As Your Soul Prospers

3 John 2 –I pray that you may prosper and enjoy good health and that all may go well with you – just as your soul prospers.

God wants you to prosper.  God wants things to go well with you.  God wants you to enjoy the abundant life Jesus came to give you – every day of your life.

Why is it so elusive?  Why are so few Christians enjoying to the full the wonderful life Jesus came to give?

I believe we have to search out and discover from God’s Word God’s way to prosper, God’s way to live, God’s way to think.  We need to take whatever time is necessary, for there is nothing more beneficial that you can gain in life than the knowledge of God.

The Value of Wisdom and True Knowledge

Philippians 3:8, 10, 12-14; Colossians 2:3-4; Proverbs 2:1-6; John 17:3; Romans 11:33; 1 Corinthians 2:7-10, 12)

I count everything as loss compared to the possession of the priceless privilege of knowing Christ (of progressively becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him).  For His sake I have lost everything and consider it all to be mere rubbish in order that I may win Christ…

This knowledge is the highest treasure life has to offer and is worth my time and every effort.

…attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times, and the strength of salvation; the fear of the Lord is His treasure.  …In that day, He will be your sure foundation, providing a rich store of salvation, wisdom and knowledge.  The fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.

The wisdom and knowledge of God I have will be my stability!

O, the depths of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God.

We speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God has destined for our glory…the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God – and reveals to us the things freely given us by God.

It is up to you how far you go, how much you prosper in life

Mark 4:22-24 (amp) – Things are hidden temporarily only as a means to revelation.  For there is nothing hidden except to be revealed, nor is anything kept secret except in order that it may be made known.  If any man has ears to hear, let him be listening and let him perceive and comprehend.   And He said to them, be careful what you are hearing.  The measure [of thought and study] you give [to the truth you hear] will be the measure [of virtue and knowledge] that comes back to you—and more [besides] will be given to you who hear.

It is up to you!  It is up to you not God how far you go in life, how much you grow in the knowledge of God, how deeply you know God, how closely you walk with Him, how much wisdom you gain and how much you prosper.  He has given us all His word.  But the measure of time in thought and study you give it will be the amount of wisdom and knowledge that comes to you and in return, it will be the amount your soul prospers, and that will be how much you actually prosper and have success in life.

Ephesians 3:20 – Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,  He is able to far more in us and for us and through us than we could even dare ask or think – but it is according to the power that works in us, which is directly connected to the knowledge of God we have or how much our soul prospers.

Do you want to live more exceeding abundantly in all of God’s provision?  Increase your knowledge of God and, in turn, the power at work within you.

True Prosperity and Success Come from Taking Heed to the Lord and His Word

Joshua 1:8 – This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.

Psalm 1:2-3 – But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.  He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers.

Proverbs 16:20  – He who gives attention to the word will find good, he who gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.

Isaiah 48:17-18 – Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go.  If only you had paid attention to My commandments!  Then your well-being would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.

Psalm 81:13-14  – Oh that My people would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in My ways!  I would quickly subdue their enemies and turn My hand against their adversaries.

Psalm 119:9-11 – How can a young man keep his way pure?  By keeping it according to Your Word.  With all my heart I have sought You; do not let me wander from Your commandments.  Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You.

Proverbs 4:4, 13, 22 – Lay hold of my words with all your heart…Hold onto instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life… they are life to those who find them and health to all their body.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 – From childhood I have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to give me the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.  All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of do may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

Phillips – All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the faith and correcting error, for re-setting the direction of a man’s life and training him in good living. The scriptures are the comprehensive equipment of the man of God and fit him fully for all branches of his work.

Not only does the word cause you to prosper as you renew your mind, but it is the very equipment you need to prepare you for your place in God’s plan.

Philippians 3: 7-9, 12-14

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.  Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith.

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.  Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

So, in conclusion, make every effort to gain the knowledge of God, the highest treasure life has to offer.  Make it your highest and most treasured goal in life.  Put all diligence into it; you will reap in exactly the same measure you put into it.  You will prosper as your soul prospers.  You will succeed according to your true heart knowledge of the Word.