In several of our recent commentaries, we have discussed prosperity. We have continually used Deuteronomy 8:18 as the anchor to our message, which says that God gives us the power or the ability to get wealth, although it be for a very specific purpose. We have expressed this purpose as being “that he may establish his covenant.” We also mentioned that it is vital that we understand there is more to the message and the purpose than just giving or as some have put it, “sowing seed for a harvest” and expecting some kind of hundredfold return based on the amount a person gives. While being a generous giver, being obedient, and walking in faith are important ingredients in the mixture, it was understanding the true purpose that was the key to receiving the revelation of the prosperity message from God’s point of view.
So many people view prosperity as something that increases their bottom line. Because the world places such high value on things like cars, houses, and other tangible items, we are led to believe that by amassing as many of these items that we can, we make ourselves prosperous by varying degrees. We are taught that the more such things or “assets” we amass, the more prosperous we are and the more prosperous we are, the more highly regarded, by man, we become. Nevertheless, God’s way to prosperity is just a little different.
God wants to prosper us. God does not want us to prosper so that our needs are barely met or even met with the barest of necessities. God wants us to prosper so much so that we can actually be givers. God wants us to give, to be in a position where we can be a blessing to others. The reality of prosperity is that we should live to give and not live to get.
The Bible makes it clear that there is a right way or a godly way to prosperity and that there is a wrong way or an ungodly way to prosperity. Most people use the world’s roadmap, which is tied to the world’s financial economy, to obtain their riches. When we are the source of our financial prosperity, we worry about everything. However, when God is the source of your prosperity, you do not have to worry about anything. God’s roadmap is different from the world’s roadmap and is not subject to the ebbs and flows of the world’s financial economy.
“The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it” (Proverbs 10:22).
According to this passage, it is “the blessing of the Lord” that makes a person rich. When our prosperity comes this way, there is no sorrow added with it. It appears that having “the blessing or favor of the Lord” is the key to receiving true prosperity God’s way. With “the blessing or favor of the Lord,” we do not have the burden or the weight of producing and/or maintaining our own riches. “The blessing or favor of the Lord” will bless all that we do and make us prosperous with no sorrow or bad success added, for the sole purpose of enabling us to be a blessing to others. When correctly understood, prosperity is not for us, where we amass as much wealth as we can for ourselves. The primary goal for the prosperity is for us to be a channel for money to flow through so that God can use us “that he may establish his covenant” and that we may be a blessing to others. Our personal wealth is a by-product of having “the blessing or favor of the Lord” in our life and is not the primary goal for the prosperity.
Again, we know that this short commentary will not settle the on-going debate about prosperity, however, it just might give those who have that same “ear to hear,” as we do, a little different perspective and a clearer understanding into the true purpose for the prosperity, from God’s point of view. As always, we pray that our commentary will abundantly bless you, greatly inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it. If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well. Amen.
Enjoy your blessings - KW
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