PRINCIPLES OF PROSPERITY
It takes understanding in this present age to be outstanding and prosperous. God derives pleasure when we prosper (Ps. 35:27, 3 John 2, Ezek. 36:11, Jer. 29:11) and he is the one who gives the wisdom and strength needed to make prosperity (Deut. 8:18). Every saint of God has the chance of becoming wealthy (Ps. 112:1-3), the thing is; you’ll have to decide whether you want to prosper in life or not.
“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:” Deut 30:19
“For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.” 2 Cor 8:9
“Only an irrelevant religion fails to be concerned about man’s economic well-being. Religion at its best realizes that the soul is crushed as long as the body is tortured with hunger pangs and harrowed with the need for shelter. Jesus realized that we need food, clothing, shelter and economic security. He said in clear and concise terms: “Your Father knows what you need” (Matt. 6:8). But Jesus knew that man was more than a dog to be satisfied by a few economic bones. He realized that the internal of a man’s life is as significant as the external. So He added, “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (v. 33) Martin Luther King, Jr.
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”
Ps 1:1-3 KJV
Money or wealth does not corrupt a person, it does not cause people to sin or backslide, it cannot make one worldly; it is a man’s desire and the position of his heart that drags him to sin; not the wealth he has acquired.
“Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” James 4:17
Everything in the supernatural and in the natural have guiding rules or principles, to obtain wealth from God you must abide by the rules governing wealth creation; and these principles are:-
1. humility
2. obedience to God’s instructions
3. praises
4. tithing
5. free will offering
6. prophetic offering
7. And investment.
1) Humility – those who exalt themselves are humbled by the Lord. Those who humble themselves before the Lord are those whom the Lord raises up. (Matt. 23:11-12). On several occasions God has demonstrated His love toward the lowly. He loves the humble, but despises the proud. Prov. 6:16-17, James 4:6.
The Lord Jesus is a clear example of one who is meek; He demonstrated this in many ways, (Matt. 20:27-28, John 13:5-9,12-17, Phil. 2:5-11). Jesus had a choice; He could have decided to stick to His position as the Son of God, but He humbled Himself and was obedient even unto death. Charles Wesley said of Jesus: “He left His Father’s throne above, so free, so infinite His grace! Emptied Himself of all but love, and bled for Adam’s helpless race”
“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time” (1 Peter 5:6). Let’s look at some other characters in the Bible who enjoy God’s lifting because of their humility.
Abraham was an uncle to Lot, who out of love and kindness took Lot along with him to partake in God’s blessings which will accompany his calling; Abraham with the servants he had acquired went into war with King Kedorlaomer of Dan and conquered him in pursuit of his nephew Lot. Now when quarrel arose between Abraham’s herdsmen and the herdsmen of Lot, Abraham could have maltreated Lot and sent him away or even kill him as most people will do today, rather, he let Lot have the good part of the land and went his way. Gen. 12 -13. And today he is the father of many nations and a friend of God.
God commended Moses also, he is said to be more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth (Num. 12:3); when Miriam and Aaron spoke evil against Moses because of his Cushite wife and God caused Miriam to have leprosy, Moses pleaded with God to show her mercy and cleanse her (Num. 12:1-2, 6-15), he did not say: “it serves her right, now everybody will be afraid of me and show me some respect”, just as most people will say today.
In the same vain, when the children of Israel built for themselves a golden calf and said of it to be the god who brought them out of the land of Egypt; God was furious and said to Moses, let me alone, let me destroy these stiff-necked people and raise a nation from you for Myself, this was an opportunity for Moses to become a father of nations in line with Abraham. Moreover the people had caused him a lot of trouble, but Moses pleaded on their behalf for God to pardon them (Exodus 32:7-14). Moses was indeed a humble man.
David was a man of great humility, even though he had been anointed king over Israel, he never spoke evil of King Saul, even when he had the opportunity to kill Saul, David Said, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my Master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord” (1 Sam. 24:6). He still referred to Saul as “my master” because of the humble spirit. He was recommended as a man after God’s heart (Acts 13:22)
Job (Job. 1:8), Enoch, Noah (Acts 11:5-7), Mary (Luke 1:46-55) and many others served God faithfully and they were commended by God. Instead of trying to make ourselves great, we should walk to have God’s approval of us. Phil. 2:3-5,6-7, Gal. 6:3-5,
“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth” (Matt. 5:5)
God will only lift the humble to greater height of prosperity; you stand a better chance of becoming wealthy if you humble yourself before God and man. Read:-1 Sam. 2:6-9, Ps. 18;27, 25:9, 113:7-8, Prov. 29:23, Isaiah 23:9, Matt. 18:4, 23:11, Luke 22:26-30.
2) Obedience to God’s instructions - the solution to most of our problems, and the answers to our questions and prayers lies in our obedience to God’s instructions. Most at times we are carried away by ceremonial and sacrificial activities ignoring the voice of the Spirit, take King Saul for an example, he tried to bribe God with fat offering after disobeying God (I Sam. 15;7-23). But he was rejected.
God will not do what we ask of Him hundred percent, He will always want us to take part in what ever He is doing, that is why we need to be hearing from God at all time to know the part we are to play in bringing our request or His will to pass. After hearing from God, the next thing to do is, obey Him.
Most at times we get into doing things that seem right to us but contradict God’s will; I mean what is wrong with going to Church? But what if God is saying “don’t go to church today, proceed to the hospital next to your house, there is a man there I want to heal of cancer through you that my name may be glorified”.
Or you are left with just your tithe on a certain Sunday morning and you have your mind against all odds to take the money to church, and God says: “you will not take this one to the church, but to a family I will show you who are in need, so that they will know that I Am the Greatest Provider”.
Do you know that if you do contrary to what God is saying in these two situations and acted as it seems right to you; it is a clear case of disobedience.
Still about hearing and doing what God says; God could have a location He wants you to use your gift (talent) in, or to invest your money in, or to start up a business, or to apply for a job or admission in a specified company/agency or school; or to pursue a course you don’t seem to like, or to put in for a political appointment or to resign from your present appointment and go into ministry.
In any of these cases, if you don’t recognize the voice of God or you heard God clearly but prefer doing it your own way; you have disobeyed God and you will have your self to blame when the end result surfaces.
Lets come back to the church where we do a lot of ceremonial and sacrificial activities aimed at pleasing God and encouraging one another; the question we should always ask ourselves is; “is this what God wants me to do at this point in time?
King David understood this better that is why he said “sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced; burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require. I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart”. (Ps. 40:6,8) see also (Prov. 21:3).
What about the Word of God (The Bible) that we know, in it are contained a lot of dos and don’ts, how many have we been able to obey. Rev. Emmanuel Ola has this to say: you must obey the first instruction God has given you, before He can be moved to give you another one”
When Jesus met with the lame man at the pool of Bethesda, after a little discussion with him, Jesus gave him a simple instruction “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” (John 5:8,9) It was now left for the man to obey and be healed or on the contrary, disobey and remain lame.
Our desire should be to obey God at all time and not rebel against Him like the children of Israel did. Obedience to the Lord is necessary in other to have prosperity – Deut. 11:26-28, 28:15-68, I Sam. 12:15, Rom. 6:16, II Thess. 1:7-9.
Some of the things we stand to benefit when we obey God’s instructions are contained in these scriptures:
“If ye walk in my statuses, and keep my commandments, and do them; then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit” (Lev. 26:3-4).
“If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God:
You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.
The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock--the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.
Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed.
You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.
The LORD will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.
The LORD will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The LORD your God will bless you in the land he is giving you.
The LORD will establish you as his holy people, as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the LORD your God and walk in his ways. Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they will fear you. The LORD will grant you abundant prosperity--in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground--in the land he swore to your forefathers to give you.
The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom. Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them.” Deut 28:1-14
Read also:- Exodus 34:10,11, Lev. 25:18,-19, 26:3-5, I King 3:14, Ps. 119:57-64, Ezek. 34:18-27, 2 Cor.9:13.
3) Praises – something extra ordinary always happens each time we step into praising, worshiping, thanking and appreciating God. Praise is simply celebrating the effectiveness of God’s word (Ps. 56:4), and judging God faithful (Heb. 11:11). Praise is boasting in God’s ability (Ps. 20:6, 34:1-2, Ps.138) and rejoicing in the things that He has done. (Ps. 26:7)
It is only those who know the word of God and who our God really is, that can genuinely praise Him (Ps. 22:3). Praise is expressed through singing (Ps. 69:30); which is the combination of God’s word and melody. Praise can also be expressed through dancing, through the use of instruments (Ps. 33:1-3, 150:1-5), through limping and jumping. Through shouting (making a Joyful noise; Ps. 100:1); through clapping of hands, lifting up of hands and waving them to God. Giving God all the glory and hailing Him is praise.
“Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” Eph 5:19-21 KJV
Most people have one or two excuses why they do not praise God. Some say we are not good at singing, while some complain that they don’t have good voices for singing. But the only qualification needed to praise God is life, to still have breath in your nostrils (Ps. 150:6). Even angels, heavenly host and other non living things are asked to praise the Lord (Ps. 148:1-14); you can do better. Even in difficult situation praise Him, when you are not in the mood, praise Him!
“The deepest level of worship is praising God in spite of pain, thanking God during a trial, trusting Him when tempted, surrendering while suffering and loving Him when He seems distant” (Evang. Otokpa Emmanuel).
The word of God is the stimulus of faith and praise is one of the agents that encourage faith. Praise enhances faith; when praise is turned-on, faith is high and doubt is low. Praise destroys your doubt and fear. Praiseful people are anxiety free people. You can’t be a true man of faith if you don’t know how to praise God.
Every time praise is turned-on God comes down to defend His people and fight their battles (2 Chron. 20:20-23).
“And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.
And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever.
And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.” 2 Chron 20:20-22. KJV
“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose” (Acts 16:25-26)
Develop singing in your life, if you don’t know how to sing, play music in your home, and load your car with music. The Lord inhabits the praise of His people! Not only that, what other thing can praise do? Read on!
“Let the people praise Thee, O God; let all the people praise Thee. O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shall judge the people righteously and govern the nations of the earth. Let the people praise Thee, O God; let all the people praise Thee. Then shall the earth yield her increase, and God, even our own God, shall bless us”. (Ps. 67:3-7)
Did you hear that? The psalmist just unveils to us another thing that happens each time we praise God, he said, “then shall the earth yield her increase, and God, even our own God, shall bless us”. That means each time you praise God, your resources are multiplied.
Let me briefly explain to us why it is said that the earth will yield her increase: for example, all the materials you could ever need to build a house are from the earth (land), the wood, “abestors” etc are all made out of trees which are from the earth. The zincs, nails etc are made out of iron ore which is from the earth, the sand, stones, cement etc. some of which are from rivers, soil etc. are all part of the earth.
All the materials needed to design a car are also from the earth, virtually everything are from the earth even the money you need to buy some of these things or to start up a business. The Nigerian currency for example is made of paper, polyester, iron ore which are all extracted from wood for paper, petroleum produce for polyester and iron ore for coin. Trace the raw materials needed for the production of all existing items; it will surprise you to know that they are all from the earth. So each time you praise God there will be an increase to your bank account, your business, your houses, your landed properties, etc.
That is why God said in the book of 2 Chron. 7:14 that: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land”.
Notice here that God did not say I will heal their diseases or their bodies; he said their land. King Solomon after building the temple of the Lord, pleaded with God on behalf of the people, should they wrong God and the heavens are shut up and there is no rain; and the people began to suffer from divers’ of predicaments because of their sins, and if they come to this temple which the King has built and pray to the Lord, let God answer them.
When ever they are financially sick or facing losses on their crops and livestock’s, or that they become emotionally sick, or even spiritually sick etc. and they call upon the name of the Lord, God promised to answer them, by doing a simple thing, God said, “I will heal their land”. Because, both the people and all they could need to be whole are all from the land.
And so if the psalmist says that after praising God the next thing that happens is increase from the earth, it means every area of your life is been multiplied; your possession, your finance, your cars, your houses, ... having exceptional health, meaningful relationship, sound mind, and more. Everything you can ever think of.
Is there anything you are believing God for? Step into praising God. I have tried it and am still doing it. These days I praise God more than I Pray; and it’s working for me. Your situation is not an option, as you praise God, He will remember you for good. Praise Him in every situation you find yourself and where ever you are. When it comes to praise nobody is exempted, if you want the glory of the lord to come down, praise the lord. Just keep praising Him!
“The priests then withdrew from the Holy Place. All the priests who were there had consecrated themselves, regardless of their division; all the Levites who were musicians-Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun and their sons and relatives-stood on the east side of the altar, dressed in fine linen and playing cymbals, harps and lyres. They were accompanied by 120 priests sounding trumpets. The trumpeters and singers joined in unison, as with one voice, to give praise and thanks to the LORD. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, they raised their voices in praise to the LORD and sang:
"He is good;
his love endures forever."
Then the temple of the LORD was filled with a cloud, and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the temple of God”. 2 Chron 5:11-14,
4) Tithing – The next three principles we shall be discussing show the various avenues of giving/sowing in order to receive/harvest. When it comes to the issue of giving a lot of people don’t want to be part of it. But let me reveal to you that it is not what you give that makes you to lack, but failure to give.
“One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.” Prov. 11:24 NIV.
“There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.” Prov 13:7
“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: `It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35 NIV
“The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.” Prov 10:22
And the primary reason why we are working or doing one business or the other is to help the needy. “Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.” Eph 4:28
Tithe is ten percent of your earning, your profit or of every increase you receive. (Gen. 14:18-20, Prov. 3:9). Most people get confused at what should be tithed, well, the answer is this: Every increase must be tithed. Not just your salary or the usual profit from the business; each time there is an extra income you need to pay tithe on it, each time you receive a gift also, convert the tithe of the item you receive into money and pay the tithe for it. Lev. 27:30, Deut. 14:25.
Somebody ones asked me this question: who is to pay tithe? Every child of God is bound to pay tithe, whether they be pope, bishop, priest, reverend, pastor, evangelist, etc.
“Speak to the Levites and say to them: `When you receive from the Israelites the tithe I give you as your inheritance, you must present a tenth of that tithe as the LORD's offering” (Num. 18:26).
And our tithes are to be paid to God’s minister, or to a ministry (Deut. 26:2-11, Neh. 10:37-38)
“ That thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the earth, which thou shalt bring of thy land that the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt put it in a basket, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name there.
And thou shalt go unto the priest that shall be in those days, and say unto him, I profess this day unto the LORD thy God, that I am come unto the country which the LORD sware unto our fathers for to give us.
And the priest shall take the basket out of thine hand, and set it down before the altar of the LORD thy God.
And thou shalt speak and say before the LORD thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous:
And the Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage:
And when we cried unto the LORD God of our fathers, the LORD heard our voice, and looked on our affliction, and our labour, and our oppression:
And the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders:
And he hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, even a land that floweth with milk and honey.
And now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land, which thou, O LORD, hast given me. And thou shalt set it before the LORD thy God, and worship before the LORD thy God:
And thou shalt rejoice in every good thing which the LORD thy God hath given unto thee, and unto thine house, thou, and the Levite, and the stranger that is among you.
When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thine increase the third year, which is the year of tithing, and hast given it unto the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be filled;
Then thou shalt say before the LORD thy God, I have brought away the hallowed things out of mine house, and also have given them unto the Levite, and unto the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all thy commandments which thou hast commanded me: I have not transgressed thy commandments, neither have I forgotten them” (Deut 26:2-13).
In the text above, the manner in which one is to pay the tithe is also described. Also, every truly born again child of God is a fertile ground that you can give to; including the less privileged, orphans, widows and the poor and also to missionaries. As you give your tithe to God’s minister and others you are doing it unto the Lord.
“Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me”. Matt. 25:34-40.
“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” James 1:27 NIV
Now, when you pay your tithe regularly, there will always be divine provision for you, the devourers are rebuked for your sake (Mal. 3:11), God will open the floodgates of heaven and release His blessings on you (Mal. 3:10, you will enjoy dignity in Christianity and your blessings will be visible. (Mal. 3:12).
5) Free Will Offerings – giving offering is a command, (Deut. 16:16,17). We should endeavor to always go into God’s presence with an offering. (Exodus 35:5-9)
On a certain evening after work, on my way home; I stopped by one of the super markets around my area to got a pack of juice for my son; On reaching home I gave the juice to him. After a while I asked him to give me the pack of juice so that I can take some, he refused, then I said to him: give some to you mother, but he will not give it to her also, he kept everything to himself.
Most of people are like that; is there anything we have that was not given to us. Your children, your house, your cars etc. were given to you by God. But do you know that if God asks us to give these things back to Him or to the less privileged, it seems so impossible with most people.
God demanded Isaac from Abraham, and Abraham gave him to God, but when Jesus said to the rich young man in Matthew 19:16-22, go and sell all your possession; give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, he turned down the Lord’s offer. He so much loved his wealth more than the giver and more than the salvation of his soul. Are you like Abraham or like this rich young man?
God wants us to grow up to the level where He can ask for just anything from us and it will not be a problem giving it to Him. Give as you are able to, not until you have it in abundance.
“Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty: Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee”. (Deut 16:16-17)
“For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, thou shall open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land” (Deut. 15:11).
“Remember the words the Lord Jesus Himself said: ‘it is more blessed to give than to receive’” (Acts 20:35)
“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again”. (Luke 6:38) KJV
“Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again. Give portions to seven, yes to eight, for you do not know what disaster may come upon the land”. (Eccl 11:1-2)
It is also a command to give to the less privileged, the needy, the poor, orphans and widows.
“For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, thou shall open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land” (Deut. 15:11).
Read these texts also:- (Exodus 22:22, Deut. 10:17-20, 24:17-22, Ps. 82”3-7, Prov. 31:20, Isa. 25:4, Ezek. 22:29-30, Jer. 22:15-16, 2 Cor. 8:11-14).
The only time you are permitted to receive is after you have given something. God will first lead you to those you will give to, before leading you to those that will give to you. Abraham gave one tenth of everything to Melchizedek and his only son Isaac to God and God gave him prosperity. Solomon at Gibeon offered a thousand burnt offerings to the Lord and God gave him Wisdom. (1 Kings 3:4-12). Sowing comes before harvest.
God Himself made sure He has finished creating everything a man could need for living before creating man; and giving him everything, even the beautiful Garden of Eden. God also gave His only begotten son Jesus Christ to us. That is why the word of God says: “Give and it shall be given unto you” Luke 6:38 KJV
Giving is a universal law, even if an unbeliever practices this principle it will work for him; let alone a child of God. Never say you don’t have what to give (Deut. 16:17). Do not let greed, selfishness or doubt deprive you of God’s blessings.
6) Prophet Offerings – by this I mean ministering to God’s ministers. Great blessings are attached with seeing the need of God’s servant and meeting that need.
The widow at Zarephath had only a handful of flour and a little oil and she despised the fact that, the handful of flour and the little oil is all she and her family had left to eat and die; she fed Elijah the servant of the Lord with it and God delivered she and her family from the effect of the famine, by giving them enough to eat and later brought her dead son back to life. (1 Kings 17:7-24)
The shunamite woman saw that Elisha the servant of the Lord needed a place to rest each time he was passing by, so she took permission from her husband and build a small room, containing a bed, a table, a chair and a lamp for him; and God gave her a child, which she never dreamt of having. (2 Kings 4:8-17)
A woman at Bethany (Mary Magdalene) anointed Jesus’ feet in the home of Simon the Leper; and she made history for herself. Where ever the gospel is preached through out the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her. (Mark 14:3-9)
“He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.
And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward”.( Matt 10:40-42)
Ministers of God have the power to bless and each time they bless you God honors it. Reach out to your ministers today and enjoy God’s divine provision.
“Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.” Num 23:20
“But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:” 2 Cor 9:6-8 KJV
7) Investment – after you have carried out all the principles listed above and the blessings of God begins to locate you, you can now invest your resources. It is wise to invest into God’s kingdom before any other investment.
“… seek first the kingdom of God, and all other things shall be added to you”. Luke 12:31
Investment is the outlaying of money today in a place, e.g. a bank, company, owning a property, etc; with the object of making a profit. E.g., by buying stock in a company, or by acquiring housing or landed property to sell them back in the near future with the sole purpose of making profit. Remember that investment requires proper planning and patience.
“For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?” Luke 14:28
Investment is like sowing seed today to reap bumper harvest in due time. You may want to ask: why investment? Why don’t I just go and drop the money in the bank? What if on the process of investing, I loose all the money?
Well, let me start by answering these questions one after the other; have you ever heard of the word inflation? It means increase in the supply of currency or credit relative to the availability of goods and services, resulting in higher prices and a decrease in the purchasing power of money.
In simple terms, what this is saying is that, in as much as the prices of goods and services are on the increase, money will continue to lose its value. The money you suppose can buy you a car some ten fifteen years ago cannot buy you even a motorcycle today. Now, if you have actually kept this money in the bank for this long, with the aim of buying a car, sorry to say, you can’t use it to buy yourself a car any more, because from that time till now, the money, especially the Nigerian currency has lost its value drastically.
Leaving your money in the bank for a long time is a waste of time and resources. About being afraid to loose all your money on the process of investing it; I want to bring to your notice that life itself is a risk; all great men and women we are celebrating today took one risk or the other yesterday. Besides inflation, the bank where your money is kept can be bankrupt or liquidated, leading to losing all your life savings. It is also a risk putting your money in the bank.
Some of the advantages of investing your money are listed below:
a) It is to provide for future needs. Investment is done to augment limited financial resources, especially at old age when you lack the strength to work for a living.
b) To earn profits or high returns
c) To safeguard your fund from inflation
d) To provide employment opportunities. This could enable expansion of business, production capacity etc. thereby leading to creation of new jobs.
e) To provide a person means of livelihood on retirement or when a person experience lost of job.
f) It provides security against possible danger and high risk
g) It provides a feeling of satisfaction even at old age and takes away psychological discomfort.
Investment requires:
1. Self discipline – if you are not self controlled you cannot cut off those unnecessary expenses in order to save some money to invest.
2. Investment also requires great commitment:
“Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men”. Prov. 22:29. “Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth. He who gathers crops in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son”. Prov. 10:4-5. “Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in slave labor”. Prov. 12:24. “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty”. Prov. 21:5.
3. It requires big sacrifices: you may have to deprive yourself of certain luxuries to enable you invest.
Some of the instruments for investment are:
a) Shares/stock – buying and selling of shares is a good investment with high returns, whether you are buying from the primary or secondary markets.
b) Real Estate – this involves buying and selling of housing or landed properties. It has been discovered that the prices for housing and landed properties appreciate in every three months.
c) Business – businesses either building of rented houses, acquiring of vehicles for commercial purposes, cattle rearing, buying and selling of second hand vehicles, selling of electronics, etc. are all good businesses people can invest in.
“there is need for multiple streams of income at this present dispensation”. William J. O’neil.
Seek for professional advice and the testimonies of those who are already in the business you want to venture in; before going into it. Also, you should acquire information on how to manage the business and make success.
“The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up.” 1 Sam 2:7
True wealth is not merely money and properties; true wealth is your inward level of peace and true satisfaction. God’s success principles will work for you if you will work for them. If you do the sowing, God will do the growing. Commit yourself to God so that you can receive the true wealth of inner riches.
