The Source of True Prosperity
By Charles F. Stanley
Our loving heavenly Father is always generous towards His children. He is the author of the prosperity plan that not only encompasses our entire earthly life but also extends into eternity. In Genesis, He gives man and woman a perfect garden to enjoy. In Revelation, we read about our ultimate home, which will be flawless and everlasting. Many of the books in between testify to the many ways God abundantly provides for His people.
He owns it all
The Lord is sovereign over all material wealth. The words of King David reflect the attitude we should have towards divine provision:
Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O Lord, and You exalt Yourself as head over all (1 Chron. 29:11).
The Scriptures are filled with declarations of God’s goodness and descriptions of His inexhaustible resources. His desire for believers is prosperity—He wants us to have all we need and the capacity to enjoy it (Ps. 34:8-10).
When we limit ourselves to human ability and resources, we will find that both run out very quickly. When we instead trust in the Lord’s ability to work on our behalf, we tap into an infinite supply that cannot be measured or depleted. God’s resources are 100 percent recession-proof. The Lord’s very nature gives assurance of His abundant provision: He is...
- Omniscient—God knows our need, better than we do, and before we do.
- Omnipotent—The Father has all power to supply what we need.
- Omnipresent—He is at work even now to meet our needs.
In Philippians 4:19, God promises to supply all our needs. Do you believe that? Many people have confessed to me that they understand the Lord is the source of all things and He supplies abundantly for His people. But they have difficulty believing that the Father will provide for them personally.
Needs and Desires
A need is something that you must have in order to stay alive or to carry out God’s will for your life. A desire is something pleasant. It’s fun to have—enjoyable, satisfying, delightful.
Some people believe that the Lord provides only for our essential needs. But that isn’t the message of the Bible. The Father’s provision for us is generous. Jesus came to give us abundant life (John 10:10). When we share with other people, the Lord promises to provide what we need—a pressed-down, shaken-together, and running-over prosperity (Luke 6:38). And His gifts are always perfect (James 1:17).
A loving grandparent gives his grandchildren what they need but also takes delight in giving them their hearts’ desires. The heavenly Father has this same generosity of spirit towards you. He is not stingy or begrudging. God’s only constraints regarding your desires are that they must not interfere with His plans for you—and that they will benefit you without causing harm. So don’t be afraid to ask God for what you want as well as what you require.
Preconditions
God asks certain things of those who will be blessed by His generosity. I believe these instructions are intended to keep us focused on Him. That way, we can continue to receive from the Lord and know how to use wisely what He gives. The Father requires that we:
- Keep His commands: The Lord promised to bless the Israelites with fruitful crops and herds if they would obey Him and worship only Him (Deut. 28:1-2, 11-14). When we keep God’s commands and live according to His principles, we are in a position to enjoy prosperity.
- Be generous to others: The Father trusts an openhanded person with more, because He knows what He gives will be used to bless others (1 Tim. 6:17-19).
- Believe in Him and His Word: If you don’t have faith that the Father is going to supply your need or grant the desire of your heart, you won’t be ready for your blessing when it shows up. When you are having difficulty believing God will meet your personal needs, ask Him to help you trust Him more. When His children cry out sincerely like this, the Father delights in answering.
Other Preconditions?
God’s provision for you is motivated entirely by His unending love for you. He is not moved by repeated requests or begging. You don’t have to complete special rituals or spend a certain amount of time in prayer and fasting for a need to be answered. There is no checklist or point system that the Lord uses in meting out rewards to His people.
When you believe in God, keep His commands, and begin to act with generosity toward others, the Lord will bless you more abundantly. You can never deplete the source of your prosperity—that would be like trying to dip the ocean dry with a thimble. So don’t miss out on the Father’s blessing. Come to Him in faith, and receive what He longs to lavish upon you.
Adapted from “Understanding Financial Stewardship” (2008).
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