2 nd Chronicles 20:18-20
When one hears about prosperity, the things that come to mind is financial/material well-being. We have reduced prosperity to mean nothing more than money. The prosperity package that comes from God goes beyond money. Money is only a by-product of the real thing. This is the point at which a lot of people miss out on God’s blessing. When you run after prosperity or riches, sorrow would be added to it (Psalm 127:2). But, that which God gives adds no sorrow to it (Prov 10:22). Prosperity goes beyond finance or social status. There is more to prosperity in the sight of God than your pocket size (Luke 12:15). You might have nothing today, but it does not stop you from being prosperous in the sight of God. Prosperity is a condition of the heart, not of your pocket size. Plugging into that which is not of God makes you run a rat race. Even Joseph being a slave was prosperous (Gen 39:2). As a worker in your place of work, you can live a prosperous life (Deut 30:9). Prosperity is a function of who and what God says you are. It is a function of your thoughts. Do you see problems or solutions? Are you always complaining? God’s ideas would not stick if you are a complainer. That is why the bible says we should keep our hearts with all diligence (Prov 4:23). It is a function of your value-system. Some people have placed a ceiling on what they can achieve in life. This comes by the devil stating facts to their hearts. The devil sows a seed, and it is received hook, line and sinker. Reject every idea of the devil. Change your thoughts and change your life.
To prosper is to flourish; to thrive. Prosperity is not a respecter of societies or geographical location. Even as bad as things appear to be in Nigeria, people are still prospering. Prosperity is a state of well-being. A lot of people are not leveraging on God’s resources. Living below God’s desired expectation does not glorify God. This well-being is all round- physical, relationship, mental, emotional health. It entails you being a blessing even to your world. It entails progressive or upward movement in life. Your upward movement is powered /auto-cruised by God. You begin to ride upon the wings of destiny (Isa 40:31). When you are following God’s plan for your life- that right there is true prosperity. You have an increased / enhanced capacity to multiply.
A vital point of reference to prosperity to is found in Ps 14:3. The word “blessed” begins the Psalms and this psalm was most likely written by David. We can also connect this to Jesus’ first sermon in Matt 5:3. The word “blessed” here means “empowered to thrive, succeed, to prosper”. The delight of this blessed person is in the law of the Lord. The counsel of the ungodly would always contradict the value system of God and so a man that is on his way to prosperity would walk, but not in the counsel of the ungodly. Who are the people that power your decisions? When Rehoboam was given a godly counsel, he rejected it and went to accept the counsel of his friends. Evil communication corrupts good manners (1 Cor 15:33). Who is your counselor and adviser? The word of God should be the baseline for your decision-making process. In the light of that, you would not stumble in judgement. You do only that which the Lord has blessed.
The baseline for prosperity is faith in God (2 Chr 20:20, Heb 11:6). When the word of God came to Ahaz, it was declared that if he did not believe the word of God, he would not be established. Believing the word of God makes you immovable and firmly sound (2 nd Tim 1:7). God is too faithful to fail his word. The word of God is the only reality. The people that are foolish enough to go with the word of God, usually come back with testimonies. Divine establishment is a function of your faith in God and prosperity is an offshoot of divine establishment.
Do you believe in the Lord and His prophets? The prophets of God are the people that bear the testimony of Jesus. The Spirit of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy. Fruitfulness is a by-product of being planted in the house of God. Prosperity is a by-product of divine establishment. If you do not believe in God, you cannot believe in His prophets (Rev 3:20). He is at the door of your heart. Would you be magnanimous enough to open the door? Our eyes of understanding would be enlightened in Jesus name. Amen.
PASTOR NATHANIEL SADELA
Resident Pastor
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