Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai

Introduction
Last week we considered two important assurances God gave us in relation to our wealth. It was that our wealth was hinged on our covenant with Him and His favour to us! We learnt that our God is the One who promised to make us not only rich but extremely rich as we see in Ezekiel 16:7 “I have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field, and thou hast increased and waxen great, and thou art come to excellent ornaments.” Our wealth is a confirmation of the covenant God made with our ancestors and He is a God who honours His covenants. (Psalm 89:34). We also learnt what the Bible teaches about handling wealth and the terms and conditions for the biblical rich. In today’s study we will be considering the topic: “The Heart of Prosperity”.

A. Biblical Definitions of True Prosperity.
The most common Hebrew word for "prosper" is tsalach (tsaw-lakh') it means "to advance, make progress, succeed, be profitable. To bring to successful issue; to experience prosperity."

Prosperity is a blessing from the Lord when people follow his ways.
• Psalm 1:3[KJV] “and he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”
• Joshua 1:8 [KJV] “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”
• Prov.10:22 [KJV] “The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.” 
• Prov. 8:21[KJV] “Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver. I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment: That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures
• 3 John 2-3 [KJV]. “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.
The Greek word "prosper" in 3 John 1:3 is euodoo (yoo-od-o'-o) which means "to have a successful journey through life.” The Hebrew word shalom (shaw-lome') can be translated "prosperous" also (as we see in Zech. 8:12); which means "completeness, safety, health, soundness, and contentment."]
Another Hebrew word for "prosper" is sakal (saw-kal') [same word for "success"] which means "to be prudent, to consider, be circumspect.” See 1 Kings 2:3. In other words, to be cautious and good stewards of what God gives us. (1 Timothy 6:17-18)

B. True Prosperity as defined by Kenneth Copeland
1. True prosperity is the ability to use the power of God to meet the needs of mankind in every realm of life—spirit, soul, body, financially, socially.
2. True prosperity is when you make it your need to get salvation into the hands of people and when you make it your purpose to feed the gospel to the unsaved.
3. True prosperity is the ability to look a man in the eye in his moment of impossibility and take his needs on as your own.
4. True prosperity is walking with God to be able and equipped to do for others whatever He needs done, whenever He needs it done and with whatever He requires.
5. True prosperity is not for keeping your bills paid and your body well just so you can lie around and watch TV in comfort. God is not prospering us to get us out of debt so we can get into bigger debt. He is not prospering us so we can buy and buy and buy. He is prospering us so we can give and give and give.
Having defined prosperity, we will look at the “heart” of prosperity. “Heart” referred to here, implies the core - the part of something that is central to or the reason of its existence.

C. Giving Is at the Very Heart of Prosperity
Our Motivation (reason) for accumulation of wealth should be for distribution. It’s not for our selfish purposes. 1 Timothy 6:17-18 (LB) confirms this: “Tell those who are rich not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which will soon be gone, but their pride and trust should be in the living God who always richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and should give happily to those in need, always being ready to share with others whatever God has given them.” Emphasis mine
Proverbs 11:24 says: “There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.

We are God’s stewards on earth with the responsibility to distribute His wealth.
a) Genesis 12:2 (AMP): “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you [with abundant increase of favours] and make your name famous and distinguished, and you will be a blessing [dispensing good to others].”
b) Zechariah 8:13 (NLT): “…I will rescue you and will make you both a symbol and a source of blessing.”
c) Galatians 6:10: “Let us practice generosity to all while the opportunity is ours, and above all, to those who are one family with us in the household of faith.”
d) 1 Corinthians 10:24: “Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth.”
e) Philippians 2:4: “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.”
f) 2 Corinthians 9:6 - 11 (NIV): Emphasis on verse 11: “[As a result of your giving] you will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” Emphasis added.

Conclusion
We are a source of God’s blessings to the world. The prosperity He sends our way is not for us only but for others as well. Zechariah 8:13 (NLT) says: “…I will rescue you and will make you both a symbol and a source of blessing.” We have been prospered to be a source of blessing to others. We are God’s stewards on earth with the responsibility to distribute His wealth so we should seek ways to empower others to be rich as well and not be selfish. The very heart of prosperity is giving! So let’s give happily to those in need, and be always ready to share with others whatever God has given us!
 

Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai

INTRODUCTION

Last week we considered Supernatural Provision, Increase and Multiplication. We learnt that this unlimited, overwhelming supply, increase or multiplication comes from above as we see in James 1:17. We also learnt that God has unusual ways and unlimited avenues of provision that supersede all natural limitations and that it is faith that gives access to the supernatural.
Today we will be looking at two important assurances God has given us in relation to our wealth: Our Covenant of Wealth & God’s Favour and Wealth. God has made a covenant with us to be wealthy and it is by His favour!

1. OUR COVENANT OF WEALTH
The wealth we have is the fulfilment of a covenant God confirmed to our ancestors by oath! This means it is bilateral – both parties must be active. That is why Deuteronomy 8:18 (NLT) says: “Remember the Lord your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful, in order to fulfil the covenant He confirmed to your ancestors with an oath.”
(a) Prosperity is a sign of our covenant with God. Deuteronomy 8:18
(b) Zechariah 8:13 (NLT): “…I will rescue you and will make you both a symbol and a source of blessing.”
(c) Genesis 17:1-8: God covenanted with Abraham to make him rich.
(d) Galatians 3:13-14, 29 “. . . we are heirs of the covenant . . . And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

2 Chronicles 16:9 says: “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.”
What can we learn from this verse of scripture?
(a) The phrase “Show Himself strong” (HEB) means the following: to bestow, to grant, to extend His covenant wealth
(b) Our covenant with God is His total commitment to support, defend, protect and provide.
(c) God’s consuming passion and determination is to locate His covenant people and bless them.
(d) It is an undying covenant devotion that propels Him to extend Himself to us with everything He is and with everything He has.
(e) It is a covenant love that won’t give up or quit until the extension of that love is satisfied. In 2 Samuel 9:1-3: David was consumed with locating an heir of Jonathan to bestow covenant wealth upon. The eyes of David ran to and fro throughout the whole earth searching for an heir of his covenant brother to lavish covenant wealth upon. How much more is God searching for us!

(a) “Covenant of Wealth” Scriptures
1. Deuteronomy 28:2: “And all these [covenant] blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee….”
2. Deuteronomy 28:11: “And the Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods….”
3. Ecclesiastes 5:19 (NLT): “And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it.”
4. Genesis 15:1: “Fear not Abram: I am your shield and your exceeding great reward.”
5. Hebrews 10:35: “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.”
6. Psalm 68:19: “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits.”
7. Psalm 103:2 (AMP): “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not one of all His (covenant) benefits.”

(b) The Windows or Floodgates of Heaven
Malachi 3:10 says: “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”
Let’s picture the impact of opening the windows of heaven (or the floodgates of heaven). Read Genesis 7:11-12, 17-20 and replace the word waters with The Blessing (abundant, liberal, excessive prosperity)
We can believe for a constant, steady, nonstop outpouring of God’s abundant, liberal, and excessive prosperity.

(c) Showers of Blessing
Ezekiel 34:25-27 says: “I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. And I will make them and the places around my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing. And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the Lord.”
We have mostly limited our definition of the word shower to a brief and usually light fall of rain, hail, sleet, or snow but there’s another definition of the word shower that this verse of scripture refers to:
“To give someone a great number of (things).”
Here are a few synonyms of this “shower”: deluge, flood, inundate, swamp, submerge, engulf, bury; overwhelm, saturate, overload. So when God says He will cause the shower to come down  . . . and that there shall be showers of blessing our expectations should be that of a deluge of, a flood of, inundated with, swamped by, submerged in, engulfed by, buried in; overwhelmed with, saturated with, and overloaded with blessings!

(d) Covenant Tokens
Every covenant usually has a token. Tithing is one of the covenant tokens of wealth. So, when we tithe, we should be expecting a non-stop downpour and torrent of abundant, liberal, excessive prosperity and provision coming down violently in thick succession from the floodgates of heaven! Just like “Noah’s flood”!
The Effects of Tithing
• The tithe protects our money.
• Tithing places us under warranty.
• Tithing extends our warranty.
• Tithing places us in “flood stage.” “Not a trickle, not a stream, not a river but a flood.” —Oral Roberts

2. GOD’S FAVOUR AND WEALTH
Favour is a word that holds very similar meaning to grace—God’s kindness and help extended toward us. This includes promotion, restoration, honour, victory, recognition, preferential treatment and supernatural increase in assets and real estate.
• It is God personally acting on your behalf doing for you whatever it takes for you to prosper, thrive, flourish and be the success you were created to be. (Psalm 84:11, Psalm 44:3)
• It will cause people to go out of their way to bless you, provide for you, help you, assist you and make special concessions just for you. (Exodus 3:21)
• It will make a way where there is no way, open doors where there are no doors, provide where there is no provision and do the impossible in the midst of the most impossible situations. (Genesis 39:1-6)
• The favour of God surrounds us. (Psalm 5:12)
• The favour of God is among us. (Proverbs 14:9)
• The favour of God rests upon us. (Luke 2:14)
• God blesses us with an abundant increase of His favours. (Genesis 12:2)

The Blessing of the Lord Makes Rich
It is God’s blessings that makes one rich as we see in Proverbs 10:22—“The Blessing of the Lord, It Makes Rich, and He Adds No Sorrow with It”
We find this confirmation in Psalm 112:1; which says the man that fears God is blessed; in verse 3: “Wealth and riches shall be in his house”. And in vs 7: “He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.”

Handling Riches
2 Corinthians 8:9 (NLT): “You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.”
1 Timothy 6:17-18 spells out the terms and conditions for the biblical rich.
(a) Don’t be high-minded.
(b) Don’t trust in riches, but in the living God.
(c) Do good and be rich in good works.
(d) Be ready to distribute, willing to give.

CONCLUSION
Our God is the One who promised to make us not only rich but extremely rich! Ezekiel 16:7 says: “I have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field, and thou hast increased and waxen great, and thou art come to excellent ornaments….” Proverbs 8:18 (AMP) says: “Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and righteousness (right standing with God). His promise is enduring wealth – not the one that takes up wings and fly! (Proverbs 23:5). And Proverbs 8:21 says: “That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth and true riches, and that I may fill their treasuries.”
Finally, Deuteronomy 8:18 (NLT) admonishes us to: “Remember the Lord your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful, in order to fulfill the covenant he confirmed with your ancestors with an oath.” Our wealth is a confirmation of the covenant God made with our ancestors and He is a God who honours His covenants. (Psalm 89:34)

Contributor: Alex Alajiki

INTRODUCTION:
Last two weeks, we considered the topic “Flourishing in the Household of Faith & Supernatural Wealth Transfer”. We were reminded that it is God’s desire, as a matter of fact, He’s always programmed into the “design specification” of Man, the power and ability to flourish. There is no doubt that it is God’s eternal plan for us to walk in absolute wealth for the main purpose of propagating His Kingdom.

Today we are looking at Supernatural Provision, Increase and Multiplication. Let us look at this word from the Lord through Kenneth Copeland.

“I have a great storehouse. Much more has been stored up in the storehouse of riches beyond your wildest dream that I laid up for you before the foundation of the world. Much more is stored up there than what the Church has ever called for. I never have held back on the Church,” saith The LORD and the God of plenty. “I’ve made it available to you. I put it in My WORD. I gave you promise and stood behind it with the blood—the precious blood of your Saviour.
“But there has been a backwardness in My people about laying hold of the things that I have provided for you.
“But I will say this: There is a people in the land. There is a people around the world. There is a people strong and mighty growing much stronger and much mightier and more bold to lay hold and put their claim of faith on the things that I have laid up for them and it thrills Me,” saith The LORD, “because it’s been theirs all the time.” By Kenneth Copeland Nov.10, 2011

1) What is “Super-natural”?

A) Super: - above, over, beyond, higher, surpassing; outside the natural realm.
B) Natural: - lower, below, limited to the earthly realm; conforming to the ordinary course of nature; something deduced by human reason alone rather than by divine revelation or inspiration.
C) Supernatural: - something that takes place outside the natural world; above, over, higher and beyond the ordinary course of nature. It is purely divine.

Supernatural Provision, increase and multiplication: - an unlimited, overwhelming supply, increase or multiplication that comes from above. James 1:17 (AMP): “Every good gift and every perfect (free, large, full) gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of all [that gives] light.”

 God has unusual ways and unlimited avenues of provision that supersede all natural limitations and faith gives access to the supernatural.

People try to increase themselves through toiling. There is a supernatural increase and a supernatural multiplication that we ought to operate in, in the Kingdom of God system. So, we are looking at the above and beyond the natural course of this world.

“Rejoice and renew your faith in the supernatural. For it is time for the words and the faith and the preaching that has gone on before us to come to pass and come to full maturity. We will stand up and say, ‘Surely the Glory has come down.” —Word from the Lord through Kenneth Copeland, Dec. 24, 2005

• If you are blessed with €10m today, what will you do with it?

“If you put things off in time and are looking through the natural progression of time, you can’t operate in the supernatural. The supernatural only operates by faith and faith is a higher law than time.”  By Bill Winston, the Supernatural Church.

2) Supernatural Provision; 1Kings 17:1-6, John 17:24-26

“After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?” “Yes, he does,” he replied. When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—from their own children or from others?”  “From others,” Peter answered.

“Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him. 27 “But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”

3) Supernatural Increase; Psalm 115:12-16, Leviticus 26:4

“The Lord hath been mindful of us: he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron. He will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great. The Lord shall increase you more and more, you and your children. Ye are blessed of the Lord which made heaven and earth. The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.”

“Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.”

We are not limited to or affected by the natural realm. Supernatural provision, increase and multiplication will un-fix a fixed income. The Lord will supernaturally provide in ways we have never considered.

4) Supernatural Multiplication; John 6:1-13, Leviticus 26:9 (AMP)

“For I will be leaning toward you with favour and regard for you, rendering you fruitful, multiplying you, and establishing and ratifying My covenant with you.”

“Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]—To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it).” Ep.3:20

• What is the difference between Increase and Multiplication?

5) Steps to Supernatural Provision, Increase and Multiplication

Our God has unlimited avenues and unusual ways of providing that extend beyond our natural limitations.

1) Our God is our source and only source; Gen.22:1-14: Jehovah Jireh—the Lord will provide

2) Be conscious of God’s blessing upon your life and all that is connected to you. Deu.28:8, 11-12

3) Be ready to obey the word and voice of God irrespective of the circumstances. John 2:5

Conclusion.
Philippians 4:19 (AMP/Greek paraphrase): My God will liberally supply, fill to the full, cram, furnish, satisfy, finish and complete all of your needs, employment, requirements, lack and business according to His riches, His wealth, His money and His possessions in glory by Christ Jesus.

Most parts of this outline are culled from the Book “40 DAYS OF PROSPERITY” by Pastor George Pearsons.

Contributor: Leye Olayiwola

INTRODUCTION:
Last week, we considered the topic “Call in Your Harvest”. We were reminded that the responsibility of harvest is ours. In the words of Apostle Paul, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God [all the while] was making it grow and [He] gave the increase.” This also reiterates that planting is our responsibility. The growth part belongs to God. Mark 4:26-29 sums up the whole concept of planting, growth and harvesting. We were also reminded about the importance of our mouth in calling in our harvest. In today’s study, we shall be looking at God’s plan for us to flourish and the long overdue supernatural wealth transfer that those of us in the household of God have been positioned to enjoy in Jesus name, Amen.

A. Flourishing In The Household of Faith
“The world is in serious trouble. But for the household of faith and those who will cling to God’s word and listen very carefully, and do this thing that I have demonstrated before you tonight, and night after night after night……..Stand on my word and it’ll not come nigh you. Praise and worship My Name. Don’t feed and feed fear and feed trouble into your life and into your mouth. Feed on My Word, not on the bread of sorrow. In church, praise and worship and preach the Word. Everything is going to be alright” [Excerpt from the Word from the Lord through Brother Copeland in August 6, 2010]

“And God blessed them and said to them, Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it [using all its vast resources in the service of God and man]; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and over every living creature that moves upon the earth.” [Genesis 1:28 AMP]
It is God’s desire; As a matter of fact, He’s always programmed into the “design specification” of Man, the power and ability to flourish. We will look at scriptural confirmations to support this truth.

1. “The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing; to show that the Lord is upright: He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.” [Psalm 92:12-15]

To flourish means;
• To Flower, blossom, bloom, breakthrough, spread out.
• Enter into a state of prosperity.
• Increase in wealth, favour and honour.
• Grow vigorously and exuberantly, enlarge and expand.
• Become extremely successful.
2. “The house of the wicked shall be overthrown; but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish” [Proverbs 14:11]
3. “I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.” [Psalm 52:8] – The word green signifies flourishing.
“Wealth and riches shall be in his (the righteous) house: and his righteousness endureth forever.” [Psalm 112:3]
4. “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river,
And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.” [Jeremiah 17:7-8]
• “….her leaf shall be green” – means prospering, thriving, flourishing.
• NLT Translation: “…Their leaves stay green [and flourishing], and they never stop producing fruit.”
• MSG Translation: “….They are like trees replanted in Eden, putting down roots near the rivers – never worry through the hottest of summers, never dropping a leaf, serene and calm through droughts, bearing fresh fruit every season.”
5. “He brought me to the banqueting house, And his banner over me was love. [SoS 2:4]          
“He who trusts in his riches will fall, But the righteous will flourish like foliage [branch]. [Prov. 11:28]

B. Supernatural Wealth Transfer
“Financial inversion (reverse in position) shall increase in these days. For you see, it is My (The Lord’s) desire to move in the realm of your financial prosperity. But release Me, saith the Lord, release Me that I may come in your behalf and move on your behalf….The economy shall go and it will go down [current situation in China worth mentioning]; but those who learn to walk in the Word, they shall see the prosperity of the Word come forth in this hour in a way that has not been seen by men in days past.
Yes, there’s coming a financial inversion in the world’s system. It’s been held in reservoirs of wicked men for days on end. But the end is nigh. Those reservoirs shall be tapped and drained into the gospel of Jesus Christ. It shall be done in the time allotted and so shall it be that the Word of the Lord shall come to pass that the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just. This shall be done predominantly in two ways. Firstly through the conversion, into God’s Kingdom, of those who have hoarded up and stored up wealth because of the inspiration of the evil one. Secondly, the Word of the Lord shall rise within men of God of low esteem in the financial world, who shall work in the light of the Word and give. Their giving will increase, and through the hundredfold return, the reservoirs that have held riches in days past shall return to the hands of the giver. This is how the reservoirs shall be lost from the wicked and turned to the gospel. [Excerpt from the Word from the Lord through Charles Capps, in February 1, 1978]

We will consider some scriptural truths in line with this prophesy.
1. “But the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.” [Proverbs 13:22b]
AMP Version: “…..the wealth of the sinner [finds its way eventually] into the hands of the righteous, for whom it was laid up.”
2. “Though he heaps up silver like dust and clothes like piles of clay, what he lays up the righteous will wear, and the innocent will divide his silver. [Job 27:16-17 NIV]                
NLT Version: “16 Evil people may have piles of money and may store away mounds of clothing. 17 But the righteous will wear that clothing, and the innocent will divide that money.”  19The wicked go to bed rich but wake to find that all their wealth is gone.                                                                                                                             “Do not envy the wicked, do not desire their company” [Proverbs 24:1]
3. “To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God…...”                                                                                                                             NLT Version: “…if a sinner becomes wealthy, God takes the wealth away and gives it to those who please Him.”
4. “He brought [Israel] forth also with silver and gold, and there was not one feeble person among their tribes.” [Psalm 105:37 AMP]
[a] Feeble (in Hebrew) means there was not one pauper among their tribes
[b] Pauper – An extremely poor person; A person without any means of support; A destitute person who depends on aid from public welfare funds or charity.
[c] Tehillim Commentary:
• Rabbi Eliezer the Great taught that the lowliest among the children of Israel brought ninety (90) donkeys laden with silver and gold when he left Egypt.
• The pauper is a man who has become impoverished and stumbled from his original financial level, No Jew who left Egypt could be described as a pauper because all were enriched by the possessions of their oppressors.
• Ibn Yachya and Sforno describe the pauper as a man whose health has deteriorated to the point that he stumbles unless he uses a cane. When the Jews left Egypt, a miracle occurred – not a single person among them was sick or debilitated.
5. “And He brought forth His people with joy, and His chosen ones with gladness and singing,” [Psalm 105:43 AMP]
[a] Tehillim Commentary:
• God did not merely load their saddlebags with material wealth, He also filled their hearts with spiritual wealth.
• The redeemed ones reaped a rich 3harvest of faith, the outgrowth of the wonders they beheld. This filled their hearts with mirth and their mouths with song.

Conclusion.
There is no doubt that it is God’s eternal plan for us to walk in absolute wealth for the main purpose of propagating His Kingdom. This wealth is already here even though some are in the hands of the wicked. But the time has come for the supernatural transfer to take place. We pray that every one of us in the household of God will be appropriately positioned to receive this wealth in Jesus name. This we will do through feeding on God’s Words, embracing His promises and acting on them by faith. Also through praising and worshipping Him in the beauty of His Holiness. “Say to the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds.” [Isaiah 3:10]. 

Most parts of this outline are culled from the Book “40 DAYS OF PROSPERITY” by Pastor George Pearsons

Contributor: Alex Alajiki

Introduction
Last week, we considered how to make deposits and withdrawals from our heavenly accounts. Phil.4:14-19 gave us insight into how the Philippian Church consciously made deposits into their heavenly account. We saw the various ways of making deposits into these accounts.
This week, we are progressing into the understanding of how to call in our harvest after sowing or making deposits into our heavenly accounts.

1) Harvesting Is Our Responsibility; Ecc. 3:1-2 (NLT), Prov.10:5
“For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest.”  
“He that gathers in summer is a wise son: but he that sleeps in harvest is a son that causes shame.”
Any farmer that will put in the work to sow and will not bother to bring in the harvest will be considered a fool, so also, everyone that sows and never believe nor demand for harvest.
Believers are deceived in their thinking that they can just wait on God to bring in their harvest. Some are disillusioned and aggravated with God. Don’t think reaping is automatic. Don’t think once you put the money in, it’s all up to Him. You just sit back and relax and think it’s all going to just come on you. That is ignorance and confusion. We can’t sleep through our harvest or allow our harvest to stand in the field.
In Mark 4:26-29, the man did the sowing, God gave the increase and the man did the reaping.

2) How to Reap Your Harvest; Heb.11:6
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe   that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
A preacher was struggling financially. Physically, he was well and strong. He had powerful demonstrations of the spirit. The ministry was growing. The only area of trouble he had was in the financial realm. He took time to fast and pray, seeking the Lord to find out why. The Lord told him that he was not in faith where his finances were concerned. He told him that he had to receive his finances the same way he received his healing—by faith.
We must use our faith to call and bring in our harvest. The mouth is a powerful instrument of harvest. Mouth harvest whatever they speak. Our words of faith bring in the harvest.
We must expectantly command the angels to go bring in our harvest. Hebrews 1:14: “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?”
The reapers are the angels. Matt.13:39 “ ….and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.”

3) Not Subject to this world; John 17:14-17
 “I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”
We are not subject to, nor do we live under, the dominion, rule, control or influence of whichever way the economy and the world’s system are going at the moment. Our times are subject to the authority of the Word, the blood and the Name of Jesus spoken and acted upon by the believer. The times are subject to us. We are subject to and governed by another economy and another system—the kingdom of God.
We are to thrive, not just survive.
a. Survive—barely get by, merely exist
b. Thrive—flourish, succeed, advance, prosper
1 John 5:18 “ We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them.”

We thrive and prosper in tough times. We are not subject to the economy of this world. We are to flourish in spite of what is happening around us in the world. We are untouched and unaffected.

Conclusion (Jer. 17:5-8)
The cursed man trusts himself, his heart is not toward God. The result: no fruit, no hope, no future The blessed man trusts God with his whole heart. The result: thriving tree, roots deep, no fear, produces fruit 5. Verse 8 (MSG): “They’re like trees replanted in Eden, putting down roots near the rivers—never a worry through the hottest of summers, never dropping a leaf, serene and calm through droughts, bearing fresh fruit every season.”
Most parts of this outline are culled from “40 DAYS OF PROSPERITY” by Pastor George Pearsons

Contributor: Akin Akande

Introduction
Last week, we considered how God is able to supernaturally provide as well as cancel debts, whenever He wishes to do so. We saw that God can not be limited in supplying for what we truly need and He is more than able to cancel any debt by providing the finances, removing the debt or moving upon the heart of others.
This week, we will look at the “bank” of heaven, how one makes deposits and withdrawing from the account.

“Bank” of heaven
Simply put, a bank is a supply of something (mostly money) held in reserve or an establishment for the custody, loan, exchange, or issue of money, for the extension of credit, and for facilitating the transmission of funds. There are therefore banks here on earth and nothing is wrong in having them. We must not only trust in them! In the bible there are “banks” (See 2 Chro. 31:11, John 12:6).
Similarly, there are “bank” accounts in heaven too (See Matt. 6:19-21, Luke 12:33). Unfortunately many do not know that they have such accounts. One church that walked in the reality of such account is the church at Philippi (Phil. 4:14-19 – Read verses 15 and 17 in different versions).

Making Deposits
Just as we make deposits into our accounts here on earth, we must make deposits to our heavenly bank accounts. In Matt. 6:19-21, “Lay up” means to make deposits. One makes deposits by doing the following
• Tithing – Mal. 3:10
• Investing in the gospel – Mark 10:29-30
• Giving to the poor – Pro. 19:17, Matt. 19:21
• Giving as praise to God – 1 Chro. 16:29

Making Withdrawals
Again, since there is an account and one makes deposits into them it must also be possible to make withdrawals 1 Tim 6:17-19

Kenneth and Gloria Copeland story: They started up with lots of difficulties in their finances. After hearing messages about faith from Kenneth Hagin, they took practical proactive steps; listed all they owed, what they needed, prayed, fasted, etc. They agreed together according to Romans 13:8 that they would never borrow another dime. They committed to God that they would pay back everyone they owed. They continued to make deposits into their heavenly account by faithfully tithing and sowing seed.
They released their faith and made a withdrawal from their heavenly bank account.
This process took time, effort, prayer, focus and diligence. They saturated themselves with God’s Word and cut off every voice of the world – no TV or newspapers – just the Word of God.
Praise God – twelve months from that day, every debt was paid in full and every need was completely met.

Seven-Point Bank of Heaven Withdrawal
1. Decide on the amount you need (James 1:5-8).
a. Be exact and single-minded. 

b. Write it down. 

c. List your needs, debts and desires. 

2. Get in agreement with people of like faith (Matthew 18:19-20). 

3. Claim what you need by faith (Mark 11:23-24). 

4. Bind the devil and his forces (Matthew 18:18). Say something like “Satan, take your hands off my money!”
5. “Loose” (I will say “speak to”) the angels to go get it (Hebrews 1:4).
For example declare “Ministering spirits – go get my money!”
6.  Continually praise God for it (Psalm 34:1). 

7. Avoid strife and unforgiveness (James 3:16; Mark 11:25-26). 


Conclusion
Understanding that we have “bank” accounts in heaven is the first step in order to make withdrawals. Most importantly, we must consciously make deposits into the accounts before withdrawals are made. Take practical steps to deposit into your heavenly accounts and release your faith to withdraw from them.
Most parts of this outline are culled from “40 DAYS OF PROSPERITY” by Pastor George Pearsons

Sample Prayer of Agreement
“Father, in the Name of Jesus, we make a withdrawal of €_______ from our heavenly bank account. We have this money in our account and we are withdrawing this amount now. We believe we receive €_______. As in Mark 11:23-24, we believe it in our hearts and confess now that it is ours in the Name of Jesus. We agree that we have this amount according to Matthew 18:19. From this day forward, we roll the care of this over on to You and thank You for it. Satan, we take authority over you; we bind your operation now and render you helpless. Ministering spirits, we charge you to go forth and cause this amount to come to us according to Hebrews 1:14. Father, we praise Your Name for meeting our needs according to Your riches in glory by Christ Jesus, and for multiplying our seed for sowing, in the Name of Jesus.”

Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai

Introduction

Last week we treated “walking in the fullness of the blessing”. We learnt that by virtue of our redemption through Christ Jesus, we have access to the Blessing by faith; and that the Blessing makes us rich (with money) and our attitudes to money must be different from those of the unbelievers. Money is our servant and not the other way round. God doesn’t want us to be limited by our current financial circumstances but to walk in the fullness of the blessing. Today we will consider one of the ways God chooses to make us walk in the fullness of the blessings - Supernatural Provision & Supernatural Debt Cancellation.

I. SUPERNATURAL PROVISION
A supernatural occurrence is a manifestation or event that is attributed to some force beyond scientific understanding or the laws of nature. It is an unusual, unlimited, accelerated supply from heaven superseding the realm of impossibility and foreign to natural man’s thinking. In simpler terms, it is God’s involvement in the physical world! God has supernatural ways to fully supply every need in the face of lack, shortage and a bad economy.
(a) Biblical Examples of Supernatural Provision
• The sacrificial ram for Abraham in place of Isaac. (Gen. 22:6-14)
• The ravens bringing food and drink to Elijah. (1 Kings 17:1-6)
• One-year supply of food for the widow and Elijah in the midst of a famine. (1 Kings 17:8-16)
• Multiplication of oil for a prophet’s widow. (2 Kings 4:1-7)
• Jesus turning water into wine. (John 2:1-11)
• Jesus multiplying the fish and loaves and feeds 20,000. (John 6:5-14)
These instances are not limited to the Bible only. A 15-year-old was so impressed with Elijah’s story that he decided to try it. He asked the Lord for $10 for missions. He went out, spoke to the birds and commanded them to put it in a tree in the backyard. The first day he discovered 65 cents, the second day $2.35, and the third day $7. Over the next two months, he found a total of $440 in the tree! And there will be many more other experiences out there today.
(b) What We Must Do to Experience Supernatural Provision
• We must feed on the Word of God and renew our minds. (Romans 12:2)
• We must take our eyes off your financial problems and focus on God. (Heb. 12:2)
• We must remove the spirit of fear, worry and unbelief from our hearts and mind. (Phil.4:6)
• We must picture God supernaturally supplying our needs enlarging our capacity for supernatural provision. (Phil.4:19)
• We must stop depending upon ourselves and rely on God as our source of total supply. (Prov.3:5)
• We must not hold from God our tithes and offerings; we must continue giving liberally, expecting God to multiply it back into our lives. (Mal 3:8)
• We must walk in and exercise our faith. We must realign our thinking and walk in obedience to God. (Phil 4:13)
• Ask in God for it in faith without doubting Him (Habakkuk 2:4; Heb. 11:6).
(c) Faith-Building Scriptures for Supernatural Provision
Galatians 3:14 says that we have access to the blessing by faith. Without belabouring the point; faith is therefore a huge necessity; most especially when it comes to supernatural provision. Let us consider a few scriptures that will help build our faith for the supernatural.
• James 1:17: “Every good gift and every perfect gift [AMP—free, large, full] is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”
• Ephesians 3:20-21 (AMP): “Now to Him who, by the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes or dreams]—to Him be glory in the church....”
• Philippians 4:19 (AMP): “My God will liberally supply (fill to the full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
• Psalm 68:19: “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, even the God of our salvation.”
• Isaiah 55:1: “Every one that thirsteth, come to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.”

II. SUPERNATURAL DEBT CANCELLATION
God is Omnipotent; He has unlimited authority and power. So He can do anything if He so chooses. If He can blot out every handwriting against us, He sure as well can blot out any financial debts we owe!
(a) Three Ways God Supernaturally Removes Debt - Luke 4:14-21
i. He Provides the Finances
As we see in 2 Kings 4:1-7 (NLT): “…Sell the olive oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on what is left over.” And Luke 5:1-11: Simon Peter’s fishing business avoided bankruptcy after Jesus told him where to drop the nets. Also see Matthew 17:24-27: Taxes were paid from money in a fish’s mouth.
ii. He Removes the Debt
• Nehemiah cancelled the debts of the poor Jews. (Nehemiah 5:1-13)
• The king forgave his servant of the 10,000 talents. (Matthew 18:23-27). But it’s important to note (Matthew 6:12) “Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.”
• Jesus “cancelled and blotted out and wiped away the handwriting of the note…with its legal decrees and demands. He set it aside and cleared it completely out of our way by nailing it to [His] cross.” (Colossians 2:13-14 (AMP))
• He reduces the debt. (Luke 16:1-7)
iii. He Moves Upon Others
Philemon 18-19 (AMP): “If he has done you any wrong in any way, or owes anything [to you], charge that to my account. I, Paul, write it with my own hand—I promise to pay it in full….”
Luke 10:30-37: “The Samaritan took out two pence and gave them to the owner of the inn and said to him, “Take care of him. Whatever else you have to spend, I will pay it back in full when I return.” God is the One who moves upon a person—not you.
Once again, these instances are not limited to the Bible only. (Share testimony)
 (b) Principles for Supernatural debt cancellation
God has given us the power to overcome debt through the supernatural laws of debt release. Practical, natural wisdom can assist in debt freedom; however, Christians have an anointing advantage to get out of debt supernaturally.
(i.) Announce your deliverance from debt (Luke 4:18). Everything in the Kingdom of God starts with a decree. Declaring what God has said will release the anointing of God to destroy the power of debt.
(ii.) Bind the "strong man" (Matthew 12:28, 29). There is a demonic spirit behind debt. Binding the spirit behind debt gets to the root of the matter, which is spiritual. You can't stop debt if the spirit behind debt is still allowed to work. So take authority, and in the name of Jesus declare war on the spirit of debt.
(iii.) Apply violent faith (Matthew 11:12). Violent faith is faith that is consistent and working all the time. Meditate on the Word, and confess it every day, regardless of the attack and opposition. When force is exerted, the intensity of that force will cause victory. The more intense you are in your faith, the quicker you'll see results. Real freedom from anything requires violent faith, because the devil will not give you anything. Use the Word of God to speak to your debt, and take what belongs to you. Declare what you want as though you already have it.
(iv.)  Don’t dwell on past debts. (Philippians 3:13, 14). Focusing on the past causes one to lose momentum. Past debts will cause depression and self-doubt. Stop remembering old things; God will do a new thing if you let go of the past (Isaiah 43:18, 19).

Conclusion
God doesn’t want us to be limited by our current financial circumstances but to walk in the fullness of the blessing. He is Jehovah El-Shaddai – the All Mighty One! This means He’s able to do anything He wants which includes supernatural provision and supernatural debt cancellation for us if we can truly take Him by His words!

Contributor: Akin Akande

Introduction
Thriving in the midst of famine was the subject that we treated last week. We saw that God does not just want us to survive during famine but to prosper, succeed and grow vigorously. This was the experience of Isaac and since we are also part of Abrahamic covenant we can enjoy the same privilege. Additionally, we must pay attention to the steps that Isaac took for him to thrive during famine. He obeyed God, sowed seeds, paid tithes and walked by faith. We also need to do same to enjoy such privilege.
This week, we will continue in the same spirit by looking at The Blessing, the basis for our access to The Blessing and what our relationship should be towards money. May the Lord open our eyes to this aspect of the redemptive package in Jesus’ name (Amen).

Review of the Blessing
The Blessing is loaded in the very first words heard by a human ear, setting the course and precedent for God’s perfect will for man. Essentially, man was empowered by The Blessing in order to: Be fruitful; multiply; replenish the earth; subdue the earth; Have dominion over the earth.

The Garden of Eden was a perfect demonstration of God’s plan for this planet. It was a prototype of what He wanted the planet to look like. Adam’s job was to exercise his God-given authority and expand that Garden until it encompassed the entire earth. That was what The Blessing was for. 


It provided Adam with the power to carry on the work God began at Creation. It equipped him with the divine resources he needed to follow God’s example. He was to transform the uncultivated parts of this planet into a veritable Garden of Eden by speaking faith-filled words. The Blessing empowered Adam to be

The Blessing wherever he went. The Garden of Eden was literally inside Adam. 

Adam lost The Blessing at the Fall. The last Adam in the person of Jesus Christ came to restore The Blessing that was lost. Jesus Christ is The Blessing! He is alive in us. We have been redeemed from the curse and now walk in The Blessing of Abraham.
Galatians 3:13-14 – Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), that The Blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Therefore, we have been redeemed from the curse to walk in The Blessing

To Redeem means to buy back, to buy out, and to clear by payment. To free a person from captivity by paying a ransom. We have been freed from the curse of poverty (Lack, Deficiency, Not enough, Shortage). Proverbs 10:22: “The Blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and He addeth no sorrow with it.”

Fullness means the state of being filled to capacity; To fill to the top so that nothing is wanting; to fill to the brim so that nothing is lacking; overabundance, excessive amount, superabundance.

Components of The Blessing and walking in it
Useful ingredients to walking in The Blessing include faith – Gal. 3:14, careful observance to all of God’s commandment and diligent obedience to His voice – Deut. 28:1
The Components: Deut. 28:2 – 14 (Read it!)

God’s Blessings on Israel
• Cities and farms will be successful (28:3)
• They will produce many children (28:4)
• They will harvest large crops (28:4)
• Their livestock will have many young (28:4)
• They will have plenty to eat (28:5)
• Their daily work will succeed (28:6)
• They will be able to defeat their enemies (28:10)
• They will be God’s own special people (28:10)
• Rain will come at the right times (28:12)
• They will have plenty of money to lend to others (28:12)
• Their nation will be a leader among nations (28:13)
• Their nation will be wealthy and powerful (28:13)
Money is a component of The Blessing and so what should be our relationship with money?

Our Relationship to Money
The Role of Money in Our Lives: Money issues can be a source of stress and pressure in that they control lives, attitudes and emotions. Some are slaves to money i.e. driven to make it and keep it. As believers, we must straighten out our relationship with money. 

Matthew 6:24-33—Settle This: I Serve God. Money Serves Me. Seed was designed by God to serve us (Genesis 1:29). Seed is also for the service of man (Psalm 104:14).

How, then, should we conduct ourselves with money? 1 Timothy 6:10, 17-19
The love of money is the root of all evil (vs 10), hence, we must not love money – we love God. Also we must not trust money (vs 17) – we trust God. In addition, we are to be givers of money (vs 18) – not only takers. Finally money should be seen as a tool to help others.

Conclusion
By virtue of our redemption through Christ Jesus, we have access to The Blessing by faith. The Blessing makes us rich with money and our attitudes to money must be different from those of the unbelievers. Money is our servant and not the other way round.
Most parts of this outline are culled from “40 DAYS OF PROSPERITY” by Pastor George Pearsons

Confessions
I am walking in the fullness of The Blessing, fully furnished and liberally supplied. 

Filled to the top – nothing wanting.
Filled to the brim – nothing lacking.
My ship is full and overflowing.
The Blessing has come to me. 

The Blessing has overtaken me.
I am walking in the superabundant, exceeding excess, fullness of The Blessing – in Jesus’ Name (Amen)
I settle this issue right now.
I adjust my financial attitude.
I do not serve money. I am not a slave to money.
I serve God. Money serves me.
I do not work for money. Money works for me.
Money doesn’t control me – I control money. Money doesn’t rule me – I rule money. Money doesn’t dominate me – I dominate money.
I fearlessly tithe as I am told. I boldly give as I am led.

Money – you serve me. Money – you obey me.
Money – you multiply, increase and produce maximum harvest.

Contributor: Leye Olayiwola

INTRODUCTION

“Poverty is a curse. It’s a curse that stems (emanates) from disobedience. Being under the curse of poverty means one cannot be prosperous even if they worked hard. But Jesus Christ broke the curse of poverty according to Galatians 3:13”. It is hoped that the above statement, which is startling, is still fresh in our memory, after the awesome lesson titled The Laws of Poverty, which was examined in details last week. It is hoped that we have been very mindful of the laws that governs Poverty and we have been conscious in operating the superseding laws. We shall continue this week on the series of the teachings on Prosperity by considering the topic, Thriving In the Midst of Famine.

1. There Was a Famine in the Land [Genesis 26:1]
Famine is defined as severe shortage; extreme scarcity or serious economic downturn. The time of Famine is a Dark Time for those
• who do not know God (Daniel 11:32)
• Who do not know their covenant with God
• Who are filled with fear, panic, uncertainty and hopelessness (2 Timothy 1:7)

God’s promises for us during the time of famine abound.
• “In famine He shall redeem you from death……….You shall laugh at destruction and famine.” - Job 5:20,22 (NKJV).
• “Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy, To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine.” - Psalm 33:18-19
• “They will not be disgraced in hard times; even in famine they will have more than enough”- Psalm 37:19

As sons, daughters and friends of God, we don’t just survive in famine. WE THRIVE!
“The blessing of the LORD makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.” – Proverbs 10:22. To thrive means to;
• To prosper, flourish, succeed, and advance.
• To grow vigorously.
• To increase in goods and estate.

2.   Isaac Thrived In Famine
[a]. [Genesis 26:1-6] : Obey God and stay wherever He’s placed you.

Isaac obeyed God and stayed where God wanted him to stay. Egypt looked more like the Promised Land in the physical. It must have been a land flowing with milk and honey in those days. It must have been the favourite place of abode that majority may have been migrating to. But God told him explicitly “Do not go down to Egypt”. Isaac stayed in Gerar because;
• God needed him there.
• God needs us right here, right now (except you are very sure He’s asking you to move).

• “Among the other nations, Judah and Israel became symbols of a cursed nation. But no longer! Now I will rescue you and make you both a symbol and a source of blessing. So don’t be afraid. Be strong, and get on with rebuilding the Temple!”Zechariah 8:13 NLT

• We are a symbol and a source of THE BLESSING – “And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you [with abundant increase of favors] and make your name famous and distinguished, and you will be a blessing [dispensing good to others]. And I will bless those who bless you [who confer prosperity or happiness upon you] and curse him who curses or uses insolent language toward you; in you will all the families and kindred of the earth be blessed [and by you they will bless themselves”. Genesis 12:2-3 AMP
“For You make him to be blessed and a blessing forever……” Psalm 21:6 AMP.

[b]. [Genesis 26:12]: He sowed and received in the same year one hundred fold – and the Lord blessed him. If anyone had told Isaac he could sow and reap anything in the land of Gerar, he would have disbelief it. But obedience to God made the difference. Suffice it to say that his obedience to God made the so called futile ground become fertile. The following are true;
• Unusual yield - even in fertile regions, yields are usually not greater than twenty-five (25) to fiftyfold (50).
• "You crown the year with a bountiful harvest; even the hard pathways overflow with abundance. The grasslands of the wilderness become a lush pasture, and the hillsides blossom with joy. The meadows are clothed with flocks of sheep, and the valleys are carpeted with grain. They all shout and sing for joy!". Psalm 65:11-13 NLT. He reaped in the same year!

[c]. [Genesis 26:13]: Isaac waxed great, went forward and became very great.
•  "He became a very rich man, and his wealth continued to grow." Gen.26:13 NLT
• He was thriving - flourishing, succeeding, advancing, growing vigorously, increasing in goods, estates, bulk and stature.
• He became stronger and more powerful in wealth and influence.
[d]. [Genesis 26:14]: He had possessions of flocks of sheep, herds of cattle and a great     store of servants. As a result of this fame; 
• The Philistines were jealous of him and made efforts to stop him.
• Beware. Your godly prosperity will attract oppositions and resistance.
[e].  [Genesis 26:24]: He didn't give up - he wouldn't quit.  
• Rehobeth (in Hebrew) means room, streets, a broad and spacious place, an enlargement.
• “At last the LORD has created enough space for us to prosper [thrive, flourish, succeed, advance and grow vigorously] in this land.” Gen.26:22b.

3. In Order to Thrive in Times of Famine, We must Keep Doing What Isaac Did
[a]. Keep Obeying God.
• Obedience is where THE BLESSING is. "If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land;" Isaiah 1:19 AMP.
[b]. Keep Sowing seeds
• Everytime is a good time to sow into the kingdom of God. There's never a bad time. Seize every opportunity to sow into kingdom based projects and works. "He who observes the wind [and waits for all conditions to be favorable] will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap". Eccl.11:4 AMP.
[c]. Keep Tithing.
• Isaac tithed. How do we know?
• ".......And [Abram] gave him a tenth of all [he had taken].Gen.14:20b; "For I have known (chosen, acknowledged) him [as My own], so that he may teach and command his children and the sons of his house after him to keep the way of the Lord and to do what is just and righteous, so that the Lord may bring Abraham what He has promised him." Gen. 18:19 AMP.
[d]. Keep on walking by faith.
• Isaac did not quit standing in faith. Waiting back in Gerar, he must have seen the physically futile ground. There would have been neighbours and many others who were helpless because of the unbearable conditios in the land. Yet, Isaac persevered.
• "Do not, therefore, fling away your fearless confidence, for it carries a great and glorious compensation of reward." Hebrews 10:35 AMP; 
• "And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint". Galatians 6:9 AMP
[e]. Keep attending church.
• Our future is secure in Him.
• The [uncompromisingly] righteous shall flourish like the palm tree [be long-lived, stately, upright, useful, and fruitful]; they shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon [majestic, stable, durable, and incorruptible]. Planted in the house of the Lord, they shall flourish in the courts of our God. [Growing in grace] they shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be full of sap [of spiritual vitality] and [rich in the] verdure [of trust, love, and contentment]. Psalm 92:12-14 AMP.

IN CONCLUSION
Living a life of consistent faith in God's promises in this modern world has never been more challenging. The good news, however, is that our God remains ever faithful. Hebrews 13:8 confirms this. He is the same yesterday, today and will be forever. We can have the same encounter like Isaac did many centuries ago in this challenging times. Thriving to the envy of others. Remember, in order to thrive in this modern times, we must keep obeying God, keep sowing seed, keep tithing, keep on walking by faith and in fellowship with one another. Finally, we must consistently confess our belief in order to appropriate God's promises regarding prosperity. Please say the following confessions;  
 

"I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I hear.
I am going up higher. I am going to keep obeying. I am going to keep sowing.
I am going to keep believing. I am going to keep receiving. I am going to keep on  walking by faith. In a time of famine, we are thriving. We are prospering.
We are flourishing. We are succeeding. We are advancing. We are growing vigorously. We are increasing." In Jesus Name. Amen.

Culled from the Book: 40 Days of Prosperity by Pastor George Pearsons

Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai

INTRODUCTION
During last week's study we learnt that there were laws governing every single thing in existence and that nothing happened by accident. We also talked about laws and opposing laws; we learnt that one must know about one law in order to counter it.
Poverty is a very serious phenomenon in the world today; its devastating effects can only point to the fact that there’s a spiritual force behind it. John 10:10 talks about the thief that comes to steal, kill and destroy. Poverty puts its victims in a bad place. It makes them vulnerable (Proverbs 18:23), they are shunned by friends (Proverbs 14:20), and makes them become servants to the rich (Proverbs 22:7). Poverty also brings sorrow (Proverbs 31:7) and can lead to crime (Proverbs 30:8-9). From these instances we know that poverty is not God’s intention for us; because He takes pleasure in the prosperity of his people. (Psalms 35:27).
In today's study we shall be considering the laws that govern poverty (in other words, the causes of poverty) solely for the purpose of knowing how to supersede them with a corresponding higher law!

FIRST THINGS FIRST
Poverty is a curse. It's a curse that stems from disobedience. Deuteronomy 28:15 says: “But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you. “Also read, Malachi 3:8-9
Being under the curse of poverty means one cannot be prosperous even if they worked hard! Because the curse will negate their efforts. But Jesus broke the curse of poverty. Gal. 3:13 says:
“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us (because it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”).”
This tells us that we are no longer under the curse but it however, doesn't automatically makes us prosperous. 2 Corinthians‬ ‭8‬:‭9‬ says: "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich." (Emphasis mine). He became poor for our sakes giving us the opportunity – making it possible that we can be rich; because now, the curse no longer has its effect on us! ‬‬‬‬‬‬

THE LAWS THAT GOVERN POVERTY
The book of Proverbs gives visibility to the causes of poverty. Because of the book's instructive nature it does not only tell us the “Laws” it also tells us the “Superseding Laws”. So let us look at these causes:

1. LOVE OF SLEEP
Proverbs 24:33-34: “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.”
Proverbs 20:13: “Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.”
While this character should be up tilling his field and planting his vineyard, he is in his bed; and awaking, instead of rising, craves for and indulges himself in another little doze, and which he repeats again and again. Also it's important to know that sleep can also mean prayerlessness. The state of prayerlessness is spiritual slumber.
To supersede this Law of the Love of Sleep we need to turn to the higher Law – of Being Alert!
Prov. 23:34 says poverty will come like a robber – to steal, kill and destroy. That’s why 1 Peter 5:8 says we should “. . . be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour”

2. HASTE
Being in a rush especially when you have left something that needs to be done, undone. And then seeking for get-rich-quick schemes.
Proverbs 21:5: “The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.”
To supersede this Law of making haste we need to turn to the higher Law – of Careful Planning!

3. LAZINESS
Proverbs 20:4 – “The sluggard does not plow in the autumn; he will seek at harvest and have nothing.”
Proverbs 19: 15 – “Laziness casts one into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger.”
Proverbs 10:4 – “A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.”
To supersede this Law of laziness, we need to turn to the higher Law – of Hard Work!

4. STINGINESS/SELFISHNESS
Proverbs 11:24 - “There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.”
2 Corinthians 9:6
“The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.”
Another aspect of “scattering” is wisely investing in ventures that will bring increase. Eccl. 11:6 says: “In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening do not withhold your hand; for you do not know which will prosper, either this or that, or whether both alike will be good.”
To supersede this Law of stinginess we need to turn to the higher Law – of Generosity!

5. DISOBEDIENCE
Failure or refusal to obey God’s rules or surrender to His authority.
Deuteronomy 28:15 says: “But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you.”
Jesus said if ye love me, keep my commandments. When we disobey God’s commandments, it shows that we don’t love Him. We also break the hedge and give room for the serpent to bite!
To supersede this Law of disobedience we need to turn to the higher Law – of Obedience!

6. INDISCIPLINE
A situation in which people do not control their behaviour or obey rules.
Proverbs 13:18
“Poverty and shame will come to him who disdains correction, but he who regards a rebuke will be honoured.”
To supersede this Law of Indiscipline we need to turn to the higher Law – of Taking Correction and not continuing headlong in error.

7. IDLENESS
Not working or active; habitually doing nothing or avoiding work. To pass time doing nothing.
Proverbs 14:23 – “In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.”
Proverbs 28:19 “He who tills his land will have plenty of bread, But he who follows frivolity will have poverty enough!
To supersede this Law of idleness we need to turn to the higher Law – of Diligent Work.

8. EXTRAVAGANCE (SELF-INDULGENCE)
Lack of restraint in spending money or using resources. Characterized by doing or tending to do exactly what one wants, especially when this involves pleasure or idleness.
Proverbs 21:17 – “He who loves pleasure will be a poor man; He who loves wine and oil will not be rich.”
Proverbs 23:20-21 – “Do not mix with winebibbers, Or with gluttonous eaters of meat; for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe a man with rags”
To supersede this Law of extravagance we need to turn to the higher Law – of Exercising Restraint!

CONCLUSION
Poverty is a curse. It's a curse that stems from Disobedience. Poverty is a very serious phenomenon in the world today; its devastating effects can only point to the fact that there’s a force behind it. John 10:10. It is not God’s intention for us that’s why Jesus broke the curse of poverty as we see in Gal. 3:13. Meaning that we are no longer contending with the curse ourselves. However, breaking this curse doesn't automatically make us prosperous. Because if we allow the devil to use the tool of ignorance against us he will succeed in keeping us impoverished. Now that we know the laws of poverty, it is up to us to use the higher laws given by God in His words to supersede them!