adminLord when people follow his ways.
“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord . . . whatever he does prospers.” — Psalm 1:3
“Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful and do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” — (Joshua 1:8).
The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, and He adds no trouble to it”. — (Proverbs 10:22). “With Me are riches and honour, enduring wealth and prosperity. My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver . . . bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries full” (Proverbs 8:18; 19.21).
Prosperity does not mean only financial riches.
This would be a very narrow view of the concept. It simply means that we are living according to God’s principles and experiencing His blessing, and thus, successfully journeying through our pilgrimage here on earth free from greed, worry, and bondage.
“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers” (3 John 1:3). The Greek word “prosper” here is euodoo (yoo-od-o’-o) which means “to have a successful journey through life.”
The Hebrew word shalom (shaw-lome) can be translated “prosperous” also; which means “Completeness, safety, health, soundness, and contentment” (Zech 8:12).
I have seen people with money as we commonly know it but the same people struggle with poor health.
The question to consider is whether these people are considered prosperous? Let me not answer this question now but progressively answer this question for a better understanding of the prosperity topic.
I have heard and read both Christian materials and media diatribes that people have a wrong concept of prosperity. Teachings and interaction with the Man of God Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa have opened my mind to formulating this definition that prosperity is nothing missing nothing broken to a true believer of Jesus Christ. Prophet Makandiwa is a living witness of what prosperity gospel is all about.
To further support this prosperity definition a man of God Dr Creflo A. Dollar of World Changers Church in the USA offered this insight about prosperity. “Prosperity is not only in finances but in everything from health to family life. Money by itself cannot define prosperity.
“When you say ‘prosperity’, people think money.
“They are not incorrect, but they are incomplete.”
In using the periscope in Acts Chapter 5, Prophet Makandiwa hammered points home that blessing is not just a condition of a person.
Blessing is a commodity that develops into place. In this place called blessing one can choose to go there as a visitor or one can decide to go there as a permanent
resident or citizen. Prophet Makandiwa expressed exasperation that many people go to this place of blessing as strangers, hence they are not allowed to overstay.
There is a place called blessing where Jesus our Lord and Saviour want you a believer to go and enjoy.
Furthermore, in one of his teachings Prophet Makandiwa opened my understanding to what prosperity is all about. God told Moses to tell Pharaoh to let the children of Israel go to their promised land — a land full of milk and honey.
What was milk and honey all about?
Prosperity.
In Egypt the Israelites were in bondage, had no land of their own, and were not masters of their own destiny.
Jehovah wanted them to go to Canaan — a land flowing with milk and honey. That is prosperity.
The Bible tells us that as they were going to Canaan, the children of Israel were never sick; their clothes and sandals were never worn out in the wilderness (Nehemiah 9:21; Deuteronomy 8:4; Deuteronomy 29:5). This demonstrates to me that Jehovah El-Shaddai our God who provides all our needs is still doing it right now. He prospers us believers according to His riches and glory in Christ Jesus.
If one looks critically at the children of Israel’s life journey, one sees that God removed them from homelessness in Egypt to getting their own property in Canaan.
God provided security through a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. God provided their health insurance and food through manna in the wilderness.
This was a foretaste of the provisions of the Promised Land. They got homes they did not build in Canaan; they got their freedom and their own identity.
God, through His word, has demonstrated that He has always wanted humanity created in His image to have dominion. From the beginning according to Genesis 1:26; 28, humanity had authority and blessing.
The word blessing is used in the Hebrew Chaldean word ‘brakah” and it means not just empowered to prosper, but it means liberal prosperity. The Amplified
Translation of the Bible makes it easy to see into the original Greek words that were used in the New Testament. Studying Galatians 3:8 which reads: “The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith and announced the Gospel in advance to Abraham.
“All nations will be blessed through you.” I came to the realisation that God was talking about Jesus. If you focus on John 1:1; 14 “In the beginning was the Word and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
“So a question can be asked what was this Gospel saying? Be blessed! What was Jesus saying to Abraham? Be blessed. All the nations of this word will be blessed because of you. So the Gospel was and is a Gospel of blessing. Sight to the blind is a blessing. Freedom to the captives is a blessing. It is a Gospel of blessing.
Mary said to the wedding planners at Cana in John 2:5: “Whatever He says to you do it.” The Gospel of prosperity thrives in an atmosphere of obedience.
Our God is God of instructions. Are you ready for prosperity now? Get ready to follow instructions.
In Luke 5: 4-5, Peter is given an instruction and he acted contrary to his knowledge as a professional fisherman. “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing. Nevertheless, at Your word I will let down the net.” This is the time the Body of Christ has to say my skill and experience as a professional fisherman does not matter. I am going to obey Jesus’ instruction. You need a sure word from the Lord to get out of your personal recession. I am sick and tired of personal recessions. I am ready for prosperity.
The Book of Ecclesiastes 9:11 summaries it all for believers: the race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favour to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all. You can be prosperous. Just obey instructions and believe. Expect more about this topic series next Tuesday. Do you know what poor means?
“Passing Over Opportunities Repeatedly!”
Poverty is written all over the person that passes over opportunities in a recession. It’s time to seize prosperity opportunities and destroy poverty out of our lives.
Online Reporter