(3 John 2, AMP) “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in every way and [that your body] may keep well, even as [I know] your soul keeps well and prospers.”
This morning we continue our series, “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by continuing with our new mini-series entitled, “Grace Based Success (Prosperity)”. Yesterday I introduced this scripture to you and I told you that ”if your thinking and God’s thinking about a given topic are not in alignment, then you will never maximize that area of your life until you renew your mind.” Today’s message will flow in that same vein.
In this scripture the Apostle John is praying for his friend, Gaius, that he would prosper and be in good physical health to the same degree as his soul was prospering. The key is the connection between his soul prosperity and his total life prosperity. Pastor Bill Winston said, “Inside every one of us is an image I call an “invisible fence,” which dictates how far we can go and what we see ourselves doing and being. It is an invisible wall between you and God, holding you back, and keeping you from stepping out and doing what seems impossible. If you attempt to go outside this fence, your subconscious mind brings you back. I call it your “autopilot.” It’s designed to keep you on course at the level of your self-image.” Said another way, you will never routinely go beyond your level of thinking. You may get pushed — by God or someone else — to venture out beyond your “invisible fence” from time to time, but your “autopilot” will bring you right back before long. Therefore, to maximize your divine purpose and potential in life, you have to SEE yourself doing it first. This is why you must develop a prosperous soul.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. You will never experience Godly prosperity, which is not just limited to finances, until you become prosperous in your soul.
2. Right thinking produces right living. Divine success begins on the inside. The measure of success you experience in life will come as a result of the measure of divine success within your soul.
3. The prosperous soul believes God’s limitless dreams and relies on God’s limitless power. It is God’s ability to accomplish the seemingly impossible that will propel you beyond your natural strength. Human ability is limited at its best. You cannot accomplish God’s will for your life based solely upon your own power.
4. You should not have a limited view of success (or prosperity). Ultimate success in the kingdom of God covers everything you will ever need to accomplish God’s best for your life.
5. Don’t fool yourself into thinking you are succeeding on your own. Many times believers get confused, thinking they are accomplishing things without the grace of God. Grace can be described as God adding His super to your natural, causing the supernatural to occur in your life. James said, “Every good and perfect gift comes from above” (James 1:17). Acknowledge God’s blessing and thank God for His grace.
6. The prosperous soul loves God, not money. If you give God first-place in your life, He will see to it that you receive all the resources you need to accomplish His will in the earth. But it is dangerous for a Christian to put material prosperity ahead of his or her spiritual maturity. Paul warned, “But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows” (1 Tim 6:9,10 NLT).
7. God wants you to succeed (prosper) in life. You were not born to fail. God wants you to trust in His love, to accept His plan for your life, to pursue it by faith, and to rely on His strength (grace).
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for teaching me about Your love, Your grace, and Your desire for me to be successful in life. It is Your will that I prosper. I was not born to fail. I was born to succeed. My success can only be found in Your divine purpose for my life. I make a concerted effort to submit to the process of mind-renewal. It is my intention to purposely change the way I think to line up with Your thinking. I see myself the way You see me. I think of my future the way You do. I align my plans with Your purpose. I take every limit off, because You are a limitless God. Once I factor You in, I can factor out every limit, because there is nothing You cannot do. I pursue success in life by pursuing You, and the success I experience is total life prosperity. I don’t pursue money or things, I pursue You, and when I do, You see to it that I receive everything I need to accomplish Your will in the earth. I am confident that I will accomplish Your divine purpose for my life, because I am not relying on me, my ability or my strength. My confidence is in You, Your dedication to me, and Your grace. I am excited about my future, because I am totally reliant on You. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
