“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.
This is the day which the Lord has brought about; we will rejoice and be glad in it. 25 Save now, we beseech You, O Lord; send now prosperity, O Lord, we beseech You, and give to us success! Psalms 118:24-25 AMP
No one, in their right mind, deliberately wants to be a failure. Every one wants rather to prosper and be a success. The one thing every one must recognize is that success in only one area is not true success. If you make a lot of money and lose your own integrity, have you truly succeeded? If you reach all your goals and lose your family, what have you truly gained? The first step toward prosperity and success is to recognize that it comes only from God, not us. No one can claim to be “self-made.” At the very least, there were other people along the way who helped you achieve your goals. How much more do we not all need the Lord to help us? Really, if it is not God who prospers us, we are not prosperous at all. Everything we have is His and comes from Him!
Ultimate prosperity – true success comes only when every area of your life is well and blessed: your spirit; your soul; your body; your marriage; your family; your relationships; your work; your finances. Ask God for your prosperity – look to the Lord for your success!
Therefore keep the words of this covenant and do them, that you may deal wisely and prosper in all that you do. Deuteronomy 29:9 AMP
Obedience to God’s will and His word are what brings ultimate success and prosperity. God’s wisdom is the source of true prosperity.
Be strong (confident) and of good courage, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only you be strong and very courageous, that you may do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you. Turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success. Joshua 1:6-8 AMP
Blessed (happy, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly [following their advice, their plans and purposes], nor stands [submissive and inactive] in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down [to relax and rest] where the scornful [and the mockers] gather. 2 But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law (the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God) he habitually meditates (ponders and studies) by day and by night. 3 And he shall be like a tree firmly planted [and tended] by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper [and come to maturity]. Psalms 1:1-3 AMP
Joshua and David both learned the key to prosperity: keeping God’s word in their heart and mouth every day. They meditated in the word daily and it began to change them from the inside out. They became strong and bold as they received revelation from God’s word. They trusted more and more in God and His word. They did nothing without His help and guidance and God’s hand was upon them to succeed and prosper in everything that they did!
For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. 33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil. Proverbs 1:32-33 KJV
Prosperity destroys fools! They do not know how to handle it. They use their blessing to destroy themselves. They become arrogant; they become wasteful; they devalue relationships; they love money and use people; they trade in their current spouse for a new one; they believe that they don’t need anyone – even God!
In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider that God has made the one side by side with the other, so that man may not find out anything that shall be after him. Ecclesiastes 7:14 AMP
Life is full of ups and downs. When you are walking in prosperity, it is important to remember to be grateful. Never take the blessing for granted. Always appreciate what you have right now – no matter how big or small. Tell God how much He means to you. Show Him how much you appreciate Him and His blessing on your life.
On the first [day] of each week, let each one of you [personally] put aside something and save it up as he has prospered [in proportion to what he is given], so that no collections will need to be taken after I come. 1 Corinthians 16:2 AMP
Give according to the increase. Every week, remember to set aside something, from the blessing and prosperity that has come in to you, to give back to God. As long as you give back to God out of what He has given you, you will remember that it is He who gives you the ability to get wealth and no one else (Deut 8:18) and as long as you continue to obey, serve, and acknowledge Him in your life – He will continue to prosper and increase you.
If they obey and serve Him, they shall spend their days in prosperity and their years in pleasantness and joy. Job 36:11 AMP