Jump directly to the Content
Jump directly to the Content

Sermons

Home > Sermons

The Principles of Prosperity

Would you like some good news? God wants you to prosper. In case there's any shadow of doubt, I want to give you some Scriptures. In Psalm 1:3, the Bible says that a righteous man "…shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." Joshua 1:8—"This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success." Third John 2:2—"Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." Psalm 35:27—"Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favor my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, 'Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.'"

So many times we look at a man who has gone through several marriages, whose kids are rebellious, who has an ulcer, who is addicted to alcohol… but who has a big bank account, and so we say he's prosperous. He's not prosperous. He's a miserable failure.

Years ago I read of an old prospector who'd been mining for gold out in the West. He had found what he thought was the Mother Lode, but what he found wasn't gold at all. It was mica, "fool's gold." He loaded down his old burro with it and started out across the desert, but he ran out of water. He and the old burro died. When they found his body, they found a note the old prospector wrote before he died. "Died rich." But he had nothing but fool's gold in his saddle bag.

Even people who have real gold are much like that old prospector. They don't understand what real riches are. I'm not talking about the key to Fort Knox, I'm talking about financial and fiscal responsibility and blessing. One of the saddest things I've read is of a Chicago sewer employee who said, "I dig the ditch to get the money to buy the food to get the strength to dig the ditch." That's the way some people are living. They're fighting to live while they're living to fight. They're drawing their breath, drawing their salaries. They are miserable in their lives.

What is prosperity and how can we have prosperity God's way? We have the book of Ecclesiastes, written by the wisest man who lived outside the Lord Jesus. His name was Solomon. Let me give you eight principles of prosperity out of the eleventh chapter.

The principle of investment

Verse one says, "Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days." He's talking about making investments. In 1 Kings 10:22-23 it says, "Therefore, the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks. So King Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom." Solomon was a trader. He would invest money in ships and he would set them to sail out across the sea. He was casting his bread upon the water. They would go out and stay for as long as three years; but when they came back, they came with incredible riches. I think probably this is where we get the statement, "When your ship comes in."

The Lord Jesus taught us to invest. Remember the parable of the talents in Matthew 25? He gave to one man five talents, one man two talents, and one man one talent. The man who had one talent refused the principle of investment. He simply hid his talent in the ground. "His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed. Thou oughtest, therefore, to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. … For unto everyone that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance. But from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." When a master entrusts a steward with goods, what is the steward's responsibility? He's to make those goods grow. Let me give you some principles.

1) Examine your motive for investment. If your motive is greed or pride, may God have mercy upon you. First Timothy 6:6-9—"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain that we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich shall fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition." In 1 Timothy 6:17, Paul told Timothy what to tell his church members: "Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy." We need to take what God has put in our hands and prayerfully ask ourselves How much of this shall I use? How much shall I give? And how much of this shall I invest for the glory of God?

2) Get wise counsel. Proverbs 13:20—"He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed." Proverbs 15:22—"Without counsel, purposes are disappointed. But in the multitude of counselors they are established." Proverbs 14:15—"The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going." Any counsel you get can only guide you. You're the one who must make the decision. The Bible says, "If you lack wisdom, ask and God will give you wisdom."

3) Beware of the "Get rich quick" scheme. Proverbs 28:22—"He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him."

The principle of diversification

Look in verse two. "Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth." Another translation says, "Take shares in several adventures. You never know what will go wrong in this world." Today we say, "Don't put all your eggs in one basket." That's the reason investment people have come up with mutual funds, for those who don't know how to invest in stocks and bonds. But open yourself to new ideas and opportunities. Let God speak to you.

The principle of preparation

Verse three says, "If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves. And if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there shall it be." A few months ago, during an ice storm, I woke up and found a huge pine tree had fallen on my garage. I had home owner's insurance, and I'm glad I did. Things happen. You need to get ready for the foreseen and the unforeseen. You ought to trust God. But the Bible teaches that you are to make preparation.

If you say, "I will just trust God," but you don't make preparation for the foreseen and the unforeseen, that is not trust; that is presumption. The Bible says, "Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sin." The devil tried to tempt the Lord Jesus to do just exactly this thing. He said, "Jump off the pinnacle of the temple, and God will take care of you." Jesus said, "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." Proverbs 6:6-11 says, "Go to the ant, thou sluggard. Consider her ways and be wise: which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. How long will though sleep, oh sluggard? When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep. So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and they want as an armed man." What does the ant tell you? What does Solomon tell you here in verse three? Prepare for a rainy day. Are you saving? You ought to be saving some of everything you make. Faith and prudence are not in competition one with the other.

Did you know that if the average 65-year-old man in America were to cash out everything, he'd be worth just one hundred dollars? He's looking to somebody else to take care of him because he's not learned the lesson of the ant. What a pity so few people understand this principle of prosperity which is preparation.

The principle of venture

Verse four says, "He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap." Did you know that the Bible encourages you to take a risk? Every farmer who puts his seed in the ground takes a risk. There may come a flood. There may come a drought. There may come some pestilence and whip him out. But if he thinks that way, he will never plant. If he becomes a part of the society of wind watchers and cloud examiners, he's not going to plant. If you don't sow, you are not going to reap. You have to take a risk.

What is the difference between taking a business risk and gambling? Legitimate business is win/win. I make a widget. You need a widget. I sell you the widget. I sell it for a dollar. I get the dollar, you get the widget. You win and I win. You've got the widget, I've got the dollar. That's win/win. All business is built on that principle. All gambling is built on win/lose. There can be no winners without losers. It is pleasure and profit at somebody else's loss and sorrow. Gambling establishments are the only places in the world where the windows clean the people!

I want to underscore that I'm not talking about foolish chance. Proverbs 14:18—"The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge." Proverbs 21:5—"The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want." Proverbs 27:12—"A prudent man foreseeth the evil and hideth himself, but the simple pass on, and are punished." Look around and see. There are opportunities. Don't be afraid to step out on venture.

The principle of trust

Verse five: "As thou knowest not what is the way of the Spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child, even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all." How do we know who has known the mind of the Spirit? Who knows the ways of God any more than we understand how a baby is formed in its mother's womb? There are some imponderables in life that are under the sovereign control of almighty God. Therefore, you have to trust him. There comes a time when you have to say, "God, it's in your hands. I will trust you."

Isaiah 58:11—"The Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones. And thou shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not." Psalm 32:8—"I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way in which thou shall go. I will guide thee with mine eye." Psalm 37:23—"The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and he delighteth in his way." Proverbs 3:5-6—"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."

People are so uptight because they're worried about their finances. There comes a time when you say, "Lord, it's in your hands. I don't know what the future holds, but I know you, and I know you love me." Say, "Lord, I'm your child. You're going to take care of me as I obey you."

The principle of work

Verse six says: "In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper. Either this or that, or whether they both alike shall be good." We see again the principle of diversification, and it is married now to the principle of work. We've got people today who want somebody to give them this or that. Proverbs 14:23 says, "In all labor there is profit." Proverbs 20:4—"The sluggard shall not plow by reason of the cold. Therefore, shall he beg in harvest and have nothing." Proverbs 28:19—"He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread, but he that follow after a vain person shall have poverty enough." Second Thessalonians 3:10-11—"For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat."

There's something terrible happening in America. We're encouraging people, not to work, but to stay on welfare. That is a crime against the person who is paying for this welfare and against the person who is receiving it. We are depriving some young people, by government example, of the joy of honest employment. Even those who receive welfare ought to have something to do. In 1992, over $33 billion was spent on food programs, without one hour of work being required. If you were to pay those people eleven dollars an hour that would have amounted to three billion hours of work. What could three billion hours of work do for those working and for the community where they live? They need the dignity. They need the joy of work. They need the reward of work.

It's not just these folks in poverty who have problems. I'm talking to a lot of people here who have substituted credit for work. More than half of all Americans carry credit cards. There are more than one billion credit cards in the world. $328 billion in credit debt. Twenty-five percent of every dollar is spent on consumer debt. For many, their salaries are committed before they get them. They call them credit cards. They ought to call them debt cards. Proverbs 22:7—"The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender."

One couple wrapped all their credit cards in a piece of aluminum foil, and placed it in an oven turned up to 450 degrees. The cards melted and turned different colors. They peeled them off and hung them on the wall as a reminder of how foolish they'd been. Buy dinner for twenty dollars and put it on your charge card, and then pay just the minimum amount. It's going to cost you more than fifty dollars. If you've got your cards charged up to two thousand dollars, and make the minimum payment, you're going to be paying for the next seventeen years. You'll pay over five thousand dollars at 16.8 percent interest. Don't do that! Using debt to buy something that's going to accrue in value, like a house, certainly that's permissible. But if you use credit cards to buy consumer goods thinking it's going to bring happiness, that's like trying to put out a fire with gasoline. There's a principle of work.

The principle of perspective

Look at verses seven and eight. "Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun. But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all: yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity." Enjoy life, but remember the bad days are coming. Remember sooner or later you're going to get sick. You're going to die. If you have good things, enjoy them. Jesus was not a recluse. Jesus was accused of being a winebibber and a glutton. Of course he was not. But Jesus was a man of joy. Ecclesiastes 2:24—"There's nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God."

God is showering you with blessings. If God prospers you, if God gives you a home, enjoy it. If you sit down to a Sunday dinner, thank God for it. If you're surrounded by your spouse and your children and your grandchildren, rejoice. You've got sisters and brothers in Christ today. Thank God for them. If there's beautiful music, let it bless your heart. God is good. "The Lord thy God is a sun and a shield. The Lord will give grace and glory and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly." The Bible says in 1 Timothy 6:17, "It's God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy."

The principle of accountability.

Look now in verses nine and ten. "Rejoice, oh young man, in thy youth; and let they heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh. For childhood and youth are vanity." That is, grow up. Put away pessimism. Put away sin. Live wisely because we are stewards. We are going to stand before God, and God is going to say, "What did you do with what I entrusted to your hand?" You need to pray, "God, how much of this do I need to use? How much of this do I need to save? How much of this do I need to invest? How much of this do I need to give? For, Lord, none of it is mine. It is all yours; I know I am going to stand before you and that I am only a steward."

What you call your own is not yours. You are a steward. You're only a manager. Owners have rights; stewards have responsibilities. Owners have rights. That's not you. You're the steward. He's the one that has the rights. You are the manager. I'm talking to you about prosperity, and the wisest person who ever walked this earth walked in sandal shoes. He said, "For what should it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?" Or what should a man give in exchange for his soul?

Your soul is worth more than all the stocks, the bonds, the rubies, the diamonds, the emeralds, the schools, the education, the military, the government. Put it all together. Your one soul is worth more than all of that. Don't be like the old prospect and say, "I died rich." Die without Jesus, you die in poverty. But if you have Jesus, you're already rich.

For Your Reflection

Personal growth: How has this sermon fed your own soul? ___________________________________________

Skill growth: What did this sermon teach you about how to preach? ____________________________________________________________________________

Exegesis and exposition: Highlight the paragraphs in this sermon that helped you better understand Scripture. How does the sermon model ways you could provide helpful biblical exposition for your hearers? ____________________________________________________________________________

Theological Ideas: What biblical principles in this sermon would you like to develop in a sermon? How would you adapt these ideas to reflect your own understanding of Scripture, the Christian life, and the unique message that God is putting on your heart? ____________________________________________________________________________

Outline: How would you improve on this outline by changing the wording, or by adding or subtracting points? _____________________________________________________________________

Application: What is the main application of this sermon? What is the main application of the message you sense God wants you to bring to your hearers? ____________________________________________________________________________

Illustrations: Which illustrations in this sermon would relate well with your hearers? Which cannot be used with your hearers, but they suggest illustrations that could work with your hearers? ____________________________________________________________________________

Credit: Do you plan to use the content of this sermon to a degree that obligates you to give credit? If so, when and how will you do it?

Adrian Rogers is the voice of Love Worth Finding ministries, Bartlett, Tennessee.

Related sermons

How Should a Pastor Think About His People's Giving?

Giving indicates spiritual growth and participation in the gospel.

You Can't Fool the Lord

God judges the sin of deceit.
Sermon Outline:

Introduction

Scripture regarding the fact that God wants you to prosper.

I. The principle of investment.

II. The principle of diversification.

III. The principle of preparation.

IV. The principle of venture.

V. The principle of trust.

VI. The principle of work.

VII. The principle of perspective.

VIII. The principle of accountability.