(2 Corinthians 9:10-11 NLT) For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. (11) Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God.
(2 Corinthians 9:11 MSG) (11) wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way…
- Prosperity – is the ability to use the power and ability of God to meet the needs of mankind in every realm of life: spirit, soul, body, financially, and socially.
Say this: My motivation for accumulation is distribution. I am a source of THE BLESSING to others, and I love to give.
(Psalms 35:27 NKJV) Let them shout for joy and be glad, Who favor my righteous cause; And let them say continually, “Let the LORD be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity (peace, security, things to go well for) of His servant.”
- Poverty – the state of being inferior in quality or insufficient in amount. (a lack of the common needs of life)
From “God is My Source” by Gloria Copeland and Pastor George Pearsons:
Many people are facing overwhelming financial and provisional challenges. Most often, they approach their problems from a purely natural standpoint.
Here’s how it usually goes:
They look at their paycheck.
Then, they look at their need.
Impossible.
They look at their paycheck.
And then, they look back at their need.
Still impossible.
The more people engage in that vicious cycle, the more discouraged they become. That exercise in futility is usually followed by a series of questions:
“How are we ever going to pay for this?”
“Where will the money come from?”
“What are we going to do?”
Then comes the “bright idea” phase of the cycle:
“What family member will loan us the money?”
“Where can we get another job?”
“Have we maxed out our credit cards?”
This madness must stop, right now! We must get our eyes off our limited resources and re-focus them on the real Source of our unlimited supply: ALMIGHTY GOD AND HIS WORD!
In 2010, the Lord gave a powerful word to Kenneth Copeland. Make this word personal as you hear it—as if it were spoken directly to you:
“Don’t look to the government for your supply. Don’t look to other people for your supply. Pastors don’t look to your congregation for your supply. Jesus is our Source, and The WORD is our supply.”
- We need to renew our minds and become fully convinced that God is our Source for everything we need.
(Romans 4:21 NKJV) and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.
The Goodness of God
- The more we realize how good God is, the easier it will be to see Him as our ultimate Provider and Source.
(Psalms 31:19 NLT) How great is the goodness you have stored up for those who fear you. You lavish it on those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world.
Great (HEB) = Abounding, abundant, exceedingly
Goodness (HEB) = Prosperity, good things, goods, property, supply, provision; Good in the widest sense of the word; good to the furthest extreme
Stored Up (HEB) = hoarded, reserved, protected
(Psalms 31:19 TPT) Lord, how wonderful you are! You have stored up so many good things for us, like a treasure chest heaped up and spilling over with blessings—all for those who honor and worship you! Everybody knows what you can do for those who turn and hide themselves in you.
(Psalms 31:19 CEV) You are wonderful, and while everyone watches, you store up blessings for all who honor and trust you.
- God is good to the furthest extreme and the widest sense of the word.
Remember in Genesis where God would create something and then remark that it was “good”. He had His man in mind when He was commenting on His creation and that what He had made for His man was “good to the farthest extreme.”
(Psalms 145:5-9 NLT) I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor and your wonderful miracles. (6) Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue; I will proclaim your greatness. (7) Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness; they will sing with joy about your righteousness. (8) The LORD is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. (9) The LORD is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all his creation.
(Psalms 34:8-10 NKJV) Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! (9) Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. (10) The young lions lack and suffer hunger; But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing. (Italicized – added by translators)
Lack (HEB) = what is needed because of deficiency or lack, or what is required to meet a need.
(Psalms 16:2 NLT) I said to the LORD, “You are my Master! Every good thing I have comes from you.”
(Ephesians 3:20 AMPC) 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]–
- Think about the greatest thing God could do in your life – and His goodness is greater still.
(Psalms 23:6 NKJV) Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.
Follow (HEB) = to pursue, chase after with the full intention of overcoming someone.
- God is pursuing and chasing after us with His goodness which is His provision and supply.
(Psalms 119:68 CEV) You are kindhearted, and you do good things, so teach me your laws.
(Matthew 7:11 NKJV) If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
(Romans 2:4 NKJV) Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
Can we now see why the devil has sought to keep men from finding out how good God really is? If mankind truly understood the goodness of God, repentance would be an easy thing.
(Exodus 33:18-23 NKJV) (18) And he said, “Please, show me Your glory.” (19) Then He said, “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” (20) But He said, “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live.” (21) And the LORD said, “Here is a place by Me, and you shall stand on the rock. (22) So it shall be, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by. (23) Then I will take away My hand, and you shall see My back; but My face shall not be seen.”
Glory (HEB) = weightiness in a good sense
Gracious (HEB) = disposed to show favor, to stoop in kindness to an inferior
(Exodus 34:6 NKJV) And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth,
God invites Moses to come back up the mountain and inscribes the new tablets and then when Moses come down off the mountain, he had to veil his face because of the light of God’s glory and goodness.
- If we would acknowledge and praise God for His goodness, perhaps we would see greater demonstrations of His power and provision!
(2 Chronicles 5:13-14 NKJV) (13) indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD, saying: “For He is good, For His mercy endures forever,” that the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, (14) so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God.