Prosperity Blog #4: Salvation and Prosperity

Prosperity Blog #4: Salvation and Prosperity

by Pastor Peter Samuels

Based on Chapter 21 of my Discipleship Training Course (http://tinyurl.com/disc-train-course)

Welcome to my fourth blog on prosperity. In my third blog we looked at some principles for overcoming poverty, concluding that we need a change of heart towards God before all else. In this blog I want to explore the connection between salvation and prosperity.

The Old Testament image behind the word for salvation is being brought out of trouble into a spacious, well-watered plain (Psalm 66:10), indicating the potential of salvation for prosperity and blessing. In the New Testament the emphasis is on Jesus living His abundant new life through us (John 10:10, Galatians 2:20), indicating how this potential should be fulfilled.

Whilst salvation, along with righteousness, healing and deliverance, are gifts we receive by faith they should lead us to action. Paul said that God’s grace had the effect of making him work hard, but only through the very grace he had received as a gift (1 Corinthians 15:10). We have a responsibility to work out that which Christ has worked in us by God’s abundant and all-sufficient grace (Philippians 2:12-13, 2 Peter 1:3-11).

Our outworking should change the way we operate. Ephesians 4:28 states, “The thief must no longer steal. Instead, he must do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share with anyone in need” (HCSB). Diligent hands bring wealth (Proverbs 10:4) and they will rule (Proverbs 12:24).

Our outworking should also be directed to God in worship, not towards man out of fear or seeking favour, or to ourselves out of greed and selfish ambition. As slaves of Christ we should do the will of God from our hearts (Ephesians 4:5-6). Our prosperity and promotion will then come from the LORD (Psalm 75:6-7, KJV).

Thanks for reading and I look forward to sharing again with you soon.

Pastor Peter Samuels