“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.
Let those who favor my righteous cause and have pleasure in my uprightness shout for joy and be glad and say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, Who takes pleasure in the prosperity of His servant. Psalm 35:27 AMP
The Lord takes pleasure in the welfare, health, prosperity, peace and favor of His servants – those who love, serve, honor and obey Him. He is pleased with their prosperity – He delights in it, He desires it, and He wills it.
God has commissioned every generation of His people to serve Him and fulfill His will and His plans and purposes. With the commission, the Lord has provided the means. His plan is for His children to be amply provided for so that nothing hinders them from fully serving the Lord and extending His Kingdom.
The modern church needs to be prosperous so that they can support missions and missionaries, as well as their own local church and also those in need. If Christians would obey God’s word and appropriate the benefits of God’s promises as they ought to, then there would be no lack in the Church. Every need of the Church would be amply supplied. When Israel obeyed God and brought their tithes and offerings there was more than enough to do the work of God and to feed and provide for those who served in the temple. This is God’s will for His New Covenant people as well!
When King Hezekiah destroyed all idols and idol worship and restored the worship of the one true God, he also restored the temple and reinstated the priests and Levites, and he commanded the people to bring their tithes and offerings to the Lord to support the temple and the functions of the temple.
As soon as the command went abroad, the Israelites gave in abundance the firstfruits of grain, vintage fruit, oil, honey, and of all the produce of the field; and they brought in abundantly the tithe of everything. 6 The people of Israel and Judah who lived in Judah’s cities also brought the tithe of cattle and sheep and of the dedicated things which were consecrated to the Lord their God, and they laid them in heaps. 7 In the third month [at the end of wheat harvest] they began to lay the foundation or beginning of the heaps and finished them in the seventh month. 8 When Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord and His people Israel. 9 Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and Levites about the heaps. 10 Azariah the high priest, of the house of Zadok, answered him, Since the people began to bring the offerings into the Lord’s house, we have eaten and have plenty left, for the Lord has blessed His people, and what is left is this great store. 2 Chronicles 31:5-10 AMP
When the people did what Hezekiah commanded, there was enough, and even more than enough. There were heaps of supplies that were laid in store for the funding of God’s temple. This is God’s desire and design – that His people would have more than enough to worship Him and do His work.
And Moses called Bezalel and Aholiab and every able and wisehearted man in whose mind the Lord had put wisdom and ability, everyone whose heart stirred him up to come to do the work; 3 And they received from Moses all the freewill offerings which the Israelites had brought for doing the work of the sanctuary, to prepare it for service. And they continued to bring him freewill offerings every morning. 4 And all the wise and able men who were doing the work on the sanctuary came, every man from the work he was doing, 5 And they said to Moses, The people bring much more than enough for doing the work which the Lord commanded to do. Exodus 36:2-5 AMP
If all Christians were prosperous, then the preachers wouldn’t need to beg or borrow to pay the bills. If all God’s people were prosperous, then even if there was a special project or need, all the minister would have to do would be to let the people know and give them an opportunity to give to the Lord out of their abundance with which He had blessed them and there would be a surplus of prosperity to go around! When the Church is blessed and when they are obedient, cheerful and generous givers, then all needs are abundantly met, the Kingdom of God is extended, and the Lord is glorified.
And God is able to make all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) come to you in abundance, so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need be self-sufficient [possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation]. 9 As it is written, He [the benevolent person] scatters abroad; He gives to the poor; His deeds of justice and goodness and kindness and benevolence will go on and endure forever! 10 And [God] Who provides seed for the sower and bread for eating will also provide and multiply your [resources for] sowing and increase the fruits of your righteousness [which manifests itself in active goodness, kindness, and charity]. 11 Thus you will be enriched in all things and in every way, so that you can be generous, and [your generosity as it is] administered by us will bring forth thanksgiving to God. 12 For the service that the ministering of this fund renders does not only fully supply what is lacking to the saints (God’s people), but it also overflows in many [cries of] thanksgiving to God. 13 Because at [your] standing of the test of this ministry, they will glorify God for your loyalty and obedience to the Gospel of Christ which you confess, as well as for your generous-hearted liberality to them and to all [the other needy ones]. 14 And they yearn for you while they pray for you, because of the surpassing measure of God’s grace (His favor and mercy and spiritual blessing which is shown forth) in you. 2 Corinthians 9:8-14 AMP