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Tackling the ControVerse with Pastor Sam Manyika
NEXT to the term “power” among the most mentioned, loved, abused and misunderstood words in Pentecostal/charismatic circles stands the word “prosperity.”
Pentecostal/charismatic preachers have come under heavy criticism for preaching the prosperity gospel. As a preacher of God’s word myself, I would never deny being a prosperity preacher, because it would be dishonest to do so.
What sane person would spend all the days of their life preaching something which brings failure, defeat, poverty and ill health to others. All preachers should rightfully be referred to as prosperity preachers because God wants his children to prosper.

Paul in his letter to John makes this clear
“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” (John 2:3)
It is important, however, for ministers of the gospel to be responsible and not teach fables, myths, self aggrandising or speculative nonsense, but rather teach sound doctrine. It is cruel and evil to prescribe unproductive shortcuts to prosperity which leave people hurt and disappointed. According to the Oxford dictionary, to prosper simply means to succeed or to flourish.

“Doing Well” is what the French word “prosperer” and its Latin equivalent “prosperare” mean.
So a prosperous person would be defined as a person who is doing well, succeeding or flourishing.

In this case relativity and context come into play. Individuals, communities and social groups will obviously have different perceptions and interpretations of prosperity. This cannot be avoided because value systems which may be shaped by geographic, political, economic, religious and other factors may determine the final meaning or application of the word.

Doing well, flourishing or succeeding can mean different things to different people according to their expectations and values. A pastor who goes to preach among a rural and very poor tribe in a jungle somewhere may not necessarily think that driving a Range Rover and having a flat screen TV is being prosperous. He would obviously have different expectations in terms of what prosperity is in his circumstances.

Even in an urban setting, it is not necessarily cars and houses that fulfil people and make them feel that they are doing well, flourishing or being successful. It is those who choose that criteria or perception as it is presented to them by the ones who influence and shape their value system who may think so.

There is also a general tendency to create an impression that speed and drama are an integral component of godly intervention in the formation of a prosperous state. However, an honest analysis of scripture will demonstrate that there are established patterns and processes in life which are God designed to build character and inculcate value into people and things. God will not violate these patterns in the process of prospering individuals or nations.

Value and quality grow and are developed during these processes. A healing in the body or a financial miracle may happen quickly and override process but this does not make speed an essential or indispensable ingredient in bringing prosperity.

Speed, drama and the spectacular are an absolute necessity in magic and dubious miracles and manifestations because they have no other substance to offer. Anything that is deceptive must not give anyone time to think. Biblical prosperity points to and suggests a Godly spiritual state in a believer as the link which gives them unlimited access into kingdom blessings. So the biblical definition focuses on that state and also highlights the futility of attempting to establish a prosperous lifestyle outside of that Godly spiritiual state which enables one to have access into kingdom blessings. People are not transferred into the kingdom of God in their prevailing state, they are transformed into another state through the new birth which comes by accepting Jesus Christ as their personal saviour. That newly acquired transformed state determines the prosperity levels and rate of a believer. The more they learn, grow and apply Godly principles of divine prosperity as believers, the more they will prosper in all things.

John Chapter 3 verses 3,5 and 6 clearly indicate that a person has to be born again if they are to be called a child of God and be ushered into this process of transformation.

Vs 3: Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Vs 5: Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”
Vs 6: “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

In the secular world, prosperity is expressed mainly through external things or possessions that one has regardless of their spiritual state. Unfortunately this very shallow, materialistic and unscriptural interpretation has also pervaded the church and has been embraced by a large number of Christians.

A prosperous person in biblical terms is one whose spiritual state gives them access into all kingdom riches, such a person’s biggest concern is not losing things but it is losing their spiritual capacity which is the key for accessing everything that the kingdom offers.

The focus in biblical prosperity is never about owning but having access into kingdom blessings.
Access is determined by one’s spiritual state.

Access cannot be affected by external factor or conditions. That is why those who are true children of God never panic under any conditions.
Remember Jesus demonstrated his ability to access more than his ability to own. Ownership is good and ideal but its desire can also be driven by base human attitudes like lust, greed, pride, selfish ambition, and carnal competitiveness.

The most important thing to you in terms of access and a guaranteed life of prosperity is your spiritual state. The Word of God says guard it, because your source of life is not external but internal.

“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” (Proverbs 4:23)
If we serve God with a sincere and pure heart, seek his kingdom and righteousness we will walk in unfailing and guaranteed prosperity all our lives.
“But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33)
The keys to a prosperous life lie squarely in our hands.

Sam Manyika is founder/senior pastor Outfor Christ Ministries and Living Word Churches International.