Money And Prosperity

I) Prosperity Defined Psalm 35:27 OT Hebrew: Strongs 7965-shalom, shaw-lome; from 7999; safe. well. happy,friendly; also welfare, i.e. health, prosperity, peace: It carries the implication of total soundness and wholeness. The word shalom carries the equivalence of the New Testament word salvation, or in the Greek, soteria, which is all inclusive. Thus, when the bible, both Old and New Testaments use the word prosperity, it carries the implication of total prosperity. Spiritual (John 3:3, 11; 2Cor. 5:17-21; Rom. 10:9-10) -Mental -(2 Tim. 1:7; Rom.12:1-2; Isa. 26:3) Physical (Isa. 53:4-5; Matt. 8:17; 1 Pet.2:24) Financial 3Jn2; Mal. 3:10-11; Luke 6:38; 2Cor. 6-10; Deut.28:1-14) -Social (Prov. 3:4). Joshua 1:7 OT Hebrew: Strongs 7919 sakal, saw-lal. To have success by making wise decisions.\ Joshua 1:8 OT Hebrew: Strongs 6743 tsaleach- tsaw-lakh- to push forward or break- through. Eccl. 11:6 OT Hebrew: Strongs 3787 kasher kaw-share. To be straight or right, to succeed, to be acceptable. 3Jn.2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. NT Greek: Strongs 2137 euodoo yoo-od-o-o. To help on the road, to succeed in reaching, to succeed in business affairs. II) Poverty Versus Abundance John 10:10 God delights in the prosperity of His servants (Ps. 35:27) and He is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34), then it is His will to abundantly supply in all areas of life for all people at all times. Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want (be in lack). The Hebrew names of God, El Shaddai, (the busty one, the God thats more than enough) and Jehovah Jireh, (the Lord that provides) tell of His nature as much as Jehovah Rapha (the Lord our healer). Examining the lives of Adam, Noah, Moses, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Solomon, Jesus, to name a few, demonstrates Gods willingness to bless His people in all areas of their lives. From John 10:10 it is clear that anything short of abundance, in any area of our lives is not the will of God. So anything that is stealing from our lives or our loved ones lives or anyones life spiritually, mentally, emotionally, physically, financially or socially is not God, but identified as the enemy, the devil. III) The New Testament Provision of Abundance 2Cor. 8:9 NT Greek: Strongs 4145, 4147 plousious, plouteo. Wealthy, abounding with, increased with goods, (be made, wax) rich.

The provision for abundance in every area of our lives, in this case financially, was accomplished by Jesus at the cross. Galatians 3:13-14 v13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree: v14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Gen. 24:1 And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the Lord blessed Abraham in all things. It is clear from 2Cor. 8:9 and Gal. 3:13-14 that poverty is a curse. The alternative provided by Jesus finished work on the cross is abundance. Let us define abundance: It is having enough for your own needs and more left over to bless someone else. True biblical prosperity has two main functions. The first is found in Deut. 8:18. FUNCTIONS Deut. 8:18 establecer pacto Eph. 4:5 bendecir a otros Deut 28:47-48 v47 Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things: v48 Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the Lord shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: 2Cor. 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work. People live at one of three levels in their lives. 1) Insufficiency less than what one needs. 2) Sufficiency just enough. 3) Abundance more than enough. Why does God want all His children to have abundance? Acts 20:35 I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. There is a greater blessing. God has provided abundance, not that we may only receive, but give so that we may give and obtain the greater blessing. IV) Giving is Worshipping God Ex. 34:20 But the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem him not, then thou shalt break his neck. All the firstborn of thy sons thou shalt redeem. And none shall appear before me empty. Ps. 96:8 Give unto the Lord the glory due his name: bring an offering, and come intohis courts. Prov. 3:9-10 v9 Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase. v10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

2Cor. 9:10-12 v10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown,and increase the fruits of your righteousness; v11 Being enriched in everything to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. v12 For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God; V) The Law Sowing and Reaping Gen. 1:11-12, 24-25 after his kind Gal. 6:7-8 2Cor. 9:6-10 v6 But this I say, he which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he that sows bountifully shall reap bountifully. We maintain that the terms sparingly and bountifully refer more to frequency rather than quantity. The following verses will show this to be true. v7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly or of necessity: for God loves a cheerful giver. v8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: Please note that chapters 8 and 9 of 2Corinthians is dealing exclusively with financial giving which Paul expresses as an act of grace. 2Cor. 8:7 v9 (As it is written, he hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth forever. v10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness. This provision of the spiritual law of seedtime and harvest or sowing and reaping or increase or action and reaction (these are all synonymous terms for the same spiritual law) was instituted by God Almighty Himself for all that will apply this principle to their life in whatever area it is applied. It is an added benefit apart from Gods provision by grace. Phil. 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Salvation is by grace. Inclusive of salvation is healing, protection, wholeness, soundness and yes prosperity. Romans 8:31-32 v31 What shall we say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? v32 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? Salvation is a free gift. Healing is a free gift. Prosperity is a free gift. We dont pay for the gift of salvation, healing or prosperity. Its all by Gods grace. To say that God will heal me by faith, save me by faith, but I have to give to get is inaccurate. This final scripture will clarify this point once and for all.

Matt. 6:25-34