THE PURPOSE OF PROSPERITY Sylvester Onyemalechi

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1 THE PURPOSE OF PROSPERITY Sylvester Onyemalechi Kingdom prosperity is all about prosperity in the kingdom of Christ or God s kind of prosperity. Kingdom prosperity is prosperity that has its origin in and from God. Every man God called to follow him or do one thing or the other for him, he promised prosperity. He never calls anyone to serve him in vain. Isa 45:19 19 I have not spoken in secret, from somewhere in a land of darkness; I have not said to Jacob's descendants, `Seek me in vain.' I, the LORD, speak the truth; I declare what is right. If you are a follower of God, prosperity is your reward. Abraham followed God, and he prospered; David followed God, and he prospered. In the book of Deuteronomy, Chapter 28:1-14, the Lord promised prosperity to all who follow his laws and statutes faithfully. Scripture proves to us that it is God s will that we prosper. PROSPERITY IS GOD S WILL It is the will of God that every of His covenant child prosper. If you are operating the new covenant through Jesus Christ, prosperity had been decreed for you already. Prov 11:10 10 When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices; when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy. 2 Cor 8:9 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. 3 John 2 2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. KJV Deut 15:4-6 4 However, there should be no poor among you, for in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you, 5 if only you fully obey the LORD your God and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today. 6 For the LORD your God will bless you as he has promised, and you will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. You will rule over many nations but none will rule over you.

2 From all the above passages, it is obvious that God wants you the child of God to prosper. Jesus though rich, became poor that you and I can become rich. It is already settled in the heart of God that you his faithful covenant child should prosper. However, the choice to prosper or not to prosper is left for us it is a decision that you must make. In verse 4 of Deuteronomy 15, the word of the LORD through Moses says, However, there should be no poor among you, for in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you. Again, the same Moses in verse 7 of the same chapter said, If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you - and in vs. 11 he says, there will always be poor people in the land ". All these seem conflicting at first glance. But at a closer look, you will discover that it is God s will that all prosper in the land, however, it is not all that prospers because not all follow the laws of God and are determined to prosper. So, there will always be poor people though God says there should be no poor among you. Therefore, I make bold to say, prosperity is by choice, poverty is by choice. The promise is for all, but only those who walk by the covenant with determination to prosper, will prosper. God wants you to prosper. If you choose to be among the poor, you will be poor. But, if you decide to come out of poverty, and become rich, you will, if you walk by the details of the covenant. PURPOSE OF PROSPERITY 1. To meet our daily needs so we lack nothing. Eccl 10:19 19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things. KJV God declares through the mouth of Solomon the king of Israel, that money answereth all things showing that he is aware that we need money to get the necessities of life. He knows that without money, you can t feed properly, wear good clothes, pay your bills, and even give to Him (God). So, God has to provide for His children for them to live a good life. 2. For the expansion of His church and kingdom here on earth. Zech 1:17 17 Cry yet, saying, thus saith the LORD of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the LORD shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem. KJV) The Lord understands that without money, the Gospel cannot spread abroad, and as a result, wants to prosper his children so that they can plough their wealth into the work of the ministry.

3 Your desire to prosper God s way and as God s covenant Child must be to support the work of God and not just to have the best of life. God is interested in His work prospering, and He needs money for the work. But He does not throw money down from heaven, He blesses men with money through prosperity, so that His people can in turn put the money received into His work. God is looking for men to use in this area POVERTY DOES NOT GLORIFY GOD Poverty does not glorify God. Lack does not glorify God. Poverty produces oppression and slavery. It produces disgrace and shame. And Jesus Christ came to deliver us from oppression, slavery, shame and disgrace. Prov 22:7 7 The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. Eccl 9: I also saw under the sun this example of wisdom that greatly impressed me: 14 There was once a small city with only a few people in it. And a powerful king came against it, surrounded it and built huge siege works against it. 15 Now there lived in that city a man poor but wise, and he saved the city by his wisdom. But nobody remembered that poor man. 16 So I said, "Wisdom is better than strength." But the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are no longer heeded. This scripture shows the pitiable condition of the poor. This poor man delivered his city from the hand of the enemy, but he was never honored because he was poor. Can you imagine what poverty did to that man? I will never be poor in Jesus name. I want you to hate poverty. It stinks. It is evil. This is the reason why Jesus became poor so that you, through His poverty, may become rich if you want to and walk by His covenant principles. 2 Cor 8:9 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. Poverty and scarcity of necessity of life can make one curse God, and be unfaithful to God. God does not want you to curse him or be unfaithful to him, so he wants to prosper you so that your joy may be complete, and you will serve him with gladness of heart and mind. WORK BY THE COVENANT PRINCIPLES No man walking faithfully by the covenant principles of God is expected to be poor. Gen 12:1-3 12:1 The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. "I will make you into a great nation and I

4 will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." Deut 15:4-6 4 However, there should be no poor among you, for in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you, 5 if only you fully obey the LORD your God and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today. 6 For the LORD your God will bless you as he has promised, and you will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. You will rule over many nations but none will rule over you. You cannot be poor as long as you are walking in the covenant. Follow the covenant laws and prosperity will be yours. As Abraham began to walk with God in obedience, he began to prosper. He prospered to the level he could finance a private army of 318 men, all born and trained in his house. The blessings of Abraham cannot be yours in Christ Jesus and yet you remain poor when you are walking in obedience to the covenant laws. If you follow God faithfully, you will prosper. Success, prosperity, riches are yours in Christ Jesus. Lay hold of the covenant principles of God and practice them, and you will prosper. WHAT IS PROSPERITY? Prosperity is having enough resources to accomplish all that God wants you to accomplish with your life. It means having enough to do the commands of God for your life. Prosperity is the presence of the necessities of life. enough to meet all your needs as they arise. It is a state of abundance having Prosperity is having enough finances, enough health, enough information, having enough favour with people, having a sufficient amount of friendships, enough amount of energy, enough amounts of ideas, wisdom to achieve your goals in life. You may be prosperous or living in abundance and yet not live in a ten million Naira house, or own a Rolls Royce Car, or own a house of your own. Prosperity has to do with God supplying what you need to accomplish your purpose in life. ANALYSIS OF MATHEW 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." Do not seek riches, success or prosperity first, seek God first. Seek Christ first. Seek the kingdom of God first. Some pursue money and leave God behind. Some pursue wealth

5 and success so much that it chokes that seed of God s word in them, till it dies and their fire for God is put out. Matt 13:22 2 The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. Some pursue success and prosperity so much that they don t have time for personal or group Bible study, fellowship and church services and activities. Some pursue wealth and money to the point that they are afraid to share with their customers and business associates and clients the gospel of Jesus Christ lest they lose them. The Bible says seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and every other thing money, customers, clients, contracts, success, wealth shall be added. The scripture cannot be broken (Jn 10:35). If you try to break it, it will break you. Don t violate the scripture. You will regret if you do, for you will pay dearly for it. Prov 13:13 13 He who scorns instruction will pay for it, but he who respects a command is rewarded. We are not to seek (pursue) prosperity. We are to seek the kingdom of God and God s righteousness, and prosperity will pursue and overtake us, or in another word, ACCOMPANY US. TO SEEK THE KINGDOM AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS 1. To seek the kingdom of God or the kingdom of Christ, is to seek to be an ACTIVE member of the kingdom. 2. To seek the prosperity and expansion of the kingdom of God. 3. To seek to understand and practice the righteousness of God which is the way and life of the kingdom. TO BE AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD An active member of the kingdom of God is one who has turned away from his sins and surrendered to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord of his life. An active member is one who attends services of his local church (assembly) regularly and studies and meditates on the word of God. He practices the word. He trembles at the word of God. His life is a proof that Jesus is Lord and Savior of the world because he allows the new nature to dominate and rule his life. He follows the principles of God s word. As an active member, he preaches the word and invites people to church. He is not ashamed of his Savior, but zealous for his Lord. He does not compromise the truth once discovered.

6 As an active member of the kingdom of God, you tithe your income and give offerings regularly, and cheerfully too TO SEEK THE PROSPERITY OF THE KINGDOM You need to work hard for the growth and progress of the kingdom of God: 1. Pray regularly and sincerely for the church of Christ, especially your local assembly. 2. Witness for Jesus Christ. (a) You witness with your life your life will become a testimony to the whole world who Christ is. (b) You witness for Christ by preaching the gospel to anyone who cares to listen. 3. You need to give willingly, cheerfully and generously for the progress of the work of God you cannot be stingy to God and expect God to prosper you. The gospel prospers through the gifts of God s children who see themselves as stewards of God s blessings. Make investment into the kingdom. Support your pastor to carry out the work of the ministry with your money. Support any other ministry that is a blessing to you or others with your money. Support missions. Give and give, and never stop giving. Matt 6: "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Support Church programs and projects. Give to those in need within the church. As you do this, God will continue to bless you and your wealth will continue to increase; and your reward in heaven will be great. SEEK HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS Seek to understand and practice the righteousness of God, which is the way, and life of the kingdom. Remember, it is only when you are an active member of the kingdom of God, a promoter of the kingdom and a practitioner of the principles and commandments of God, that success, wealth and every other thing you need, will be added unto you. Start practicing this now, and you will experience the manifestation of the promises of God. Seek the kingdom, and prosperity will pursue you. Don t reverse it by pursuing money and forgetting the kingdom. If you do, you will not prosper. When you come to God, you follow the principles of his kingdom, or you will never receive or experience what he promises you in the kingdom. Drop your ideas and beliefs. Take God s revealed word and apply it. And you will prosper.

7 Prov 23:4-5 4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. 5 Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle. CONDITIONS FOR PROSPERITY 1 Obedience to the laws and commandments of God Almighty. Deut 7: If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then the LORD your God will keep his covenant of love with you, as he swore to your forefathers. 13 He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers. He will bless the fruit of your womb, the crops of your land--your grain, new wine and oil--the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks in the land that he swore to your forefathers to give you. 14 You will be blessed more than any other people; none of your men or women will be childless, nor any of your livestock without young. 15 The LORD will keep you free from every disease. He will not inflict on you the horrible diseases you knew in Egypt, but he will inflict them on all who hate you. 2. Faithful tithing. Mal 3: "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, `How do we rob you?' "In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse-the whole nation of you-because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. 11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty. 12 "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty. 3. Generous and cheerful giving for the furtherance of the gospel. Luke 5:1-11 5:1 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, 2 he saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch." 5 Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." 6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them,

8 and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men." 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him. 4. Giving to the servants of God. Gal 6:6 6 Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor. Matt 10: "He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me. 41 Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward." 1 Cor 9:1-14 9:1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord? 2 Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. 3 This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. 4 Don't we have the right to food and drink? 5 Don't we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord's brothers and Cephas? 6 Or is it only I and Barnabas who must work for a living? 7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk? 8 Do I say this merely from a human point of view? Doesn't the Law say the same thing? 9 For it is written in the Law of Moses: "Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain." Is it about oxen that God is concerned? 10 Surely he says this for us, doesn't he? Yes, this was written for us, because when the plowman plows and the thresher threshes, they ought to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. 11 If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? 12 If others have this right of support from you, shouldn't we have it all the more? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ. 13 Don't you know that those who work in the temple get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? 14 In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.

9 5. Giving to the needy. Deut 15: If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. 8 Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs. 9 Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: "The seventh year, the year for canceling debts, is near," so that you do not show ill will toward your needy brother and give him nothing. He may then appeal to the LORD against you, and you will be found guilty of sin. 10 Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. 11 There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land. Prov 21:13 3 If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered. Luke 14: Then Jesus said to his host, "When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous." Prov 22:9 A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor. 6. Wisdom. Prov 8: "I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence; I possess knowledge and discretion. 13 To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech. 14 Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have understanding and power. 15 By me kings reign and rulers make laws that are just; 16 by me princes govern, and all nobles who rule on earth. 17 I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me. 18 With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity. 19 My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver. 20 I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice, 21 bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries full.

10 Prov 2:1-8 My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, 2 turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, 3 and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, 4 and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, 5 then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. 6 For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. 7 He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, 8 for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. 7. Discipline and self control. Prov 21:17 s17 He who loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and oil will never be rich. 8. Diligence in work. Prov 21:25 25 The sluggard's craving will be the death of him, because his hands refuse to work. Prov 22:29 29 Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men. Prov 10:4 4 Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth. 9. Good stewardship. Luke 16: "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. 11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? 12 And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your own? 13 "No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." 14 The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. 15 He said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight.

11 10. Pray for the prosperity of the city and nation where you are. If it prospers, you will prosper too. Jer 29:7 7 Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper." Take time to go through the scriptural passages listed above make notes of your own as you study. Then settle down to walk by them and you will have a testimony to share very soon. I will like to hear your testimony when it is ready. God bless you.