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LEGACY
T H E T E A C H I N G
O F D E R E K P R I N C E
God’s Abundance
The Final Four Conditions
So far in this series we have seen that God desires to provide for His people abundantly if they
will meet His conditions. Scripture indicates that riches—along with power, wisdom, honor, glory,
strength, and blessing—belong by eternal right to Jesus Christ. Yet on the cross He gave up those
benefits to participate in a divine exchange. In that transaction, Jesus took the curse, which was
due to mankind by divine justice, that we might receive the blessing, which was due to Jesus by
His perfect obedience.
O
ne of the particular curses which Jesus exhausted
was the poverty curse outlined in Deuteronomy
28. On the cross, He was hungry, thirsty, naked,
Condition
dition #1: Motives and Attitu
Attitudes
and in need of all things. That is a description of absolute After discussing these basic principles, we then asked
poverty. Jesus totally exhausted the poverty curse that we the question: What are God’s conditions? We discovered
might receive “the blessing of Abraham” (Galatians 3:13– that there are five specific conditions for receiving God’s
14). And what is the blessing of Abraham? Genesis 24:1 abundance.
says Abraham was blessed in “all things.” The first condition is that our motives and attitudes
must be right. There are five aspects of this condition
We saw from 2 Corinthians 9:8 and Ephesians 2:8–9
which we examined in the previous letter:
that there are three important principles governing the
a. It is wrong to make wealth our God.
way we receive the abundance of God’s grace, allowing us b. It is wrong to seek wealth by unethical means.
to be blessed in “all things.” First, God’s grace can never be c. It is wrong to trust in wealth.
earned. Second, it can only come through one channel— d. It is wrong to use our wealth selfishly.
Jesus Christ. Third, the only way we can appropriate it is e. We should not fail to share materially with the poor.
by faith.
Many Christians fail to realize that God’s grace in- Condition #2: Faith Is Essential
cludes financial and material provision—if we meet the
conditions He has set forth for receiving it. However, we The second condition for receiving God’s abundance
need to keep in mind the distinction we cited between is faith. We have already seen that abundance is a part
trying to earn God’s grace and meeting His conditions. of the provision made for us by the grace of God. Like
V o l u m e X V I I I , I s s u e 5
every provision of grace, it can be reap bountifully. financial dealings, with special reference
received only by faith. However, we can 2 Corinthians 9:6 to the giving of our tithes to God:
never overemphasize the importance
of faith. It is the primary, indispensable Paul here compares giving to “Will a man rob God? Yet you have
requirement for leading the Christian “sowing,” and receiving to “reaping.” His robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what
life. “But the righteous man shall live by point is that if we wish to reap, we must way have we robbed You?’ In tithes
faith” (Romans 1:17 NASB). Every area of sow first. The example of the farmer and offerings. You are cursed with
righteous living must be based on faith. enforces this point. Every time a farmer a curse, for you have robbed Me,
This applies as much to our finances as sows his field, he is exercising faith. He even this whole nation. Bring all
to any other area of our lives. is believing that the seed he is planting the tithes into the storehouse, that
Furthermore, the opposite also is in the field is going to come back there may be food in My house, and
true. “Whatever is not from faith is sin” multiplied. It is precisely the same with try [prove] Me now in this,” says
(Romans 14:23). When we handle our our giving as Christians. If we want to the LORD of hosts, “If I will not open
money in an unbelieving way, it will reap, we first have to sow. Furthermore, for you the windows of heaven and
lead to results that are sinful: avarice, the measure in which we sow will pour out for you a blessing such
stinginess, and even withholding from determine the measure in which we that there will not be room enough
God that which is His due. The entire reap. If we sow sparingly, we will reap to receive it. And I will rebuke the
matter of how we dispose of our money sparingly. If we sow bountifully, we will devourer for your sakes, so that he
must be based on faith. reap bountifully. will not destroy the fruit of your
Faith acts in obedience to God’s Word We can take the example of the ground, nor shall the vine fail to
without waiting to see the promised re- farmer one step further. Sowing is not bear fruit for you in the field,” says
ward. This, too, applies to our finances. random scattering wherever we happen the LORD of hosts; “And all nations
Jesus says, “Give, and it will be given to to be. If we were to walk down Main will call you blessed.”
you” (Luke 6:38). When we act in faith, Street, scattering seed right and left into
the gutter, we would not reap much of The following points derived from
we give first. Receiving follows in God’s
a harvest. Yet some Christians give like this Scripture are significant:
time. If we wait until we can “afford it,”
that. On random impulses, without A. Unfruitfulness in handling our
we are not giving in faith.
prayer or principle, they just throw their finances brings us under a curse. In fact,
When we see this truth from the
money anywhere. It is no small wonder it is part of the curse from which Christ
perspective of faith, we can never be too
that they do not reap the benefits offers us deliverance.
poor to give. On the contrary, part of the
promised in Scripture. B. As always in Scripture, faith is
remedy for poverty is to begin giving
Contrary to that picture of random essential. We are required to bring our
in faith. When the widow gave her last
scattering, responsible sowing means tithes before we receive the promised
two mites to the Lord, Jesus praised her
we select the best soil, we make the blessings. God says, “Try Me now in this,”
for it. He did not rebuke her for being
best preparation, we choose the right i.e., by bringing our tithes. This passage
“extravagant” or “unrealistic.” (See Luke
time, and we sow the best seed. That offers us no other way in which to
21:1–4.)
is precisely how we should handle qualify for the blessing.
We have already mentioned that
our finances—both individually and C. The act of faith that God
there are laws that govern the utilization
collectively. We should select the best requires is in the material realm, and
of money that are similar to those that
investment for the extension of God’s the blessing He promises is likewise in
apply in the realm of agriculture. Paul
Kingdom, we should make prayerful the material realm. I have been in prayer
brings this out in 2 Corinthians 9.
preparation, we should carefully follow meetings where Christians pray, “Lord,
Speaking to Christians about the way
they should give their money to the the principles laid down in God’s Word, open the windows of heaven and pour
work and to the people of the Lord, Paul and we should give of our best. In short, out a blessing.” It sounds good, but
says: we should do everything in our power I always want to shake them and say,
to secure the maximum return on our “Listen, the blessing doesn’t come by
But this I say: He who sows spar- investment. praying. It comes by tithing!” We can
ingly will also reap sparingly, and In Malachi 3:8–12, we find a number pray forever, but if we don’t bring our
he who sows bountifully will also of related principles that govern our tithes, we have no claim to the blessing.
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V o l u m e X V I I I , I s s u e 5
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V o l u m e X V I I I , I s s u e 5
the law of the Lord. Obey the law of there are two positive requirements. run after the blessings; they run after
the Lord. What we think, what we say, First, the successful man delights in the us. I can go to bed at night and ponder
and what we do determines what we law of the Lord; second, he meditates on what blessing will have caught up
experience. I sum that up as follows: in it day and night. If I were to pick with me by the time I wake up in the
think, speak, and act God’s Word. out one prescription in Scripture that morning!
We see an even more all-embracing is absolutely central to prosperity, it In the same way, Matthew 6:33 tells
promise in Psalm 1. In the passage in would be proper meditation. What fills us, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His
Joshua the promise is spoken to one and occupies our minds will actually righteousness, and all these things shall be
man. But in Psalm 1, the promise is determine our experience. added to you.” We don’t seek the “things”;
given without restriction to any person On the basis of meeting those five we seek the “kingdom.” Then God adds
who meets the conditions. conditions, the Bible says of any person, all the “things” that we need.
“Whatever he does shall prosper.” Right By way of review, let’s list again
Blessed is the man who walks not now, as you read these words, determine the conditions we have outlined for
in the counsel of the ungodly, nor that you will be such a person! Then go receiving God’s abundance. First of all,
stands in the path of sinners, nor back over the conditions again. Read our motives and attitudes must be right.
sits in the seat of the scornful; but them again and then meditate on them Second, we must exercise faith. Third,
his delight is in the law of the LORD; until they become a part of you. When we must honor God, our parents, God’s
and in His law he meditates day that takes place, it will be natural for you ministers and our spiritual leaders, by
and night. He shall be like a tree to act accordingg to these conditions. giving. Fourth, we must practice right
planted by the rivers of water, that thinking, speaking and acting. Fifth, we
brings forth its fruit in its season, must let God add in His way and in His
whose leaf also shall not wither; Condition #5: Let God Add
time. If we meet these conditions, we
and whatever he does shall pros- can be certain that God’s abundance will
per. verses 1–3 Here is the fifth and final condition:
let God add—in His way and in His overtake us.
Please read those last five words time. Don’t grab for abundance! Let God In my next, and final, letter on this
carefully! There is no room for failure add it. It should be the same in finance theme, we will be taking a look at the
there. Everything such a man does will as in agriculture. We plant the seed, but purpose of God’s abundance.
Taken from a New Wine Magazine
succeed. What are the conditions for God makes the harvest grow. article dated December 1978.
that success? There are three negative I remember years ago when I was
conditions and two positive conditions. in Ireland. I heard of a little boy of six
For further study, we recom-
The negative conditions, the actions whose parents gave him some potatoes mend Derek Prince’s audio CD:
we must not do, are stated in verse 1. to plant. He went out and planted his Waiting for God
We must not walk in the counsel of the potatoes, and a week later he was out to We are making this material available to you
ungodly, nor stand in the path of sinners, see if they were growing. There was no at no charge. Just use the enclosed reply slip
to request your copy.
nor sit in the seat of the scornful. Notice sign of growth. Two weeks later he still
Reproduction of articles from
in that process that there is a gradual saw nothing, so he dug them up to see the DPM archive for free
slowing down—from walking to if they were growing. In the end, he dug distribution is permitted. To
receive regular teaching and
standing to sitting. If we begin to walk them up three or four times, and they encouragement by e-mail, sub-
in the way of the ungodly, then we will never did grow! scribe at derekprince.org.
stand, and finally we will sit. At all costs Some Christians are like that. They
we must avoid that evil progression from plant their potatoes and then dig them
walking to standing to sitting. Yet there up to see if they are growing. The
are Christians who regularly accept the essence of faith is that we let God do it.
counsel of the ungodly in many areas We meet the conditions, but God fulfills
of their lives. Then they wonder why the promise.
they don’t prosper. They are violating a Deuteronomy 28:2 says to those who Derek Prince Ministries
P.O. Box 19501
primary negative requirement: we must meet God’s conditions: “And all these Charlotte, NC 28219
not walk in the counsel of the ungodly. blessings shall come upon you, and overtake 704.357.3556
www.derekprince.org
Following the negative conditions, you.” I love that word overtake. We don’t TL105
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