Psalm 35:27,Let them shout for joy and rejoice, who favor My vindication and want what is right for Me; Let them say continually, "Let the Lord be magnified, who delights and takes pleasure in the prosperity of His servants."
INTRODUCTION
PROSPERITY according to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary is defined as the state of being successful especially financially. After writing on ‘The Suffering Of The Believers’. It seems right that an afterwork should be termed, ‘The Prosperity Of The Believers’. Though as right as it seems, permit me to state that this subject was not born out of the necessity to complement ‘The Suffering Of The Believers’
The Prosperity Of The Believers is the move of God. It is beyond my intention or desire to write on prosperity: It is the will of God.
As important as the subject of prosperity is; It is not accorded the appropriate attention it required in the body of Christ. It’s been assumed and concluded that prosperity is worldliness.
Obviously there’s a ‘worldly prosperity’, when men prosper according to the corrupt systems and practices in the world. Such prosperity lack eternal essence and value.
Matt 16:26 , For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life?
This is the height of foolishness: For a man to succeed in a life that is numbered and fail in a life that is not numbered – An everlasting life.
This book is concerned with the prosperity of a believer in accordance with the Word of God. The Prosperity Of The Believers unveils the possibility of the believers prospering without soiling their hands and compromising to sinful acts or practices; But by living according to the Word of God. This is acceptable and delightful to God.
The word ‘Wealth’ will be used interchangeably to prosperity in this book. Wealth connotes a meaning much more than just succeeding financially; It entails success in all aspects of life: A total well-being.
BE BLESSED
PROSPERITY
THE WILL OF GOD
Genesis 1:26,28 . Then God said,"Let Us make man in Our Image, according to Our likeness; and let them have 'complete authority' over the fish of the Sea, the birds of the air, the cattle, 'and over the entire earth', and over everything that creeps and crawls on the earth. God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the Sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth.
According to Gen 1:26 , God made man to have ‘complete authority’ over His creatures. For five days, God was busy creating an earth realm with abundance of Wealth. He created the waters which are the Sea, the ocean, the river, the lake, the stream, the spring etc and all that is in it, vis-a-vis the fish, the mammals, and the treasure of the waters. He created the sky and the birds of the air; and He also created the Land, which is the entire earth surface, and all that is in it vis-a-vis the plants, the animals, and the treasure of the earth. On the sixth day, He made man and gave him the ‘complete authority’ over these abundant wealth of creation. Other words for complete authority include full power and unconditional right.
Simply put, God gave man power over the earthly wealth. For five days, God created an earth filled with Wealth; And on the sixth day, He formed a man in His own Image and after His likeness, and gave man power over the wealth of the earth.
FOUR LESSONS FROM GENESIS 1:26
(1) God is the Creator of Wealth
(2) Wealth comes from God
(3) Complete authority over earthly wealth
(4) The beneficiary and custodian of Wealth
1 . GOD IS THE CREATOR OF THE WEALTH
Psalm 24:1, A Psalm of David. The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein
God is the Creator of the heavens and the earth and all that is in it. The riches, treasure and Wealth of the Nations of the earth belong to God. Everything that exist originates from God. He is the source of all that exist on the earth. Wealth doesn’t belong to man. Wealth is not the product of man’s effort, hardwork or labor. Wealth belong to God .
2 . WEALTH COMES FROM GOD
James 1:26-17, Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good endowment and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with Whom there is no variation or shadow due to change
Wealth did not come from individuals, organisations, government or the Nations of the world. Wealth does not come from the north, south, East or West. Wealth did not come from the devil or the kingdom of darkness. The Bible states clearly that ‘every’ good endowment and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.
1 Chronicles 29:11-12, Thine, O LORD is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the Majesty; for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is Thine, Thine is the kingdom, O LORD and Thou art exalted as Head above all. Both riches and honor comes from Thee, and Thou rulest over all. In Thy hand it is to make great and give strength to all
All that is in the heavens and in the earth belong to God. Riches and honor comes from God
3 . THE POWER TO POSSESS EARTHLY WEALTH
Deut 8:18 , And you shall remember the Lord your God, For it is He Who gives you the power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day
I have pointed out that wealth is not a product of man’s effort, hardwork or labor. In the beginning, God created the earth and its wealth; and on the sixth day, He made man and gave him complete authority, unconditional right and full power to possess the wealth. In other words, wealth is not a product of human effort but a product of divine power.
4 . THE BENEFICIARY OF EARTHLY WEALTH
Eccl 5:17, As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also given the power and ability to enjoy them and to receive his portion and rejoice in his labor. This is the gift of God
Wealth is not a product of man’s effort. Man didn’t become wealthy because of hardwork or labor. He was created to be wealthy. It is the will of God. God created the earth and its fullness and made man with the responsibility to possess, use and replenish these wealth.
Psalm 115:16, The heavens are the heavens of the Lord, But the earth He has given to the sons of men
Man is the beneficiary and custodian of God’s earthly wealth .
In Gen 1:28 ,The Bible says that, “God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it.
One Lesson from Gen 1:28 is that God did not only give man the complete authority or full power to possess the earthly wealth; He also blessed man to prosper : To be fruitful and successful.
Prov 10:22, It is the blessing of the Lord that makes rich; And He adds no sorrow to it.
Wealth is God’s provision to man. It is not the result of man’s effort. Man is originally made to be wealthy. It is the gift of God for man. God did not only give man the power to possess wealth but He also blessed man with the ability or favour to use and replenish earthly wealth without struggle. It is this blessing of God upon the life of the man that enables him to be prosperous: To reproduce, and multiply or increase earthly wealth effortlessly.
Summarily, We have seen that the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof. We have also seen that every good endowment and perfect gift comes from God. We also saw that wealth is not the product of man’s effort but a product of the authority, right or power given to man by God. Man didn’t create any wealth: man was created to be wealthy by the power of God bestowed upon him. Lastly we saw that man was blessed with the ability to increase and multiply earthly wealth.
Obviously, Prosperity is not worldliness: it is the will of God for man. Therefore it is necessary to accord appropriate attention to it so as to fulfill the will of God.
POVERTY
A CONSEQUENCE OF DISOBEDIENCE
Although this book is about the Prosperity of the Believers; And like I rightly stated in the introduction: The choice of this subject is not a personal wish or desire but the move of God. It is the movement from poverty to prosperity. Therefore it is pertinent to clarify how man became poor, who originally was made according to the will of God to be wealthy.
Gen 2:9,16-17, And out of the ground made the Lord to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of Life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And the Lord God commanded the man saying, of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat, But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: For in the day that thou eatest thereof,"Thou shalt surely die"
Man was not made to be poor. The first thing God did for the man He made was to empower man with abundance of earthly wealth or resources; And also bless him with the ability to replenish these wealth successfully. God did not make man and leave him to struggle or cater for himself. God took time to provide everything that man will ever need or want to live a wealthy life here on earth. Out of the six days of creation, God spent five days to prepare a comfortable inhabitant for man; A place of abundant wealth; A place where there is neither lack nor want. God created an earth full of all kinds of animals and plants, good for man’s consumption. On the sixth day, God made man. And God gave man charge to consume everything available on the earth except one : The tree of the knowledge of good and evil. So man has a complete authority, unconditional right and full power to consume all the riches of the earth except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; And also to replenish them without struggle but with divine ability.
It is important to note that man’s Wealth and prosperity is subject to his obedience to God’s instruction or commandment. This is a fundamental spiritual law that is statutory. Man will be wealthy and prosperous as long as he obeys God’s instruction.
1 Kings 2:3, And keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in His ways and keeping His statutes, His commandments, His rules, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn
As long as man keeps God’s charge, walking in the ways of the Lord; Man will continue to be wealthy and prosperous. Man’s Wealth and prosperity comes from God. God is entirely responsible for man’s wealth and prosperity. The riches of the earth; The power to possess Wealth; And the blessing to prosper is from God. The riches of the earth belong to God; The power to possess wealth comes from God; The blessing to prosper is from Him. Man has absolutely nothing to do with these. Man’s responsibility is to keep the statutes, commandments, rules and testimonies of the Lord God.
Job 36:11, If they listen and serve Him, they complete their days in prosperity and their families years in pleasantness
God commanded Adam to acquire, possess and consume all the riches of the earth except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. According to the book of Job; If man listen and serve God: he will complete his days in prosperity and his years in pleasantness. Man’s wealth and prosperity is not a function of his efforts but a function of his obedience to God. All that Adam should give in return for what God did for him is to listen and serve God through obedience to God’s instructions.
Isaiah 1:19, If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land
In the book of Eccl 5:19 that was quoted previously, The Bible states that riches and wealth and the power to eat of it is the gift of God. It is God’s will that man should be wealthy and prosperous. God didn’t make man to be poor. God didn’t make man to suffer lacks or wants. God didn’t make man to struggle before he eats the good of the land. According to Isa 1:19, The only requirement to eat the good of the land is man’s willingness to obey God’s instructions.
Gen 3:1-6, Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yes, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruits of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, ye shall not surely die: for God doth know that in the day ye shall eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did it
Poverty; Lacks or wants; struggling is not from God but a function of man’s choice to disobey God’s instruction. Although God desires that man should listen and obey Him, yet God does not impose Himself upon man. He made man as a free moral entity with a mind of his own to decide either to obey or disobey God.
Deut 28:1-14, "And if you obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I command you this day, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God. Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, and the fruit of your ground, and the fruit of your beasts, the increase of your cattle, and the young of your flock. Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading-trough. Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out. The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before you seven ways. The Lord will command the blessing upon you in your barns, and in all that you undertake; and he will bless you in the land which the Lord your God gives you. The Lord will establish you as a people holy to Himself, as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and walk in His ways. And all the people 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 make you abound in prosperity in the fruit of your body, and in the fruit of your cattle, and in the fruit of your ground, within the land which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. The Lord will open to you His good treasury the heavens, to give the rain of your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hands and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. And the Lord will make you the head, and not the tail; and you shall tend upward only, and not downward; if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day, being careful to do them, and if you do not turn aside from any of the words which I command you this day, to the right hand or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.
The blessing of prosperity is the function of obedience to God’s Word. Adam was made in the image and likeness of God. He has a divine nature. This nature makes it possible for Adam to obey God. Obedience to God’s commandment wasn’t a herculean task for Adam. God wasn’t demanding from Adam an impossibility. The nature of God in man makes it easy for man to obey God.
Unfortunately, in Gen 3:1-6, Adam choose to disobey God and eat of the tree which God commanded him not to eat. Recall that God told Adam that he will surely die the day he eats of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam disobeyed God’s command and broke a fundamental spiritual law that empowers him over the earth and its wealth and he died according to the word of God. Although he was alive physically, but his life has been transformed spiritually. Adam’s disobedience altered the course of nature. Firstly, man died from the nature of God (Divinity), which is the nature of power and blessing into the nature of sin(carnality), which is the nature of weakness and curse. Secondly, Man lose his complete authority, unconditional right and full power over the earth and its wealth to his adversary the devil. Satan became the god of the world and man became subject to Satan’s kingdom. Lastly,Satan capitalizes on the weak and corrupt nature of the fallen man to corrupt the systems of the world and exercise control over the earthly wealth.
Gen 3:16-19, Unto the woman, He said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception: in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. And unto Adam He said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee, saying, 'thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake: in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; thorns also thirstles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the fields; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it was thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return
The fallen nature of man is a cursed nature. Adam’s disobedience brought the curse of poverty. Man, who was made in the image and likeness of God; bestowed with power over the earthly wealth and blessed to be fruitful disobeyed God’s command. The consequence is that he loses his power over the earthly wealth and the blessing to prosper. Disobedience to God’s commandments makes man poor. This is a Divine Law. The wealthy life of divinity changed into a carnal life of poverty and hardship. Man lose the authority and the blessing that made him wealthy and prosperous effortlessly; and incurred the curse that brought unto him an untold hardship and poverty. The fallen man has to sweat and struggle before he could eat of the earth.
Deut 28:15, But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord your God or be careful to do all His commandments and His statutes which I command you this day, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you
Obedience to God’s commandments or instructions provokes blessings of prosperity but disobedience to God’s commandments or instructions invokes curses of poverty. This Law has been existing from Adam. It is not a Mosaic law, it is a Divine Law and it is statutory.
PROSPERING ACCORDING TO WILL OF GOD
Jer 29:11, For I know the plan I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope
So far,we have been able to establish some fundamental truth about Wealth and prosperity. These are firstly, Wealth and prosperity belong to God. God created the earth and its fullness. Wealth and prosperity does not belong to Satan and his kingdom of darkness. It does not belong to any government or nation; neither does it belong to man. Secondly, we have seen that man was made to be wealthy by the will of God. After creating the earth realm, God gave man charge over it. Thirdly, God gave man complete authority over the earthly wealth and blessed man to be fruitful or prosperous. Fourthly, man’s Wealth and prosperity is subject to a Divine instruction, commandment or Law. Man is the custodian, receipient or beneficiary of earthly wealth and prosperity as long as he is willing to obey God’s instructions. Lastly, we saw that disobedient to this fundamental spiritual law is the cause of poverty. Poverty, Lacks or wants, struggling and hardships is not God’s will for man but the consequences of man’s choice to disobey God’s instruction.
Joshua 1:8, "This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful 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."
It’s worthy to re-emphasize that Wealth and prosperity is the will of God for man but it is subject to man’s obedience to God’s commandments and instructions. Man changed spiritually when Adam disobeyed God’s command and died spiritually. Adam’s death is the transformation of mankind from the nature of divinity, authority and blessing to the nature of carnality, weakness and curse. In other words it is the subjection or delegation of man’s power, authority or right over the earth and its wealth to Satan and his kingdom.
Man changed from the life of Wealth and prosperity into the life of poverty and hardship. Yet God did not and have not changed.
3 John 1:2, Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul
God is still interested in the well-being of man. John made this known in the above passage. His will for man is that man should be wealthy and prosperous. It is either ignorant or deception to think that Wealth and prosperity is worldliness. Wealth and prosperity does not belong to Satan. Satan did not create the world nor its wealth. God did not give Satan charge over the earth and its wealth. Satan became the god of this world by trick and subtlety. Satan tricked man to delegate his authority, power or right by disobeying divine instruction.
According to the perfect will of God, man was made to have full power, unconditional right or complete authority over this world and its wealth. The essence of this book is to reveal this eternal truth. I stated previously that this book is a move of God; it is a movement from the shackles of poverty to the abundance of Wealth and prosperity. The light in this book is the vehicle that will convey us from the dark domain of ignorance, lies and deception to the presence of God’s glory. This light shine in darkness and the darkness cannot quench it.
2 Cor.8:9, For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you by His poverty might become rich.
Poverty is beyond the physical state; it is not basically a financial state: Poverty is a spiritual state. It is the state of the fallen man. It has been stated that poverty is a function of man’s choice to disobey God’s instruction. Man was not made to be poor; he became poor when he disobeyed God’s command. Poverty is the consequence of man’s disobedience.
When Adam disobeyed God, he died a spiritual death. There was a spiritual departure from the nature of the image and likeness of God to a nature of sin. The nature of the image and likeness of God is the nature of unconditional right or complete authority over the earthly wealth and the nature of the blessing of prosperity: fruitfulness and multiplicity. The nature of sin is the nature of the fallen man. It is a weak and a cursed nature. It is the characteristics of the sin nature that made man poor. In other words, man is poor because of the cursed nature and not because of physical traits or financial prowess.
3 John 1:2, states that God wish that we may be well and have good health, as it is well with our soul. Our physical and financial well-being depends on our spiritual well-being. In 2 Cor 8:9, the Bible says that Jesus Christ, even though He was rich, yet for our sake, He became poor, that we might through His poverty become rich.
The death of Jesus on the cross of Calvary was a ransom. A ransom is a payment made to redeem or regain back. Satan subtly tricked man to disobey God. The result was that man who originally had full power and authority over the earth and its wealth loses that right. It’s important to emphasize that God did not give Satan power over the earth nor over man but when Satan trickishly deceived man to disobey God: man fell from the glory of God. He loses the power and authority over the earth realm and Satan capitalizes on man’s fall to claim and exercise ownership over the earth. It is the fallen nature of man that gave Satan right over the earth. So, when we refer to the devil as the god of this world: it is a title he acquired by trick. The original owner or god of the earth is man. Therefore, God paid the ransom to redeem man as the god of this world. Jesus became poor and died on the cross, so that through His death man will regain his authority over the earth to be wealthy and the blessing to be prosperous.
Rom 8:32, "He that spared not His own son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things
Jesus was delivered to death so that man can ‘freely’ have all things. The word ‘freely’ means that it is not dependent on man’s effort, hardwork or labor. It means that it is a gift.
God paid a ransom with the blood of Jesus Christ to redeem the fallen man. This is the height of God’s love. The fallen nature of man is a nature operating below the will of God. It is the nature that contradicts and opposes the will of God. The fallen nature or the adamic nature is the nature that has lost its power, authority or right over the earth and its wealth to Satan and his kingdom. The fallen nature is the nature that cannot prosper effortlessly. It is the nature of poverty and hardship. The nature that depends rom hardwork or labor before he eats of the riches of the earth. This is contrary to the will of God for man. And God did not spare His own son but delivered Him up to death as a ransom to redeem man from the fallen nature and its consequences into the nature of power and of blessing. In other words, the death of Jesus was a payment made to deliver man from the state of poverty as a result of Adam’s disobedience, to a state of FREE wealth and prosperity that is subject to obedience of God’s instructions.
John 10:10, "The theif comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly"
Satan is the theif. He trickishly stole man’s position as the god of this world. He leveraged on the weak and cursed nature of the fallen man to claim godship over the earth and its wealth. He takes advantage of the corrupt nature of man and the corrupt systems of the world to exercise authority over the earth. He can manipulate the mind of the fallen man to perform evil. No doubt that those evil practices ‘may’ enrich the perpetrators; they may gather up earthly treasure, but they will lose their souls in everlasting damnation with the devil. This is really bad. The devil did not only stole man’s position as the god of this world, but he also seeks to destroy and kill man in everlasting damnation with him.
But Jesus came that man should have life, not just on this world but in the world hereafter. This life is called ‘The eternal life’. This is what the devil can never offer. The devil is a liar, a deceiver, a theif, a destroyer and a murderer. He lied to Adam, he deceived Adam, he stole Adam’s position. He is just taking advantage of the fallen nature of man and the corrupt systems of the world to exercise the dominion of his kingdom.
Jesus is the Redeemer that redeem man from the spiritual state of poverty into the state of abundant wealth and prosperity. The fallen man can only be wealthy and prosperous and have everlasting life through Jesus Christ.
Phil.4:19, And my God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Wealth and prosperity is God’s responsibility to man. God didn’t make man poor. God didn’t make man to suffer lacks or wants. God didn’t make man to struggle before he eats. God provided everything that man need and want to live a wealthy and prosperous life here on earth. The wealth of the world belong to God and He willingly and freely gave it to man. It is devoid of man’s effort.
Although mankind inherited poverty, Lacks or wants and a life of hardship from Adam’s disobedience, yet God restores man to the state of wealth and prosperity in Christ Jesus. Through faith in Christ Jesus, man is delivered from the empty life he inherited from Adam. So in Christ Jesus, man can access the riches of God’s abundant wealth and prosperity effortlessly: Wealth and prosperity that is not based on human effort, hardwork or labor but based on man’s obedience to God’s commandments.
2 Chronicles 20:20, And they rose early in the morning and went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. And when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Hear me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God and you will be established; believe His prophets, and you will succeed.
Through faith in Christ Jesus, God saved, redeemed, delivered man from the fallen nature. In other words, through faith in the redemptive work of God, man is redeemed to be wealthy and prosperous but it has been emphasized that man’s Wealth and prosperity is subject to his willingness to obey Divine instructions.
Redemption is the spiritual transformation of the fallen or adamic nature; The weak and the cursed nature; The nature that has fallen from the glory of God: the nature that has lost authority over the earth and its wealth; The nature that has delegated it’s right, power or authority to the devil,- into the nature of divinity; the nature of authority and blessing. In other words, redemption is the deliverance of the fallen nature from the right, power, authority it delegated to the devil over the earth and its wealth. It is the translation of the fallen man from the authority of Satan and his kingdom into the nature of God and His kingdom.
2 Peter 1:3, His divine power has granted to us all things that pertains to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him Who called us to His own glory and excellence
Through the work of redemption, Jesus paid the price to restore to man the complete authority, unconditional right or full power he lost over the earth and its wealth. It has been clarified that Wealth and prosperity is the product of power and blessing which is subject to man’s willingness to obey God’s instructions.
Through faith in Christ’s redemptive work, power has been restored to man to have all things that pertains to life. Faith in Christ Jesus is what established authority to man. Through faith in Christ Jesus, man received the authority over the earth and its wealth.
Isaiah 48:17, Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy one of Israel: "I am the Lord your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you in the way you should go
Wealth and prosperity is God’s responsibility for man. God gives man the power to get wealthy and also teaches man how to prosper.
When a man believes in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ; he is freed. He regains freedom from poverty. His power over the earth and its wealth is restored. His position as the god of this world is established. He is translated from the authority of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God. The new man is equipped to serve God, unlike the old man which cannot serve God nor be obedient to the instructions of God. Just like Adam who was made in the image and likeness of God before the fall; The new man is a free moral entity with a choice to either obey or disobey God’s instruction. The new creature man or the redeemed has the complete authority, full power or unconditional right to access the riches of the earth; But the manifestation of Prosperity, the ability to succeed, to be productive, and to be fruitful depends on his willingness or choice to obey God’s instructions.
Matt 6:23, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you
Wealth and prosperity are God’s gift unto man. It is not the product of human effort, hardwork or labor; it is the product of power and blessing.
Matt 6:23, The Bible says seek first the kingdom of God and His kingdom: Wealth and prosperity will be added unto you. Wealth and prosperity doesn’t come from human effort, hardwork or labor.
To seek the kingdom of God is to believe in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. This is how man can be translated from the authority of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is the kingdom which empowers man over the earthly wealth and over the kingdom of darkness.
The righteousness of the kingdom is the required lifestyle of the kingdom. Every redeemed man has been translated into the kingdom of God. It is expected of the redeemed to live according to the lifestyle or the righteousness of the kingdom. Obedience or adherence to the kingdom lifestyle or righteousness provokes the blessing of prosperity; and disobedience or negligence to the kingdom lifestyle or righteousness invokes curses for hardship. This is a spiritual Law and not a Mosaic law: Prosperity is a function of obedience and poverty is the function of disobedience.
THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE KINGDOM
When God made man, He gave man command to eat everything except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This commandment is the institution of a Divine Law which is statutory. Besides the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; there were other trees in the midst of the garden like the tree of Life. There’s nothing significant about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; at least, God never mentioned any reason why they should not eat of the tree. The significance of the command is not in the tree but in the established Law. I call this Law, “The Law of obedience and disobedience”. This Law states that obedience to God’s commandments provokes blessings while disobedience to God’s commandments invokes curses. Although Adam was made in the image and likeness of God; he is expected to observe this Law.
John 13:34-35, A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.
Although Adam was made in the image and likeness of God; with power over the wealth of the earth and with the blessing to prosper: he was bound by the commandment of God, so much so that disobedient to the commandment brought upon him curses of poverty and hardship. This is so because the significant of the commandment was upon an instituted or established Law of obedience and disobedience. Adam’s disobedience to God’s commandment brought hardship and poverty upon mankind.
It has been stated here that Prosperity is the function of obedience to God’s commandments. This Law is statutory, in other words, it does not change. The commandments may vary but the Law is the same,it cannot be altered.
Adam broke the Law when he disobeyed God’s commandment not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The consequences of his action is hardship and poverty. God has reconciled man to Himself through the blood of Jesus Christ. Man has been restored to God’s kingdom through faith in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The kingdom of God has its righteousness or requirements or commandments, and just like Adam, the redeemed man is expected to live in accordance with the kingdom righteousness, lifestyle or commandments in order to be prosperous.
In John 13:34-35, the Bible tells us that God has given to us ‘A new commandment’, which is the commandment of LOVE. According to the passage, it says by this all people will know that we are of His kingdom. Let me state it emphatically again that the significance of this new commandment is anchored to the instituted Law of obedience and disobedience. Although through faith in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, the authority of man over the earthly wealth has been established, yet man’s prosperity is subject to his willingness to obey this new commandment.
John 4:9-12, This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and 'sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us.
God has given us a new commandment just as He gave to Adam. This new command is the commandment of Love. Although the new commandment differs from the old commandment He gave to Adam, yet both commandments are anchored to the same existing Law of obedience and disobedience. If the redeemed man chooses to obey God’s instruction or commandment or the kingdom righteousness: he will prosper effortlessly but if he chooses to disobey the instruction, he will not experience increase, multiplicity, fruitfulness or prosperity though his authority over the earth has been redeemed. In other words, disobedience to the new commandment will bring hardship and labor upon a redeemed man.
Recall that in Gen 1:26,28; God gave Adam complete authority over the earthly wealth but it was the blessing that enables him to be fruitful and to multiply; and this blessing comes from his willingness to obey God’s commandment.
It is therefore very important that we should understand the new commandment of love that is required of us which I call ‘the righteousness of the kingdom’ so that according to Matt 6:23: “All other things can be added to us.”
Mark 12:28-31, And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that He answered them well, asked Him, "which commandment is the first of all?" Jesus answered, "The first is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'
The new commandment comes in two fold: first the love for God and secondly the love for one another.
THE LOVE FOR GOD
Mark12:29-30, "The most important one", answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength
The New commandment have nothing to do with the laws of Moses. It is for the redeemed man. Love is not an expression of speech or word, but an expression with actions and truth. It is practical and not theoretical.
Every man who has been translated into the kingdom of God; every man that has been redeemed through faith in Christ Jesus is expected to obey this new commandment of the kingdom. This commandment is the kingdom’s requirement or righteousness. Obedience to this commandment is expressed in our actions.
2 Chronicles 31:21, And every work that he undertook in the service of the house of God and in accordance with the Law and the commandments, seeking his God, he did with all his heart, and prospered
Obedience to the commandment of God provokes the blessing of prosperity. It is the basic requirements of every redeemed man in order to prosper. Every one that has been redeemed into God’s kingdom is expected to live in accordance to the kingdom lifestyle or righteousness.
King Hezekiah served in the house of God with all his heart; and he prospered. One of the ways to show that we truly love God is in our service in the house of God. When we obey this new commandment to love God through service, we unlock the blessing of prosperity. Hezekiah expressed his love for God through service and he became prosperous.
Psalm 37:4, Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart
Our love for God is expressed in our obedience to His instructions. Prosperity is the function of obedience to God’s instructions, and not a function of human effort or hardwork. The above passage says that God will give us the desires of our heart when we delight ourselves in Him.
Proverb 3:9-10, 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 overflow with new wine
Love for God is more than the expression of speech and words; it requires our actions. When we act in accordance to the commandment of God, He releases unto us the blessing of prosperity.
Another way to express our love for God is in giving. We don’t honor the Lord with our possessions because God lacks possessions; the significance of this commandment is anchored in our willingness to obey.
Malachi 3:10, "Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house. And thereby put Me to the test," says the Lord of host, "if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need
A lot of people have argued on the significance of ten percent to God. The significance of the ten percent is anchored on the established or instituted Law of obedience and disobedience.
God is not interested in the ten percent as much as He is interested in our willingness to obey Him. The blessing of prosperity which God promised in Mal 3:10 depends on our obedience to Him and not the tithe.
LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER
Mark 12:31, The second is this, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," There is no other commandment greater than these.
Love is the new commandment that God has given to the redeemed man. The Bible says that if we are willing and obedient that we will eat the best of the earth. Through faith in Christ Jesus, man has received the power to become the god of this world, in other words,Man’s full power or complete authority over the earth and its wealth has been redeemed through faith in Christ Jesus but man’s Prosperity: fruitfulness and multiplicity which is the physical manifestation of riches, is dependent on his willingness to obey this new commandment.
1 John 4:21, And He has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister
Apart from the love for God; man is required to love one another. Anyone who wants to prosper in the kingdom of God must be willing to obey this commandment. It is the kingdom’s lifestyle.
Deut 15:9-10, Take heed lest there be a base thought in your heart, and you say, 'The seventh year, the year of release is near,' and your eye be hostile to your poor brother, and you give him nothing, and he cry to the Lord against you, and it will be sin to you. You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him; because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake
It has been stated that love is more of practical than theoretical. Love is expressed with actions. Whenever we express love to one another in obedience to God; we provoke the blessing of prosperity. Prosperity and Poverty are the functions of obedience and disobedience respectively. This is not a Mosaic law but a Divine instituted Law.
Adam, who was made in the image and likeness of God disobeyed this Law and he became poor. Likewise, if the man whose authority has been redeemed will not obey this Law: he will not prosper.
Luke 6:38, Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. The measure you give will be the measure you get back.
We don’t give because we want to show up that we are givers . We don’t give to people from whom we expect a payback. We give to one another as an expression of love. We give because we are mindful of the commandment of God, and with this mindset, we give freely without grudge.
Whenever we give to one another in expression of love; we are obeying the commandment of God, and the result of this obedience is the blessing of prosperity. Jesus made this clear in Luke 6:38; He said, ‘good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over shall be put in our lap.’
2 Cor 9:8, And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that you may always have enough of everything and may provide in abundance for every good work.
It has been stated previously that Prosperity according to God’s original plan is not a product of human effort, hardwork or labor. God did not create man to cater for himself. God provided everything that man need and want before He made man. Man was made wealthy and prosperous.
Adam began to labor in order to eat after he disobeyed God. It was disobedience that invoked the curse of poverty. Prior to his disobedience, he was blessed by God to be prosperous. God’s blessing is what makes a man prosperous and not his efforts, hardwork or labor; and this blessing is a function of obedience, in other words, the blessing depends on man’s willingness to obey.
When we are obedient to this new commandment by expressing love to one another through good works: God provides us with abundant blessing for Prosperity.
Prov 11:25, "Be generous, and you will be prosperous. Help others, and you will be helped."
It cannot be over emphasized that Prosperity is the function of man’s willingness to obey. This is a Divine Law and it is statutory, in other words it does not change. The commandments have changed but the Law did not change. The significance of the commandments is anchored on the Law of obedience and disobedience which states that obedience provokes blessings and disobedience invokes curses.
Adam disobeyed the old commandment not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil: and he became poor. Likewise, if the redeemed man disobeys the new commandment of love given to him: he will remain poor.
According to Proverbs 11:25, The Bible says, ‘Be generous, and you will be prosperous. Help others and you will be helped.’ Prosperity is the function of the redeemed man’s willingness to obey this God’s new commandment to love.
Prov 28:27, "Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing. But a curse will come upon those who close their eyes to poverty."
The essence of this book is to reveal this fundamental spiritual Law. This Law has been underplayed, yet it is pivotal to man’s Prosperity or Poverty.
In the above passage, the Bible says that whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing. But a curse will come upon those who close their eyes to poverty. Prosperity and Poverty are the functions of obedience and disobedience to God’s commandment respectively.
LOVE FOR ENEMIES
Love for one another is not limited to our brothers and sisters or to those who love us but also to our perceived enemies.
Luke 6:35, But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be the children of the Most High, because He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.
The command to love even our enemies is not an impossible task. God will not demand from us what He knows we cannot do. The Bible says that the Love of God is in us. We can love because God is Love and we are the children of Love. It is our lifestyle.
To love your enemies is to obey God. Obedience to God’s commandment provokes the blessing of prosperity. According to Luke 6:35, The Bible says that when we love our enemies, it is a prove that we are the children of God and our reward shall be great.
Of course, obedience to God’s commandment has a great reward. Loving our enemies has a great reward. Our Prosperity depends on how willing we are to obey God’s commandment. This Law is statutory and it is binding to all who keeps it.
THE DANGER OF PROSPERITY
I cannot conclude the subject of Prosperity without highlighting the dangers of Prosperity. As important as it is for man to prosper; there are dangers to avoid when we become prosperous.
Hosea 13:6, But when they had fed to the full, they were filled, and their heart was lifted up; therefore they forgot Me.
I have stated that the Law of obedient and disobedient is statutory, in other words it does not change. Adam prospered effortlessly as long as he obeys but he became poor when he disobeyed. This reveals to us that Adam’s prosperity is anchored on obedience; in other words, if Adam remained obedient to God’s commandment: he won’t be poor.
Prosperity means increase or multiplication of earthly wealth. It means fruitfulness. It is the blessing of God that makes a man prosperous. The blessing is a Divine favor or ability upon a man to increase effortlessly, and this blessing is dependent on man’s obedience to God’s commandment.
Therefore, man should continue to depend on God. Man should continue to be obedient to God in order to remain prosperous.
According to Hosea, one of the dangers to avoid is the lifting up of our hearts as to forget the Lord who made us prosperous.
Hosea 4:7, The more they increased, the more they sinned against Me; I will change their glory into shame
Prosperity is synonymous with abundance. Prosperity is synonymous with fullness. A man is prosperous when he has all that he needs and wants.
It’s the blessing of God upon man that makes him prosperous. It is not the product of man’s effort or hardwork.
Sin is an abomination before God. Man incurred the wrath of God when Adam sinned against God. The wrath of God brought curses upon mankind. It brought hardship unto man.
God redeemed man that man may depend on Him. God sent His only begotten Son to die for the sin of man. The redeemed man is set free from sin. The life of the redeemed man is the life of God: it is called ‘The eternal life’. This life enables him to live above sin and keep God’s commandment.
Yet the redeemed man is also a free moral entity with the ability to choose either to obey or disobey God’s instruction. If he chooses to obey; he will multiply and increase effortlessly but on the other hand, if he chooses to disobey and sin against God: The Bible says that God will change his glory into shame.
Matt. 6:24, "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money."
Money is financial prosperity. One of the blessings of God is financial prosperity. Man is blessed to increase financially. Yet financial increment is dependent on man’s willingness to obey God’s commandment.
Money is a blessing unto man to take care of man’s needs and wants. Money is to serve man’s needs and wants. Money is not a master but a servant.
Man ought to have control over money. Man should be able to use money to live a comfortable life here on earth. Man should be able to use money to meet up his needs and wants.
Money ought not to take control over the man. It is the blessing of God that makes a man rich. God should have control over the man and not money.
It is dangerous to be devoted to the acquisition of money and despise God.
Prov. 11:28, Trust in your money and you go down. Trust in God and flourish as a tree
Unfortunately, Adam choosed to eat of the tree which God commanded him not to eat. Adam despised God’s commandment because of the pleasure of life. Adam followed his appetite rather than follow God’s Word. The consequence of his decision brought death. Adam’s decision cost him his right to effortless prosperity.
It is an error to ignore God and trust in prosperity: financial and material prosperity. If man puts his trust or confidence in prosperity; the Bible says he will go down but if he puts his trust and confidence in God: he will continue to prosper and flourish like a tree.
Prov. 15:16, 'Better a little with reverence for God, than great treasure and trouble with it
It is the will of God that man should be prosperous. God is delightful in the prosperity of man but God is more interested in the spiritual prosperity of man.
Finally, what shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and lose his soul. It is better a little with reverence for God, than great treasure and lose your soul.
