Prosperity is not a new doctrine in the Church. Several people have taught on this subject since the Church began. With the global pandemic and its impact on the world’s economy, it is important that we go over the truths about Biblical Prosperity so we don’t slip away from them (Hebrews 2:1). You and I know that it is very easy to keep our minds on our needs and even start talking lack, especially when everyone around us is doing so. We must focus our attention on the Word of God and what it says concerning prosperity especially in these times.

So it is important we remind ourselves of these 3 vital truths concerning prosperity because faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10: 17).  

We have authority in the area of finances

Genesis 1:26-28 KJV 26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and overall the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

God created the earth and gave His man, Adam authority over it. In one sense of the word, Adam was originally the god of this world. Everything belongs to God from the standpoint of Him being the owner and creator of all things but God gave dominion over the earth to Adam. Haggai 2: 8 says that the Silver and Gold belong to God. Psalm 50:10-12 makes it clear that the cattle upon a thousand hills belong to God. God gave Adam dominion over His earth but Adam committed high treason, disobeyed God and sold out to the devil, thereby turning over his dominion on the earth to the devil (Luke 4:5-8). Satan, therefore, became the god of this world and began his reign of tyranny over mankind and the earth (2 Corinthians 4:4)

There is an intelligence in this world that does not want you to have money. That intelligence is the devil and he knows that the more money comes into the hands of Christians, the better they look to the world and this therefore makes God look good to the world. The devil also knows that the more money that gets into the hands of believers, the more money they will give to the gospel and thus, spreading the gospel faster across the earth. So Satan does his best to try to keep finances from coming to believers. But we thank God that Jesus defeated the devil and stripped him of the authority he had over us (See Colossians 2: 15). We have an actual redemption from the devil’s dominion through the death, burial and resurrection of Christ!

Where our finances are concerned, the devil has been paralyzed. Jesus not only defeated the devil for us, but He also gave us authority over the devil (Matthew 28:18-19). In exercising our authority in the area of finances, there are three things we need to do. First, we need to claim whatever we need or want. In John 14:13-14, Jesus said that whatever we ask (to demand as our right or privilege) in His name, He will do it.

Secondly, we need to tell the devil to take his hands off what you need or want. The money we need is not in heaven but here on earth. There is a devil trying to keep it from coming to us. The devil is the one trying to ensure you don’t have what you need or want; so command him to take his hands off your money. Finally, we should say, “go ministering spirits and cause the money to come”. In Psalm 103:20, we see that angels excel in strength and hearken to the voice of God’s Word. We also see in Hebrews 1:13-14 that angels minister FOR those who are the heirs of salvation – they are waiting for our orders the same way a waiter waits for your order when you go to a restaurant. 

We need to continually speak faith-filled words concerning our prosperity

Mark 11:23 KJV “For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.”

In this scripture, we see that relative to the believer, the saying part is three times as emphasized as the believing part. Where we miss it primarily as believers is not in the believing part of faith but in the saying part. You have to say with your mouth what you believe in your heart. Believing it alone is not enough. Faith must be released in words through the mouth; you can have what you say! If you talk about the lack of finances, it will stop the money from coming in.

The Bible way to release faith for finances or for anything else is by saying with your mouth what you believe in your heart. We need to keep talking the right words. Proverbs 6:2 says that we are taken captive by the words of our mouth. Our words dominate us. Your faith will always rise up or go down to the level of your words. 

We should tithe faithfully and give generously

We must get to the place where we want to prosper for the right reasons. Prosperity should not be seen as an end; rather, it should be seen as a means to an end. Money should be seen as a tool to use to reach the lost with the gospel. The purpose of prosperity is world evangelization.

Deuteronomy 8:18KJV “But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.”

God brought out the children of Israel from Egypt with a lot of possession. Part of the reason He did that was that He knew that there would be a time to build the Tabernacle and a lot of resources would be required to do that. The purpose of prosperity is not for us to show off but to be a blessing to God’s work and to people.

Sometimes people want to exercise faith for finances but they don’t want to give. Yes, even though giving and receiving has been pushed to extremes, we don’t want to avoid it, seeing it is in the Scriptures too. So why should we give?

1. We should give because we love God 
2. We should give because we want to obey God
3. We should give because we want to see the Great Commission fulfilled and the lost saved
4. We should give because we want to see the needs of people met
5. We should also give and mix faith with our giving and expect a harvest

We should make sure our priorities are right: getting a harvest shouldn’t be our main purpose for giving to God. Love should motivate our giving. If receiving is the only purpose for our giving, we won’t get as much as we are supposed to get. A good ground is the ground you give into and it does the most for the work of God. When you give to such a place, you also get the most out of it. 

2 Corinthians 9:6-8 KJV 6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

Giving should be deliberate and not out of compulsion. We ought to make a decision in our hearts what we want to give. We should also give generously with joy in our hearts.

Hebrews 6:12 tells us not to be slothful but to be followers of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. We then see in the rest of that chapter how Abraham was given as an example of such a person. In Hebrews 7 we see a comparison between how Abraham tithed to Melchizedec in faith (before the law) and how Israel tithed to Levi under the law. We do not tithe as new covenant believers as a legalistic requirement but we tithe in faith, following the steps of our father Abraham (Romans 4; Galatians 3). According to Romans 4:12, we are to follow after the steps of the faith of Abraham. And since Abraham tithed to Melchizedec before the law (Hebrews 7), we ought to tithe to Jesus Christ our High Priest as new covenant believers. If people were blessed for tithing in the Old Covenant, we will not be cursed if we tithe under the new covenant. We ought to tithe to our local churches – that’s where the tithe belongs. 

So we ought to practice the entire counsel of God’s Word concerning prosperity by also tithing faithfully and giving generously. Then we will receive a harvest that is bountiful and we will be sufficient in all things. That’s the will of God for us.

By Rev. Toks Adejuwon