Prosperity
In Psalm 118:25 David prays to God for prosperity. Those who have taught an erroneous “wealth and health” gospel have caused some to believe that it is wrong to ask God for such a blessing. It is not wrong to ask God to help us to prosper but it becomes wrong when the requests are both selfish and not in accordance with the Father’s will. God will bless us as he did David. In Psalm 23:5 David says, “Thou dost prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; Thou hast anointed my head with oil; my cup overflows.” In fact God challenges His people to test Him in this arena. Through the prophet God told His people, “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test 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 a blessing until it overflows.”
When it comes to the bride of Christ, the church, God wants us to prosper. But in order for us to be blessed by God there are some things we need to remember in order to make this a reality. We Must Be Spiritual. Paul was concerned that he could not speak to the church at Corinth as spiritual, but as worldly (1 Corinthians 3:1). It takes the spiritual to reach the sinner (Galatians 6:1). Peter said we are “living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5).
We Must Be Zealous. A working, soul-winning, mission-minded membership will be a prosperous membership. Paul said that Jesus “gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works” (Titus 2:14). A prosperous church will have the same mind that Christ had: “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work” (John 9:4).
We Must Be Encouraging. God demands this of each other. “Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing” (1 Thessalonians 5:11). “But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin” (Hebrews 3:13).
We Must Be Humble. We all know that “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18). The problem is we seldom see pride in ourselves. The fact that we think we are the humble one may be a clear indication that we are not. In fact, pride plagues our society and the church. The “what’s in it for me” mentality of our culture has infected the church. God will not prosper a church whose members are more concerned with self than with others.
We Must Be Pure. James says, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:8). In order for God to prosper us, here and in eternity, it is essential that we purify ourselves. John writes, “everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:3). Peter said this is accomplished through our obedience to the truth (1 Peter 1:22).
God wants us to live a happy, abundant, and prosperous life. This is why Jesus came to earth, to save us and give us a life that is greater than any other life one could choose to live (John 10:10). Are you blessed? Are you prosperous? Is God holding back his bounty because of you and I? Let each of us repent, obey Him, and live prosperous lives.