The Prosperity Movement

I believe this movement has done a tremendous amount of harm to the church. This movement specifically teaches that as children of God, we can and should have anything our heart desires. It’s our right and why shouldn’t you have it, and God wants to give it to you. This is the spoiled child mentality that is all around us. I knew a person that went to tour a home that was for sale. This person already had a nice home, but fell in love with this one. In our conversation, I asked if they planned on buying it, they said no, but they went to God and told Him that they wanted this house, and they were believing that He wanted them to have it and it would be theirs. This was several years ago and I don’t believe they ever got the house. This same person rode on emotional waves. I’ve seen them on the top of the mountain, and I’ve seen them deeply distressed. In the down cycle, they wouldn’t even talk about God and refused any encouragement or counsel. They were bitter and angry at God and everybody. This is what happens when we are focused more on ourselves rather than on Jesus. Why do we feel we deserve anything from the Lord? He gave all for us, are we not called to give all for Him? We have a lot of prosperity teachers on TV. “Send me $10 and you will be blessed with $100. Sow your seed of faith and reap your financial reward.” Healing services are coming to your town, for only xyz$, you can come and receive your healing. Or how about the selling of the prayer cloth? For your generous donation, we will send you this genuine healing cloth that has been touched and prayed over by some TV evangelist. The bible is very clear regarding the sale of God’s blessings. (Read Acts 8:14-24)

1 Timothy 6:3-10

³ If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, ⁴ he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, ⁵ useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself.

⁶ Now godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷ For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. ⁸ And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. ⁹ But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

1 Timothy 6:3-10 does not say that money or riches themselves are a root of all evil, but the love of money. Those who are teaching and preaching name it claim it or the Lord wants you to have everything you want in this life are clearly missing our role as believers here on this earth. We should never be seeking self-gain, but rather that our relationship with Jesus be the most important thing in our lives. Any other teaching, makes it all about us, while scripture tells us it’s all about Him. Another aspect of this is the idea that the church is all about business. I went to a local pastors meeting near where I live and met many other pastors in the area. I was anticipating getting to know other leaders and develop relationships so we could pray together and discuss issues in the community. When the meeting opened the first thing that was said to the pastors in the room was “If you all don’t know by now that the church is all about business, then you are behind the times.” My heart sank, because this shouldn’t be the focus of the church, or the church leaders. Our focus should be listening to the leading of the Holy Spirit regarding ministry in our community, not jumping on the community service wagon and attach ourselves to their vision. The church should be influencing the community, not the other way around.

Here is what happens when we get this backwards:

1: Tying into the cultural or civic visions, forces us to water down the teaching of God’s word in order to not offend. Not many civic leaders want a church to partner with them and come in and take a biblical stand against social issues. We are told to only talk about how God wants to bless the community and our involvement will make that happen.

2: It opens the door for the culture to now come into the church and if you on Friday just gave a wonderful speech about God’s love and all these people come to hear a continuation of the “Love” message, you then can’t teach or preach about sin, because it would blow out all these people out that just came to visit. God is Love, but He is also sovereign, meaning He is all powerful and all knowing. His righteousness and judgments are true. To water down the gospel and only teach about the blessings or God’s love leaves no place for repentance. How can one repent if he doesn’t know he is a sinner? This doesn’t mean that we beat people over the head with the bible, but we should be teaching the full council of God’s word not just the easy parts, the fun light hearted verses, but call sin what it is, not based on our opinions or what we think, but by what the word of God says! There are so many wonderful blessings and promises from the Lord, but one stands out ahead of the all by far, and that is the fact that we have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and day by day when we submit to Him, we become more like Him. Our desires begin to change and we are seeking to know Him more and more. His word comes alive in our hearts and the Holy Spirit begins to lead us and guide us. We recognize how dependent upon Him we are, and we come to know Him as our Lord, our provider, our protector, and we have the privilege of being called His sons and daughters. Jesus along with the disciples gave us a clear example of what a relationship with Him looks like, and what our focus should be. (Read Matthew 8:18-22, Luke 18:18-23)

Philippians 4:11-13

11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12 I know how to [a]be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Many take verse 13 and use it as their stand-alone verse to get what they want in this life, disregarding the context of what Paul was saying in verses 11-12. If I have a problem I can do all things, If I have a need, I can do all things, If I want a better job, or a nicer home or car, I can do all things! If I want a certain person in my life based on my list of expectations, I can do all things! Do you see how this when taken out of context becomes all about what we want, rather than what God has for us. In context, Paul was saying that he had times and seasons during his walk with the Lord, that were both easy and difficult. He wasn’t saying that in Christ he could do all things to get out of the difficult and into the life of ease, he was saying that his focus wasn’t on what he had or didn’t have at all, but in Christ he was given the strength to endure no matter what the circumstance. Christ was his provision in all things. He completely trusted the Lord for his needs, and he learned to be content no matter what. You don’t hear this teaching in the prosperity movement. Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well that we are to worship God in Spirit and in truth.

John 4:23-24

But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

The church desperately needs to take this scripture to heart! It is His Spirit and His Word that is truth! How can we not grasp this and go back to the simplicity of the gospel. How can we not study and meditate on the full counsel of His word, asking the Holy Spirit for wisdom and understanding?

Isaiah 40:28-31

28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. 29 He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, 31 But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

Romans 10:13-15

13 For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who [a]preach the gospel of peace who bring glad tidings of good things!”

The preachers and teachers should be preaching the gospel of peace, the truth that is written in God’s word. No man should ever declare that some parts of the Bible are no longer relevant! The Word of God in context and in its entirety are as relevant in today’s culture as it was when it was written. Cultures change, times change nations change, but there are three truths that never change over time.

1: The sinful nature of man doesn’t change over time.

2: God’s word never changes over time!

3: Only through the blood of Jesus Christ can we be saved from that sinful nature and be redeemed back to the Father!

These truths must be taught today.

No compromise, no watering down and no wavering!