Promise of abundant prosperity
God wants you to be rich beyond your wildest dreams. He offers an abundant life overflowing with more than the bare necessities. But God doesn’t measure your prosperity by your physical possessions or your financial wealth.
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (John 10:10 KJV)
I came that they might have life, and that they might have it abundantly; more even than they can possibly use. This is one of the grandest of our Lord’s claims. He gives like God from overflowing stores (Titus 3:6). Those who receive life from him have within them perennial sources of life for others – fullness of being (see notes, John 7:38; John 4:14). One of the differentiae of “life” is “abundance” of supply beyond immediate possibility of use. Life has the future in its arms. Life propagates new life. Life has untold capacities about it – beauty, fragrance, strength, growth, variety, reproduction, resistance to death, continuity, eternity. In the Logos is life – and Christ came to give it, to communicate “life to the non-living, to the dead in trespasses, and to those in their graves” (John 5:26). John 10:10 –Pulpit Commentary
He said to them, “Beware! Keep yourselves from covetousness, for a man’s life doesn’t consist of the abundance of the things which he possesses.” (Luke 12:15 WEB)
Continue reading the parable of the rich fool (Luke 12:13-35) because prosperity isn’t what you think it is. God may bless you with physical things but it’s not because of any prosperity prayers.
Don’t seek what you will eat or what you will drink; neither be anxious. For the nations of the world seek after all of these things, but your Father knows that you need these things. But seek God’s Kingdom, and all these things will be added to you. Don’t be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. (Luke 12:29-32 WEB; Matthew 6:25-34)
The Apostle Paul was the most amazing prosperity preacher. He prayed for you to have everlasting prosperity beyond your wildest dreams. But he wasn’t worried about a few years of decaying rewards here. He wanted you to receive eternal rewards that never fade away.
Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. (Colossians 3:1-4 NLT)
Prosperity prayers must not be greedy
Consider Solomon’s pursuit of prosperity…
So I was great, and increased more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also remained with me. Whatever my eyes desired, I didn’t keep from them. I didn’t withhold my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor. Then I looked at all the works that my hands had worked, and at the labor that I had labored to do; and behold, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was no profit under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 2:9-11 WEB)
Consider Jesus Christ’s teaching on prosperity…
As he was going out into the way, one ran to him, knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except one—God. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not give false testimony,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and mother.'” He said to him, “Teacher, I have observed all these things from my youth.” Jesus looking at him loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack. Go, sell whatever you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me, taking up the cross.” But his face fell at that saying, and he went away sorrowful, for he was one who had great possessions. (Mark 10:17-22 WEB)
Sell that which you have, and give gifts to the needy. Make for yourselves purses which don’t grow old, a treasure in the heavens that doesn’t fail, where no thief approaches, neither moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (Luke 12:33-34 WEB)
Unlike many so-called prosperity doctrine preachers, there is no hint the Apostles used power to amass fame, fortune, or health. Quite the contrary, consider…
- Jerusalem Christian poverty (Acts 11:27-30)
- Paul’s suffering and trials (2 Corinthians 2:16-33)
- Paul’s thorn in the flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7-10 WEB)
- Timothy’s stomach infirmities (1 Timothy 5:23)
- John’s exile (Revelation 1:9)
Even to this present hour we hunger, thirst, are naked, are beaten, and have no certain dwelling place. We toil, working with our own hands. When people curse us, we bless. Being persecuted, we endure. Being defamed, we entreat. We are made as the filth of the world, the dirt wiped off by all, even until now. (1 Corinthians 4:11-13 WEB)
- Jesus said, you cannot love both God and money (Luke 16:14-15)
- Contrast of human effort versus suffering with Christ (Philippians 3:1-11)
- Expel greedy swindlers from your fellowship (1 Corinthians 5:10)
- Warning against preaching for personal profit (2 Corinthians 2:17)
- Church leaders cannot love money (1 Timothy 3:1-7)
- Corruption of longing to be rich versus true godliness with contentment (1 Timothy 6:3-10)
- Elders cannot be dishonest with money (Titus 1:5-9)
- False teachers do it only for money (Titus 1:10-14)
- Elders warned against serving for dishonest gain (1 Peter 5:1-4)
- Keep your life free from coveting money, and be content with what you have. (Hebrews 13:5)
God hears faithful prayers
This is the most important concept in this entire study. We must pray in God’s will. Just like Jesus taught us in the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:10), “thy will be done.” For all prayers. Prosperity! Healing! Judgment! Prayer cannot convince almighty sovereign God of your will, but prayer can convince you of his will.
These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. This is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he listens to us. And if we know that he listens to us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him. (1 John 5:13-15 WEB)
Most certainly I tell you, he who believes in me, the works that I do, he will do also; and he will do greater works than these, because I am going to my Father. Whatever you will ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you will ask anything in my name, I will do it. (John 14:12-14 WEB)
I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me, and I in him, the same bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If a man doesn’t remain in me, he is thrown out as a branch, and is withered; and they gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, you will ask whatever you desire, and it will be done for you. “In this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit; and so you will be my disciples. (John 15:5-8 WEB)
The most important thing about prayer is the will of God. We must take time to ascertain what God’s will is in a matter, especially searching in the Bible for promises or principles that apply to our situation. Once we know the will of God, we can pray with confidence and then wait for Him to reveal the answer. –BE Series Commentary by Weirsbe
Another certainty is the wonderful confidence of answered prayer. If we ask anything according to His will, He hears and responds to us (v. 14). A believer’s prayer is in harmony with the divine will when it is in harmony with Scripture or is prompted by the Spirit. Since we know that He hears and honors requests in accord with His will, we know that we will be granted such requests offered to Him in prayer (v. 15). –The Moody Bible Commentary
God hears loving prayers
Don’t let your prayers for prosperity be selfish and greedy, this is the opposite of what prayers should be. Did you ever read of any of the prophets, or apostles, or Jesus Christ himself praying selfish, greedy prosperity prayers? God doesn’t hear those prayers. He hears loving prayers.
We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. He who doesn’t love his brother remains in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him. By this we know love, because he laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and closes his heart of compassion against him, how does the love of God remain in him? My little children, let’s not love in word only, neither with the tongue only, but in deed and truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and persuade our hearts before him, because if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our hearts don’t condemn us, we have boldness toward God; and whatever we ask, we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight. (1 John 3:14-22 WEB; c.f. John 13:31-35; Romans 12:9-13)
- 3 requirements for effectual fervent prayer: ask, seek, knock
- 10 mistakes most people make when praying
- 10 Ways Prayers are Hindered (#5 is Shocking)
Promise of prosperity in your prayer life
The secret to prosperity in your prayer life is to draw closer to Jesus Christ through reading the Bible, praying for wisdom and understanding, gathering together with God’s people at church, and putting your Christian life into action.
For this cause, I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that you may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be strengthened to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know Christ’s love which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:14-19 WEB)
Having therefore, brothers, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; and having a great priest over the house of God, let’s draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and having our body washed with pure water, let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering; for he who promised is faithful. Let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good works, not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:19-25 WEB)
I desire therefore that the men in every place pray, lifting up holy hands without anger and doubting. (1 Timothy 2:8 WEB)
But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach; and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, without any doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed. For let that man not think that he will receive anything from the Lord. He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. (James 1:5-8 WEB)