God's Financial Plan: The Journey to Prosperity

God's Financial Plan:
The Journey to Prosperity
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Financial prosperity is an often abused subject in the body of Christ. Sometimes it is taken so far that the quest for prosperity becomes a competition among Christians.

On the other hand, some preachers have backed-off the subject because of the persecution and pressure that accompanies it. Nevertheless, the Bible has much to say about prosperity and finances which needs to be taught in a proper balance.

How can we find this balance? In order to make a point, I'm going to talk about some related scriptures before getting into specifics on prosperity.

Let's first look at Romans 12:1-2. In my opinion, the New Testament hinges on these two verses. I believe they are the key for our lives. I realize there are many keys in our lives, but this is one of the primary ones.

In Romans 12:1, Paul says:

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable (logical) service.

When I was growing up I'd hear many people preach on this verse of scripture. Missionaries would visit, preach a series of sermons, but eventually land on Romans chapter 12:1, "present your bodies." Of course, the missionaries wanted us to present our bodies to be missionaries. So at the conclusion of the service we would all dedicate our bodies to be missionaries. But then the evangelist would come through and he would want us to dedicate our bodies to be soul winners. So we would dedicate ourselves to be soul winners.

Each time I would dedicate my body on Sunday night, I would expect the Lord to grab me on Monday morning and lead me off somewhere, but He never did! Naturally, I was afraid I would end up in the Amazon or somewhere else I had no desire to go, but I'd dedicate myself anyway. (God will never call you to do what you don't want to do unless He first gives you the desire to do it.)

The next time someone came through, I'd rededicate again because I figured I must have missed it the first time. My whole life was basically a series of dedications and rededications. However, what I didn't understand was while verse one tells you what to do, it doesn't tell you how to do it! Verse two explains how to dedicate your body: "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind."

Do you want to dedicate your body? Get into God's Word. Renew your mind to God's Word because once you renew yourself to God's Word, your body becomes a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God. In other words, the monitor for your outward man is your inward man. As you dedicate your inward man to the Lord, to study His Word, and to pray before Him, then your outward man becomes a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God.

The thing that causes your body to move is your mind. When your mind is controlled by the Word of God and every thought comes into captivity to Him, the Lord says, "Move!" and your mind says, "Body, let's go with it." The body has no recourse but to move with the
command of God.

Verse two continues: "...that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

Notice, the will of God is listed in three levels. It's called "the good," "the acceptable," and "the perfect" will of God. This is because the mind is not renewed over night; it's renewed in stages. We are not immediately propelled into the perfect will of God the moment we are born again! Even Paul, at the end of his life said, "I count not myself to have apprehended." (Philippians 3:13) He went on to say he was still striving for the mastery. "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:14)

Although it's God's will for us to reach the perfect will of God in all areas, I have discovered that many people may be at one level in healing and another level in prosperity. This is because we move into God's will by stages. We go from the good to the acceptable and finally, to the perfect will of God.

This is similar to the seed found in Mark, chapter 4. This seed was sown into good ground and produced some thirty, some sixty and some hundred-fold. Notice, this is a growing process. We are later told the seed that fell into the ground produced first the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear. How do we move from the thirty to the sixty to the hundred; from the blade, to the ear, to the full corn in the ear; from the good, to the acceptable, to the perfect will of God? We do it by the renewing of our minds. Through the renewing of our minds we are able to grow in the will of God.

Let's take this idea of growing and apply it to prosperity. God's prosperity is not an overnight, get-rich-quick scheme; it is a way of life. Furthermore, God has a financial system that is not based on this earth's riches; it's based on His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

We are told in 3 John 2, "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul [mind] prospereth." What is prosperity of the soul? Prosperity of the soul is the renewing of the mind. This scripture is saying your health and your prosperity are as progressive as the renewing of your mind. As your soul prospers, your body will walk in health, and you can walk in prosperity. Moreover, this prosperity also advances by stages.

I recently read an article which maintained that 3 John is not talking about prosperity for believers today. The author argued three points. Since you may be presented with these same arguments, I want to clarify this scripture in these areas.

The First Argument:

People who teach prosperity begin in 3 John 2 and never go back to verse one. Verse one begins, "The elder." Who is the elder? It is John, the one who wrote this particular book. The verse continues, "The elder unto the well beloved Gaius..." Notice, Gaius is called "beloved." We know this book is written from John to Gaius. Apparently Gaius and John are very, very close friends (since he's calling Gaius his beloved). This is further established in the rest of the verse when John says, "...whom I love in the truth." This brings us to verse two, "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth."

The argument goes thus: In this verse John is specifically speaking to his friend Gaius. "Gaius, I wish above all things that thou [Gaius] mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy [Gaius'] soul prospereth." It is argued that this statement is not to the entire body of Christ, but a personal wish from John to his friend Gaius. I don't argue that at all. Gaius is called "beloved" in verse one, and so, leaving it in context, I heartily agree John is still speaking to Gaius in verse two. However, I do disagree that what John is saying to Gaius applies only to Gaius. I believe John is also speaking to us. The reason I say this is in verse eleven John also addresses "beloved" when he says, "Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good..." Does God want us to follow that which is good, and not to follow that which is evil? Obviously, yes! Now, if verse eleven is as much for us as it is for Gaius, then verse two is also is as much for us as it is for Gaius. Furthermore, if this book was written only to Gaius, why did God put it in the Bible? It should have just been a personal letter and not a book in the Bible.

If we omit 3 John because it was written to Gaius, we must also omit Acts and Luke because they were written to Theophilus. If that's the case, what do we do with Timothy, Titus, Philemon, or Romans? It wouldn't take long to eliminate the entire Bible. We don't have to look very far into the Word to find out how wrong that kind of thinking is. Second Timothy 3:16 clearly states, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness."

Third John appears in the Bible because it is directed to us as much as it was directed to Gaius.

The Second Argument

The next argument is because John says, "Beloved, I wish above all things," he is above everything God wants us to have money and be in health? However, what this verse is actually saying is above all, God wants our soul to prosper. God's highest will is for the believer to become established and grounded in the Word of God.
Nevertheless, as your inward man prospers, your outward man should be keeping up with it because God can trust you with riches if His Word is on the inside.

Let's look at some other verses that support this principle.

Proverbs 3:13-16: Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She (wisdom) is more precious than rubies: and all
the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. Length of days is in her right hand; and in herleft hand riches and honour.

Wisdom is a beautiful woman who comes complete with two hands. We are to seek after her, and when we receive Wisdom, we will find length of days in her right hand (health), and in her left hand is riches and honour (prosperity). However, we must not seek after riches and the health; seek after wisdom and you'll also receive riches and the health.

The Third Argument

Let's go back again to the book of III John, verse two and take a look at the third argument.

This argument says the word for "prosper" does not mean financial prosperity. I don't argue with this point. The Greek word "euhodos" is actually a compound word meaning "good journey." "Eu" means good, and "hodos," a road. However, it is also a root word for prosperity. This word "euhodos" is found only three times in the New Testament. It's translated as "good journey" in Romans 1:10. Paul is speaking to the Romans and says, "Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey."

"Euhodos" is used for the second time in 1 Corinthians 16:2. Let's make sure of its proper context by looking at verse one also. Paul, speaking to the Corinthians says, "Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let everyone of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him." We find "euhodos" is used to mean "the collection, for the saints on the first day of the week." Paul was admonishing them to do this so there would be "...no gatherings when I come."

The second use of "euhodos" is specifically talking of financial prosperity. Our study has, to this point, revealed two possible translations for "euhodos." The Greek word can mean either a good journey or trip or financial prosperity. Which of these possibilities best fits into the context of 3 John 2.

"Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest have a good trip even as thy soul has a good trip." Obviously "good trip" is not the best translation of "euhodos" in this passage. A better translation would be, "Beloved, I wish above all things that your outward man would prosper and be in health, even as your inward man prospers unto the Lord." This makes it clear that John is talking about financial prosperity being an extension of the prosperity of our souls.

Finally, the third use of "euhodos" is found in Ephesians 6:3. Verses 1-3 are addressing children, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right" (verse one).

Verse two continues, "Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise." The promise in found verse three: "That it may be well with thee..." The Greek word for "well" is "eu" or the root for the word "euhodos," which is "prosperous." In this vers, "good trip" wouldn't make sense.

Verse three continues, "...and thou mayest live long on the earth." What is the twofold blessing of knowing the Word of God? Prosperity and long life. Length of days is in the right hand and wealth, riches, and honour are in the left hand. Thus, when children obey the Lord, they can walk in prosperity and live a long time on this earth.

In fact, as we instruct our children in the Word of God, we can expect them to become more prosperous than we are. A scriptural example of this is found in David and Solomon. David taught Solomon the things of the Lord and Solomon became more prosperous than his father. But Solomon did not instruct his children and it all fell apart in the next generation. Remember, it's not God's will that things fall apart. Rather, it is God's will that it be well--prosperous--with our children, and that they live a long time on the face of the earth.

Let's take another look at the two definitions of "euhodos": 1. prosperity 2. good journey.

Prosperity is a good journey! Prosperity is a good trip! If you were to take a trip, the first thing you would do is decide where you wanted to go. Next, you'd get out the map and plot the route to reach your destination. A prosperity trip should be a planned trip also. A lack of planning is one reason prosperity has not worked for many people. They never set a goal and have no idea where they are going. Instead, they want some overnight get-rich-quick scheme.

Prosperity is a journey that will last for the rest of your life. Therefore, you need to set some goals and develop a vision for prosperity. This vision should not be one of houses and cars, but it should be a vision of your becoming prosperous and independent enough to give into the gospel. This is the true end result of rosperity. Deuteronomy 8:18 says, "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." Establish God's covenant with your prosperity and He will give you the cars and houses!

When your vision for prosperity is for finances to spread the gospel to the poor, to preach to those who don't have this message, to preach to those who need to know Jesus, to see deliverance come to the captive, the recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, then God can trust you with the right hand, and He can trust you with the left hand for you will not be diverted one way or the other.

Bob Yandian

If you like this article, check out God's Financial Plan and his book, From Just Enough to Overflowing, at the BYM Store.