Many people desire to experience wealth and prosperity. But while most of us only focus on gaining money and material possessions, Jesus has every intention to bless us with much more valuable treasures such as His peace, joy and presence, just to name a few.
Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that God has every intention to make people prosper and give them hope and a future. But many believers co-relate this promised prosperity with just money. And while God does want to provide us with as much wealth as we need, there is so much more to God's prosperity plan that just financial gain.
In Matthew 16:26, Jesus reminds us of this when He said, "For what shall a man be profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and forfeit his life? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his life?"
There is danger in limiting prosperity to just money. Where our true treasure lies, there our heart will also be. If we regard money as our only treasure then that is what our heart will worship.
Prosperity is God's design for all of us. But sometimes money and material things can get in the way of God's design of prosperity for us. Many people today don't necessarily gain money but simply trade it for other treasures. Some trade their integrity for money when they resort to shady and illegal means of business. Some trade their relationships for money when they start neglecting family and friends to focus more on work. Some trade God for money when they put their faith on money and not on God.
In all essence, God wants us to be full and whole, and not having to trade anything for money. He provides us with the ability to produce wealth, opportunities to make us grow, trials to sharpen us, and everything else that we will ever need.
Ephesians 1:3 tells us, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ." God wants to bless us abundantly not just with earthly treasures but also with life, relationships, and spiritual treasures. And the way that we experience this true prosperity is to chase after Jesus first who is prosperity in the flesh.
Prosperity is not about gaining wealth, fame or success, but gaining more of Christ. Just as Paul found that to live is Christ, we are to live in Christ. Matthew 6:33 says, "But seek ye first His kingdom, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
When we seek for more of Jesus, that's when we experience full prosperity where we gain all other things as a result of winning the prize that is Christ.
