God’s Will Is Prosperity?

‘Therefore thus says the LORD: “I am returning to Jerusalem with mercy; My house shall be built in it,” says the LORD of hosts, “And a surveyor’s line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem.” ‘ “Again proclaim, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts: “My cities shall again spread out through prosperity; The LORD will again comfort Zion, And will again choose Jerusalem.” ‘ ” Zechariah 1:16-17

There are many religious ones who say that they are bible believers but subscribe to the idea that God’s will is poverty, sickness, suffering and desolation. As a matter of fact in some of the churches that I was a member, they taught that poverty and suffering was the will of God to produce character and miracles, healing and prosperity were from the devil. But nothing is further from the truth for a simple perusal of scriptures will show that God invented and used the word ‘prosperity’ when dealing with His servants and ‘poverty’ when dealing with His enemies. The bible records for our profit and instruction:

Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the LORD blessed him. The man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous; for he had possessions of flocks and possessions of herds and a great number of servants. So the Philistines envied him. Genesis 26:12-14

Then Jacob separated the lambs, and made the flocks face toward the streaked and all the brown in the flock of Laban; but he put his own flocks by themselves and did not put them with Laban’s flock. And it came to pass, whenever the stronger livestock conceived, that Jacob placed the rods before the eyes of the livestock in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods. But when the flocks were feeble, he did not put them in; so the feebler were Laban’s and the stronger Jacob’s. Thus the man became exceedingly prosperous, and had large flocks, female and male servants, and camels and donkeys. Genesis 30:40-43

Before the law was given under grace Abraham, Isaac and Jacob didn’t have a problem becoming exceedingly prosperous and having large flocks, female and male servants, and camels and donkeys. The curses of poverty and lack of prosperity came to God’s people when they did not obey the voice of the LORD their God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which He commanded them. God’s word is unchanging:

“And you shall grope at noonday, as a blind man gropes in darkness; you shall not prosper in your ways; you shall be only oppressed and plundered continually, and no one shall save you. Deuteronomy 28:29

“Therefore keep the words of this covenant, and do them, that you may prosper in all that you do. Deuteronomy 29:9

“Then the LORD your God will bring you to the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it. He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers. Deuteronomy 30:5

It’s clear from the Word of God that obedience to God’s commands brought prosperity and disobedience brought poverty. Hence after the death of Moses, the Lord Himself spoke to Joshua and told him:

“Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Joshua 1:7-8

Now the Lord blessed and prospered King David in all this ways even taking him from following the sheep to be a ruler of His people. Hence David reminded his son Solomon to keep the charge of the LORD your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that he might prosper in all that he did and wherever he turned. God’s word is true:

Now the days of David drew near that he should die, and he charged Solomon his son, saying: “I go the way of all the earth; be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man. “And keep the charge of the LORD your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn; “that the LORD may fulfill His word which He spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons take heed to their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul,’ He said, ‘you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’ 1 Kings 2:1

Then Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king instead of David his father, and prospered; and all Israel obeyed him.1 Chronicles 29:23

“Now look, God Himself is with us as our head, and His priests with sounding trumpets to sound the alarm against you. O children of Israel, do not fight against the LORD God of your fathers, for you shall not prosper!” 2 Chronicles 13:12

The Word of God is quite clear that whenever God’s people sought the Lord and walked in His ways He caused them to prosper. Whenever they turned from Him and walked in their own ways they suffered and were rewarded with poverty. God’s word is true:

Therefore he said to Judah, “Let us build these cities and make walls around them, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us, because we have sought the LORD our God; we have sought Him, and He has given us rest on every side.” So they built and prospered. 2 Chronicles 14:7

He sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God; and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper. 2 Chronicles 26:5
And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, in the law and in the commandment, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart. So he prospered. 2 Chronicles 31:21

He also opens their ear to instruction, And commands that they turn from iniquity. If they obey and serve Him, They shall spend their days in prosperity, And their years in pleasures. But if they do not obey, They shall perish by the sword, And they shall die without knowledge. Job 26:10-12

Yes, the Word of God is quite clear that whenever God’s people obeyed and served the Lord, they spent their days in prosperity and their years in pleasures. But if they do not obey Him they perished by the sword, and they died without knowledge. Nowhere in God’s word, the bible, did God ever change His attitude about and His desire for the prosperity of His people. His word is unchanging:

Who is the man that fears the LORD? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses. He himself shall dwell in prosperity, And his descendants shall inherit the earth. The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant. Psalm 25:12-14

Let them shout for joy and be glad, Who favor my righteous cause; And let them say continually, “Let the LORD be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.” Psalm 35:27

God sets the solitary in families; He brings out those who are bound into prosperity; But the rebellious dwell in a dry land. Psalm68:6

He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife, But he who trusts in the LORD will be prospered. Proverbs 28:25

Just like Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness so can we believe God? Abraham staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God (Romans 4:20) and so can we! No matter the storm we will find ourselves in, we can be sure of what God has promised. He has promised to bless and prosper us and to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask pray or thing. God’s word is unchanging: For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Romans 4:20-22 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,… 1 Peter 1:6-8 The righteousness of God in Jesus Christ is the driving force behind our faith, causing us to triumph in His Name. Jesus triumphed over Satan in three areas. First, during His earthly ministry, He spoke to Satan and said, “It is written…” (Matthew 4:4,7,10), and Satan had to obey the Word of God. Secondly, at the cross and resurrection, Jesus stripped Satan of his power and took the keys of hell and death. However, the third and most important area of Jesus’ triumph over Satan is His victory in the new birth. It was impossible in Satan’s thinking for God to take a man in sin, turn him into righteousness, give him the armor of God and enable him to triumph as Jesus did. This is victory of the highest order! Sin turned into righteousness! Death Almighty God is our very own Father! We are bone of His bone, spirit of His Spirit, a joint-heir with Jesus Christ, and living in the kingdom of God. As we realize these things in our life, weu become God-inside-minded. We no longer think of God as being a million miles away. He is residing inside us! Righteousness then becomes a force in the life of a believer which under girds his faith. The reality of righteousness enables a believer to do the impossible. Jesus approached the tomb of Lazarus and said, “Take ye away the stone…” (John 11:39). He never wavered in His faith.

Righteousness is our gateway to enjoying any benefit from God. Since He won’t behold iniquity, our praises to Him in iniquity won’t be acceptable before Him. He couldn’t even behold His only begotten Son on the cross when He bore the sins of the whole world upon Himself, how then would He listen to us when him you praise Him in sin? Every grace of God thrives on righteousness. Praise provides an access into the presence and blessings of God; but it is righteousness that secures it. Every blessing from God requires righteousness to be released. Similarly, every principle of God produces on the platform of righteousness, which is God’s foundation (2 Timothy.2:19). Every blessing requires that we abide in the vine. God’s word is unchanging:

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. John 15:1-8

Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song, And His praise in the assembly of saints. Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. Let them praise His name with the dance; Let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp For the LORD takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation. Psalm 149:1-4

What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. 1 Corinthians 14:15