Does God Want Me to Prosper?

When I hear the word "prosperity," I immediately think of material things such as big houses, luxury cars, vacation homes, diamond rings, expensive clothes, and eating out at fine restaurants. 

In recent years, I hear more and more about the "prosperity gospel" and wonder is this really what God intends for us? Not surprisingly, the Bible has the answer to this question.

In over sixty times the Bible uses the word prosper, it never refers to material things.  

In many cases, the word prosperity is interchangeable with the word "peace." A Hebrew word used for prosperity is "shalom." Shalom means absence of chaos, complete, lacking for nothing. It means to have peace on all sides. The peace God promises includes financial peace, but is so much bigger than that. 

God wants us to experience peace and prosperity in every area of our lives.

Jesus tells us, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you - not as the world gives, do I give to you" (John 14:27)

The world tells you to go out and get the big house and big car, then you will have peace. However any peace you get out of these things is temporary at best. There is absolutely nothing wrong with having any of these things, but when we get those things through the use of excessive debt our peace is very short lived. 

To those around us we may look like we really "have it going on," but in reality, we are in financial chaos. Although we may have all the luxuries of life, we struggle to pay our bills, have no investments, and have no peace in our finances. In contrast, God offers us true peace.

"The peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7)

God promises peace in the storm, not the absence of storms. Jesus tells us "These things I have spoken to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world". (John 16:33)

Our situations in life will not always be positive.  The Bible tells us that bad things happen to both the righteous and the unrighteous.  In spite of that, it's clear that the result of a commitment to live according to God's financial principles is a life of peace and prosperity.  

Shalom