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Many believers think poverty is godly. Or they think poverty is teaching them something. But is that what the Bible really teaches. Further, many believers think there’s something wrong with prosperity teaching. So many are against prosperity teaching. They think the “prosperity gospel” unscriptural or worse, demonic. Is that true? Does God really want His people to be poor? Is poverty godly? Does God really want to give us just enough to get by? Are rich men and women really going to hell for being rich? That’s what some ministers teach. What does the Bible really teach? That’s what I’d like to talk about in this post.
For starters, the poverty gospel or just enough gospel being preached by many in this Church is error. Further, those against the “prosperity gospel” are also in error. Why would anyone be against God’s people having more than enough or encourage God’s people to give? While I believe the prosperity gospel being preached is often incomplete, it doesn’t mean giving isn’t rewarded by God or God doesn’t bless our giving. He does.
The truth is, we’ve gained a mindset of lack by living in this world. Satan’s mindset is that of lack and poverty. Satan isn’t rich; he’s poor. Jesus, by conquest, took everything from him. He took back what Adam lost by Satan’s conjob on Eve. Adam chose rebellion. Jesus chose obedience. God only blessed obedience. He doesn’t bless disobedience. God never curses the obedient. By contrast, He may still bless the disobedient out of mercy. Yet, it doesn’t make sense to rely on mercy, even though all of us have benefited by and received God’s mercy. Mercy is at God’s discretion. By contrast, obedience will always bring God’s blessing. Always!
Now let’s delve into the scriptures to see what they say about prosperity. I’d like to start with a scripture I learned while I was still in the Navigators, an evangelical Christian youth movement. That scripture was Joshua 1:8. You may know or have heard that verse: “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” I memorized that verse. In fact, one of the main things I learned from the Navigators was to memorize scripture. And I did.
In Joshua 1:8, we learn that God’s Word and prosperity are connected. Notice, it says two things happens when we meditate (verbally mutter under our breath) on God’s Word and do it: 1) We prosper, and 2) We become very successful. But some may say, that was under the Old Testament not the New Testament. That’s one of the most deceptive and foolish arguments I’ve ever heard. It’s likely you’re being deceived or disillusioned by the devil with arguments like that in your mind.
Yes, Satan wants to keep God’s people poor. How do I know that? In the book of Job, we see behind the scenes into what really happened when Job lost everything. Satan, not God, was behind Job’s loss. Learn what Job didn’t know: Satan took all Job had, everything he worked for. In a moment, he lost it all, including all his children. Imagine his grief. He could have turned against God at that time. He didn’t. He didn’t know why he lost everything and He chose to accept it as if God was behind it. God wasn’t. Satan was.
Hear that! Satan, not God, was behind Job’s losses. Satan took everything. That’s how he is; he’s a thief. As Jesus said, “The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy.” Jn. 10:10, New Heart English Bible. Satan, not God, is the thief. God doesn’t steal from the obedient. Never! He blesses and never curses the obedient. How do I know? “If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the best of the land”. Is. 1:19, Amplified Bible. Notice, God says, “the best” not just what we can scrounge together to get by. But some may say, I’ve been obedient and yet I don’t have that in my life. Then, you have what you have because of your obedience and you lack what you lack because of your disobedience. Obedience always brings God’s blessing. Always!
Father Abraham was blessed because he was obedient. Oftentimes, we look at Father Abraham’s weaknesses. And yes, he had weaknesses, as all earthly fathers do. But Father Abraham was an obedient man. He wasn’t only a man of faith, he was also an obedient man. Further, he trained his entire house (not just his sons) how to walk in obedience. God chose Father Abraham due to his ability to train his house to walk in obedience. In Genesis 18:19, we hear God’s mind behind God’s choice of Father Abraham, “I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.”
Yes, God makes good decisions. His choices are rooted in reality. He doesn’t make decisions on what He wished we do. No, He bases His decisions on the things we actually do. God weighs our obedience when He chooses to use. He doesn’t choose the disobedient. Nor does He choose us based on what we could do. No, He chooses us based on what we do — our obedience to Him. And that’s how leaders should choose who they pick — by what others do not what we wished they would do. Your obedience determines how, when, where, and to what degree God can use you. It also determines your level of blessing. The blessing of prosperity is connected forever to obedience. Never forget that!
Yes, God prospers and gives good success to those who are obedient. Obedience to God and His Word trumps everything else when it comes to prosperity. If you desire to prosper and have good success in all your endeavors, choose the path of obedience. That always starts by meditating on God’s Word. Yes, you should memorize scripture. You should confess it, speak it, declare it, and have it on your lips. But more importantly, you should do what it says. That’s the key to walking in divine prosperity.
Yes, God wants all His people to prosper and have good success. Your prosperity and success is not determined by what others do. Stop trying to use others to get money or get rich. Your wealth is connected to your obedience not their obedience. Yes, God wants you wealthy; it’s His provision for those who are obedient. Always choose the path of obedience no matter what. That’s the secret to walking in wealth.
God, speaking through the prophet Jeremiah, made this statement about what He wanted from His people: “I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.’” Jer. 7:23, NKJV. Obey My voice. That’s what God is looking for. Those who obey His voice will receive wealth as their portion. That’s God’s desire you. Don’t forget it! Don’t let anyone talk you out of it. It’s God’s gift to those who choose the path of obedience.
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