The Gospel of Grace with Kim Balogh

Is it God's will for you to prosper? Let's examine this controversial topic based on the Bible.

First of all let's define prosper. In the Greek the word is euodoō and it means to be successful and in particular in buisness affairs.

3 John 1:2 John says that he prays for the brethren to prosper and be healthy in body according to the prosperity of their spirit man.

In other words if the spirit man is prospering then that prosperity will be evident in the natural realm as well.

Jesus never said money or wealth was evil. In fact what he did say was to make use of mammon or worldly money for good purposes and make wise investments with money and be faithful with it and it will return to you a benefit. Matthew 6

Luke 16

God said the love of money was the root of all evil. To serve money and put it before God is the sin. Not having money. I Tim 6

If we use money for fleshy indulgences and greed this is sin but to use money for God's kingdom this is not sin.

James 4

Matthew the tax collector restored what he stole and when he repented he said to the Lord that he would give of his riches to help the poor. This pleased Jesus. Mark 2

According to the Bible poverty is a curse. Many times Christians are dirt poor because of un dealt with sin in their lives, mismanagement of what they did have (parabel of the talents) or simply because of ignorance of the Bible.

Deuteronomy 28

Galatians 3

Prosperity is also relative. A person living in a western nation may have to make more money than a person from a third world nation in order to live. For example the price of a days wages in one country may be the cost of a loaf of bread in another. The cost of a rental house for one month in one country may be a years wages in another.

The point is that prosperity and health while relative is a sign of God's blessing. Many sickness and diseases are caused by sin and demonic power such as unhealthy life choices, occult practices, generational sins, and word curses.

Exodus 15

Deuteronomy 7

1 Peter 3

Colossians 4

God says that his people perish for lack of knowledge and so many Christians suffer at Satan's hands due to their ignorance of God's word. Hoses 4:6

Does God allow suffering sometimes? Yes he does and scriptures tell us some reasons that he does this; such as for his glory to be revealed, to further the work of God, and chastisement for disobedience.

John 9

Job 42

Dan 4

God promises to supply our needs. Not our greeds. If he wants to give someone a lot of money in order to further the kingdom of God then that's his buisness but if some of us have to pray for our needs to be met every day because the Lord wants to increase our faith then again that is his buisness. We each have been given different gifts and we should just accept that.

Phil. 4

Romans 12

1 Corinthians 12 Ephesians 4

It is not wrong to pray for your needs to be met but you don't have to live up to the Jones. A guy with a ministry to the poor may not need a Cadillac but an ambassador to the rich and famous maybe he does.

2 Cor. 10 :12

1 Timothy 6

Paul said that he became all things for all people that he might win them to Jesus Christ. We need to take that into consideration.

1 Corinthians 9

Paul also said in the Bible to be content in your situation whether you have a lot or not.

Phil. 4

The important thing is to live for Jesus and be in the center of his will.

Matthew 6

Heaven's streets are paved with gold and all God's children have shoes so in eternity we have an inheritance incorruptible to look forward to and since that's the final outcome we all prosper in the end anyway .

Faith is the master key to open the kingdom of heaven.

Peter tells Christians that we are to arm ourselves or equip ourselves with the mindset of Jesus Christ when it comes to our suffering in this world. (1Peter 4:1)

In order to do that we need to understand the suffering of Jesus Christ. Let's take a look at Isaiah 53.

According to this prophecy which occurred in the future and is now in the past but which applies to the Christian in the present, Jesus Christ endured tremendous suffering.

We can see these main occurances which Jesus Christ endured. Let's break them down.

Jesus was despised.

This means that Jesus was not valued and seen as worthless. In other words who Jesus is and what he did for humanity is not respected and in fact is scorned by many people both in the past and today .

Since Jesus was despised why do we think that we should experience any better kind of treatment? Jesus himself said that the world hated him so don't expect it to like you either. Are we armed with this mindset?

Jesus was rejected by men. Many people simply do not want Jesus Christ. They prefer their own ways.

Since Jesus was rejected because his values are not appreciated then we must also be armed with his mindset. We may not be liked or valued or accepted by those who are not disciples of Jesus Christ. It's a given.

Jesus was even afflicted. That means he had to endure pain, abuse, bullying and scoffing. He was beaten and murdered too. Are we armed with this mindset?

Now let's look at some other things Jesus endured for our sakes. Isaiah 53 goes on to tell us that Jesus bore our sorrows, he endured shame, he bore our griefs, and he carried our burdens.

Galatians 6: 2 tells us to bear one another's burdens. This means that when we are armed with the mindset of Jesus Christ we come alongside our brethren like he did and help them carry their burden. Whether it's in prayer, giving, ministering, helping, or serving.

Paul tells us that when we consider our sufferings in this world to be unworthy of the glory that will be revealed in us we can see a positive outcome of all this suffering we endure. It's not for naught. It's not because God is a sadist but rather the suffering we endure for the present if we are armed with Jesus Christ's mindset have both eternal and present benefits. Let's check it out.

Jesus bore sorrow, pain and grief for our sake so that through his affliction he could bring us healing. Jesus was wounded so that through his stripes we could recieve forgiveness ,healing and restoration.

He endured the cross and the shame so that he could bring many out of darkness and make them his children. When we are armed with this mindset we can endure our sufferings for the benefit of others.

Maybe enduring a mean person at work or rejection by your family. Enduring name calling and bullying by class mates who are not Christians or even having to give up your pay check to help a relative in sickness or give up your life to be a witness for your faith.

These are just some examples of what a Christian may have to endure to represent Jesus Christ in this world and share the gospel to the lost.

Jesus suffering brought us not only salvation but righteousness and justification. He suffered in patience and endurance because he knew what the outcome would be. Armed with Jesus Christ's mindset on suffering we learn to be patient and wait for a good outcome too.

No suffering in this life is pleasant scriptures tell us BUT it is working out a far greater work of glory. In heaven you will be rewarded and sometimes even here we will reap the benefits but do you know what the best part is? It brings honour to the Lord !

Think about that! When we patiently endure and pray then God walks through the suffering with us (Isaiah 43:2) He helps us carry our burdens and with joy we can bear up under it.

Something to think about.

In Mathew 10:1 Jesus called his disciples and he gave them power that is excousia in the Greek or athourity...

Magistrate...

delegated influence in a jurisdiction...strength...over

Unclean ...demonic spirits ....to cast them out....expell or send away...and to heal ...cure..all manner..every kind...of sickness...disease.

This verse reveals that those called by God have been given athourity over the workings of the evil one and power to heal or cure diseases.

In Luke 10 :19 Jesus said

I give unto you power...excousia...athourity...to trample over...put in subjection...

snakes...sly cunning malicious persons...and scorpions..the sting or piercings of evil attacks..and over all the power....demonic activity ..demonic strength....of the enemy...satan....and nothing shall hurt... injure...do wrong...to you.

Christians have been given athourity or jurisdiction over the evil one but in order to exercise that athourity one must recieve power from on high.

When Jesus was with his disciples he gave them his athourity to cast out devils and heal the sick but after Jesus was risen from the dead he sent the Holy Spirit to empower the disciples.

Luke 24:49 wait until you receive power from on high...

Endued with or clothed with....power... dumanis ... from heaven.

Believing in Jesus name is not enough. One must not only be saved or regenerated by the Holy Spirit but also empowered by the Holy Spirit. Some Christians call this being baptized in the Holy Spirit. The Bible calls it recieving or being clothed with dumanis power from on high.

Notice that the recieving of power is from heaven. This is not the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that occurs from regeneration or being born again. This is an endowment of supernatural miraculous ability to perform miracles, signs and wonders.

Positionally Christians have athourity over the devil but that athourity cannot be exercised without power or dumanis.

In Luke the scriptures tell us that the power or dumanis of the Lord...power of the Holy Spirit... was present to heal....with power or dumanis Jesus commands the unclean spirits and they come out. Dumanis power is God's mighty miraculous strength and power.

With athourity or jurisdiction, Jesus commanded the evil spirits and they obey him. This is exercised through athourity and power given from on high or heaven.

Jesus preached the word or logos with

power and athourity delegated from heaven.

John 1 :12 tells us that those who receive Jesus have been given athourity to become the sons of God. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:7

We have this power in earthen vessels when we have become born of God.

All true Christian's have been given athourity and power but not all realize this.

Being endued with power from on high is a one time experience but also a continual experience.

Just because you have a well of water or Holy Spirit power dwelling in you does not mean you can have a drink. You must draw from that well. In other words you must tarry with God. Spend time with him. Get your heart right. Repent of sin. Gain spiritual insight from him. Get his plan or purpose for your life.

Acts 1 :8 says that when you recieve power ....dumanis...after the Holy Spirit has come upon you.... arrives to influence you then you become his witnesses...to bear record of him by becoming a martyr (sold out to God)for him in all the earth.

Acts 4:33 says that God gave the apostles ...ambassadors...commissioners....sent with miraculous

great power to witness with great grace charis...that is with mighty divine influence.

Stephen was not one of the original 12 disciples and did not have first hand testimony of Jesus but he still had his testimony of what good things happened to him by his salvation. Acts 6:8 says that

Stephen was full of faith...trust in the Lord and power... dumanis...he did miraculous ...miracles....supernatural signs...among the people.

Paul was not a first hand witness either but he became a believer supernaturally and according to

Romans 15:19

Paul did mighty signs and wonders by the dumanis power of the Holy Spirit....and fully preached the gospel.

Paul said that his in

1 Cor. 2:4 that his

preaching was not in man's persuasive words or wisdom but by demonstration of the Holy Spirit in power or dumanis miracles.

Paul exhorted believers to be filled with joy and peace in the Holy Spirit power. He said to put on the armour of God, be filled with the word of God and continually be filled with the power of God. Romans 15:13

2:Corinthians 6:7

Each of us have been given gifts and callings from God but we must be endued with power from on high to perform them.

Not just once but every day. Draw from the wells of salvation as David exhorted.

Eph. 3:7

I was made a minister ...servant of the gospel...according to the gift....of grace...divine influence...given...by the operation or working...of Gods dumanis power.

We need to preach Gods word with dumanis power and not by our own abilities other wise we will not be effective.

1Thessalonians 1:5

Preaching the gospel not just in word...logos...but in power...demonstration of the miraculous power of God.

Ephesisns 3:19

Be filled ....supplied with the Holy Spirit.