In our last blog [https://vyzyn.org/soul-prosperity-part-1/] we began a study in the topic of Prosperity and we discussed the overall topic of Prosperity and what it really means. The Bible is clear that it is God’s will for us to prosper because God is the source of all things good. The purpose of life on this planet, friends, is knowing the difference between good and evil. Romans 8 is a very clear chapter. Flesh and spirit don’t work in harmony; they are at war with each other. The soul is always fighting the spirit and that’s a done deal until we leave the planet. When we leave, one or the other wins forever.
So each day we have this daily fight going on inside us. How much we feed our spirits determines whether our spirits will overpower the soul. Most Christians today are so carnal and they don’t even know it. It’s unfortunate, and the Lord will hold the ministries accountable for not feeding their flocks properly. Instead, we have flocks that have grown up spiritually on spiritual McDonald’s. Sad but true and that’s why we now need a huge revival to get us out this mess. Why would anyone in the world want to attend a church that has no spiritual food? And don’t get any ideas that I’m going after ministers like Joel Osteen. Joel is who you go to when you need the all around gracious Word of the Lord. He is both for the young and senior believers. If your hearing is correct and your heart is in the right place, you’ll be able to receive from Joel Osteen.
So the Soul Prosperity scripture is:
Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. 3rd John 1:2 [NKJV]
We’re going to work that scripture over and over in this study and find out all the scriptures that go with it. Prosperity has priorities in order to be achieved. Friends, God does ALL things in proper order. There is rank, file and order in the Kingdom of Heaven. Even the angels have rank. Jesus spoke about this topic. So there are priorities that must be adhered to for prosperity to take over our soul and manifest in our lives. The last blog mentions one priority which basically is this: confidence and recognition of your source and His word.
Giving Always Precedes Receiving; why?
The second priority I want to cover is the priority of giving always precedes receiving. Prosperity and poverty both are no accident. We suffer as a result of not getting into the Word for ourselves and receiving God’s truth that sets us free. I, myself, admit that in my own life, I stood on the fence on this issue of prosperity. I took several classes on the subject of giving and receiving but my heart was always on the fence about it. That’s a lack of soul prosperity. How can my soul prosper if my own spirit has not taken a stand on this truth?
Jesus said in Luke 6:38:
Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
Jesus explains Kingdom Laws of sowing and reaping. The spiritual law of sowing and reaping is simply to be willing to release it first. Proverbs 11:24-25 says:
There is [he] that scattereth and yet increaseth; and there is [he] that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.
The liberal soul shall be made fat; and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.
2 Corinthians 9:6-8 says:
But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may about to every good work.
So there it really is in black and white for us. We can’t rely on 2nd Corinthians 9:6 without verses 7 and 8 to get us into the realm of understanding. Yet there is still another scripture not often grouped into teaching the laws of Kingdom Prosperity and that is the parable of the sower. This parable is so vital to not just teaching on financial prosperity, but in all Kingdom Laws. There are laws to everything in the Kingdom of God. Laws on faith, prayer, prosperity, healing. We must know the Word and work the Word into the soil of our hearts. One of the greatest misconceptions on giving is that the soil is the ministries we’re giving to. That’s wrong. Jesus explained that the seed is the Word and it goes into the ground, which is our hearts. He said that how our hearts respond to His Word determines whether and what our yield is. The good soil simply means good motives so we need to dig in to the Word to find out what are the good motives that determine how we’re perceiving the Word.
In Matthew 13, Jesus speaks of the parable of the sower and he explains to his disciples that the seed is the Word and the soil is the heart that receives the Word. This is about receiving what the Word of God says about any topic and how we prosper in it. Jesus tells his disciples in Matthew 13:23:
But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. [KJV]
One of the biggest misconceptions on prosperity is what the ground is. Many have taught that the ground is the quality of the ministry where you give your money to. But the truth is, that is incorrect. Let’s break down the result of the misconception.
This misconception leads us to give grudgingly in that we can question the quality of the ministry simply when dealing its leaders. For example, if we become offended by something our pastor said or did, we tend to struggle in our giving to his ministry. If we give grudgingly, that is reluctantly, or in resentment, we stop the seed from growing. If we stop the seed, the Word, then we stop our soul prosperity and if we stop our own soul from prosperity, i.e., understanding, then our seed will not come to harvest.
The Bible backs itself up, friends. Jesus said many things about how the Kingdom Laws really work and gave us the blueprint. All we need to do is study those laws. Again, you wouldn’t want some novice in law to represent you in court, would you? Of course not. So then why would you think that God will honor His Word without YOU understanding it, not just in the mind, but deep inside your heart, where the real ground is. Luke 8:18 provides further backup to my point:
Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have. [KJV]
If we don’t understand how the Kingdom laws function, we won’t prosper. God’s Kingdom Laws require understanding before those laws can be properly applied. Understanding comes by way of diligent study of the Word of God. It’s as simple as that.
The law referred to in Luke 8:18 is known as the Law of Use. If you don’t seize the Word and utilize it, it won’t return a yield. Before you work the soil in your heart, you first must hear it with good soil in the ground or the seed, which is the Word of God, won’t sprint forth.
The correct motive God’s Kingdom Laws respond to is to give cheerfully, without resentment, regret, or even fear that God won’t bless unless we give. A heart that gives cheerfully gives because they know where their source comes from and knows there’s more for the future. A heart that gives cheerfully gives because their Father owns the cattle of a thousand hills and will give again. A heart that gives because he fears to stop the flow is giving out of extortion. That’s the wrong kind of fear. It’s actually calling God an extortionist. That’s not good faith that fertilizes the seed, which is the Word, and understanding prevails. That’s a fear that essentially slanders God’s name and character as a bully. Don’t think God isn’t offended by that. God wants to bless us always and that’s what His character is. God’s motives to us are always good. The Bible tells us that god is quick to bless and slow to chide. [Psalm 103:8-9] Psalm 145:16 says: You open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. So giving out of the wrong attitude about God is a wrong motive. Remember, we must go to Him in good faith.
Working in law, I know a little about the difference in good faith and bad faith. Good faith is simply taking God at His Word. Bad faith in spiritual terms is doubting God will hold up to His Word and be faithful to bring what He says to pass. That constitutes a bad motive. Good faith is the fertilizer that your seed needs to grow and bring you that soul prosperity (again, understanding) in order to grow.
We have to till the soil of the grounds of our own hearts and give with proper measure and proper motive in order for prosperity to take hold. It’s not about how much we give, but it’s about the quality of our motive behind our giving. Jesus used the widow’s mite to illustrate this point. It’s wasn’t about the amount she gave, it was about her motive: she gave all she had. She was sold out. She trusted God for her financial future. She knew who her source was.
So it’s not about the quality of the ministries we give to, it’s about what’s in our hearts when we give. Get the preacher out of the middle of it. It’s up to you what church to attend. If you’re in the church God wants you to be, don’t question the quality of the ministry. That’s where many people take a wrong turn in their giving. It’s about YOU and God. Keep it there. When you keep it about just YOU and GOD, your understanding will open up and you’ll begin to see the final result – the harvest.
I would like to challenge you to take to heart your motives in giving. Giving precedes receiving for a reason: it’s about the soil where the seed is placed. Remember, the soil is your heart and the seed is the Word. It’s about the quality of your hearing first, receiving and embracing the Word in your heart for the seed to germinate.
In my next blog on this series of Soul Prosperity, I’ll continue on the topic of right and wrong motives. If you would like to bring Soul Prosperity into your life, please pray this prayer:
Father in Heaven, I need understanding into my spirit and soul to manifest your Kingdom Laws into my life. Please give me a hunger in my spirit that searches and diligently studies your Word and brings understanding to my soul. Help me to give out of a right motive and set me on the path of understanding so that I may spread your gospel to the world. Use me, Father, I pray as a vessel of honor that brings your abundant life to those who don’t know you. I ask this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ – Amen.
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