“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.” Deut 8:18
“And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian” Gen 39:2
I was once accused in this church of not preaching a "prosperity message." Ironically, the person who raised the accusation had experienced God’s tangible blessings through this ministry. Let me share the experience:
A couple who had been struggling with childlessness invited me to Calgary to pray for them. They even purchased my ticket. When I arrived, they invited other families with similar challenges to join the prayer session. I prayed with all of them and left.
Two months later, I received word that one of the families—not the one that paid for my ticket—was expecting a child. This family had been waiting on God for 12 years for a baby, and by His grace, they had one. The husband later got a job in Toronto, and they relocated to Brampton, becoming members of our church.
One day, a Pastor relative of theirs visited from Nigeria and attended our service. I gave her an opportunity to minister in the church. The following Sunday, she told me her relatives didn’t feel comfortable attending our church and are planning to leave because I don’t preach “prosperity messages.”
Remember this was the same family that had experienced a miraculous birth through God's power, and now they were accusing me of not preaching prosperity!
So I asked this minister, "What exactly do you mean by 'prosperity message'?" Is it the one where people are told, "If you tithe $1,000, God will give you $10,000"? If you want a child buy this bottle of anointing oil with $5000 ? Or a pawpaw fruit with many seeds for $1000? People often enjoy hearing deceptive and manipulative teachings like that.
Let me ask you, what is true prosperity? Is it getting $10,000 from God, or receiving a miracle child after 12 years of waiting? Which is real prosperity?
The Holy Spirit gave me three definitions of prosperity to share with you .
1. The Truth About Prosperity
Prosperity is not about manipulating God into giving you material wealth in exchange for offerings. True prosperity is knowing God, being intimate with Him, and encountering His presence. Look at the life of Joseph: while he was a slave in Potiphar's house, being paid a servant's wage, God declared that Joseph was prosperous, not Potiphar the slave master and employer. Why? Because Joseph had a relationship with God. He feared God and ran from sin. That is what made him truly rich.
2. Prosperity is through hard work.
“And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian” Gen 39:2
I was once accused in this church of not preaching a "prosperity message." Ironically, the person who raised the accusation had experienced God’s tangible blessings through this ministry. Let me share the experience:
A couple who had been struggling with childlessness invited me to Calgary to pray for them. They even purchased my ticket. When I arrived, they invited other families with similar challenges to join the prayer session. I prayed with all of them and left.
Two months later, I received word that one of the families—not the one that paid for my ticket—was expecting a child. This family had been waiting on God for 12 years for a baby, and by His grace, they had one. The husband later got a job in Toronto, and they relocated to Brampton, becoming members of our church.
One day, a Pastor relative of theirs visited from Nigeria and attended our service. I gave her an opportunity to minister in the church. The following Sunday, she told me her relatives didn’t feel comfortable attending our church and are planning to leave because I don’t preach “prosperity messages.”
Remember this was the same family that had experienced a miraculous birth through God's power, and now they were accusing me of not preaching prosperity!
So I asked this minister, "What exactly do you mean by 'prosperity message'?" Is it the one where people are told, "If you tithe $1,000, God will give you $10,000"? If you want a child buy this bottle of anointing oil with $5000 ? Or a pawpaw fruit with many seeds for $1000? People often enjoy hearing deceptive and manipulative teachings like that.
Let me ask you, what is true prosperity? Is it getting $10,000 from God, or receiving a miracle child after 12 years of waiting? Which is real prosperity?
The Holy Spirit gave me three definitions of prosperity to share with you .
1. The Truth About Prosperity
Prosperity is not about manipulating God into giving you material wealth in exchange for offerings. True prosperity is knowing God, being intimate with Him, and encountering His presence. Look at the life of Joseph: while he was a slave in Potiphar's house, being paid a servant's wage, God declared that Joseph was prosperous, not Potiphar the slave master and employer. Why? Because Joseph had a relationship with God. He feared God and ran from sin. That is what made him truly rich.
2. Prosperity is through hard work.
Prosperity is also the ability to develop your mind and talents, and then apply them to generate wealth through hard work. God says, “I give you the ability to produce wealth” (Deuteronomy 8:18). He blesses the work of your hands. So prosperity is about using your intellect, working hard, and trusting God to prosper your efforts. It’s not about a transactional gospel—where you give $10 to God expecting to receive $100 or waiting for miracle phone alert! That’s not the reason we give or pay tithes. We pay tithes because we don’t want to rob God (Malachi 3:8) and because we want “meat in God's house” to advance His work. Prosperity is having resources and means and using it to support our families and the work of God and being part of His kingdom agenda.
3. Prosperity in Life and Family
True prosperity also involves investing in your future and your family. It means training your wife and children in the way of the Lord, so they grow up to be responsible, godly individuals. Proverbs 29:17 says, "Discipline your children, and they will give you peace; they will bring you the delights you desire." When we invest in our children’s spiritual and moral upbringing, we are prosperous.
Recently, I was investing in the Nigerian stock market, and a thought crossed my mind: "For whom am I doing this?" Most of my children are already making more money than me, so why am I working hard to invest for them now? The truth is, I have already invested in their education, their upbringing, and their spiritual growth. That’s why I consider myself prosperous.
Conclusion: Prosperity is not limited to material wealth. It is about knowing God, serving Him faithfully, investing in your mind, working diligently, and raising a godly family. It’s about thriving in every area of life—spiritually, intellectually, and financially—while remaining aligned with God’s will. Anything less is a shallow definition of what it truly means to prosper.
Shalom .
