3 John 1:2
“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”
For faith to begin, the will of God must be known. You cannot have faith for something if you do not know if it’s God’s will for you. Since it is impossible to please God without faith, then it is imperative that we know the will of God for our lives so that we can walk in faith.
The scriptures say, “In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.” 2 Corinthians 13:1. In 2 Timothy 3:16 it also says: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
Therefore, in order for us to get our answer we must do the following:
A.) Search the scriptures regarding God’s will for our lives.
- Find at least two or three other witnesses in the scriptures that back up the scripture you are standing on in faith.
When we search the scriptures regarding God’s will for us, we see a common thread. Not just two or three, but a multitude of scriptures back up what 3 John 1:2 declares; that it is God’s will that we be healthy and prosper financially just as we prosper spiritually. Let us look at a few other scriptures to see if we can find other witnesses to this affect.
Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) tells us: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” This sounds very similar to 3 John 1:2 doesn’t it? Therefore, if you believe something that does not produce hope in you, then it is not from God. God’s will is to give you a hope and a future. In fact, all the promises of God have hope injected into them. Therefore, if someone tries to preach to you a hopeless gospel, then it is not the gospel of Christ.
In John 10:10 Jesus tells us: “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
2 Corinthians 8:9 says: “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor; that ye through his poverty might be rich.”
How do we know this isn’t just spiritual wealth you might ask? Let’s look at Galatians for our answer. Galatians 3:13 says “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law; being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ: That we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”
That the “Blessing of Abraham might come upon us”. Let’s look at Genesis to see what this specific blessing is:
Genesis 12:1 “Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: “
- Promise #1 – God will direct us
- Promise #2 – “And I will make of thee a great nation” (Genesis 12:2)
- Promise #3 – “And I will bless thee” (Genesis 12:2)
- Promise #4 – “And make thy name great” (Genesis 12:2)
- Promise #5 – “And thou shalt be a blessing” (Genesis 12:2)
- Promise #6 – “And I will bless them that bless thee” (Genesis 12:3)
- Promise #7 – “And curse him that curseth thee” (Genesis 12:3)
- Promise #8 – “And in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 12:3)
In Genesis 13 God goes into great detail about how wealthy Abraham was. It describes how he was VERY rich in cattle and in silver and in gold. He also demonstrates how God is able to protect Abraham even when Abraham makes mistakes. These promises are not just spiritual promises, but just like Abraham, they are physical promises!
Let’s look at the first part of Galatians: “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law”.
In Deuteronomy 28 it lists the blessings of following the law and the curses of not following it. Notice the scripture does not say that Christ redeemed us from the blessing of the law (no indeed just the curses). In order to understand what this means you must look to see what the blessings are that are listed versus the curses. When you read the chapter you find that all forms of sicknesses are listed under the curse. This is why the scriptures tell us in 1 Peter about Jesus, that “by whose stripes ye were healed.” Sickness should not be permitted in our lives because we have been redeemed from it! Poverty is under the curse. Deuteronomy 28 says that if you hearken diligently to the voice of the Lord your God all these blessings will come on you and overtake you. It then lists financial blessings as well as health blessings, favor, blessings on our children and protection and promotion.
Proverbs 28:20 tells us: “A faithful man shall abound with blessings”. So what is the key to walking in Divine health, prosperity and increasing revelation in the Lord as listed in 3 John 1:2? It is to be faithful (or FULL OF FAITH!). What does it mean to be Full of Faith? Hebrews 11 shows us what it means as it lists the hall of fame of faith, talking about how each person received the promises of God for their lives by faith, believing God’s promises. To be full of faith you must believe God’s word and act on it. If circumstances are contrary to the promise you believe, then you choose to believe God’s word and promises above the circumstance, just like Abraham did. For Abraham to have a child at a hundred and his wife Sarah at ninety was impossible in the natural. Yet, the scriptures say he considered not his own body nor the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He believed God who calls those things which be not as though they were. He did not stagger or doubt God’s promise. He chose to believe no matter what, for faith knows no discouragement! It didn’t matter how much time passed or what the circumstances were. He stayed full of faith!
Therefore, if you are believing God for something in your life, find the promises in scripture on which to stand. Then have faith in those promises, for 2 Corinthians 1:20 tells us: “For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in Him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.” Finally, act on those promises! If you have faith, then you will speak and you will act.
John 14:13-14 Jesus tells us: “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.”
There are multitudes of scriptures saying the same things about the blessings. As you pray and ask God to show you, He will provide the answer and lead you to the scriptures you need. Therefore, remember it truly is God’s will to have you prosper and be in health even as your soul prospers. Therefore, get your Soul (Your mind) renewed by the word of God, so that you can prosper in every other area in your life!
Proverbs 10:22
The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.
Romans 4:16-24
Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law; but to that also which is also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s whom: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;”
Matthew 7:7-11
“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?”
Psalm 112
“PRAISE ye the LORD, Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments. His seed shall be mighty upon the earth, the generation of the upright shall be blessed. Wealth and riches shall be in his house; and his righteousness endureth for ever.”
Isaiah 53:4-5
“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”
Psalm 32:8
“I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt 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.”
Psalm 37:25
“I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.”
Psalm 91:9-10
“Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.”
Psalm 115:14-15
“The LORD shall increase you more and more, you and your children. Ye are blessed of the LORD which made heaven and earth.”
Psalm 128:1-3
“BLESSED is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands; happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: Thy children like olive plants round about thy table. Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD.”
