Religion will teach you that prosperity is not of God. But that does not line up with the truth of God’s word. It tells us in 2 Cor. 8:9, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich.”
The word rich in this verse means abundantly supplied; to be increased with goods, abounding in material resources. The word poor here means destitute as a beggar. Poverty means destitute of riches and abundance. When Jesus became poor for our sakes, it was while He was on the cross. This is where the exchange was made – He took our poverty/our lack for HIS riches.
Jesus had a lack of nothing while He walked on the earth and that’s what He desires for us and has made available to us if we will believe and receive what He did for us on the cross.
God desires for us to be abundantly provided for in every area of our life where there is nothing missing, nothing lacking, nothing wanting.
So prosperity is not just financially, but it definitely includes that. He wants us to be prosperous in our spirit, body and soul as well.
When we take ALL limits off of God, this is when He can do exceedingly, abundantly above all we can ask or thing according to the power that is working in us (Eph. 3:20). And it will be in every area of our lives – spiritually, mentally, physically, financially, relationally.
Here are some scriptures on God’s ways on how to be prosperous:
- Joshua 1:8 tells us that if the words of God won’t depart out of our mouth, and if we will meditate on them day and night, then our way will be made prosperous and we will have good success.
- Delight in the law of the Lord and meditate on it day and night, then we will be like a tree planted by the rivers of waters, that brings forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he does shall prosper – Ps. 1:2-3.
- Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in ALL things and be in health, just as your soul prospers – 3 John 2 NKJV. To have a prosperous soul, it must be renewed in the Word of God (Rom. 12:2).
- Honor the LORD with your possessions, and with the first fruits of all your increase; So your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine – Prov. 3:9-10 KJV.
- Walk uprightly and no good thing will He withhold from you – Ps. 84:11.
- Choose to serve God and not money – Matt. 6:24-33.
- If you choose to hearken diligently to the voice of the Lord and obey Him, ALL these blessings listed in Deut. 28:1-14 will be yours. I would encourage you to read these verses.
- Trust, fear and seek the Lord – you will have a lack of nothing – Ps. 34:8-10.
- Purpose in your heart what to give and do it cheerfully, and God will make all grace abound toward you; that you will ALWAYS have ALL sufficiency in ALL things, so that you can abound to EVERY good work – 2 Cor. 9:7-8.
- Fear (reverence, be in awe of) the Lord and you will be blessed – Ps. 128:1, Prov. 28:25 (be made fat – prosperous).
- Give to the poor and you will have a lack of nothing – Prov. 28:27.
- Give and will be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom – Luke 6:38.
- Seek first the Kingdom of God (His dominion, His rule and reign) and His righteousness (His faithfulness, truthfulness and nature) and ALL these things shall be added unto you (Matt. 6:33-34).
- Fear (reverence) the Lord and delight greatly in His commandments (His precepts) and your seed shall be mighty upon the earth and wealth and riches shall be in your house – Ps. 112:1-3. (This whole chapter is so good).
- By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, honor, and life – Prov. 22:4.
So as we can see in these verses, God wants us to prosper in every area of our life. And when we do things God’s way, prosperity and success will follow us every time. And remember what it says in Luke 12:15, “And Jesus said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things which he possesses.” Being prosperous is not dependent on how much a person has, but really it is a condition of the heart that believes what God says about prosperity and receiving it HIS way!
I will close with 2 Peter 1:2-4:
“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as His divine power hath given unto us ALL things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”