Prosperity in Everything You Do
Bob Yandian
Have you ever wondered why God made Heaven’s streets out of gold or built the foundations of the heavenly city out of diamonds, rubies and other precious gems? The answer is so obvious that it is easily missed – in Heaven there is no place to cash in the gold or gems or to spend money, so why not use them for building materials!
However, on earth we can spend gold. It is God’s will that we have it to spend. He wants us to be financially prosperous so that we can use our wealth to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ!
“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” (3 John 2)
God’s ultimate will is that our soul prospers and then, as God can trust us with His riches, our outward man will also prosper and walk in divine health.
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2)
God’s plan is not a get-rich-quick scheme, but that it is a growing process. In this process we move from the good to the acceptable, and finally, to the perfect will of God by the renewing of our minds. This growth is similar to the seeds which are sown into the ground and produce some thirty, some sixty, and some a hundred-fold return. “…blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who delights greatly in His commandments.” (Psalms 112:1)
The Blessings
Psalms 112 is a commentary on the blessings that will come to the one who renews their mind with the Word.
The first blessing is found in verse 2: “His descendants will be mighty on the earth; the generation of the upright will be blessed.” The point of this blessing is that financial prosperity is meaningless if your children are ungodly and will squander your wealth. Satan preys upon young people so that godly parents will have no one godly to inherit their wealth and blessings. By patiently waiting to destroy the next generation, Satan can steal all that God has given us. This is why it is imperative that we instruct our children in the Word of God.
The second blessing is found in verse 3. “Wealth and riches will be in his house and his righteousness endures forever.” Notice that righteousness endures forever. It is passed from generation to generation so that those who have the riches will also have the strength and abilities necessary to handle and keep them.
Prosperity Involves Giving
Verse four tells us of another part of prosperity. “Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness; he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.” This “light in the darkness” is the guidance God gives us in Satan’s dark world. This includes what to do with our families. What to do in the affairs of life, as well as what to do with our finances. The reason this man is prosperous in verse four is because he is a giver at heart. The ultimate goal of prosperity is not self-gain, but to be able to be a giver to those in need.
This idea is carried into verse five. “A good man deals graciously and lends; he will guide his affairs with discretion.” “A good man deals graciously…” As God has graced you, you are able to grace others. As God’s nature of love and mercy comes inside you, it should become your nature to reach out as He does and bless others no matter what they look like, live like, or act like. You love them simply because it your nature to love.
Discretion means “judgment.” Good judgment is another facet of prosperity. This enables you to assess, evaluate, and judge the affairs of life so that you can maintain all the blessings God has give you.
Stability
Verse six says, “Surely he will never be shaken; the righteous will be in everlasting remembrance.” In the times of testing, we will not be shaken or moved away from God’s Word. This makes us victorious every time.
“…the righteous will be in everlasting remembrance.” Prosperity encompasses the righteous man’s being remembered after he dies. Because of his righteousness, people will desire to understand what he had in life. Because of this, he will leave an everlasting remembrance on this earth.
Wisdom and Patience
Whereas verse six is speaking of standing fast in times of testing, verse seven is telling of how to deal with evil tidings. “He will not be afraid of evil tidings'; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.” When calamity strikes, outward prosperity is of little consequence and often is impotent. However, the key to overcoming calamity is to keep your heart fixed and steady on the Word of God.
