Sermon Central
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To Prosper Or Not To Prosper (Part2) Series
Contributed by Angel Caballero on Jan 3, 2010 (message contributor)
Summary: What does God really want for His children, to experience abundance? or just to barely get by?
This is the 2nd part of our series entitled “To prosper or not to prosper”
Our goal today is to see what does the word of God says, about prosperity.
What does God really want for His children, to experience abundance? or just to barely get by?
Just for review from last sunday: "save" in the Greek is the word sozo which literally means to heal, preserve, save, do well, and be (make) whole.
It means deliverance in the present as well as in the future or in eternity, physical as well as spiritual.
We are still in 2Corinthians 8:9- I shared to you last Sunday that there are many critics of this prosperity thing.
They even hated the preachers who believe that God is able to prosper His children.
In fact if you study this further you see that the bible is not against prosperity, but against covetousness, greed and trusting in wealth.
Their critics even say, “they are stressing so much on the importance of wealth”
With all this pro and against prosperity in the net, I decided to ask the Lord myself and this is what he laid in my heart: “You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion”
I took this as a cue that God wants to prosper His children.
2Corithians chapters 8 and 9 are about money and giving.
I shared to you last Sunday that sowing plays a major role in our prosperity.
The earth is governed by this principle.
“As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.”
Let us read again our txt:
Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
Did you know that you don’t have to wait to get to heaven to enjoy prosperity?
I have mentioned to you last Sunday about “perissos” that is the word “ABUNDANCE” in John 10:10
Meaning, exceeding some number or measure.
Church! You don’t need abundance in heaven.
3 John 1:2 shows that God wants you to be prosperous.
Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.
Prosperity is more than just wealth. It’s a lifestyle that includes divine health, peace, joy, protection, provision and happiness.
The term shalom is used throughout the Bible and means nothing missing, nothing broken.
You can have lots of money but if you’re sickly, I don’t think that’s prosperity.
Prosperity is wholeness for your spirit, soul and body.
That is true Biblical prosperity.
I’m sure everyone would agree that it wouldn’t be a very enjoyable life if you were a millionaire but sickly.
That’s why Biblical prosperity is more than just financial abundance.
God wants us to start enjoying the benefit of eternal life in this present life.
Psalm 27:13 (New Living Translation)
Yet I am confident I will see the LORD’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living.
God wants us to have a happy, prosperous and victorious life here on earth.
Prosperity is a way of life that reflects the hand of God on everything around you.
The “fruit” or result of having the hand of God on your life will be wealth, divine health, peace, joy, etc.
Last Sunday, we learned that God is the one who supplies seed to the sower
The second part of the verse is: will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.
Read between the line church: as we plant our seed He will increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.
2 Corinthians 8 and 9 is about money and giving as I mention earlier.
Treat your money as seed not just an object to buy you something.
The money in your hand is a powerful seed and you when you planted it will return a harvest.
As you plant God will increase your seed!
Do not go to the temple of God empty handed.
Deut 16:16
When they got to the Temple they would present gifts for the poor and the stranger and the homeless and the Levites. They would bring fruit and grain and wine and meat because they were not allowed to "appear before the Lord empty-handed"
Even your 5 pesos or 10 pesos will become a powerful seed if you plant it in the work of God.
The seed is very powerful even if you just drop it to the ground it grows!
