Prosperous Life

PROSPEROUS LIFE

• We are looking at developing a prosperous soul attitude, and then living in this attitude continually.
• Just think, a place of generosity without any grudging. A place where you can enthuse and be blessed for someone else without feeling down about it. A place where you delight that everyone around you is being blessed by a wonderful Good God and all that is in you is thankfulness!
• That’s the kind of attitude we are talking about and desiring that would be released from within us.
• Its already there, but it has to overcome a lifetime of misery, grief and poverty thinking that has kept us down and out......

Subtitle for this session:

A question of honour

• Romans 13
• Whoever or whatever has authority deserves honour.
• God is to be honoured above all.

• Mal 1v6
• The issue here is honour and respect
• If God is the LORD then he is to be respected and honoured above all

• Mal 2v2
• The issue here was the priests, they no longer honoured the LORD this was not to do with what they were saying, but to do with what they were doing (or not).
• They offered sacrifices that were second best (took the first for themselves). They wouldn't work without being paid. They were skeptical, cold and lifeless.

• Prov 3v10
• Where there is no honour there is no prosperity.
• Prosperity as we have said many times previously is an attitude of heart. It has to do with the position of our soul. If in our hearts we do not honour God. If we do not truly honour those in authority. Then no matter how much we try or how much we give, the offering is cursed....

• Mal 3v9-10
• The issue that God is addressing is the issue of honour.
• Because there was no honour what was given was cursed, but because there was an attitude of poverty in the hearts of the people there was also great poverty in the nation.
• The issue of tithing does not have to do with law; its root is a heart issue of submission to the KING.
• Look at the benefits/look at His promise to us.
• Tithing is the initial heart response of someone who loves the LORD with all their heart, soul and being.

What happens when you honour God?

• Your barns will be filled.
• Your vats will overflow.
• The windows of heaven are opened.
• The blessing begins and then starts overflowing.

Tithing - the initial heart response:

• Gen 14: a tenth of all to God
• A tenth of all you earn or are given. As soon as you receive a wage check the tenth goes. As soon as you receive an investment dividend back. Anything that you call income, a tenth goes back to the LORD.

How do we give a tenth?

• The OT teaches clearly that it belongs in the storehouse (Mal 3v10a).
• Where is the storehouse? Its wherever you are getting fed.
• The NT teaches clearly that those who "sow spiritual things in you" they should be looked after materially (1 Cor 9v11).

• This must not be given anywhere else! Why? Because if you take it and give it elsewhere you dishonour the LORD and also hinder the flow of finance within the house.
• Sometimes people ask me to rebuke and deal with the spirit of poverty over their heart or life. Of course l believe in prayer and the power of prayer and l know that God can do all things. However, when it comes to the spirit of poverty its first place of seating is usually felt within the pocket! It then displays itself through the person’s attitude.
• Before anyone can successfully be freed from such a spirit they must first acknowledge their sin and repent of it.
• Second they must desire to do the word of the LORD. That is how we show Him that we love him. This also shows Him that we honour Him above all else.

• Third we must DO what He has asked us to do. If that means that we need to get our finances in order then we must do everything in our power (enpowered by the Holy Ghost) to get things in order.
• Where we have been doing things wrong way round we need to get help to put things right way.
• Where we know other area's of our finances our out of kilter we need to get help to put them right.
• I often find this: its only when l have done all that l know how to do, its only then that GOD will do what He has to do supernaturally to set me right.

• Again
• 1. Acknowledge & repent.
• 2. Decide to DO His word.
• 3. DO IT.
• 4. Get any help you need to get your finances in order.
• 5. Come for prayer if needed.

• (But can l say that if you do what you know to do, the prayer will be answered before you even come forward for it!)

• The question is a question of honour.

Do I honour God with all that I have?