“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth (3 John 1: 2)”
Is every area of your life prospering simultaneously? If not, rethink how God sees you. God sees you as a vessel to accomplish His mandates. He does not see you broken down, tired, frustrated, and dependant on others. God’s expectation for you is to prosper not only in your soul but body and mind, physically, mentally as well as spiritually.
How do we prosper in God? By walking in truth. For Paul stated in the third verse of this same chapter, “For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.” Walking in truth will give you the only true prosperity of God. How do we walk in truth? By having the mind of Christ. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: (Philippians 2:5)”. Having the same mind is to have the same intentions, same ideas, beliefs and opinions. So if we have the same intentions, ideas, belief, and opinions as Chirst, we will see the prosperity of God. Let me clarify, prosperity does not mean riches. Prosperity in this sense means to succeed in reaching a particular goal in your life, to succeed in one’s affairs, to become bountiful, cheerful, and favoured. We cannot boil down prosperity to money. Prosperity is all encompassing in every aspect of our life. Money is just a side effect of prosperity. We are to have prosperity within our souls, our health, our careers, our homes, our mind, and our bodies as well in our finances by displaying love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, and self control.
Prosperity first starts with the state of mind. It is very hard to prosper if our mind does not walk in the truth of Christ. I know some people may say that I don’t need this in order to prosper. All I have to do is to work 60-80 hours per week and work out five times a week for two hours and my body and mind will prosper. That is true in the natural sense but was that the real mind of Christ for you to be away from your family working 80 hours a week and working out for another two hours. While you are prospering in your career and physical body, prosperity (peace) in the home was left out of the picture. You see, walking in truth and having the mind of Christ creates a peace and if there is no peace at home, there is no prosperity. “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life… (Psalm 23:6)”. Prosperity should follow you not you follow prosperity.
Not walking in truth creates friction. How? When the soul and the body are at odds with one another, you don’t have the prosperity that God’s desire. We can see here – “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would (Galatians 5:17).” When these two are at odds with one another, disaster happens, purpose is postponed, God’s glory is delayed, and optimum health is not achieved.
Walk in truth and allow prosperity to follow you.
Cedric Dukes
Author of soon released title coming in September 2009: Hostile Takeover – Manifesting God’s Plan and Purpose for Your Finances
Zoë Life Publishing – http://www.zoelifepub.com/