Prospering for God’s Glory (A Sermon Preached during Watch Night Service)

Prospering for God’s Glory
Selected Passages

Introduction

• God’s people should always aspire to excel for His glory both in spiritual and mundane life.
• Such is my prayer for each and everyone of you.
  3 John 2 – Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
• But we are not to seek physical prosperity without prospering spiritually.
  Psalm 30:6-12 - And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved. LORD, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled. I cried to thee, O LORD; and unto the LORD I made supplication. . . . .Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.
  Jeremiah 10:21 - For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the LORD: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.

Prosper in Spiritual Matters

1. Prosper in the knowledge of God and excel in good decision making that are spiritually wholesome and pleasing to God.

• Psalm 1:3 - And he 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.
• Romans 2:18 - And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law.
• Philippians 1:9-10 - And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ.
• Philippians 3:8 - Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.

2. Prosper in godly love – to God and brethren.

• Philippians 1:9-10 - And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment

3. Prosper in God’s Work

• 1 Corinthians 15:58 - Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Prosper in Physical Matters

1. Wealth through godly and diligent ways

• God’s wisdom says, “Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness” (Proverbs 8:18). Only the wealth that is obtained according to God’s wisdom shall be a blessing. Proverbs 13:7 reminds us, “There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.” We are not to be desperate make money in any manner. If godliness would require us to be poor, then let us accept it, because it will lees to the riches that God would grant us. 1 Timothy 6:10 reminds us that “Godliness with contentment is great gain.”
• But if our godly pursuit and diligence would lead us to wealth, we should in no wise be hesitant to receive it and use it generously for God’s glory. Everything we obtain, even by hard work, is of the Lord. Proverbs 10:22 reminds us, “The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.”
• God expects us to be hardworking; so His Word warns us in Proverbs 10:4 that “He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.”
• We must earn as much as we can through honest and righteous labour. Proverbs 13:11 tells us that “Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase.” We should not dream about being wealthy by any means. There is no lasting and meaningful pleasure in making money through deception, violence, etc. Let us work hard. Let our shirts stink with our sweat. Through honesty and labour let us seek the wealth that God send to us.
• Then let us be rich in charity - as Paul instructed the Coritnhian believers in 1 Corinthians 16:2 – “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.”

Essentials for Godly Prosperity

1. Confess your sins

• Proverbs 28:13 - He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
  There is no reason why God should prosper a man whose heart is set on sins. God does not give grace that we may continue to sin. His mercy is given that we may sin and prosper in the ways of the Lord. Sin will be an hindrance to our blessings. So examine yourself and repent from besetting sins.

2. Pray earnestly

• Nehemiah 1:11 - O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king’s cupbearer.
• Like Nehemiah, we must pray earnestly before we set out to undertake any project at all. We must seek God’s permission, guidance and provisions before we set out to do our business.
• No prayer, no provision! No prayer, no prosperity!

3. Count the worldly glory nothing but loss

• Philippians 3:8 - Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.

4. Labour in the Lord

• 1 Corinthians 15:58 - Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. The key to abounding in the work of the Lord is “labour.” It denotes to toil or hard work irregardless of difficulties and trouble (cf. 2 Thessalonians 3:8).

5. Have Strong Faith in the Lord

• Nehemiah 2:20a Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build . . . Note the Nehemiah’s faith and confidence – “The God of heaven, he will prosper us.” Whenever we attempt something in accordance to His will, we must neither be anxious nor be fearful.

6. Keep Yourselves from the Ungodly

• Nehemiah 2:20b - but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.
• Psalm 1:1-2 - Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

Conclusion

When the Lord prospers us, let us humbly praise Him

• Psalm 118:25-29 - Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity. Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD. God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar. Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.