Introduction:
Experience is said by the best teachers. The idea of prosperity goes deeper than the acquisition of material things. Prosperity is an “elastic concept” that encompasses things as good as intellectual and spiritual realities. From this angle, I can make a significant contribution to the subject.
Our focus will be to examine the biblical meaning of poverty, prosperity, offer biblical guidance and practical guidance on how to overcome poverty.
1. Biblical understanding of poverty:
Poverty means lack of material or spiritual goods. The state of poverty is mentioned in two ways in the Bible;
1. Secondary cause: Poverty is considered the consequence of moral laxity, especially laziness (Prov. 13:18, 20:13, 10:14).
2. Main cause: Scripture recognizes injustice and other social factors as responsible for poverty (Prov. 13: 3, Eccl. 4: 1-2).
2. The biblical understanding of prosperity:
Prosperity can be described as the abundant possession of various forms of material things and, by extension, some valuable immaterial things. Material wealth comes through God’s blessing (Deut. 28: 1-14) Prosperity is a gift from God (Eccl. 5: 17-19, 22: 24-26). James 1: 16-17 crowns everything that all that is good comes from God. From the above it is relevant for us to point out that wealth is given by God for a defined purpose, God gives for the purpose of meeting the needs of the poor (Deut. 15: 7-11, 2 Cor. 9: 8-10) .
The above statement will definitely raise a question, from experience often only bad people do, those who try to keep God’s commandments may not really have prosperity, scripture has the answer (Mal. 3: 14-18, Prov. 23:17, Eccl. 5: 11-14, Prov. 20:17, Prov. 13:22).
From poverty to prosperity: biblical recipe:
I. Hard work is highly recommended. Prov. 20:13
ii. Stand tall. Prov. 15: 6
iii. Be trustworthy. Prov. 28:20.
Iv. Be charitable to the poor. Prov. 11: 24-25, 28:27
V. Be diligent in your workplace. Prov. 12:27
Poverty towards prosperity: temporary recipe:
According to Percira AP, three things are required to be successful in any endeavor which are:
I. You must have the intention to be successful.
ii. You must learn to be successful.
iii. You must persevere until success is yours.
Other points include believing in yourself, remembering that the Red Sea, Goliath and the Jericho wall gave way to the determination of those involved. Cut the rope of failure, plan for success, stop the leak. Take God in your plan. Prov. 16: 1, 9, 19:21.
Caution: danger sign about prosperity.
As long as there is nothing wrong with being prosperous. Every true Christian should be careful how he strives for prosperity and what he does with it after he gains it.
I. Prosperity without the fear of God poses danger to the spiritual and moral health of the possessor. (Ps 49: 12-13, 20).
ii. Prosperity is an opposing force that competes with God for man’s attraction and attention (Matt. 6:21, 24, Job 22: 23-26).
iii. Excessive desire for prosperity can destroy one’s faith (1 Timothy 6: 9-10).
iv. An individual can trust himself instead of God when prospering (Prov. 30: 8-9).
v. Prosperity often leads to greed and avarice (Luke 12: 13-21).
saw. Cruelty and meanness are vices that go easily with prosperity (Ecc. 13: 3-6).
Conclusion:
Prosperity is not bad in itself. As such a Christian, when striving to be prosperous, there is a need to live by spiritual values that will guide one on how to obtain and God’s grace to use it according to God’s will.
Our desire to be prosperous must also be to acquire spiritual and intellectual values, good manners and good human relationships. The Bible says of what use is it to man to gain the whole world and lose his soul?
Material prosperity without spiritual is abject poverty of the worst degree (Revelation 3: 17-18) is instructive about this, before you, as a Christian, begin to live for material prosperity at the expense of spiritual prosperity, consider (Ec 31: 1) God bless you.