THE CONDITIONS FOR A PROSPEROUS LIFE

Published July 30, 2008

What I want to talk about tonight are the conditions that are required for an abundant life, a life of prosperity and health and safety. A life of walking with and for God. To do that we first should look at what is not required.
To live in a specific or special country is not required.
A special type of government is not required
Living in a certain era or during a certain time is not required.
Having a degree from a university is not a required.
Having a certain height, weight or look is not a required.
Living in a certain part of town is not required
Having physical abilities is not required
Being pretty or handsome is not required.
Yes, all of these things would be nice to have but they are not requirements! Stop and think, how many people do you know that have one or all of these things but are not happy, successful, healthy or prosperous. If you think about it you will see that the majority do not have an abundant life even when they are surrounded by abundance.
Now look at the other side of the coin and look at how many people who have had none of these things aspired to greatness and were hugely successful.
America is in decline and it is easy for people in America to be negative and think things are bad. Perhaps they are, but remember what is not required. The things that surround are not a requirement for an abundant life! It is, also, hard for people that have lived in poverty or a nation that is run by a dictator or has a corrupt government or a nation that is not as wealthy as other nations to raise their eyes up to see that there is a better life waiting for them.
The only thing that stops a person from being prosperous is not applying pricipals in their lives. There are immutable laws for abundance and prosperity just as surely as there are laws of physics. We don’t see gravity but we know it is there. It is the same with laws that bring prosperity.
If you think that I am going to lay down all of the laws of prosperity and abundance in this writing, you are right!
The law of believing is your key to the abundant life! As a matter of fact, it is your ticket to a life that is more than abundant!
Jesus Christ said in the book of John that he came so that we could have a life that is “more than abundant”
John 10: 10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
If this is not true than what is? Since, this is true then HOW do we get that in our lives? To find the answer look at Hebrews 11:1
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
A literal translation of that is “ Now believing is the title deed of things prayed for, the evidence that they are yours before they are seen.”
Have you ever noticed that God puts some things in the past tense for what is future?
Ephesians 2: 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
7 That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
He made us sit in the heavenly places. We are not there yet but what is future is, to God, past tense, he already did it. It is the same for those born again of God’s spirit.
Phillipians 4: 19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
God already has set up for us the immutable law that says that He Shall, absolutely, supply our need.
III John 2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
Men wrote the Bible But God is the author and God says that he wants you to prosper.
There is a record in Matthew of people who did not believe.
Matthew 13: 53 And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.
54 And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?
55 Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?
56 And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?
57 And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.
58 And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
The same Jesus that “healed all” did not do what he could have because the people did not believe. If you don’t believe you won’t get your deliverance. You won’t walk into the life that is abundant nor will you have a more than abundant life. You are always believing something, why not the Word of God?
We, in this world, are, for a large part, living just like those people in Matthew, doubting that God will back up his Word. So we just don’t venture out. We don’t read the Bible to claim those promises. We read it because we are told to or because it’s a nice book. I guarantee that if you put your other reading material away and stop watching TV and just read the Bible from Acts to Jude over and over again with the intent to get the promises from God that you can claim you will be a new, energetic and prosperous person.
Matthew 21: 22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
Mark 9: 23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
Ephesians 1: 19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
I Thessalonians 2: 13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
James 1: 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
Are you double minded? Is the Bible The Word Of God or aren’t you sure? Can He deliver to the utmost or aren’t you sure? Does God want you to be delivered from the negative situations that you are involved and that have ensnared you or aren’t you sure?
My prayer for you this night is the same one Paul wrote in Ephesians.
Ephesians 1: 15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

Posted in General