Prosperity - Our Covenant #1
Today I want to start a short series, probably three or four weeks on the subject of prosperity. Much has been said on the subject of prosperity, but there are so many people coming against people prospering from the Lord. Yet, according to God's Word, it's God's will for his people to be prosperous. In this study were going to see that the Word clearly promises financial prosperity for every believer. And we'll find out what the Word says about poverty and lack. But receiving from God and his Word is not like driving through a fast food restaurant. It's going to take time to chew on it, to feed on it, and to meditate on it before you'll see a financial breakthrough.
I) 2nd Corinthians 8: 1-2, 7-9.
A) 1st all Paul is writing to the church at Corinth, and he says I want you to know something about the churches of Macedonia.
1) The churches of Macedonia gave liberally to the work of God even in the midst of their poverty.
2) Now he says to the church at Corinth, you have abounded in everything, in faith, and utterance (Logos-the Word), and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us.
(a) He doesn't say anything to them about finances, but Corinth was a very, very wealthy city. So, I'm sure they have some prosperous people in their church.
3) At the end of verse 7 Paul says, "See that he abounded in this grace also."
(a) What graces he talking about? "THE GRACE OF GIVING".
(b) Grace is really an empowerment of God's ability.
(c) Then he says, "See that ye abound in this grace also."
(i) This is more of a command.
(ii) Let me ask you this, how do you receive the grace to do something? By faith.
(iii) (Ephesians 2:8) says, "For by grace are ye saved through faith." How do you get the grace to be saved? Through faith.
4) Paul was telling them that they need to give and give abundantly by faith, knowing that God would meet all their needs.
B) Now let's look at 2nd Corinthians 8:9 again.
1) Now some have said that this verse proves that God wants us to be poor because we are to be like Christ.
(a) I do agree that we are to become more and more Christ like, but that's not with this verse is talking about.
2) Let's read verse 9 again. I don't know if you realize how rich Jesus was before he left heaven to come to Earth.
(a) He was sitting on the throne of God and walking on streets and gold. In (Rev. 1:13-14), it says that he's wearing a white garment with a golden sash or a vast of pure gold. In (Revelation 14:14), it says that he's wearing a golden crown.
(b) Jesus was experiencing the wealth of heaven but he left all that to come to Earth. Born in the barn he experienced poverty.
3) It wasn't until he entered into the ministry and began through faith to exercise the laws of abundance and prosperity.
4) Yet 2nd Corinthians 8:9 says that he, for your sake, became poor.
(a) Why did he do that? To set example for us? No.
(b) So that through his poverty you might be made rich.
5) The point to this verse is that Jesus had everything, but gave it all up for a season to come to Earth as a man and pay for our poverty spirit, soul, and body. He took our poverty in exchange for his riches.
6) Financial prosperity is something Jesus paid for on the cross, through his sufferings he purchased it for you.
C) Turn over to Galatians 3:13-14.
1) What is the curse of the law? According to (Deuteronomy 28) its poverty, sickness and death spiritual death.
2) Verse 14 says that the blessings of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the spirit through faith.
(a) How do you receive this promise of the spirit? Through faith.
3) This promise of the spirit is in the "BLESSING OF ABRAHAM."
(a) What is the blessing of Abraham?
(b) God made many blessings and promises and covenants with Abraham, but one of the blessings is that God made Abraham very, very rich.
II) Psalms 35:27.
A) The word "PROSPERITY" in this verse is the Hebrew word "SHOLOM," which literally means, "HEALTH, PROSPERITY, AND PEACE."
1) God wants his people to prosper.
(a) Under the old covenant, the Israelites were servant of God who brought pleasure to the heart of God through their prosperity.
(b) How much more pleasure will it bring to God when his children prosper and do financially well.
2) This verse is saying, "Let God be magnified, let's say continually that God wants us blessed."
B) Let's go to Proverbs 10:22.
1) The word “RICH” here means, "FINANCIAL PROSPERITY, RICH, WEALTH." And it has to do with money and income.
(a) Sometimes religious people try to make it sound like, rich in the heart, or rich in grace, or enrichment.
(i) So often, they twist things and make it complicated, and change the meaning of the Word of God to where only they can understand it.
(ii) It's a deception to confuse the average reader.
(iii) The Word of God is simple it says what it means and it means what it says. You don't need theological degrees to understand the Word of God.
2) In this verse it says "The blessings of the Lord, it maketh rich."
(a) Well then, how do you qualify for the blessings of the Lord?
(b) You already have.
(i) (Romans 8:17) says that if you're a child of God, you're an heir of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ.
(ii) And in (Galatians 3:14) it says that the blessings of Abraham already belong to us.
C) 3 JOHN 2