Biblical Prosperity 101

By Dr. Mary Craig

1. The LORD must be with you: The place of covenant relationship in being a successful person
   Psalms 73.12
   Proverbs 1.32
   Genesis 39.2-4
   Deuteronomy 8.18
   
   
2. Know God’s ways and how He operates: The place of the Laws of the Kingdom of God in your life as a child of the covenant of grace
   Deuteronomy 5.33
   Deuteronomy 30.16
   Isaiah 55.10, 11
   Psalm 103.7
   Isaiah 48.16-18
   Matthew 6.33, 34
   
   
3. Cooperate with the Holy Spirit in renewing your mind and thoughts.
   Romans 12.1, 2
   3 John 2
   Proverbs 23.7
   2 Corinthians 5
   Ephesians 4.17-32
   Colossians 3
   
   
4. Watch your words: You have what you say is a Law of the Kingdom of God.
   Proverbs 18.20, 21
   Psalm 35.27
   Psalm 39.3
   Psalm 45.1
   Mark 11.22-26
   
   
5. Meditate upon God’s Word and remove barriers of disharmony with it.
   Joshua 1.8
   Psalm 112.1-8
   1 Timothy 4.15
   Psalm 4.4
   Mark 11.22-26
   
   
6. Apply the Law of Sowing and Reaping. Sow to the Spirit. Sow Christ, His righteousness, His perfection.
   Genesis 1.11, 12
   Genesis 8.22
   Galatians 6.7
   
   
7. Do not be deterred, but be determined to have God’s desires and delights fulfilled in your life. Before honor comes humility.
   Psalm 37.4, 5
   John 8.31, 32
   Jeremiah 29.11-14
   Galatians 3
   
   
8. Recognize the difference between multiplied seed and harvest.
   2 Corinthians 9
   
   
9. Change your posture and position to align with who you are in Christ.
   Mark 10.50
   Isaiah 60.1-5
   Ephesians 1, 2
   Colossians 3
   
   
10. Obey God’s Word. Simply do what He says. You obey what you believe.
    Job 36.11
    
    
11. Trust the Prophet of God. Remember, Jesus is Prophet, Priest, and King.
    2 Chronicles 20.20
    
    
12. Seek and practice the Presence of God diligently. You become what you behold.
    2 Chronicles 26.5
    Hebrews 11.6
    
    
13. Live in an attitude of repentance. All change is on your part, not God’s.
    Proverbs 28.13
    2 Chronicles 24.20
    
    
14. Keep communication and dialogue with God open.
    John 15
    Psalm 122.6

Laws operate in the Kingdom of God as surely as laws operate in the physical world around you. The atoning work of Jesus Christ ushers you into the Kingdom of God. You are raised from death unto life and move from glory to glory. For those who are now in the Kingdom of God, the old ways will not work, just as when water molecules become gas molecules, different laws take over.

Consider:

1. The Law of Truth. Malachi 2.6. As in heaven, so on earth. The resurrection of Christ ensured that truth overcomes lie.
2. The Law of Righteousness and Faith. Righteousness comes, not by works, but by faith in Jesus Christ alone. As you believe, you do. Out of the heart…
3. The Law of sin, the Law of the mind, the Law of Sin and Death operate until the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus sets you free from them. Romans 6-8. Source determines seed. Form follows function. The resurrection of Christ ensures that the love of God overcomes hatred and death.
4. The Law of Liberty, the Law of Christ. Galatians 6.2; Romans 13.10. As within, so without. The love of Christ constrains us and we become Go-Givers, blessing God and His creation. The Resurrection of Christ ensures dominion for the sons of God.
5. The Law of Cause and Effect: As you do, God will do. Obadiah 15, 16, 21; Jeremiah 18. Remember the Lord your God. You have what you say. Mark 11.
6. The Law of Reciprocity. Luke 6.36-38. Give what you want to receive. The resurrection of Christ ensures that good will overcome evil.
7. The Law of Use and Increase. Matthew 25.14ff. To the one who has given, more will be given. Steward what God owns and entrusts you with wisely.
8. The Law of Perseverance. Matthew 7.7-11. You persevere because the Holy Spirit preserves. Press through.
9. The Law of Responsibility. Luke 12.46-48. With honor and greater glory (wealth) come greater responsibility. God will give you what you are ready to receive. Prepare for increase.
10. The Law of Greatness. Matthew 23.12. Step up by stooping down.

Solving your problems with the help of God: ASK, SEEK, KNOCK.

First, state the problem.

• Write it down on paper. Be as specific and complete as you can.
• Identify aspects of the problem and really think it through.

Second, restate the problem.

• Attempt five different ways to state the problem.
• Make it more global (macro) and then more specific (micro).

  E.g. Try to perceive the problem from different levels.
  E.g. If you want to reduce debt, ask, "Why do I want to reduce debt?"
  "Why do I want to reduce credit card debt?" "loans?" "free up money?"
  "Why do I want to free up money?"
  "Why do I want to buy more things?"
  "Why do I want to have more money available?"
  "Why do I want more money available for: retirement, Kingdom of God, MCM?"
  "Why do I want to save, give?"
  "Why do I want to honor God in my life choices?"
  E.g., Then ask, "In what ways might I…"
  E.g., Ask, "Who helps?" (people resources, God)
  "What difficulties, what might be required?"
  "Where might I …"
  "When?" (time frame goals)
  "Why?" (understand reasons and motivations for doing this)
  "How?" (what actions are necessary to put feet to your faith)

• Separate parts of the problem from the whole. You might want to diagram the problem somehow or visualize it if you think schematically or can draw out the problem in some way. E.g., some people use the "fishbone" idea or have arrows coming off the main idea to help your mind conceptualize the problem.
  
  
• Change the words around.

  E.g., think of different verbs, preferably action verbs.
  E.g., Ask, "In what ways might I reduce debt? Increase income? "Be more productive?" Change my spending habits?"
  E.g., Reduce the whole situation to one word, maybe "Simplify." "Steward." "Dominion." "Honor."

• Make positive action statements.

  E.g., I can reduce debt…increase income…simplify…by doing _______________ with God’s help. ACTION
  E.g., I can give to the Kingdom of God $_______ and activate the covenant promises. OBJECT: TO WHAT / TO WHOM
  E.g., I can reduce debt by (budgeting, tracking, trimming, targeting, training). I can demonstrate that I trust God for my finances by (making changes in my lifestyle, being more content with what He has given me, changing my perspective about ownership and needing more, giving to advance the Kingdom of God, etc.) QUALIFIER: HOW / BY DOING, BEING

  E.g., I want to solve this problem in order to have this desired result. I want peace in my life, to be a cheerful giver, to have that I might give to others, to honor God, to be able to give gladly, generously, graciously, obediently. DESIRED RESULT: IN ORDER TO

• Switch perspective. Use multiple perspectives.

  E.g., See your problem from the perspective of the credit card companies, from God’s perspective, from the world’s perspective,

  From the advertisers’ perspective, from the devil’s perspective, from the perspective of an older you, from the perspective of someone in a different profession or in a different social class or neighborhood, etc.

• Use questions, lots of them, to attack the problem from all angles.

  E.g., consider eliminating credit cards, is that wise, control issues, using money wisely, does money use you or do you use money, consolidate debt, control spending, choosing better, avoiding impulse, leave your money at home, examine what happens to you when you’re at the mall, in the hardware store, know yourself better, how increase income, get beyond the wage slave idea, overcome advertising, feed the bank gladly, start giving, look to what you already have, be more thankful to God for His gifts, see what God gives freely, improve as God’s trustee…

SEE THE STORY BEING TOLD

1. Think Visually

   For example, if you want to think about increase, you might put "increase" in the center of a diagram with lines extending out from it. The lines might represent areas to think about, like priorities, people, capital, technical requirements, goals, products, process, etc. You might be helped to think visually by using the following techniques:

1. Diagram. Try to draw the problem or situation you are thinking about.
2. Mind mapping. The idea here is to catch thoughts from all angles. The human brain just makes associations. You can map your thoughts and then look for unifying patterns and connections that might link seemingly different thoughts or themes into a new idea or creative solution to a problem. Extend your associative horizon. A mind map helps you deliberately and consciously extend associations to make imaginative connections.
3. Flooding. Fill yourself, for example, with the Word of God on a subject. Then write or express your thoughts. Let themes emerge from the material. Look for variations on the theme, as is in music compositions. Organize what you find in what seems like "random" scripture to synthesize and what you find.
4. Set rules for the process, especially if working in a group. One suggestion includes: defer judgment while generating ideas; generate as many ideas as possible; record ideas as they occur; elaborate or improve upon the ideas. It is important to defer judgment and withhold criticism when problem solving. Evaluate at the end after you have exhausted thought about resources and circumstances. Avoid the self-talk of criticism. Determine to consider all angles, as God’s part, your part, others.
5. Search the scripture for times when God used visual means and encounters to make His point. How can you "make your point" visually? Consider the techniques: diagram, map, draw, chart, use graphics, illustrate, photograph (to write with light).
6. Factor an accurate estimate of your creativity. Where are you on a line of continuum from highly creative to dud? Consider: Faith, motivation, ideas, curiosity, energy, time spent thinking, tools and techniques, persistence, habits that encourage/discourage you, preparation, goals that are clearly defined and godly, benefits as the promises of the Word.

2. Make a novel combination. For example, how did Joseph connect the unconnected

events of his life? How did Joseph find what he was not looking for? How did the "Immanuel principle," God was with Joseph, connect the events in his life? Look at your situation from all sides. What is God’s perspective? What is your perspective? What is the world’s perspective? What would the devil like to see happen here?

1. Expand your horizon. Consider Abraham. Some things just didn’t seem possible, or practical. God had him look first at the land before him. He could have all he could see. Then another time, God had him look up at the stars. His descendants would be just as these. He could see a limited portion of land, and that’s what he got. He couldn’t begin to count the stars, and that’s what he got, numberless descendants. You have what you see! The eye of faith sees with the mind of Christ.

   Consider events in Jesus’ life. When did people come to Jesus thinking their situation wasn’t possible, or practical? How about the Incarnation? How about the feeding of the five thousand? See beyond your limited vision and seek the vision of Christ and God.

4. See the same action with a different attitude. Mary of Bethany anointed Jesus with spikenard, an oil worth a year’s wages. What was Jesus’ attitude toward her action? What was Judas’ attitude? (John 12) How might you see your situation with a different, and more godly, attitude?

5. See yourself in the Scripture. God has given us many examples in His Word to guide us throughout our lives. They are there to encourage us to patience, hope, faith, love, mercy, etc. and to exhort us as to the choices we make. 1 Corinthians 10 says God gave examples in the OT for us so we won’t set our hearts on evil things. We have good and bad examples in the Bible so we don’t have to experience things and learn the hard way. See what God wants you to see in His Word. Search. Study. Solve your problems biblically. Stay thankful, joyful, humble, blessing God and praising Him for His provision.

1. See Jesus. Jesus’ whole life was one of "show and tell." As you read of His life, visual what was going on. Ask questions. Ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom and truth. Seek the right way over the easy way. Learn from the example of His life. Paul says in Philippians 4.9, after he tells us to rejoice, request with thanksgiving, and reason with right thinking, "those things which you have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do and the God of peace shall be with you." Paul could be content because he could do all things through Christ who strengthened him.

© 2000 Mary Craig Ministries, Inc.

mary@marycraig.org