THE “WORD” AND PROSPERITY. TEXT: JOSHUA 1:8

INTRODUCTION: God delights that His children be rich and successful people here on earth. He delights in the prosperity of his children and brings those who are bound into prosperity. God however has made provisions for all His children to have all round prosperity as we daily study, meditate, observe and apply the word of God in all our daily endeavours

THE WORD AS FOOD
One’s life does not consist merely on the physical but rather that well being (both physically and spiritually) depends on your relationship with God and obedience to His word. So you must resolve never to be swayed from obeying God, develop good appetite for God’s word and love the word intensely. (Deut.8:3, Job 23:12, Ps.119:103, Jeremiah 15:16)

THE WORD FOR CLEANSING
Holiness (or righteousness) and prosperity go hand-in-hand; therefore there is the need to allow the word of God daily in our life to cleanse us. You are cleansed by His revelation in general, His commands and promises when obeyed. So make an irreversible decision to remain loyal to God’s written and revealed word for the rest of your life. Ps.119:9,11; John 17:17; John 15:3

PROSPERITY

Prosperity means being a success or being rich in materials, kind and towards God.

a) Prosperity of the wicked

The wicked people (marauders) make money in unjust ways and are left in peace, undisturbed; they flourish like a green tree in its native land but the prosperity of the wicked end up his life in tragedy. Job 12:6; Ps.37:35; Ps.73:3, 12, 16-28.

b) Prosperity of the Righteous

God will always work through the righteous and his circumstances

To give him direction and guidance as to how to succeed in all he does as he carefully follow and do the conditions of the covenant. Gen.39:2-3; Deut.28:1-13; Deut.29:9; I Chron.22:13; II Chron.26:5; III Jn.2

Conclusion:

The word as seen in our main text is a powerful tool in making every child of God a very successful and prosperous person when the right attitude is cultivated towards it.

HEAVEN ON EARTH

“Through the tender mercy of our God, with which the dayspring from on high has visited, to give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet in to the way of peace”. (Luke 1:78-79)

Heaven is the dwelling place of God. The day the DAYSPRING from on high visited the earth, heaven came down to earth. Heaven is heaven because of the Almighty God that reigns there. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying “Behold the tabernacle of God is with men and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God”. (Revelation 21:3)

“In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him and without Him nothing was made that was made. And the word became flesh and dwelt among us and we behold His glory as of the only begotten of the father, full of grace and truth”. (John 1:1-3, 14)

Heaven on earth or rule or reign of God on earth begins in the true believers and among His people. Heaven on earth depicts the coming of God in to your life to assert His power, glory and right against sin, Satan’s dominion and the present course of this world. It is God expressing Himself powerfully in its entire works.

Heaven coming to earth has brought crisis to the world (kingdom of darkness) (Matt.12:28-29) Jesus drives out demons by the Spirit of God, bind the strong man and plunder his goods. In Mark 1:5, the Bible says “the time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe in the Gospel.” The day you accept Jesus Christ in to your heart, heaven comes into your life. If you love Jesus and keep His word, He and the father will come to you and make their home with you. So that heaven becomes a reality on earth. Therefore heaven is a person. “God anointed Jesus Christ of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with Power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil for God was with Him”. (Acts 10:38)

Heaven on earth depicts:-

1. Spiritual power over Satan’s rule and dominion, deliverance from demons and sin

2. Spiritual powers to work miracles and to heal the sick (Mark 1:35)

3. Make salvation and Sanctification possible (John 17:17)

4. The baptism in the Holy Spirit for power to witness for Christ and bring conviction to sinners (Acts 1:8)

Further evidence of experiencing heaven on earth is a life of righteousness (blamelessness), peace (balanced and calm, assurance) and joy in the Holy Spirit.

How do you bring Heaven down to earth?

1. You must be born again, Jesus Christ said “Most assuredly I say to you unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God and unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God”. (John 3:3,5)

2. Have faith in God’s word. Faith opens the windows of heaven and closes the gate of hell. If you believe, all things are possible to him that believes. (Mark 9:23);

3. Strong determination and desperation. Heaven responds to desperation when you conclude in a way that there is no alternative. “Oh that you would rend the heavens, that you will come down, that the mountains might shake at your presence”. (Isaiah 64:1)

4. Love for God and obedience to God in Holiness

Conclusion:

Heaven on earth is a present reality in the world today. The kingdom of heaven is for children of God, but it must be received so as to enter in to it. You have been taken from the power of darkness and conveyed into the kingdom of the son of His love. It is your responsibility to seek unceasingly heaven on earth in all its manifestations, hunger and thirst for God’s presence and power in your life and within your Christian community and the larger society. May heaven become a reality in your life, family, business or ministry in Jesus’ name.

SHALOM.