Philippians 4:19
And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
My friends we know the above verse very well and we as believers claim it often for our financial provision, but that is not always visible. People pray and claim verse after verse but still are unable to see financial growth. Why?
If we read the the word of God, we notice the word ‘prosperity’ often mentioned, but the point is people often are mistaken and always think of prosperity means richness i.e. earning more money or having high income. If we study carefully this is just one of the meanings we know about but biblically speaking it has lot of other meanings as well. It does include wealth but it also means abundance, overflow, not lacking anything. Latin word prosperous means ‘favourable’. In this study we shall have a bit of insight of God’s way of dealing with finances and prosperity.
Ecclesiastes 5:10
He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance, with increase: this also is vanity.
Let me make this very clear that this teaching is not about love for money rather knowing the meaning and importance of prosperity.
1 Timothy 6:10
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Notice the word “…love of money…”. Kingdom of heaven is not like focusing on the things of the earth but on the things of heaven. Lord has taught us in Lord’s prayer that “…Thy kingdom come,Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven…” and in order to bring God’s kingdom on earth we need to preach the Gospel of the kingdom of GOD (Lord JESUS CHRIST). Gospel is free but since we are living on earth the means to carry it are costly. Matthew 24:14 says that when the Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached into all the world, then shall the end come. So this is one of the major signs of the end times. Lord JESUS CHRIST cannot come back for millennium reign on earth till the gospel of HIS Kingdom reaches all over the world. Money is not our priority JESUS CHRIST our father is but money has a very important role in these end times to carry the gospel. It is one of the many tools given to the body of CHRIST to preach the word of God. There are principles mentioned in the word of God in order to have sufficient provisions to supply the needs of the body of CHRIST.
When we talk about the term ‘prosperity’ we must remember true prosperity means lacking no good thing. A person can have a huge income but still may be in debt as is visible with many industrialist. They can earn crores of rupees and dollars but still be in crores of debt and loan.
In the last days there is a fight for kingdom finance.
Matthew 11:12
And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.
Notice the word “…kingdom of heaven…”. Yes there is a possession to be taken in these last days.Let us see some of the ways an individual in the body of CHRIST and also as a part of church we can avail true prosperity that is for the extension of the kingdom of God on earth.
Matthew 12:29
Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.
Proverbs 13:22
A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,
But the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.
Yes in the last days the Spiritual wealth as well as natural wealth will be inherited by the righteous in the Lord.
Let us see some of the principles mentioned in the word of God:-
Matthew 6:33
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
This is the first and the foremost principle in the kingdom.Our first place is the kingdom of heaven and God. When we seek the Lord with all our heart,mind,soul and body, GOD will surely help HIS help. Lord shall make all things of this world to follow his genuine true seekers in the kingdom.
3 John 2
Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.
This is another related principle with the first one that as we seek the kingdom of God, we start growing spiritually. Lord says that as our soul prospers…with the very speed our spiritual growth takes place our health as well as other kinds of growths are visible that are beneficial for us.
Tithe
Hebrews 7:1
For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “king of peace,…”
verse 7:8 says
Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives.
This commandment of tithe was there in the Old testament as well in New Testament. The principle in God’s kingdom is the same as far as tithe’s and offerings are concerned.
Tithe is a commandment from God Himself. It is just giving to God as per HIS command,there is nothing new that we are doing while giving the tithe. During the time of Prophet Abraham there was no law of Moses for Israel, but by revelation from heaven the prophet of God new that giving tithe is the protocol to meet the high-priest.
Malachi 3:10
Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,
That there may be food in My house,
And try Me now in this,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
“If I will not open for you the windows of heaven
And pour out for you such blessing
That there will not be room enough to receive it.
The promise in the above verse still stands. Lord has already blessed HIS people on the cross but there is an added flow of blessing for obedience to the Lord.
Sowing and Reaping
This is another concept to multiply in finances. There are various kinds of offerings mentioned in the word of God. This includes first-fruits and thanksgiving too. All the leading entrepreneurs,businessmen and industrialists in the world follow this concept. All humanity in their sub-conscious mind know this principle of sowing and reaping.
Luke 6:38 says
“Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
The above verse mentions sowing once but the harvest is mentioned 6 times.Always remember that seed is always smaller as compared to the harvest in size and number. If you sow in a good soil, the harvest will be 30 or 60 or even 100 times. Deuteronomy 1:11 mentions 1000 folds increase. Yes as per Ephesians 3:20 mentions
“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us…,”
We can never-ever out-give God. If you are sowing for God’s kingdom then your motive is right and Lord will give back your seed as a mighty harvest.
Never be miser when it comes to sowing for God. It is the gospel that is being preached all over the globe. God will reward you for your seed. Seed is not only finance but also your talents, time, gifting, guidance, prayers etc. Give to God what is dear to you. Mother Teresa said “give until it hurts”
Bible says taste and see how good God is.Hallelujah.
to be continued…
