One of the most controversial issues in the Word of God is in the area of finances. It is those who argue the most about the tithe and offering that typically make the accusations against the church and preachers that they “are only after the money.”
While I believe in the prosperity of God I would not call myself a “prosperity Christian.” The reason for this is because I truly believe that the prosperity found in the Word of God is a result of following the Lord and
not the purpose of following Him. My objective has always been a pursuit of trying to do things God’s way. In that, I fully believe that the benefits that come through doing things God’s way by far outweighs the cost.
I believe according to the Word that God has an economic system just as the world has one. The only thing different between God’s system and the worlds is that the heavenly economic system
always works. You don’t have to worry about high interest rates, real estate devaluation, stock market crashes, or inflation. God has said that He has “given unto us all things that pertain unto life.” (
2 Peter 1:3)
Understanding that God has given to us all things and that His economic system far surpasses the world’s economic system; we must also understand that God’s economy works through the natural monetary system. What I mean by this is that there is not a separate currency; God’s system uses the world’s money. There is not heavenly real estate that you will own and earthly real estate. Everything that God uses is already in the natural. When you need a financial breakthrough, heaven is not going to start printing money for you. God will work through the economic system of the world to transfer money into your possession. Therefore,
in order to properly understand God’s system you have to realize that you have to allow God’s system to work through the wealth that is presently coming into your possession.
If we can think of this in the terms of salvation we can clearly see the transition that takes place. When one initially comes to the Lord they are living a life that is disobedient to the Word of God. It is the life they have chosen and they are doing the things that they enjoy. When they truly repent and make a decision to allow Jesus to be Lord of their life they are making a decision to take the life they have been living, change it and start living the way God has instructed them to live. There is a cost to this decision. There may be friends that they can no longer be around, activities that they can no longer participate in, and things that they will now need to do that they once did not do, like going to church. The same is true when one makes the decision to start living in God’s economy. They have money, they may have a home, a car, and other assets that they have been using the way they have wanted to use them. But in their decision to get involved in God’s economy means that they will have to take what they currently possess and start doing with it what God has instructed. Just as there was a cost in their natural lives when they allowed Jesus to be Lord of their lives, there is a cost financially when they get involved in God’s economy. But just as there are great benefits in living the Christian life there are also great benefits to being a part of God’s economy.
Let me reiterate something that I said earlier.
Prosperity is not the goal of serving the Lord, it is the result. We should want to do things God’s way because He is our Lord, whether it is in the area of money or in another area. When our goal is the Lord, then the blessings of the Lord will manifest in our life.
Let’s start with some very foundational truths about God’s system from Psalms (24:1): "The earth is the LORD's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein."
In this verse God has very firmly established that everything is His. He says that the earth is His, the fullness (which is everything in the earth) is His, the world is His, and all the people that live on the earth are His. Everything is His! If you can get this truth into your spirit you will have no problem operating in God’s economy. Let me translate this into more modern language. The car that you say is yours is really His. The house that you say is yours is really His. The life that you think is yours is actually His. The money in the bank, your wallet, an investment account that has your name on it is really His. Everything is the Lord’s. In understanding that everything is His we must then understand that He has given us permission to use what is His. This is where stewardship comes into play. We are all stewards of something that God owns whether it is an asset in this world’s system or a personal talent or ability. Everything belongs to God, we have just been given the right to use His stuff.
In the above verse God declares that everyone that dwells on the earth is the Lord’s. Let’s consider some other areas where stewardship plays a part in our lives. If everything and everyone is the Lord’s then you are a steward of your children. What a sobering thought! How you raise your children is important to the Lord. Stewardship affects every aspect of your life because your life belongs to the Lord. In the parable of the talents found in
Matthew 25 we read of three men who were given possessions that belonged to the Master. The Master went away and expected these three men to take what was given to them and increase the Masters goods. When the Master returned two of the men had profitably handled the Master’s goods and the Master was pleased with them. The third only returned to the Master what was originally given to Him and the Master was very angry and cast this man out.
Stewardship is very important. What you are doing with what God has placed in your possession matters a lot.
Let’s expand this thought further by reading
Deuteronomy 8:18 where the Lord specifically speaks to His people about their life and His economy:
“But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.”
Notice that this scripture starts off with a command to “remember.” As you go through life on a day to day basis taking care of things it is easy to forget what God has commanded. Therefore, He gives explicit instructions to remember. What is it that you are supposed to remember? That it is God who has given you the power to get wealth.
However wealth comes to you - a paycheck, a business, investments God gave you the power to do it.
God has given you this power for the purpose of establishing His covenant in the earth. This is the reason why He had to give an instruction to remember because as wealth comes to you, your natural inclination is to think that it is for the purpose of you living better, buying things, and establishing your comfort in this earth.
What we have is stewardship of God’s stuff. This area of God’s Word is probably the hardest area for people to come to grips with because the natural line of thinking is, “If I surrender what I have to establish God’s covenant how will I live, feed my family, and have anything?” The answer is actually very simple. God has established through His Word that when we live the way He said to live His blessings will flow through us. His blessings in our lives are far greater than your ability to earn a paycheck.
If you will read
Deuteronomy 28:1-14 and notice how many times God emphasizes the importance of listening to what He says, doing what He says, obeying what He says, and not turning from what He says. Notice also that when we listen, obey, and stay with Him that it is then that our life becomes so blessed that everything we do is met with His abundance. God’s way takes faith, but God’s way always works.
Why do we want to live this way? Because God said to.
Our purpose in life is not a pursuit of riches, but a pursuit of God. There is more to life than money – much more. Health, happiness, joy, freedom are all aspects of walking with God. There’s also the eternal aspect of being obedient. Jesus clearly pointed out the following:
“If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (
John 14:15 - KJV)
“Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” (
John 14:23 - KJV)
Jesus made a connection between our loving Him and our obedience to what He has said. Are we so naïve to think that we can do what we want and be ready for His return?
More than walking in the blessings of God there is walking with God.
God is very specific about how we are to do things. Including how we give. Too many Christians haphazardly give into the Kingdom of God. At offering time they just plunk some money into the bucket based upon what is left in their wallet or checkbook with very little, if any, thought, prayer, or obedience to the Word being associated with their giving. This is why so many Christians do not see the full power of God's prosperity in their life.
There is a conclusion that I have come to and that is living for God is expensive. This is why one must truly count the cost before coming to Christ. Having said that the great thing about God is that even though He is expensive, His rewards so much surpass our giving that it really is worth it.
God does have any economy!
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