Part II of the teaching – Prospering in Difficult Times. See Part I
How to Prosper in Difficult Times by Pastor Emmanuel S. Olowokere. Nov. 8, 2009.
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Sermon Synopsis
Someone had asked if I came up with this series to make people feel good in these treacherous times. While that wouldn’t be a bad reason, but a big “NO!” was my response. I referenced 3 John 1:2 instead as my premise “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” Note God didn’t say “I wish…thou may “survive” or “struggle”’ but He pointedly said “prosper!”
I’d expect you to then ask “Why does God want me to prosper?” Trust me it’s not all about you. It’s more because others are dependent on your prosperity. In other words, so you can be a blessing to others. Reason He told Abraham in Gen. 22 17-18 that he’d not just bless him but all the nations of the earth would acquire blessing through his seed.
Besides, His original plan for Man was prosperity. That was why before He formed man in Gen. 1, He’d provided everything Man would need. Yes, all this was lost to sin in Eden but we’ve regained them through Christ’s death on the Cross. Salvation, a consequence of the Cross, comes with a package of restoration which includes prosperity. Knowing this, it therefore behooves us to make up our mind to prosper regardless of goings-on around us.
That out of the window, we move on with the message. Last time out we established that God wanted you and me to prosper and we looked at two secrets to prospering: Divine direction and instruction.
In Gen 26 God directed Isaac not to follow historical lead and walk the road his father Abraham walked when famine ravaged the land -Abraham was divinely led to Egypt- but he was instead to stay put in Gerar and cultivate the famished land. Lo and behold, Isaac heeded the counterintuitive direction and he prospered in a land of famine! Gen 26:12-13
Truth is there is a blueprint for your prosperity that is different from what history, contemporary situation or the humanly created order dictates. For instance, in John 6 there was a “temporary famine” where Jesus ministered. A multitude had tarried with Him in the wilderness and Jesus knew they were getting hungry. But there was no food to serve them. The natural order was to heed the disciples’ suggestion and buy food for the multitude. That wouldn’t have been the first time they would buy food as John 4 reveals. Instead, the “famine” ended when Jesus blessed “five loaves and two fishes” that multiplied and the multitude feasted on. The point is: God is dynamic, and seeking direction from Him every time is the way to go if we’re not to miss out on our blessing.
We also established that divine instruction was another secret to prosperity. In John 2, Jesus at the marriage in Cana of Galilee instructed that empty jars be filled with water which He turned to wine. They might have whined all they wanted, if they hadn’t heeded His instruction, they’d had run out of wine.
Covenant is another secret to accessing prosperity in difficult times Gen 26:3-7 disclose. You need to establish contact with someone God has made an oath or covenant of blessing with. Other than Jesus, no one else has a better oath or covenant that elicits prosperity than that God made with Abraham. How can you connect to Abraham’s covenant blessings? Through your connection to Christ. Jesus has not just redeemed us [believers] from the curse of the law but has connected us to Abraham’s covenant blessings according to (Gal 3:9-14; 26-29).
My prayer is that this week you will connect with covenant blessings in Jesus name. Amen.
