“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

Thoughts on Stewardship – Lesson 21 from Deuteronomy

God’s Supernatural Provision
Foundation Scriptures: Deuteronomy 8 verses 1 – 10

All the commandments which I command you this day you shall be watchful to do, that you may live and multiply and go in and possess the land which the Lord swore to give to your fathers. 2 And you shall [earnestly] remember all the way which the Lord your God led you these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and to prove you, to know what was in your [mind and] heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. 3 And He humbled you and allowed you to hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you recognize and personally know that man does not live by bread only, but man lives by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord. 4 Your clothing did not become old upon you nor did your feet swell these forty years. 5 Know also in your [minds and] hearts that, as a man disciplines and instructs his son, so the Lord your God disciplines and instructs you. 6 So you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and [reverently] fear Him. 7 For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing forth in valleys and hills; 8 A land of wheat and barley, and vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey; 9 A land in which you shall eat food without shortage and lack nothing in it; a land whose stones are iron and out of whose hills you can dig copper. 10 When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the Lord your God for all the good land which He has given you.  Deuteronomy 8:1-10 AMP

1.    In verse 1 the Lord says that if His people are watchful to do all His commandments then they will live and multiply.

a. God’s plan is to bless His people and to provide for them.
b. One of the greatest problems we deal with today in believer’s lives is that they don’t see their heavenly Father as their Provider.
c. He loves us so much and wants to provide for us. He wants us to recognize Him as our source of supply.
d. He wants us to go in and possess the land He has provided for us.

2. In verse 2, the Lord reminds His people of their journey through the wilderness – how they were dependant upon Him for absolutely everything – and He does not want them to forget it. He wants them to continue to keep their eyes on Him.

a. A wilderness journey is where you find out what you are made of – everything that’s in you will come out. You will find out if your heart really belongs to God; whether you will continue to obey and serve Him; whether you will trust Him or blame Him.
b. Man shall not live by bread alone – but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Life is about more than food for your mouth right now – it’s about eternal choices.
c. The Lord tells His people that they should respect Him and receive His correction.

3. God promised His people certain things if they obeyed Him. For 40 years:

a.Their clothing would not become old upon them.
b.Their feet would not swell.

4. The land that God was bringing them into was:

a. A good land.
b. A land of brooks of water.
c. A land of fountains and depths that spring out of valley’s and hills.
d. A land of wheat and barley, vines and fig trees and pomegranates.
e. A land of olive oil and honey.
f. A land in which they would eat their bread without scarceness and in which they would not lack anything.
g. A land whose stones are iron and out of whose hills they could dig brass.

5. God says when you have eaten, and are full, then you should bless the Lord your God for the good land that He has given you.

Pastor Adonica’s Thoughts:
The Lord constantly tried to remind the Israelites of what He had done for them and emphasized that they should tell their children about it too. Not because He is an ego-maniac, but because if they forgot that God was their source and supply and giver of life, they would go off and serve the devil and take a curse on themselves. God never wants you cursed – He only ever wants you blessed. You are a stupid person if you forget Him after He has blessed you and you go and serve your enemy!

Gratefulness for the past ensures blessings for the future. Be grateful for what the Lord has already done for you; be grateful for what you have right now. Thank Him for His provision for tomorrow. Having faith for God to provide for you is not just about asking – it’s about thanking and praising Him for those things for which you have already asked.

Pastor Rodney’s Thoughts:
In this passage it is evident what the Lord has in mind is to bless His people abundantly! All He asks is that, when you are blessed, you thank Him for His abundant, supernatural provision. Many times I just stop and thank God for all His abundant blessings upon my life, remembering where He brought us from and where I could have been, and thanking Him once again for His goodness.

Prayer and Confession:
Father, I pray that I will always bless you for blessing me and that I would always remember where all my blessings come from. Please help me to remember to always be grateful, and to pass the blessing on to others. As I remember to thank and serve You, I thank You for Your continued blessings on my life.

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

Foundation Scriptures: Mark 16:15-20 and Acts 1:4-5 & 8

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. 20 And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.  Mark 16:15-20 KJV

And while being in their company and eating with them, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for what the Father had promised, Of which [He said] you have heard Me speak. 5 For John baptized with water, but not many days from now you shall be baptized with (placed in, introduced into) the Holy Spirit.  Acts 1:4-5 AMP

But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth.  Acts 1:8 AMP

1.  This mission is a divine mission—involving the Great Commission (Co-mission).

• Every one of you is called of God.
• Called to be a follower of Jesus.
• Called to proclaim the Good News.
• Called to be a disciple of His.
• Called to make disciples that are His.
• Called to be like Jesus. You are on a mission— brought into the Kingdom for such a time as this. You have a divine destiny to fulfill—this is the reason you exist.
• You are stewards of His grace and glory—called to manifest His anointing.

2.  Occupy till He comes again; use all He has entrusted to you; multiply talents as you go—in order that the whole world may know.

• ALL are called to a ministry of reconciliation.
• ALL are called to be a witness.
• ALL are called to use their talents for the King.
• ALL are called to support Kingdom work.
• ALL are called to multiply and produce fruit.
• This is YOUR mission.

3.  In order to accomplish your mission, it takes everything God has given you.

• You have the grace it takes and the grace you need.
• It’s not a sleep—it’s a race.
• You have to work diligently at your mission, redeeming the time because the days are evil.
• Know that you will give an account of what you have done with what has been entrusted to you:
• Your Time
• Your Talents
• Your Treasure
• Your Tongue
• We only have this life to live and accomplish this mission. This life—however long it is—sets, affects, and determines your eternity, which is forever!
• You—it is your responsibility to find your mission.

4.  Write the vision—make it plain (Habakkuk 2:2-3).

Hebrews 2:1-4 NKJV—Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. 2 For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, 4 God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?
Philippians 2:12-13 KJV—Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Your Godly desires turn into Godly goals, inspired by the Holy Spirit.
Focus in on the vision—move in that direction; educate yourself; associate with people who are successful in that field; glean from them; learn from their mistakes and your own.
3 years of total focus will move you into your destiny. This means:

• Holy Life
• Godly Thoughts
• Godly Words
• Godly Actions
• Godly Deeds

The result will be a life fully controlled by the Spirit of God—resulting in you becoming a glove on the hand of God.
You will fulfill your eternal purpose—you will fulfill your eternal destiny.

• Be a faithful follower of Jesus:
• Be a witness—win souls
• Be a tither and a giver
• Raise the standard of your giving
• Be plugged in to a local church that has a vision
• Be teachable—stay humble

Foundation Scriptures: Romans 1:16; Galatians 2:4-5

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16 KJV

[My precaution was] because of false brethren who had been secretly smuggled in [to the Christian brotherhood]; they had slipped in to spy on our liberty and the freedom which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might again bring us into bondage [under the Law of Moses]. 5 To them we did not yield submission even for a moment, that the truth of the Gospel might continue to be [preserved] for you [in its purity]. Galatians 2:4-5 AMP

Jesus is the Only Way for Salvation.

John 14:6 AMP—I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by (through) Me.
1 Timothy 2:5-6a
John 3:13-18
1 John 5:20

The Word of God is the Only Truth.

Truth is absolute. A partial truth is a lie. For something to be called true, it must be completely and thoroughly true.
In the Old and New Testaments, truth is a fundamental moral and personal quality of God. It is impossible for God to lie.
1 Samuel 15:29
Hebrews 6:18—It is impossible for God to lie.
Titus 1:2—God cannot lie.
God is true and He cannot lie, God’s Word is truth and is no lie. God’s Word is also called the Word of Truth.
John 8:32 AMP—And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.
John 17:17 NKJV—Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
Ephesians 1:13
Psalms 25:10
Psalms 111:7-8
Psalms 119:142—Your law is truth.
Psalms 119:151—All Your commandments are truth.
Psalms 119:160

Repentance is the Only Way.

Luke 13:3
Acts 3:19-20—Repent therefore and be converted.
Acts 17:30-31—God now commands all men everywhere to repent.
Revelation 3:19—Be zealous and repent.

The Belief in the Cross, the Blood, the Resurrection and His Lordship.

The Cross

John 3:14-15—Jesus was lifted up on the cross to impart eternal life.
Hebrews 12:2 NKJV—Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
1 Corinthians 1:18 NKJV—For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

The Blood

Matthew 26:28 NKJV—For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Ephesians 1:7 NKJV—In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.
Ephesians 2:13—You have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Colossians 1:19-20—Having made peace through the blood of His cross.
Hebrews 9:12-15
Revelation 5:9-10—You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood.

The Resurrection

John 11:25-26a—“I am the resurrection and the life.
Romans 1:3-4
1 Peter 1:3

His Lordship

Acts 2:36—God has made Him both Lord and Christ
Acts 10:36—Jesus Christ is Lord of all.
Philippians 2:9-11—Every knee should bow and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

The Gospel—What is it?

All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
Romans 3:21-25
The wages of sin is death—the gift of God is eternal life.
Romans 6:23
Whosoever calls on the Name of the Lord shall be saved.
Romans 10:8-13
The Gospel is Good News.
Luke 2:10-11
Romans 2:4-5

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

Let those who favor my righteous cause and have pleasure in my uprightness shout for joy and be glad and say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, Who takes pleasure in the prosperity of His servant. Psalm 35:27 AMP

All true and genuine blessings come from Almighty God. Blessings are not just material in nature, but cover every aspect of man’s existence. God’s true blessings bring also peace and fulfillment. Our prosperity brings God great pleasure and satisfaction.

But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord your God, being watchful to do all His commandments and His statutes which I command you this day, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you: 16 Cursed shall you be in the city and cursed shall you be in the field. 17 Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading trough. 18 Cursed shall be the fruit of your body, of your land, of the increase of your cattle and the young of your sheep. 19 Cursed shall you be when you come in and cursed shall you be when you go out. Deuteronomy 28:15-19 AMP

Poverty is not a way to prove ourselves to God, neither is it a requirement of godliness. Poverty is a curse! Poverty is the curse of rebellion and disobedience. God’s will for us is not cursing, but blessing! God has forewarned us so that we can know and avoid it.

The blessing of the Lord – it makes [truly] rich, and He adds no sorrow with it [neither does toiling increase it].
Proverbs 10:22 AMP

When God blesses you, His blessing is with no strings attached, no regret, and no sting in the tail – it is just straightforward blessing and reward for faith and obedience. God’s yes is “yes” and His no is “no”! The devil, on the other hand, makes promises that will cost you in bitterness, pain, death, and loss of freedom. He is a liar and the father of lies. He has no ability to bless anyone. He might allow someone to have and achieve that which they covet, but the price is their soul. The blessings of the Father, however, are free and sweet.

For you are becoming progressively acquainted with and recognizing more strongly and clearly the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ (His kindness, His gracious generosity, His undeserved favor and spiritual blessing), [in] that though He was [so very] rich, yet for your sakes He became [so very] poor, in order that by His poverty you might become enriched (abundantly supplied). 2 Corinthians 8:9 AMP

If God wanted you poor, then why did He send Jesus? Jesus suffered and died to bring blessing and freedom to every aspect of our lives. It was no small price that was paid for your and my blessing. The message of God’s blessing is no invention of man, but God has reached down to make known to all men that He is both willing and able to bless any and all who come to Him in obedience and faith. Your blessing is as sure as your salvation, your healing and your deliverance!

And beware lest you say in your [mind and] heart, My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth. 18 But you shall [earnestly] remember the Lord your God, for it is He Who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. Deuteronomy 8:17-18 AMP

What could be clearer than this? That it is God, Himself, who gives you the power to get wealth! He made a covenant promise that He would prosper and bless all those who diligently seek Him and who obey His commands. The power to get wealth does not come from the devil – neither does it come from your own hand or your own ability.

And they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God and you shall be established; believe and remain steadfast to His prophets and you shall prosper. 2 Chronicles 20:20 AMP

Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest, who stood over the people, and he said to them, Thus says God: Why do you transgress the commandments of the Lord so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, He also has forsaken you.
2 Chronicles 24:20 AMP

He set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the things of God; and as long as he sought (inquired of, yearned for) the Lord, God made him prosper.
2 Chronicles 26:5 AMP

The Word of God is very clear. When you disobey God and transgress His commands, then He cannot and will not bless or prosper you. When you seek the Lord and we obey His commands, you will reap the blessings and prosperity that come from God Himself. God does not withhold blessings on a whim. On the contrary, He is seeking and longing to bless His people. His people limit the blessing of God in their lives because they compromise His word.

Blessed (happy, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly [following their advice, their plans and purposes], nor stands [submissive and inactive] in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down [to relax and rest] where the scornful [and the mockers] gather. 2 But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law (the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God) he habitually meditates (ponders and studies) by day and by night. 3 And he shall be like a tree firmly planted [and tended] by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper [and come to maturity]. Psalms 1:1-3 AMP

Everything we have and do will be abundantly prosperous when we delight in God’s word and when we submit ourselves to it and govern our conduct according to His precepts and commands!

 

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

Foundation Scriptures: 1 John 3:8-9

He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.  1 John 3:8-9 NKJV

I.  Jesus was born, lived and died, to destroy the works of the devil and empower us to do the same.

• If you want to know what the works of the devil are, take a look at the works of Jesus. Look at everything Jesus destroyed and undid.
• Luke 5:17b NKJV – And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.
• Matthew 10:8 NKJV – Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.
• Luke 9:2 NKJV – He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
• Jesus did nothing but love, save, heal, deliver and restore – and He directs us to do the same.

II.  Everything Jesus said and did was motivated by love.

• Motivated by love, He patiently taught them: Mark 6:34-35 NKJV – And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things.
• Motivated by love, He fed them: Mark 8:2 NKJV – I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat.
• Motivated by love, He healed them: Matthew 14:14-15 NKJV – And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.
• Motivated by love, He raised them from the dead: Luke 7:13-15 NKJV – When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.”  14 Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.”  15 So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother.
• In Jesus’ parables – out of compassion – the Good Samaritan rescued the robbed man (Luke 10:33) and the father of the Prodigal Son gladly forgave and restored him (Luke 15:20).

III.  Jesus went to where the people are.

• Jesus did not come to minister to the well and the righteous, but to the average person.
• Mark 2:17 NKJV – When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”
• Jesus showed compassion on everybody, with no distinctions.
• John 4:3-45 NKJV – He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. 4 But He needed to go through Samaria. 5 So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. 7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.”  8 For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. 9 Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. 10 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” 11 The woman said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? 12 Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?” 13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” 15 The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” 17 The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.” 19 The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father.  22 You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.  23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.  24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.” 27 And at this point His disciples came, and they marveled that He talked with a woman; yet no one said, “What do You seek?” or, “Why are You talking with her?” 28 The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, 29 “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” 30 Then they went out of the city and came to Him. 31 In the meantime His disciples urged Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” 32 But He said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” 33 Therefore the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?” 34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.  35 Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!  36 And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.  37 For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’  38 I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.” 39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all that I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of His own word. 42 Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.” 43 Now after the two days He departed from there and went to Galilee. 44 For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. 45 So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they also had gone to the feast.
• At midday, Jesus sat down to rest by a well. There are many wells in a city – the place where people came to drink.
• The woman, whom Jesus asked for water, did not come looking for Him. He came to where she was and engaged her there.
• The Samaritans were looked down upon by the Israelites, but not by Jesus. He just sees people who need a Savior.
• Jesus offered Living Water and the woman asked, “Where can I get this Living Water?”
• This is the cry of the world.

IV.  Your past does not disqualify you from receiving God’s forgiveness.

• Jesus knew the woman’s past and told her so, yet with no condemnation.
• She was so touched that that she went and called all the people of her town to come to Jesus.
• Jesus remained there and ministered to all of them for two days.
• They all believed in Jesus, not just because of what the woman told them, but because they heard what He had to say themselves (verse 42).

V.  The harvest is ripe and the laborers are few (verse 35).

• The harvest will not be made ripe in the future, but it’s ripe right now.
• Lift your eyes and see that the fields are white for harvesting.
• It is time for the mass mobilization of the Body of Christ to reap this harvest – from the littlest child to the oldest saint.
• Full of the Holy Ghost, full of compassion, meeting the needs of the people right where they are.
• Souls, souls, souls!

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

Let those who favor my righteous cause and have pleasure in my uprightness shout for joy and be glad and say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, Who takes pleasure in the prosperity of His servant. Psalm 35:27 AMP

The reason that many of God’s children are so poor is that they do not trust in Father God as Jehovah Jireh, their Provider. Because they don’t trust in Him, they do not ask and receive as He has promised:

What leads to strife (discord and feuds) and how do conflicts (quarrels and fightings) originate among you? Do they not arise from your sensual desires that are ever warring in your bodily members? 2 You are jealous and covet [what others have] and your desires go unfulfilled; [so] you become murderers. [To hate is to murder as far as your hearts are concerned.] You burn with envy and anger and are not able to obtain [the gratification, the contentment, and the happiness that you seek], so you fight and war. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 [Or] you do ask [God for them] and yet fail to receive, because you ask with wrong purpose and evil, selfish motives. Your intention is [when you get what you desire] to spend it in sensual pleasures. James 4:1-3 AMP

And we receive from Him whatever we ask, because we [watchfully] obey His orders [observe His suggestions and injunctions, follow His plan for us] and [habitually] practice what is pleasing to Him. 1 John 3:22 AMP

God has provided abundantly for His children – He has made no limits on the blessings they can receive or on getting what they want in this life. Having wealth is not a sin! Father God is not opposed to His children being prosperous and having money. Money can be a great blessing that can be used to do God’s work and to help those in need – this is the very reason and purpose for asking God for prosperity.

The Lord warns mankind against trusting in riches, which could potentially destroy their souls, but covetousness and the wrong use of money are sins over which God’s people can get the victory just as they can get the victory over any other sin!

Don’t trust in your power to take things by force. Don’t think you will gain anything by stealing. And if you become wealthy, don’t put your trust in riches. 11 God says there is one thing you can really depend on, and I believe it: “Strength comes from God!” Psalms 62:10-11 ERV

He who leans on, trusts in, and is confident in his riches shall fall, but the [uncompromisingly] righteous shall flourish like a green bough. Proverbs 11:28 AMP

And beware lest you say in your [mind and] heart, My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth. 18 But you shall [earnestly] remember the Lord your God, for it is He Who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. Deuteronomy 8:17-18 AMP

As for what was sown among thorns, this is he who hears the Word, but the cares of the world and the pleasure and delight and glamour and deceitfulness of riches choke and suffocate the Word, and it yields no fruit. Matthew 13:22 AMP

Let your character or moral disposition be free from love of money [including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions] and be satisfied with your present [circumstances and with what you have]; for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!] Hebrews 13:5 AMP

As for the rich in this world, charge them not to be proud and arrogant and contemptuous of others, nor to set their hopes on uncertain riches, but on God, Who richly and ceaselessly provides us with everything for [our] enjoyment. 18 [Charge them] to do good, to be rich in good works, to be liberal and generous of heart, ready to share [with others], 19 In this way laying up for themselves [the riches that endure forever as] a good foundation for the future, so that they may grasp that which is life indeed. 1 Timothy 6:17-19 AMP

Money is not the root of all evil – the love of money is the root of all evil. People are led astray, wander from their faith, and cause themselves much grief and anguish by their craving of money and riches (1 Timothy 6:10). These warnings are given to us by Father God – not so we would believe that poverty is a means to salvation – but so that when we are saved and living for God, that we know how to correctly govern our money and financial affairs and that we conduct our business in righteousness when the Lord prospers us.

Poverty does not make you a better person. It is time that the body of Christ wake up to the fact that God wants to prosper us and that He also wants to use us to be a blessing wherever we go. We have to understand that He has a higher plan for our lives – we are stewards of all the vast resources of God – a pipeline, carrying God’s blessings to others. If we try to control and contain the resources He places in our hands, then we will block and limit our potential to be used by Him and also block our own blessing. If we understand that all we have at our disposal is given by God and that we are His channel of blessing, then we will allow it to flow through our hands at His direction and by His leadings and promptings. As we righteously steward these resources, without covetousness or fear, we will find that our own life is abundantly blessed and prosperous as well!

The Lord is pleased when everyone is blessed!

 

 

And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. 23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. 24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.  Mark 11:22-24 KJV

 

And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying, 15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. 16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. 17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. 18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. 19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? 20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. 21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.  Matthew 17:14-21 KJV

 

1.    Mustard Seed Faith – small, little.

a.    Faith as big as a mustard seed – the smallest of seeds.

b.    Speak to the mountain – Mark 11:23; Matthew 17:20

c.    This kind cometh not out, but by prayer and fasting – Matthew 17:21

 

2.    The Gift of Divine Grace – The Story of the One-Eyed Shoemaker.

a.    The unabridged writings of Marco Polo – a story from a province of Persia (Iraq) in the thirteenth century.

b.    Approximately 100,000 Christians lived and worked in this area – many were wealthy. A Saracen Caliph, who came to power in 1225, sought continually to convert, dispossess, and/or kill the Christians. He found the passage where Jesus said that if you have faith like a mustard seed you can move a mountain. He told the Christian to move the mountain or be considered reprobates and killed. He gave them ten days.

c.    The Christians were afraid for their lives, but confident that Jesus could deliver them, so they all began to fast and to implore God’s mercy. After eight days of fervent prayer, a pious Bishop had a divine revelation that a certain one-eyed shoemaker had the divine grace to move the mountain.

d.    He was one-eyed because he took his own eye out based on the scripture in Mark 9:47 (KJV) “And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.”

e.    When the day came, the Caliph had men standing by to kill the Christians, for he that was sure that they would fail. The Christians came, carrying the cross before them. The one-eyed shoemaker prayed to His Creator to show His compassion to them, and for the glory and excellency of His Name, and for the support and confirmation of the Christian faith, that He would lend assistance to His people to accomplish this task, and in so doing, manifest His power to the revilers. Then, in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost he commanded the mountain to move. There was a great earthquake and the mountain moved!

f.      The Caliph and his men were struck with terror, and remained in a state of stupefaction. The Caliph secretly converted to Christianity.  He wore a cross under his garments, which they found when he died, so he was not buried with his predecessors.

 

3.    Fasting and Prayer Today

a.    Acts 13:1-13 – verse 3: “And when they had fasted and prayed…”

b.    The wrong reasons to fast – Isaiah 58:3-5

c.    The right reasons to fast – Isaiah 58:6-12

d.    How to conduct yourself while fasting – Matthew 6:17-18

e.    Not like the hypocrites – Matthew 6:16

 

4.    Fasting Positions You to Hear from God and to Receive Answered Petitions, Without Delay or Hindrance.

a.    Come in faith – Hebrews 11:6

b.    When you fast, come to God on the basis of His word.

c.    Don’t wait only for emergencies before you pray and fast.

Psalms 84:7a KJV “They go from strength to strength…”

Romans 1:17 KJV “…the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith…”

2 Corinthians 3:18 KJV “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

d.    Three days

e.    Read the word and pray. You can pray the prayers laid out in Ephesians.

f.     Set goals and objectives – write down what you are believing for.

g.    Do not boast or be like a religious Pharisee.

h.    Keep your motives pure.

 

5.    Method

a.    One to three days

b.    Liquids – water, pure juice, broth. Avoid tea and coffee.

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

Let those who favor my righteous cause and have pleasure in my uprightness shout for joy and be glad and say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, Who takes pleasure in the prosperity of His servant. Psalm 35:27 AMP

There can be no doubt, from the scripture, that Father God wants to bless and prosper His children. The reason more of them are not blessed is either because of lack of knowledge of God’s word or because of failure to act on the word which they know. Hosea 4:6 AMP says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge,” and Matthew 7:26 AMP says that, “everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not do them will be like a stupid (foolish) man who built his house upon the sand.” James 1:22-25 NKJV says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.”

The Lord instructed Joshua to meditate on God’s word and do it and He promised him that EVERYTHING he did would prosper. This promise was not just for Joshua, but for us as well.

No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. 6 Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Joshua 1:5-8 NKJV

Therefore keep the words of this covenant and do them, that you may deal wisely and prosper in all that you do. Deuteronomy 29:9 AMP

Meditate on these promises below, and then set your heart to obey God so that you too may prosper in everything you undertake:

And the Lord your God will make you abundantly prosperous in every work of your hand, in the fruit of your body, of your cattle, of your land, for good; for the Lord will again delight in prospering you, as He took delight in your fathers, 10 If you obey the voice of the Lord your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this Book of the Law, and if you turn to the Lord your God with all your [mind and] heart and with all your being. Deuteronomy 30:9-10 AMP

And the Lord shall make you have a surplus of prosperity, through the fruit of your body, of your livestock, and of your ground, in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. 12 The Lord shall open to you His good treasury, the heavens, to give the rain of your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hands; and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.
Deuteronomy 28:11-12 AMP

The Lord makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and He lifts up. 8 He raises up the poor out of the dust and lifts up the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with nobles and inherit the throne of glory. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and He has set the world upon them.
1 Samuel 2:7-8 AMP

Both riches and honor come from You, and You reign over all. In Your hands are power and might; in Your hands it is to make great and to give strength to all.
1 Chronicles 29:12 AMP

For I was ashamed to request of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy along the way, because we had told the king, The hand of our God is upon all them for good who seek Him, but His power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him. Ezra 8:22 AMP

If they obey and serve Him, they shall spend their days in prosperity and their years in pleasantness and joy.
Job 36:11 AMP

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Psalms 23:1 KJV

The Lord is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack. Psalms 23:1 AMP

O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. 10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. Psalms 34:9-10 KJV

I have been young and now am old, yet have I not seen the [uncompromisingly] righteous forsaken or their seed begging bread. 26 All day long they are merciful and deal graciously; they lend, and their offspring are blessed.
Psalms 37:25-26 AMP

Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah. Psalms 68:19 KJV

For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. Psalms 84:11 KJV

Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! 2 Bless the Lord , O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: 3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, 4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. Psalms 103:1-5 NKJV

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

Let those who favor my righteous cause and have pleasure in my uprightness shout for joy and be glad and say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, Who takes pleasure in the prosperity of His servant. Psalm 35:27 AMP

The Lord takes pleasure in the welfare, health, prosperity, peace and favor of His servants – those who love, serve, honor and obey Him. He is pleased with their prosperity – He delights in it, He desires it, and He wills it.

God has commissioned every generation of His people to serve Him and fulfill His will and His plans and purposes. With the commission, the Lord has provided the means. His plan is for His children to be amply provided for so that nothing hinders them from fully serving the Lord and extending His Kingdom.

The modern church needs to be prosperous so that they can support missions and missionaries, as well as their own local church and also those in need. If Christians would obey God’s word and appropriate the benefits of God’s promises as they ought to, then there would be no lack in the Church. Every need of the Church would be amply supplied. When Israel obeyed God and brought their tithes and offerings there was more than enough to do the work of God and to feed and provide for those who served in the temple. This is God’s will for His New Covenant people as well!

When King Hezekiah destroyed all idols and idol worship and restored the worship of the one true God, he also restored the temple and reinstated the priests and Levites, and he commanded the people to bring their tithes and offerings to the Lord to support the temple and the functions of the temple.

As soon as the command went abroad, the Israelites gave in abundance the firstfruits of grain, vintage fruit, oil, honey, and of all the produce of the field; and they brought in abundantly the tithe of everything. 6 The people of Israel and Judah who lived in Judah’s cities also brought the tithe of cattle and sheep and of the dedicated things which were consecrated to the Lord their God, and they laid them in heaps. 7 In the third month [at the end of wheat harvest] they began to lay the foundation or beginning of the heaps and finished them in the seventh month. 8 When Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord and His people Israel. 9 Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and Levites about the heaps. 10 Azariah the high priest, of the house of Zadok, answered him, Since the people began to bring the offerings into the Lord’s house, we have eaten and have plenty left, for the Lord has blessed His people, and what is left is this great store. 2 Chronicles 31:5-10 AMP

When the people did what Hezekiah commanded, there was enough, and even more than enough. There were heaps of supplies that were laid in store for the funding of God’s temple. This is God’s desire and design – that His people would have more than enough to worship Him and do His work.

And Moses called Bezalel and Aholiab and every able and wisehearted man in whose mind the Lord had put wisdom and ability, everyone whose heart stirred him up to come to do the work; 3 And they received from Moses all the freewill offerings which the Israelites had brought for doing the work of the sanctuary, to prepare it for service. And they continued to bring him freewill offerings every morning. 4 And all the wise and able men who were doing the work on the sanctuary came, every man from the work he was doing, 5 And they said to Moses, The people bring much more than enough for doing the work which the Lord commanded to do. Exodus 36:2-5 AMP

If all Christians were prosperous, then the preachers wouldn’t need to beg or borrow to pay the bills. If all God’s people were prosperous, then even if there was a special project or need, all the minister would have to do would be to let the people know and give them an opportunity to give to the Lord out of their abundance with which He had blessed them and there would be a surplus of prosperity to go around! When the Church is blessed and when they are obedient, cheerful and generous givers, then all needs are abundantly met, the Kingdom of God is extended, and the Lord is glorified.

And God is able to make all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) come to you in abundance, so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need be self-sufficient [possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation]. 9 As it is written, He [the benevolent person] scatters abroad; He gives to the poor; His deeds of justice and goodness and kindness and benevolence will go on and endure forever! 10 And [God] Who provides seed for the sower and bread for eating will also provide and multiply your [resources for] sowing and increase the fruits of your righteousness [which manifests itself in active goodness, kindness, and charity]. 11 Thus you will be enriched in all things and in every way, so that you can be generous, and [your generosity as it is] administered by us will bring forth thanksgiving to God. 12 For the service that the ministering of this fund renders does not only fully supply what is lacking to the saints (God’s people), but it also overflows in many [cries of] thanksgiving to God. 13 Because at [your] standing of the test of this ministry, they will glorify God for your loyalty and obedience to the Gospel of Christ which you confess, as well as for your generous-hearted liberality to them and to all [the other needy ones]. 14 And they yearn for you while they pray for you, because of the surpassing measure of God’s grace (His favor and mercy and spiritual blessing which is shown forth) in you. 2 Corinthians 9:8-14 AMP

He is faithful. He will never leave you or forsake you, for you are in covenant with him. Do not be surprised at the fiery trials or afflictions that come upon you for God will deliver you from all of them. Do not let others affect you negatively or pull you down.