Sermon Tone Analysis

We’re going to *continue* our teaching on “*The Prosperity of the Lord*.”

*Last time* we *ended* in the *middle of qualifying* you for the Lord’s prosperity.

So want to pick up from there.

*I) **We don’t qualify to prosper* *just because we’re Christian* *and* we *don’t qualify* for the Lord’s *prosperity* *just because we’re giver*, *yet* those are *important* *steps* in receiving what the Lord has for us.

*A) *Some of the *main verses* that I *gave* to *you* in the *last two or three messages* are (*Proverbs 13:22*) which says, *“A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.”*

*1) *This verse *shows us* *where* the *wealth* is *located* *and* *where it belongs*.

The ungodly have it but it belongs to the righteous.

*2) *(*Psalms 112:3*) says, *“Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his righteousness endureth forever.”*

*a) *In this verse *we* again *see* *that prosperity belongs to the church*, the people of God.

*b) **But* he *doesn’t* just *say* that we are to have a *little*, he *says* that *wealth and riches shall be in our house*.

*This is what belongs to the children of God*.

*3) *In (*Deuteronomy 8:18*) it says, *“But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.”*

*a) *Again in this verse *God refers to us receiving wealth*, *but* he *also tells us* that *HE’S GIVEN US THE POWER to cause* that *wealth* *to move* *from* the hands of the *sinners* *to* the *righteous*.

*B) *But *most* born-again believers are *not walking in* this type of *prosperity* that the Lord intends for us to have.

AND *THE REASON* IS *MOST DON’T QUALIFY*.

*1) **The Lord* is *not going to prosper you* *unless* you’re *ready for it*, because it can be a *very dangerous thing*.

*a) *It can *produce pride*, *arrogance*, a *lack of submission* to authority in the church, *church hopping*; it can even cause people to *fall away* from the Lord.

*b) *Many times when people receive prosperity they *stop walking in faith* *and* *hoard up riches* for themselves.

*(i) **God wants you to* *have nice things*, but *he* *also* *wants you to be a channel* for him.

*(ii) **He’s not going to bless* you with prosperity *until* *he knows* *that when he asks you to do something with* those *finances* *you’ll be obedient* to Him.

*(iii) **You’ll give* *WHERE* *he tells you to give*, *you’ll give* *WHAT* *he tells you to give*.

*c) **Until he sees that you’re obedient* to that now he *won’t* *bring* the *increase*.

*(i) **God* has *already told us* in his word to *give* our *tithes* *and* *offerings* to Him.

*(ii) **If you can’t give your tithe* to God *now*, *he knows he can’t trust you with* the *increase*.

*(iii) **If we want the Lord’s prosperity we have to QUALIFY*.

*II) *Our *first step* *to qualify* that we gave you last time is *ALWAYS KEEP GOD 1ST*.

*A) *(*Matthew 6:33*) says, *“Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.”*

*1) *If we *want* the Lord’s *prosperity* we have to *keep God 1st*.

*a) *You have to *ask yourself* *if he’s 1st* in your life.

*(i) *What *if God tells you to give* right *now*, *would you do it?*

*(ii) *What *if he tells you to give it all*, *would you obey Him?*

*b) **Only you can answer this question, “Is God 1st in the area of your finances?”*

*B) *The *2nd step* or principal that you must pass to qualify for the for the Lord’s prosperity is, *“GOD OWNS EVERYTHING AND I OWN NOTHING.”*

*1) *The Bible says, *“The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof.”*

*2) *It *all belongs to God*, and *you* have to realize that *you are just a steward of God’s money*.

*a) *You have to *have the attitude* that *when God speaks* to you and tells you to give *you say*, *“Okay God, it your money.”*

*b) **When God sees you* as *being a good steward* of his money, giving where he tells you to give, *then he can start to pour the blessings* on you.

*C) *The *3rd principle* is *GOD 1ST, OTHER 2ND, AND I’M LAST*.

*1) *That’s where *many miss it*.

They *put self-1st*.

*2) *The *rich young ruler* found in (*Mark 10*) had that problem.

*a) **Jesus told him* to *give* his *money* *to the poor*, but *because* he *had great possessions*, *he turned away* from the Lord.

*(i) **Jesus was trying to get this man to receive God’s best*.

*(ii) *He was *trying to get him* *to put God 1st*, *others 2nd*, and *self-last*.

*(iii) *He was *trying to get* *the man* to begin to place is *trust in God* and *not* in his *money*.

*(iv) *And *3rd* he was *trying to get the man* *to receive a hundred fold*.

*b) **In the same chapter* (*Mark 10*) *Jesus began to explain* to the disciples *that a rich man*, *like this rich young ruler*, *will have a hard time entering into* the *kingdom of God* *because* *they put their trust in* their *money*.

*c) *Then in (*Mark 10:30*) *Jesus explained* to the disciples that *if you sow money and things* into the kingdom of God *you’ll receive a hundred fold*.

*D) *And the *4th principle* is so important and you need to *continue to remind yourself of it*, and to *get it so deep down in your spirit* *that it becomes a reality to you*.

And that principle is *“GOD IS MY SOURCE.”*

*1) **Not my job*, not my *employer*, not my *monthly checks* *but* *God is my source*.

*2) *Turn to *Philippians 4:19*.

*a) **We have to understand why Paul wrote this*.

He didn’t just put this in there for no reason at all.

*b) *Let’s go back to *Philippians 4:14*.

*(i) *The Word “*COMMUNICATE*” in that verse *means*, *“TO BE A PARTNER*, *PARTAKER* or as the *NIV* translation puts it *“SHARE.”*

*c) *Let’s go on reading *Philippians 4:14-15*.

*(i) *There’s the Word “*COMMUNICATED*” again and it means, “*SHARED* or *WAS IN PARTNERSHIP*.”

(With me concerning giving and receiving.)

*(ii) **Notice* *giving and receiving goes together*.

*3) **Philippians 4:16-17*.

*a) *The Word “*ACCOUNT*” is a *banking term*.

*(i) **If you don’t have anything* *in your SPIRITUAL FINANCIAL ACCOUNT* *you have nothing to draw from*.

*b) **If you’re not a tither and a giver* *you have nothing in your account*.

*c) **You can confess* (*Philippians 4:19*) *until your blue in the face* *and* *nothing’s going to happen*.

*WHY?*

*(i) **You have nothing in your account*.

*(ii) **If you’re not a tither* *and a giver* *and* you *wonder* *why you’re not blessed*, *it’s because you have a thief in your house* and *his name is Satan* *and* *you’ve given him the right to steal* from you.

*d) *Look at *Philippians 4:18*.

*(i) **Look at what* *he calls money* *used in the right way*, *“An odor of sweet smell, the sacrifice acceptable, will-pleasing to God.”*

*4) **But these Philippians had something in their account*.

*They gave* *and gave* *and gave*.

*It says* *THEY GAVE ONCE AND AGAIN*, *and* *because of that* *Paul could say*, *“My God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”*

*a) **When your giving to God* *you’re full tithe* *and offerings* *you have money in your account* *and* *God will do exceeding abundantly above all that you can ask or think*.

*III) *Now I want to *go into* the *PURPOSE*.

*Why does God wants you to prosper*, *what’s the reason?*

*He wants you to have it* *so* that *you can be a banker for him*.

*A) **What is the purpose*?

*No.

1* (*Luke 19:10*) *“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”*

*1) **One reason* that *God wants you have money* *is so that the Gospel can be spread* around this world and preached to every creature.

*2) **God given projects and visions* *God wants supplied with the proper finances* *so the vision can be carried out* in this earth so that people will come to know Him.

*a) **That’s why God wants you to have* plenty of *money*, *so* that *you can support those visions that he has birthed in the earth realm*.

*b) **This church is a prime example* of that.

*He birthed this church* into the earth realm *so that* *Word of life* *would be a lighthouse* in Burbank, *but* *I’ll tell you what*, *we can’t fulfill the vision* that *God* has *given* us *without* *people and money*.

*(i) *There have been *many people* that *have come through these doors* that have been *led by the spirit of God* *to be a financial support and help* *to this ministry*, *but* when they get here *they make the statement,* *“I want a larger church.”*

*(ii) **Wait a minute*, *what does God want*.

*(iii) **You see where priority comes in*.

*God wants them here* *but they want* *a larger church* or it’s too far to drive.

*(iv) **That’s why God can’t bless them*.

*They’re putting the own desires* *before* *the kingdom of God*.

*c) *There are *many missionaries* that *God has given* them *the vision* *to win* that *country for Jesus*, *but it takes money* to do that.

*(i) **If you’re broke*, *where is the money going to come from?*

*d) **God didn’t set us up to be broke*.

*He wants us to have plenty*.

*But* you *must qualify*.

*B) **No.

2* *God wants you to have plenty* of money *to destroy the works of the Devil*.

*1) *(*1st John 3:8*) *“For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”*

*2) **He wants you have plenty* of money *so* *that we can destroy the works of the Devil*.