Ephesians 1:15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit[f] of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
I have been thinking about David lately and how much God blessed him. God even said to him that He would have given him more if he did not have enough. We know that David lacked nothing.
I was thinking about this because I have thought about how wrong the mainstream prosperity teaching is and how much it feeds unholiness within us. Prosperity teaching proclaims that God wants us to live in huge houses, drive fancy cars and have a great abundance of wealth. It makes us want to chase after the things of this world and not focus on the Lord as our source.
And It is very true that the Lord has promised us wealth when it reads, "the wealth of the wicked is stored up for the righteous". (Proverbs 13:22) But is this a given? Should we just lay back, and do nothing?
I was one of those who wanted to believe the prosperity preachers. I wanted to believe their prophecy of wealth etc...But after years of waiting I have learned some things along the way. It is not so that I don't believe this promise anymore, because I very much do, "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God. (2 Corinthians 1:20), but I have come to understand that God needs to be able to trust us with this wealth. I believe He tests our heart to see if we will not just make an idol from this wealth, and not use it for what it is meant.
This brings me back to David. Here are some happenings that show the state of Davids heart.
1ste
Of David the Lord said, that "he was a man after God's own heart". 1 Samuel 13:14.
The life of David showed a very intimate friend-relationship with God. In 2 Sam 7, we see how God replies to David, wishing to build Him a house and how David replied
When David wanted to build God's Altar he said: "No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels of silver for them. (2 Sam 24:24).
David did not just want to receive from God, as many of us do. David wanted to give to God. (1st clue)
This tells me also that David was a man that loved God a lot. There are many statements in David's life that show his love for God. His last words in 2 Sam 22 show a debt in this friend- relationship he had with God. He loved God more than anything else. (2nd clue)
He always put God first, except for that one time that he followed after his flesh with Bathsheba. Even from that came the one who God gave his kingdom to.
David trusted God because he knew God. He knew who he was with God, one who could do the impossible. He had a faith in God few had, as demonstrated in his battle with Goliath.
David heard God's voice. He had the Spirit of Wisdom. David was a prophet; he had the Spirit of Revelation. This is seen clearly from David's last words. David had the knowledge of God described in Ephesians 1:18 The eyes of his understanding were enlightened.
David’s Last Words
1These are the last words of David:
“The inspired utterance of David son of Jesse,
the utterance of the man exalted by the Most High,
the man anointed by the God of Jacob,
the hero of Israel’s songs:
2“The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me;
his word was on my tongue.
3The God of Israel spoke,
the Rock of Israel said to me:
‘When one rules over people in righteousness,
when he rules in the fear of God,
4he is like the light of morning at sunrise
on a cloudless morning,
like the brightness after rain
that brings grass from the earth.’
5“If my house were not right with God,
surely he would not have made with me an everlasting covenant,
arranged and secured in every part;
surely he would not bring to fruition my salvation
and grant me my every desire.
6But evil men are all to be cast aside like thorns,
which are not gathered with the hand.
7Whoever touches thorns
uses a tool of iron or the shaft of a spear;
they are burned up where they lie.”
This means that throughout his life he followed God. He did what the Lord commanded Him.
He obeyed God. ( 3rd clue)
When we Give, Love and Obey God, we do what Jesus commanded us to do and the outcome of this is that God will "bring to fruition my salvation and grant me my every desire"
But when we don't Give, Love and Obey God: James 4:3, "When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." Is this not the financial state of many believers these days?
1 Timothy 6:9, "Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction."
But there is Hope! I believe the Lord will fulfil His promises to His Body for His purpose. He is looking for people with the heart of David.
2 Chronicles 16:9, "For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him."
The Lord has been and is testing people. He will strip them to nothing if that is what it takes. Just to test their heart. Will they still love Him, like Job or will they stop serving Him, and fervently chase after Mammon?
It is the Lord who promotes and humbles. (1 Samuel 2:7) It is the Lord who grants fame and fortune.
I want to say something to all Christian Entrepreneurs and professionals out there. Search your heart. If you truly wish to prosper, which is also the Lord's desire for you, set your priorities straight. The Lord shall not have any other God before Him. If he has called you to something greater, don't settle for the crumbs by worshipping Mammon. Be a giver, Love God and be obedient. Spend time with Him, listen to Him. Follow as He leads. Be faithful.
I am not saying that I have achieved it all already. I too have gone through many testings, and maybe there is more to come. But as I go I pick up certain truths.
God is not in a hurry, we are. He will bring you to where He wants you to be, no matter how long it takes. Why should we be wasting time by resisting God? I have followed after my own heart and have had to learn hard lessons. When you burn your self you have to sit on the blisters. What ever we sow in the flesh we harvest in the flesh. In all of this road of learning, I have learned that what stated in 2 Corinthians 15:9 is true: "But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."
If God has given you faith, then He has called you for so much more that the state you are in right now. Stick with it: (Philippians 1:6) "because being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." No matter what gifting or calling.
If there is a stripping process going on in your life, it is for the purpose that God can clothe you with His mantle. The outcome of this stripping should be that you will desire God more than any other thing. In this state you will care less about the wealth of this world. In that state i believe, God can trust you with His wealth meant for His purpose because He knows we will obey Him. In this I see the promise of Matthew 6:33 being fulfilled: "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
May the Lord enlighten the eyes of your understanding.
God Bless!!
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