8th November, 2020
Ministering: Pastor Emmanuel Jesuyon Dansu
Text: 3 John 1:1-2
A lot of what we call management principles today are ideas from Joseph in the Bible. It is interesting to see that people do a lot of research only to reach conclusions that are already in the scriptures.
To prosper means to succeed, to advance, to keep moving in spite of all challenges. As Christians, it is very misleading to think of prosperity as pertaining to material and financial things only. True and sustainable prosperity starts from a healthy spiritual state which later manifests outwardly. Outward success without an inward bearing capacity can only lead to disaster, which is why there are many frustrated rich people.
If you want to remove something bad, remove the spirit behind it; if you want something good, imbibe the spirit of it. God has no problem making you prosper but He will rather not give you prosperity that will destroy you.
Genesis 39:1-6,20-23; Acts 7:9,10
It is quite fascinating that Joseph thrived under all kinds of circumstances simply because God was with him. It did not matter whether he was in a pit waiting to be sold, in Potiphar’s house as a slave, in prison due to a false accusation or in Pharaoh’s palace as prime minister.
This is to tell us that prosperity is not necessarily about where we are, it is about who we are and who is with us. True prosperity can only be accessed in God’s presence. According to Genesis 21:22-25, people can easily see when God is with you.
1 Samuel 26:15-18
If God is with you, you cannot hide for too long because the presence of God cannot be hidden. As you continually dwell in God’s presence, you become greater and greater to your own amazement. Never come to a point where you feel you know how to do everything right or feel you are the one making things happen.
Luke 1:26-33; Acts 10:38; 18:9-11
In Luke 1:28, we see that Mary was blessed among all women because God was with her. She apparently was not the only virgin that lived at that time but God’s presence with her made all the difference. From Luke 1:31, it is clear that with God’s presence comes His favour.
If you have the Lord with you, you can birth things that will change the course of history. Nothing is impossible when you are in God’s company. We need the Lord to be with us so that we can be bold witnesses of Jesus advancing the Great Commission, no matter what we are up against.
God’s presence is what keeps our spirit, soul and body alive. If God is not with you, it means you are the one that walked away because He is always there. If you discover He is not with you, you have to retrace your steps back to Him.
Jude 20,21; John 15:4
One way to cultivate God’s presence is to pray with divine assistance whether in tongues or in understanding. That way, we can stay connected with the love of God by which we can have all kinds of virtues flow into our lives.
True prosperity is only guaranteed by our connection with Jesus through the Holy Spirit who keeps upgrading us as we are sensitive and obedient to Him. Any prosperity outside of this is simply a delusion.