us is not just limited to the spiritual, but covers everything in life. The apostle John understood this well, and his prayer for Gaius demonstrated God’s will and desire for each one of us.

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. (3 John 2)

For a great picture of what the blessing and prosperity God has for you and me looks like, read and meditate on Deuteronomy 28:1-14 and Psalm 112.

God’s desire is for you and me to be blessed and prosper in all things and in every way. That’s why Jesus came.

(Listen to the listing of blessings in Deuteronomy 28:1-14, from our Healing Scriptures and Prayers CD 2.)

The Foundation of Prosperity

And in Your majesty ride prosperously because of truth, humility, and righteousness; And Your right hand shall teach You awesome things.

(Psalm 45:4)

Christians recognize that this psalm speaks about Jesus, who is King over all. The hymn, “Fairest Lord Jesus,” is based on this psalm, especially verse 2, “You are fairer than the sons of men.” Jesus is King, and there is no one who is more prosperous than Him.

The Hebrew word for “prosperous” here means to advance, progress, move forward, break out, come mightily, go over, and even to be profitable. God’s desire for you and me is that we have prosperity in all things. That is how the apostle John prayed:

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. (3 John 2)

Notice that this prosperity is based, first of all, on how we are prospering in our souls. That is, prosperity is first a matter of the heart. And that is what we find in this psalm: Prosperity is founded upon truth, humility and righteousness.

• Truth — the Hebrew word for “truth” refers to that which is solid, steadfast and dependable. That is the same thing John referred in 3 John, where, in context, we see that prosperity of soul has to do with walking in truth.
• Humility — this is often translated as “meekness” and speaks of a gentleness toward others, especially toward those who are weak or oppressed. Those who walk in meekness or humility do not conduct themselves in arrogance or pride, but in love. John speaks of this same thing in his letter.
• Righteousness — this is, simply put, that which is right, especially as it pertains to the ways of God. The Hebrew word also refers to prosperity. Jesus taught us to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6). When we know the Truth, that is, come into a personal relationship with the Truth, it sets us free (John 8:32). Not only that, but when we receive Him, we gives us the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth (John 16:13).

Jesus is the perfect example of humility. He did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45), and He taught His disciples that whoever desires to become great must become a servant (Matthew 20:26). Paul said,

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:5-8)

Jesus Christ is the righteousness of God, for He obeyed the Father perfectly in all things. He did only what He saw the Father doing, and said only what He heard the Father saying. He came to do the will of the Father, His human will in complete alignment with the divine will. Not only that but He came to replace our sinfulness with His righteousness.

For He [God] made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

When we receive the Lord Jesus Christ, we become the righteousness of God in Him. As we follow Him, He will lead us into all truth, humility and righteous freedom and prosperity.

Understanding Prosperity

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. (3 John 2)

Alongside every country road there are usually two ditches, one on either side. Controversial issues are generally like that; there are extremes and reactions on either side. I find this to be true about how Christians react to the Biblical teaching concerning prosperity. In 3 John 2, we see the will of God, as expressed in the prayer of the apostle John, is for His people to prosper in all things and be in health, according to how they are prospering in their souls.

That seems pretty straightforward, and it is just one of many equally clear Scriptures in the Bible concerning prosperity. But, oh how Christians can get into the ditches concerning this.

On the one hand, there are some Christians who, by their preaching, seem to think that it is all about money, and who appear to live it out as greed and self-aggrandizement. Some of the televangelists fit into this category and very often earn the harsh criticism they receive.

On the other hand, there are some who react so vehemently to this first group that they actually fall into the same error: They think that prosperity is about money and greed. They see the ditch on one side of the road and back so far away from it that they stumble into the ditch on the other side. Since, to their reactionary way of thinking, prosperity is all about money and greed, they wonder God could possibly want prosperity for His people? Or as one fellow asked, “How does that benefit the kingdom of God?”

Show them the Scriptures which reveal God’s desire to prosper His people, such as Joshua 1:8, Psalm 1:1-3, Psalm 35:17, Psalm 112 or Proverbs 3:9-10, and the response will likely be, “Oh, but that is Old Testament.” As if God has somehow changed His mind and that the new and better covenant that was instituted in Jesus Christ and which is based upon better promises is in some way inferior to the Old Covenant (see Hebrews 8:6). Not so.

Others will resort to the old standby, “Yes, but that is spiritual prosperity” when the Biblical context reveals that it is about all kinds of prosperity. (Part of the error I see here is the mistake that sees the spiritual realm as good but the natural realm as evil. The Bible, however, teaches that the natural realm derives from the spiritual realm, because God, who is Spirit, created the natural realm. But that is a discussion for another time.)

Many of those who oppose prosperity teaching from the Scriptures and who reject the Old Testament promises of prosperity, when it comes to the same teaching in the New Testament, they are oblivious to it. They have learned how to gloss over, ignore or otherwise explain away. It is not intentional, but reactionary. They do not mean to do it, but their disgust with those who think prosperity is all about money and greed causes their eyes to be blinkered to what the Scriptures actually have to say.

So what does the Bible really have to say about prosperity? Simply put, to prosper means to do well. What is the extent of the prosperity God has for us? I think the apostle John said it pretty well: “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” Note, first, that God wants us to prosper in ALL things (even as He already said so many times and in so many ways in the Old Testament). Since John adds, “Just as your soul prospers,” we can see that this is not only about inward, spiritual prosperity but about outward, physical prosperity as well. Truly, it is prosperity in ALL things that God desires to release into your life and mine. It is not limited to finances — that is probably the least of what it is about—but finances are by no means excluded from the promise.

Second, and this is very important, the measure and qualifier of outward, physical prosperity is inward, spiritual prosperity. Again, we see that when John says, “Just as your soul prospers.” It is a comparative statement. If you are not prospering in your soul, in your inward man, you will not truly be able to prosper in anything else. But when you are prospering in your inward being, you are positioning yourself to receive prosperity in all things.

Prosperity of soul, as we learn from the context (3 John 3-5), has everything to do with walking in love. So, greed and self-aggrandizement are out. Jesus taught us that when we make the kingdom of God our priority, everything else will be taken care of (Matthew 6:33). That’s prosperity!

Paul gives us a good description of prosperity in 2 Corinthians 9:8, which happens to be in a financial context. In exhorting the Church about giving, Paul gives this promise:

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.

When we put God first in all things, He will cover all the bases — even the financial ones — with plenty more besides in order to support good works. For His desire is not only to bless us, but to bless others through us. Or as it has been so frequently expressed, “We are blessed to be a blessing.”

Prosperity is not something to be feared, not when it comes from God’s hand. And that is exactly what He has promised for you and me. It is not just about you, but about God and what He wants to do in and through you.

Believing the Prosperity of God

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. (3 John 2)

The will of God for His people is that we prosper in all things and be in health, even as our souls prosper. From the context, we see that prosperity of soul is about walking both in truth and in love.

For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers, who have borne witness of your love before the church. (3 John 3-6)

To prosper means to “do well.” When the Bible says “prosper in all things,” that means His purpose is for us to do well in all things. This echoes His promises from the Old Testament:

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. (Joshua 1:8)

But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

(Psalm 1:2-3)

Prosperity, or doing well, in “all things” is by no means limited to finances, as some seem to suppose, but includes every aspect of life. By the same token, “all things” by no means excludes finances, as others seem to suppose, but are included as much as anything else. God wants to prosper all His people in finances as well as in everything else. Again, this is all related to soul prosperity — doing the truth and walking in love.

To those who love and trust in Him, God promises, among other things, that He will command the blessing on us in our storehouses and in all we set our hands to (Deuteronomy 28:8). He also promises that wealth and riches will be in our houses (Psalm 112:3). He promises that, when we honor Him with our possessions and with the firstfruit of all our increase, our barns will be filled with plenty and our vats overflow with new wine (Proverbs 3:9-10). Psalm 35:27 tells us that God takes pleasure in the prosperity of His people.

So, there is no question that God wants all His people to prosper in all things, including our finances. His Word confirms it repeatedly. This is not some extraneous “prosperity gospel,” but the consistent teaching of the Scriptures. These promises, being the Word of God, who cannot lie, are therefore sure and true, and can be fully relied upon.

Now, along with all that, Jesus promised that there would also be persecutions. We see this in the promise of hundredfold return:

Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time — houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions — and in the age to come, eternal life. (Mark 29:30)

Because Jesus has said this, it would be foolish for anyone to think that there are not going to be persecutions. But by the same token, it would be foolish to think that there is not also going to be the hundredfold return of all that is given up for the sake of Jesus and the Gospel. Jesus explicitly states that such return is to be received “now in this time” as well as eternal life in the age to come.

You can confidently rely upon the promises and prosperity of God.

Positively Positioned and Empowered to Prosper

He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

(Psalm 1:3)

If you want to know how to come into the place of prosperity in every area of your life, study this man closely:

• He is like a tree that has been planted (even transplanted) beside the rivers of water. He did not get there by himself, but was set there by God. He has a good foundation; his roots are well-watered. He is established, supplied and cultivated.
• He brings forth fruit in season. The life of this tree is nourished by the rivers of water and the nutrients of the soil. It drinks in the sunlight and is faithfully tended by the grove-keeper. It goes patiently through its seasons — the season for resting and recreating, the season for germinating, the season for budding and blooming, the season for fruit-bearing, and the season for harvest. In the season of harvest, this man is not found wanting, but is very fruitful. He has much to give, and he shares generously of his bounty.
• His leaf shall not wither. This man stays connected to his source, so he does not fall away or faint in the time of drought, or when the heat is on. He tends to the things that need to be tended, when they need to be tended, and does not leave the important details undone, so that even the tiniest of his leaves are full of life.
• Whatever he does shall prosper. The psalm writer now moves from the metaphor of the well-watered tree and speaks plainly: Everything this man does increases his prosperity. He finds success and increase at every turn. Even when he makes mistakes, or experiences failures or adversities, he learns from them, adapts his strategies and perseveres until he sees his prosperity come forth. Not only is he himself blessed by his prosperity, but many around him also benefit from his success.

So, who is this man, and what is the secret of his prosperity? First, take a look at who he isn't:

Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful.

(Psalm 1:1)

This is not a man who takes his cues from the world system, from those who have no regard for God in their lives and do not care whether the things they do are morally right or wrong. He does not share the same pathway with these men, because it will eventually lead to destruction. He does not sit under their influence, because they treat everything — God, good, honor, truth, right, integrity, everything! — as a joke.

Now take a look at who this man is, and what he does do:

But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law, he meditates day and night.

(Psalm 1:2)

There it is — the secret of his success! He delights in the law of the Lord. He takes great pleasure in the ways of God. He craves them, and looks forward to them as a lip-smacking delicacy. His fills his heart, his mind, even his mouth with the Word of God, letting it forge his will, shape his emotions, correct his thoughts and empower the very words that roll off his own tongue. So he is established in a fertile place beside life-giving streams, and so he prospers, because he has found his source in God.

The Prosperity of God is Also Financial

He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

(Psalm 1:3)

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. (3 John 2)

The Scriptures are clear that God wants His people to prosper. The Hebrew word for “prosper” means to push forward, break out, come mightily, go over, excel, be profitable, advance and make progress. The Greek word means to have a good journey, be successful, even to succeed in business. That is what God has for all of His people.

It is important to note that the prosperity God has for us is, first of all, a prosperity of soul — a matter of the heart. That is clearly stated in 3 John 2, but we also find it spoken of in Psalm 1 in this way: “Blessed is the man … His delight is in the law of the LORD and in His law he meditates day and night” (v. 2). As we have seen, the result is that whatever he does shall prosper.

But does this prosperity include money? Many Christians believe it does not. But what does the Bible say? “Whatever he does shall prosper” and “I pray that you may prosper in all things.” All and whatever are inclusive terms — they leave nothing out. Certainly prosperity is more than just financial and material wealth, but it does include them. They are part of “all” and “whatever.”

We see this stated even more directly elsewhere in Scripture. For example, Psalm 112:3 says of the righteous man (that is, one who lives in awe of God and delights in His commandments), “Wealth and riches will be in his house.” Though some might try to say that this is referring only to spiritual wealth and riches, it is clear from the context that the psalm writer is talking about material wealth and riches.

Is God interested in our possessions? Yes, He is. Look at the word of wisdom He gives us in Proverbs:

Honor the LORD with your possessions,
And with the firstfruits of all your increase;
So your barns will be filled with plenty,
And your vats will overflow with new wine.

(Proverbs 3:9-10)

When we honor Him with our possessions, and with the firstfruits of all our increase — that is, the first and the best, not the last and the least — then He will also honor us in kind: Our barns will be heaped up with plenty and our vats will overflow with new wine. This is not just having just enough, it is having more than enough.

We find something similar in the New Testament, in Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians. He is preparing to receive an offering from the believers there to take to the believers in Jerusalem. In other words, it is a financial context. Now, notice what Paul says:

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. (2 Corinthians 9:8)

That is wealth indeed: always have all sufficiency in all things, and abundance for every good work! You see, that is what financial prosperity is for, and why God wants it for all His people. It is always having everything we need to take care our families, ourselves, and whatever God has called us to do, PLUS having abundance — more than enough! — so that we can give to every good work. As Leroy Thompson calls it, it is “Money with a mission!”

The clear word of Scripture is that God wants all His people to prosper in all things, and that includes finances. He does not want us to love money, serve money, or trust in money, but He wants to prosper us financially so we can use money for His kingdom purposes, and to supply every good work.

Who Has Pleasure in Your Prosperity?

Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion
Who rejoice at my hurt;
Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor
Who exalt themselves against me.

Let them shout for joy and be glad,
Who favor my righteous cause;
Ad let them say continually,
“Let the LORD be magnified,
Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.”

(Psalm 35:26-27)

There are those who are for you and those who are not. There are those who are rooting against you, waiting for you to fall, and will rejoice when you do. Some are very open about it; others keep it secretly in their hearts. Obviously, these are not the people you want to gather around you. They do not build you up; they only undermine you and tear you down. Share your dreams with them, and they will only taunt and deride you.

But there are others, praise God, who are for you. They’re in your corner rooting for your success. Not only that, but they are people of faith who understand that God is in favor of your success, as well. They believe that God takes pleasure in your prosperity, and that your success is an occasion to give Him great praise. These are the people you want to surround yourself with. They build you up, and encourage you when your down, reminding you of the promises and plans God has for you. Share your dreams with them, and they stand in faith with you, believing God to bring you into it, even if it seems impossible

It has been said that you attract what you are. If you are dour and sour and cranky, you will draw to yourself people who are dour and sour and cranky, and you will soon be slogging through a toxic brew of negativity, complaining about how unfair life is, and wondering why you can never seem to get a break.

On the other hand, if you are a positive-minded person who knows how to activate and exercise faith, you will begin to attract others of like mind and faith to you, and you will soon be encouraging each other, spotting opportunities, stretching yourselves, launching out into new things and experiencing fresh successes.

So it comes down to the kind of person you are. Fortunately, you can always change the kind of person you are. God’s purpose is not for you to be negative and cranky, full of fear and doubt. His desire is for you step over into faith and being enjoying success with Him. He knows quite a lot about success and prosperity, and He is more than willing to share it with you. In fact, He has recorded it in His Word, and if you ask Him, He will show you.

God delights in the prosperity of His people. Are you are ready to believe that? The first step of true success and prosperity is in knowing Jesus Christ, who came to restore us to proper relationship with the Creator of all things.