WHAT IS BIBLICAL PROSPERITY?

 WHAT IS BIBLICAL PROSPERITY?

According to some sources, biblical prosperity is not just about money or financial achievement, but about well-being in every aspect of life, such as health, happiness, relationships, and spirituality. It is also about having a purpose and being a blessing to others. Biblical prosperity is based on God’s will and His promises for His people, as revealed in His Word. 

Every human is a being drawing from a well; and you must find that well assigned for your life before you can enjoy divine well-being. you must ensure that nothing is blocking your wells from flowing like the philistines did to Isaac, (Genesis 26:15), and you must dig till you find clean water for your soul satisfaction.

Money is actually one of the temporal things of life whose right purpose is to use same to acquire the more valuable and eternal things of this life and in eternity. The true essence of money is its purchasing power and the limitation is what it can purchase and what it cannot purchase. Real prosperity comes into play when you can use what you have, which includes money to acquire both what money can buy temporarily and what money cannot buy which are eternal.

Some of the biblical principles that can help you prosper are:

Work: You need to be doing something to be blessed by God. He has given you talents and abilities that you can use to serve Him and others. Work is not a curse, but a gift from God. (Proverbs 14:23; Colossians 3:23-24) There are only two things that you can exchange in life for money, these include:

A.GOODS (tangible and intangible) and

B.SERVICES (tangible and intangible)

Your gifts and your talents in life become useless if they are not fashioned into the creation of either a line of goods or a line of services. Every business in life is in the line of delivery of either a particular good or a particular service. The value of your goods and your services is what you receive in exchange for the same goods or services.

The variation between the value that you place on your goods or services and what people are willing to pay for such goods or services is a function of negotiation and bargaining.

“The labor of a fool wearies him because he does not know the way to the city”. Ecclesiastes 10:15. This is a part of a series of proverbs that contrast the wisdom and folly of different people and situations. The phrase suggests that foolish people work hard but do not achieve anything because they do not know how to do things properly or how to attract the right value to their goods or services. They lack the knowledge, skill, and direction that are necessary for success. They waste their time and energy on meaningless or unprofitable tasks, and end up exhausted and frustrated. they are those who store up their goods or services in the places where the people that have the financial resources to purchase them at good price cannot find them.

This shows the importance of having a clear goal and a plan to reach it. Without a vision and a strategy, we can easily get lost or distracted by irrelevant or harmful things. We need to know where we are going and how to get there, otherwise we will end up nowhere. (Proverbs 29:18; Luke 14:28-30) 

It warns us against being lazy or careless in our work. We need to be diligent and faithful in what we do, not slack or sloppy. We need to use our talents and abilities wisely and effectively, not squander or abuse them. We need to seek excellence and improvement, not mediocrity and stagnation. (Proverbs 12:24; Colossians 3:23-24) 

It encourages us to seek God’s guidance and wisdom in our work. We need to acknowledge God as the source of our success and the giver of our gifts. We need to trust Him to lead us and teach us how to do His will. We need to follow His principles and commands, not our own opinions or preferences. (Proverbs 3:5-6; James 1:5)

Acquire knowledge: Knowledge is power. You need to study and learn from God’s Word and other sources of wisdom. Knowledge can help you make wise decisions, avoid pitfalls, and achieve your goals. (Proverbs 4:7; 2 Timothy 2:15)

Be skilled and diligent: You need to develop your skills and abilities and use them with excellence. You also need to be diligent and faithful in what you do, not lazy or slothful. God rewards those who work hard and do their best. (Proverbs 22:29; Ecclesiastes 9:10)

Take action: You need to act on what you know and believe. Faith without works is dead. You need to apply God’s Word to your life and follow His guidance. You also need to take steps toward your goals and dreams, not just wait for things to happen. (James 2:17; Philippians 4:13)

Save: You need to be wise with your money and resources. You need to save for the future and avoid wasteful spending. Saving can help you prepare for emergencies, opportunities, and investments. (Proverbs 21:20; Luke 14:28)

Invest: You need to multiply your money and resources by investing them wisely. Investing can help you increase your income, create wealth, and support God’s work. You need to seek God’s direction and counsel before investing, and avoid greed and dishonesty. (Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 16:10-13) 

Avoid gambling: you must avoid by all means all that look like get-rich-quick schemes, these are not investment platforms but pure gambling. do not throw away the resources that God has blessed you with because of greed to get quick returns and you end up with nothing. (Proverbs 13:11, Proverbs 28:20)

Avoid debt: You need to be free from the bondage of debt and interest. Debt can hinder your prosperity and limit your options. Debt can also cause stress, worry, and conflict. You need to pay off your debts as soon as possible, and avoid borrowing more than you can repay. (Proverbs 22:7; Romans 13:8)

Maintain integrity: You need to be honest and trustworthy in all your dealings. Integrity is the foundation of prosperity and success. Integrity can help you build a good reputation, attract favor, and avoid trouble. Integrity can also please God and honor His name. (Proverbs 11:3; Psalm 15)

Surround yourself with fiscally responsible people: You need to associate with people who share your values and goals, and who can encourage you, advise you, and support you. You also need to avoid people who can influence you negatively, tempt you, or deceive you. (Proverbs 13:20; 1 Corinthians 15:33)

Self-control and discipline: You need to control your desires and impulses, and resist temptations that can harm you or others. You also need to discipline yourself to follow God’s Word, obey His commands, and pursue His will. Self-control and discipline can help you overcome challenges, grow in character, and achieve your potential. (Proverbs 25:28; Galatians 5:22-23)

Sacrifice: You need to be willing to give up something for the sake of something better or more important. Sacrifice can show your love for God and others, demonstrate your faith in God’s promises, and activate God’s blessings in your life. Sacrifice can also help you detach from worldly things and focus on eternal things. (Hebrews 11:6; Matthew 6:19-21) 

Honesty: You need to be truthful in what you say and do, not lie or deceive anyone. Honesty is a sign of respect for God and others, and a mark of integrity. Honesty can help you build trust, avoid conflicts, and maintain peace. Honesty can also protect you from the consequences of sin and the judgment of God. (Proverbs 12:22; Ephesians 4:25)

Financial planning: You need to have a clear vision of what you want to achieve, and a realistic plan of how to get there. Financial planning can help you set goals, budget, save, invest, and manage your money and resources. Financial planning can also help you avoid financial problems, reduce stress, and enjoy life. (Proverbs 16:9; Luke 14:28-30)

Proverbs 10:22, says: "The blessing of the LORD makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it”.

The phrase suggests that true riches come from God’s favor and grace, not from human efforts or achievements. It is also possible there there may be other sources of blessings outside of God, but what makes the blessings of God unique is that God does not add ‘sorrows’ to His blessings.

It shows that God is the source of all good things, and that He loves to bless His people with abundance and generosity. He gives us more than we deserve or ask for, and He delights in our happiness and gratitude. (James 1:17; Psalm 84:11)

It reminds us that we should seek God’s kingdom and righteousness first, and trust Him to provide for our needs and desires. He knows what is best for us, and He will not withhold any good thing from us. We should not worry or be anxious about anything, but rely on His promises and power. (Matthew 6:33; Philippians 4:19)

Don’t think it is strange to know that the devil and his agents also give gifts to men that serve them, but these gifts and blessings come with many sorrows and eternal damnation at the end. Selah 

We should be content and thankful for what we have, and not covet or envy what others have. We should not measure our worth or success by worldly standards, but by God’s standards. We should not love money or things more than God or people. We should use our resources wisely and generously, not selfishly or greedily. (Hebrews 13:5; 1 Timothy 6:6-10)

Having said these, I will now proceed so we can look at some of those principles in the bible (Biblical instructions), that if one should follow, can actually lead that person to God’s kind of prosperity (true prosperity). You were blessed by God on the day you were created, all you need in life is to manifest that blessing in your unique way as appointed by God.

Shalom!

Pastor James Okon.