Lesson 6 is probably a good place to remind the reader that my personal pursuit of understanding prosperity accurately is not rooted in becoming a millionaire, so we have no more financial concerns. That pursuit would be so far beneath the calling and inheritance of a passionate, Jesus-follower. Our pursuit is rooted in how we might become conduits for Kingdom resources and not simply containers.
I will never forget the man I met several decades ago who had a genuine gift to accumulate wealth. As a Christian, he understood just enough of the prosperity message to justify his miserly approach to handling his riches. I’ll never forget his statement to me one day that was insight into his heart about wealth. He said, (and I’m paraphrasing from memory), “I am going to put 10 million dollars in the bank and then I will be able to serve God in a full-time way.”
He said it like he had declared a noble truth…
He didn’t realize that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks…
He was a container…
Not a conduit…
Prosperity is not an end in itself. The minute a person crosses the line of mishandling or over-esteeming their wealth is the moment a door is open to all kinds of problems (See I Timothy 6:10). Luke 12:13-21 provides an interesting moment where Jesus rebukes a person’s covetousness and then reminds the listeners through a parable that prosperity can beget foolishness if one is not continually sensitized to its purpose and its potential impact to one’s spiritual condition. Again, money and finances can be an incredible tool for good and even a personal blessing in the hands of the consecrated. However, in the hands of the carnal, covetous, and confused, that same tool can be spiritually deadly.
Which leads us to the question, “Why does God prosper His people?”
If we are consecrated to God’s Will and purposes concerning wealth, it would stand to reason that we understood His purposes for releasing such finances. To ignore the purposes of a thing is to open the door to abuse of that thing. This is why prosperity is easily abused. We neglect or forget the reasons which God has done such a thing in our life. This is also the reason, I suspect, that this generation struggles with the concept of prosperity because it has seen the abuse of a purposeless wealth. I wholeheartedly believe the best economic system for a nation is capitalism (not socialism), but even in that acknowledgment, capitalism can be twisted for unrighteous purposes (I will deal more with economic theories and prosperity in an upcoming blog). This is why it is critical we understand the reasons for wealth.
Let me suggest at least SEVEN purposes I can find in the Scripture:
1. To Glorify, Honor, and Magnify His Name
“Honor the Lord with your wealth, and with the first-fruits of all your increase;” (Proverbs 3:9)
2. It Makes God Happy
“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)
3. To Meet our Legitimate Needs
“And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)
But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. (I Timothy 5:8)
4. To be a Conduit of Blessing
“Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me. I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:34-35)
5. To Establish His Covenant (Finance evangelism, church worship, missionary endeavors, Gospel-centered para-church ministry, etc.)
“And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.” (Deuteronomy 8:18)
6. To Care for the Poor, Widows, and Orphans.
“At the end of every third year you shall bring out the tithe of your produce of that year and store it up within your gates. And the Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, and the stranger and the fatherless and the widow who are within your gates, may come and eat and be satisfied, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.” (Deuteronomy 14:28-29)
You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child. If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry, (Exodus 22:22-23)
He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, and He will pay back what he has given. (Proverbs 19:17)
7. To Distinguish His People in the Earth
“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.” (Deuteronomy 28:13)
If God is ok with prospering according to His purposes, then why should I be ashamed of receiving such prospering?
Yep…
I am not ashamed of prospering.
No Comments