Dr. Walter R. Tucker III
First off, I’m sure you’re asking the question, “What is True Prosperity?” As I like to say, “I’m so glad you asked!” True Prosperity is having true (the right) priorities. It’s not having false prosperity. It’s focusing on spiritual things first and natural (material) things last, instead of what the world does: focuses on natural (material) things first (materialism), and spiritual things last, if at all. True Prosperity, therefore, is not a “what” but a “who.” It is your love relationship with the Father through the Son and keeping it priority #1!!!
True Prosperity (as known Biblically as the “Abundant Life”) is found only in and through Jesus Christ:
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am
come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. Joh 10:10
Notice, Jesus said that he came earth that we might have and enjoy this!
Thus, IF you are a born again believer in Jesus Christ, True Prosperity is available
to you. The only thing stopping you from enjoying it is a lack of revelation knowledge – not knowing what is available to you and that God wants you to enjoy it. It’s like being on an ocean cruise and having so many resources, benefits, and activities available to you. Unless you’ve seen the schedule of events, you’re likely to miss out! Unless you follow them as specified, once again, you might show up for an event that has already passed. In others words, when you have full knowledge of the things that are available to you and the order in which they are available, you’re going to have a beautiful cruise!
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Because I love acronyms—largely for memory purposes—I came up with one for True Prosperity: SMPM (S-M-P-M). Let’s take a look at what each letter stands for and why each one is in the position it is in.
“S” is for “Spiritual.” Spiritual Prosperity is our love relationship with the Father through the Son and by the Holy Spirit. In short, it is LIFE IN CHRIST. “M” is for “Mental.” Mental Prosperity is our love relationship with our minds and the minds of others. In short, it is THE MIND OF CHRIST. “P” is for “Physical.” Physical Prosperity is our love relationship with the stewardship of our bodies. It is THE HEALTH OF CHRIST. The second “M” is for “Material.” Material Prosperity is our love relationship with the stewardship of money and the material things it buys. It is THE WEALTH OF CHRIST.
S-M-P-M:
1. Spiritual – our love relationship with the Father through the Son; life in Christ
2. Mental – our love relationship with our minds and the minds of others; the mind of Christ
3. Physical – our relationship with our bodies; the health of Christ
4. Material – our love relationship with the stewardship of money and the material things it buys; the wealth of Christ
Now that I have given you the four tenets of True Prosperity in an overview, let’s take them one at a time and break them down for better understanding.
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Chapter 1
SPIRITUAL PROSPERITY
Dr. Walter R. Tucker III
Spiritual Prosperity is our love relationship with the Father through the Son and by the Holy Spirit. It is our life in Christ.
Key Statement: Our love relationship with the Father through the Son and by the Holy Spirit is the greatest thing we have and the thing we should focus on first!
Goal: To maximize our love relationship with God the Father through God the Son.
The Scriptures support this goal when they tell us that the greatest thing commandment is to love God:
Master, which is the great commandment in the Law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. Mat 22:36 - 37
Of course, God’s Word tells us that the only way we can have a true and loving relationship with God (the Father) is through God the Son—Jesus!
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. Joh 14:6
All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him. Luk 10:22
Once we get born again in Christ, we enter God’s Kingdom. Still, we must continue to seek the Kingdom we are now in so that we can understand how to operate in it. On the one hand, we have been made righteous through Christ—that’s positional righteousness.
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2Co 5:21
On the other hand, we must walk righteously before Christ daily—that’s practical righteousness.
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Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 1Jn 3:7
Since God is invisible, and his Kingdom is invisible, we must seek the Kingdom of God by faith. Those of us who are born again believers can see and learn of the Kingdom of God through the Word of God and by prayer; by talking to God and hearing Him speak to us—from His Spirit to our spirit. Again, seeking God’s Kingdom and being in agreement with His will is paramount—it’s the top priority of the believer and the # 1 way to be and stay blessed!
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you. Mat 6:33
Isn’t it interesting that the Word tells us our job is to seek the spiritual and God’s job is to provide the natural. In essence, God is telling us what are # 1 priority should be and He’s letting us know that when we keep that priority—seeking His Kingdom and seeking to stay right with Him through His Word—that He will always provide for us and bless us!
Again, this Spiritual Prosperity is available to the born again believer. It contains key elements and demands key actions.
Key Elements: Saving grace and perfecting grace.
The Key element for Spiritual Prosperity is God’s grace. Some theologians have defined grace as “unmerited favor,” but it is also known as simply the favor (kindness and power) of God given to man. Our relationship with God the Father begins when we accept the saving grace of Jesus Christ by faith. Many Christians can remember the day, date, and hour they gave their life to Christ! I just remember that one day in 1983 I
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went to Sunday School at Enterprise Methodist Church and that I kept on reading the Sunday School books and kept going. I knew that I was a sinner and needing saving. I needed to be forgiven, healed, and empowered, and once I asked Christ to come into my heart that’s exactly what happened.
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. Eph 2:8-9
But, after we are saved by grace through faith, we must grow in grace by faith.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Eph 2:10
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen. 2Pe 3:18
But the God of all grace, He calling us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little, He will perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 1Pe 5:10
In other words, even though grace is a gift, God’s grace abounds through our faith. Since the Apostle James said that faith without works is dead, there must be some act or action that is the evidence of our faith. In this case, as it relates to Spiritual Prosperity, the actions required are first to study and then to meditate on God’s Word.
Key Action #1: Study
Studying involves reading, but it is more than just reading. “To study” means to make a diligent effort.
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Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2Ti 2:15
Because my parents always stressed the importance of education, I attended the best schools: Princeton University, U.S.C., and Georgetown Law Center. Even before I was saved, I understood that if you wanted a good grade you couldn’t get around studying. Studying meant sacrificing—putting your work in!
Key Action # 2: Meditate
To meditate means to muse or to roll thoughts over in your mind; to ponder or consider. There are many forms of meditation. Some relax the body and the mind. Some deal with simply emptying the mind of all care and thoughts. However, meditating on God’s Word means that you are spending time reflecting on a particular verse or passage of Scripture.
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Jos 1:8
The way to successful meditation of God’s Word is through memorization, followed by verbalization. There are far too many Christians who have not committed God’s promises to memory. Personally, I see meditation as critical. When I don’t do it, I feel spiritually malnourished. When I do it, when I do feed my spirit, I feel spiritually strong, powerful, and alive. No one has to remind me to meditate on God’s Word just as no one has to remind me to eat breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
When we study and meditate on God’s Word, we receive spiritual knowledge and understanding (revelation). This is what produces Spiritual Prosperity! Suddenly, we are enlightened and that is powerful! Remember, Jesus said, you shall know the truth and the truth shall MAKE you free! (John 8:32) This is so important. That is why the Apostle Paul prayed the prayer he prayed in the
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first chapter of Ephesians:
Dr. Walter R. Tucker III
Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saint… Eph 1:15-18
Spiritual Prosperity is the highest level of prosperity and the one from which all blessings flow. Spiritual Prosperity is relationship not religion. Remember, Jesus said that He and the Father were one (John 10:30) and that he always did things that pleased the Father (John 8:29). That’s Spiritual Prosperity! From that level of prosperity, all Jesus’ needs were meet. The Father, by the Holy Spirit, directed Him as to what to do at every given moment, and empowered (graced) him to do it. Spiritual Prosperity necessarily leads to Mental Prosperity. The beautiful relationship with the Father through the Son and by the Holy Spirit not only produces favor and power, but also and wonderful state of mind. It’s like a waterfall—it flows downward!
Chapter 2
MENTAL PROSPERITY
Mental Prosperity is our love relationship with our minds and the minds of others. It is the mind of Christ.
Key Statement: Our love relationship with our minds and the minds of others is the second greatest thing we have, and the thing we should focus on second.
Goal: To maximize our love relationship with our minds and with the mind of others. The Scriptures support this as our second priority when they tell us that a prosperous mental state flows from a prosperous spiritual state.
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Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: Rom 5:1
God’s Word also reveals to us the importance and order of our relationships. It tells us that we should love others as we love ourselves. Implying that we can’t love others until we love ourselves. And we can’t really love ourselves until we understand how much God loves us.
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Mat 22:39
We love him, because he first loved us. 1Jn 4:19
Key Element # 1: Peace
The first key element for mental prosperity is peace. The Bible makes it clear
that there is a worldly peace and a Godly peace. Worldly peace is unprofitable. It is external and temporal. But Godly peace – the peace that only God gives – is profitable in all things.
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Joh 14:27
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Phil 4:6
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This peace of God is something money can’t buy. Not only can you not buy it, but you can’t get it from anyone except God Himself through Christ. And once you have it, it can’t be take away or diluted.
Key Element # 2: Joy
The second key element for mental prosperity is joy. The Bible reveals to us that like Godly peace, this joy is Godly not of the world. As the old song says, “This joy that I have, the world didn’t give it and the world can’t take it away.” Like Godly peace, this joy is internal and eternal. It comes directly from close fellowship with God; by his Spirit and through his Word.
You will make Me know the way of life; in Your presence is fullness of joys. At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psa 16:11
While peace and joy are the key elements of mental prosperity, the things that you can look forward to when you are in a mentally prosperous state, they must be maintained by some key actions required on our part.
Key Action #1: Pray
Prayer is best defined as communication with God. It is both talking to God and hearing from God. The most effective prayer is when what you say to God and believe from God is in line with what God Himself has said in his Word. In essence, the most effective pray is to pray God’s Word. When what we say agrees with what He says, we shall have what we say.
And whatever you may ask in My name, that I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. Joh 14:13-14
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And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him. 1Jn 5:14-15
Key Action # 2: Fast
The second key action needed to maintain mental prosperity is fasting. To fast
means to abstain from food. Throughout Scripture, fasting has proven to produce spiritual power. Fasting starves the flesh and feeds the spirit. It has been proved to cause one’s spiritual ear to be more sensitive, one spiritual mind to be more alert, and one’s spirit to be more powerful.
And He entering into a house, His disciples asked Him privately, Why could we not cast him out? And He said to them, This kind can come out by nothing except by prayer and fasting. Mar 9:28-29
I don’t know about you, but I have definitely found these words from Jesus to be
true. Whenever there are some very difficult issues, trials, or devils opposing or attacking me, one of the greatest things I do is to fast! Fasting produces power—the anointing—and the anointing breaks the yolk (Isaiah 10:27)! When Jesus’ disciples couldn’t cast the demon out of the deaf and dumb boy, Jesus let them know that it was because they weren’t living disciplined life of fasting.
In the meantime His disciples were asking Him, saying, Master, eat. But He said to them, I have food to eat which you do not know. Therefore the disciples said to one another, No one brought Him anything to eat? Jesus said to them, My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work. Joh 4:31-34
Spiritual Prosperity leads to Mental Prosperity and Mental Prosperity leads to Physical Prosperity. It’s like a waterfall that flows downward.
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Chapter 3
PHYSICAL PROSPERITY
Dr. Walter R. Tucker III
Physical Prosperity is our love relationship with the stewardship of our bodies. It is the health of Christ
Key Statement: Our love relationship with the stewardship of our bodies reveals whether we really know our bodies belong to God.
Goal: To maximize our love relationship with the stewardship of our bodies
The Scriptures support this goal when they tell us that it is important to pray for the physical (bodily) health of others:
Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospers. 3Jn 1:2
Notice that the above verse affirms the order of God that I have been sharing with you. Your soul is your mind. Thus, it states that your physical prosperity is a function of your mental prosperity. Another verse talks about the benefit of physical wellness, but again makes it clear that spiritual wellness is of higher value (benefit):
For bodily exercise profits little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. 1Ti 4:8
The Apostle Paul doesn’t tell Timothy that bodily exercise is useless, but says
that in comparison with godliness, it is “little.”
Key elements # 1: Health
The importance of good health is apparent to all. Yes, it is a priority in life. Without good health one is weak, and incapacitated. Without good health, one dies. Therefore, it follows that good
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health trumps money and the things it buys. Yes, you can buy the best health care in the world if you are materially wealthy, but even rich people die due to poor health habits and, of course, as a result of inherited illnesses. What would you rather have: good health and no money or bad health and a lot of money???
Bad health not only brings physical deficiency, but also physical pain and mental anguish. No wonder that throughout the Bible there are numerous stories of persons who had serious diseases and would do most anything to be healed. The third priority of True Prosperity is Physical Prosperity – the health that only God himself can give. If you have ever been sick or fought an illness, then you have found as I have that doctors are not the healers, but practitioners. They are practicing medicine and trying their best, based upon their education and experience, to diagnose your problem correctly and prescribe the right medication, surgery, or procedure to treat it correctly. The pharmaceutical companies make billions of dollars targeting the symptoms, but only God can heal the disease.
For I will give health back to you, and will heal you of your wounds, says Jehovah; Jer 30:17
Key element # 2: Divine healing
As the old Gospel song says, “Can’t Nobody Do You Like Jesus!” There is no healing like divine healing. As I stated, man will do just about anything to receive God’s divine healing. The key is that God has the grace, but we must have the faith. God can and will heal, but He set up His Kingdom to work in the earth by faith:
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Heb 11:6
In essence, God’s grace works through our faith. We have to take that step of
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faith towards God to activate His hand of grace, of divine healing. The woman who had been bleeding profusely, off and on for 12 long years, had tried everyone and everything, without success. Finally, she heard about the healer, Jesus Christ, and decided that she would diligently seek him, no matter the cost:
And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched. Luk 8:43-44
Divine healing comes from God and is not bound by the type of illness or how
long it has been existent. It brings incredible joy:
And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. Act 3:2-8
Key Action # 1: Eat Right
The first key action needed to maintain physical prosperity is eating right. I am not a certified nutritionist; neither am I writing this book for it to be a nutritional road map for you. However, after much research and years of personal experience I have found that virtually all health professionals agree that we should all strive for a high-fiber, low-fat, low-sugar, low-salt diet. In short, the old saying, “you are what you eat,” is true. In order for us to have physical wellness, we must eat less processed foods and maintain a diet of those things that come fresh from the ground, free from as much processing, preservatives, and additives as possible. Many recommend eating organic fruits and
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vegetables and that’s fine if you can afford the higher cost of organic food. However, the main point is to daily eat raw fruit and vegetables, and not canned or frozen. The older we get, the more we need to eat for fuel and not for fun!
Actually, the more we train our bodies to eat right, eat for fuel, the better we feel and the more fun we have! Remember, the original diet of man was a vegetarian (non-meat) diet. Man did not start eating meat until after man’s disobedience to God.
Eating right also includes drinking a lot of water, since around 60% of the human adult body is water. Yes, there are those who recommend that we drink alkaline water instead of tap water or regular bottled water. That’s great if you can afford it. The point, once again, is that daily drinking water instead of sodas, sweetened juices or other beverages is the way to go to keep yourself hydrated, and clean out your body of impurities.
Key Action # 2: Exercise Regularly
The second key action needed to maintain physical prosperity is regular exercise. Many studies have proven that regular exercise not only helps you lose weight but helps to lessen the risk of the number one American killer—heart disease. Exercising regularly helps all the systems of our bodies, for example the digestive system, the circulatory system, and the respiratory system, functional better.
Studies have also shown that “if we don’t use it, we lose it.” In other words, we need to use our muscles in order for them to stay strong and effective.
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Chapter 4
MATERIAL PROSPERITY
Dr. Walter R. Tucker III
Material Prosperity is our love relationship with the stewardship of money and the material things it buys. It is the wealth of Christ.
Key Statement: Our love relationship with the stewardship of money and the things it buys reveals whether we really know all that we have comes from and belongs to the Lord.
Finally, we are talking about material prosperity. Notice that True Prosperity does not exclude material prosperity, but it puts it in its proper place among the four priorities of our lives—LAST!
Material prosperity is in last place because if you don’t have spiritual, mental, and physical prosperity, you have nothing! Jesus said it this way:
For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Mar 8:36
On the other hand, when a man is spiritually right with God, and has mental and
physical wellness, then material prosperity is not a danger or a detriment to him, but an opportunity for him to show himself faithful to God and to be materially rewarded by God.
He who is faithful in the least is also faithful in much. And he who is unjust in the least is also unjust in much. Luk 16:10
And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Mat 25:20- 21
As you can see, Jesus taught a lot about the proper stewardship of money. Remember, He said,
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“where you treasure is, there shall your heart be also.” Mat 6:21 But, let us never confuse the use of money with the love of money. The Word tells us that the love of money is the root of all evil (I Tim 6:10). Once again, the priority that God wants for us is to have is to love Him. One who loves God with all their heart will never be deceived by or enslaved to money. As the Lord said:
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Mat 6:24
Jesus wants us to love God and use money, not love money and try to use God.
But God is not against us having material prosperity, financial wealth, under the right conditions. He does not want his children poor or suffering lack. On the other hand, because we are his children, He wants us to have all our needs met and to live an abundant life. John 10:10b
Key elements: sustenance and abundance
Unfortunately, some people equate holiness with poverty. Didn’t Jesus say that it is virtually impossible for a rich man to enter into Heaven? No, He said that it was impossible for one who trusted in riches to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Mark 10:24
God does not want us to go hungry but to have more than enough to share with others. In the Old Testament, David said, “The Lord is my shepherd and I shall not want” Psalm 23:1. In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul said, “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” Phil 4:19.
When you live your life in Christ, when you have spiritual prosperity, you will have peace and joy, health and divine healing, and you will truly be able to enjoy life as God blesses you with sustenance, and abundance—you will never suffer lack. Acts 4:34.
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Key Actions: Tithe Faithfully and Give Generously
Dr. Walter R. Tucker III
Once God is blessing you with money, the key thing to do is to remember who is your source! Your job is NOT your source. The government is NOT your source. Your family is NOT your source. God alone is your Source! As such, you must acknowledge Him and honor him as your Source:
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. Pro 3:6 -10
Unfortunately, far too many believers seem to struggle when it comes to giving generously and abundantly to the Kingdom of God through their local church or favorite ministries. If they only had the revelation of God’s Word in this matter. The Bible tells us in effect that giving financially to God’s Kingdom is the clear sign of where you heart is toward God: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Mat 6:21
Does this mean that you don’t have a heart for God unless you give millions? No! But it does mean you have to put your money where your mouth is. You don’t have to give a lot numerically, but you should give a lot based on what you have to give. The widow gave two mites and Jesus said she gave more that all the rest who had big money! How so? Because she gave all that she had! Mark 12:41-44
We spend and invest money in everything and it’s time for God’s people to do better at investing in the greatest investment ever – the Kingdom of God! Remember, not only do you please God by giving into the Kingdom, but you bless yourself and others. You bless yourself because the more you give the more you receive. It’s the law of Sow and Reap:
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Give, and it shall be given to you, good measure pressed down and shaken together and running over, they shall give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you measure, it shall be measured to you again. Luk 6:38
But I say this, He who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully. Each one, as he purposes in his heart, let him give; not of grief, or of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that in everything, always having all self-sufficiency, you may abound to every good work; 2Co 9:6-8
Of course, when you give to God through His Church, you will bless others,
whether the finances are used to pay the church rent, feed the hungry, or print up Gospel tracts for evangelism. Bottom line, the Gospel is free, but running a church or para-church organization costs money! We can’t send money to God in heaven but we can sure give it to his earthly ministries which do his heavenly work!
Chapter 5
GROWING IN SPIRITUAL PROSPERITY
Having True Prosperity is essential to a joyful and fulfilled life. Since it begins with Spiritual Prosperity, the question becomes, how does one grow in Spiritual Prosperity?
The answer is found in slogan I created:
Study, Mediate, Pray and Fast…victory you’re sure to have
Victory you’re sure to have…study, Meditate, Pray and Fast!
Let’s take the four steps to one at a time:
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Study God’s Word
Study = reading + research
Study to shew yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be
ashamed, correctly interpreting the word of truth. 2Ti 2:15
Studying will help you gain spiritual knowledge
Meditate on God’s Word
Meditation = memorizing + verbalizing
But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day
and night. Psalm 1:2
Meditating will help you gain spiritual understanding
Pray God’s Word
Prayer = Talking to God + Hearing from God
And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray,
and not to faint; Luke 18:1
Praying will help you gain spiritual wisdom
Fast according to God’s Word
Fasting = abstaining from some food + abstaining from all food
Do not appear to men to fast, but to your Father in secret. And
your Father who sees in secret shall reward you openly. Mat 6:18
Fasting will help you gain spiritual power
Without Spiritual Prosperity, you DON’T (REALLY) HAVE ANYTHING:
Dr. Walter R. Tucker III
What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul. Mark 8:36 Without Mental Prosperity, you CAN’T ENJOY ANYTHING…
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Choose my wisdom rather than silver and the finest gold. Prov 8:10
Dr. Walter R. Tucker III
Without Physical Prosperity, you DON’T HAVE STRENGTH FOR ANYTHING God gives you the strength to obtain wealth. Deut 8:18
To this point, I have broken down the four levels of True Prosperity: Spiritual, Mental, Physical, and Material (Financial). The term True Prosperity came to me because while reading the Bible, I realized that there are only two paths—the true path and the false path. When we use the word “prosperity,” we need to know which type of prosperity we’re talking about—true or false.
Chapter 6
FALSE PROSPERITY
False Prosperity is just the opposition of true prosperity. Instead of prioritizing Spiritual Prosperity—our love relationship with God through Christ, it minimizes or eliminates it and emphasizes Material Prosperity. False Prosperity, therefore, is…
I. First, MATERIAL (Material Prosperity)
Goal: Accumulate as much money and material possessions as possible.
Its slogan is: “Money makes the world go around!”
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II. Then, PHYSICAL (Physical Prosperity)
Dr. Walter R. Tucker III
Goal: Enjoy the best healthcare, physical fitness, and cosmetic appearance that money can buy.
Its slogan is: “Living longer and looking better is a priority!”
III. Then, MENTAL (Mental Prosperity)
Goal: Enjoy the greatest pleasures and therapists that money can buy
Its slogan is: “Who said you can’t buy happiness!”
IV. Lastly, SPIRITUAL (Spiritual Prosperity)
Goal: To be in touch with a higher power and spiritual principles
The person who is walking in false prosperity has not opened up their heart to
have a personal love relationship with the Father through the Son. Jesus, in his teaching through parables, taught us that there are four kinds of hearts: 1) Unreceptive, 2) Shallow, 3) Divided, 4) Receptive. The first three unreceptive and unproductive hearts (unproductive for the Kingdom) can also be seen in the following types of persons:
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1) The Atheist, 2) The Agnostic, 3) The Deist/Humanist
The Atheist says, “I don’t believe in God.”
The Agnostic says, “I don’t know what to believe.”
Dr. Walter R. Tucker III
The Deist/Humanist says, “I believe in a higher power, but my trust is in the things of this world.”
A person is either going to embrace True Prosperity or False Prosperity.
Which is it for you? Like most of us, when I was young I was taught that having fame and fortune would define you as being successful—that your self-worth was defined by your net worth. However, after going to all the best schools, Princeton, U.S.C. and Georgetown and eventually becoming a mayor and a U.S. Representative, I learned that being rich and famous did not equate with True Prosperity. The higher up I got politically and financially, the more pride, lust, and greed I saw around me. The people who were running our country we also the ones running from one host-bar banquet to another and running around on their wives. Financial or political stability did not constitute spiritual morality. I learned the hard way that this American society has its priorities all wrong!
We can now truly see this in the news every day. Members of Congress, CEO’s, and A-list celebrities are dropping like flies as the “Me-Too” movement reveals their sexual and financial sins from years ago. What’s more, the richest and the most famous are glaringly committing suicide, though it would seem they have everything to live for. One after the other, our celebrated sports heroes are being disqualified on the field or the court because of their immorality off the field or the court.
Dr. Walter R. Tucker III
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Slowly, as a nation, we Americans are coming to realize that money doesn’t buy peace and status doesn’t buy character.
I thank God for what He showed me at the highest levels of government. Though I made some bad choices while I was mayor, it was my political downfall that produced my spiritual awakening! I went to prison for receiving bribes, and from that day forward, I never saw life the same. All my so-called friends, who were just there for what I could do for them, abandoned me, but Jesus Christ never left me nor forsook me. There in prison, I realized that the prosperity I had fought all my life to get was false, because it was based on material things that could be taken at a moment’s notice. I knew that for the rest of my life I was going to put all my time and effort into chasing True Prosperity! My prayer is that you don’t have to find yourself in prison to reject False Prosperity. But that you will learn from my experience, glean from my revelation, and live a blessed and TRULY prosperous life in Christ Jesus the Lord! Enjoy!
Chapter 7
PROCLAIM TRUE PROSPERITY
I’d like to leave you with this, a proclamation of True Prosperity that you can use (proclaim) on a daily basis:
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The True Prosperity Proclamation
© 2015 by Pastor Walter R. Tucker, III
In the name of Jesus Christ I have true prosperity
I have life in Jesus Christ
And I have it more abundantly
Each day I’m going forward by faith with good success
I am blessed and highly favored
Too blessed to be worried or stressed
I am blessed going out and blessed coming in
Each day I’m Spirit led, each day I’m led to win
I have the peace of God, which passes all understanding
The joy of the Lord is my strength, no matter what is happening
By the stripes of Jesus Christ I am comforted and healed
I claim healing in my physical body in spite of how I feel
In the name of Jesus Christ
Each day I have it made
All my needs are met, and all my bills are paid
Each day I am increasing in faith, hope and power
Whatever I set my mind, mouth and hands to
For Christ’ sake it shall prosper
Because I’m living in the supernatural
I’m experiencing God’s great grace
Manifested by signs, wonders and miracles
Dr. Walter R. Tucker III
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Because I continually seek His face
My agreement with God’s Word
Daily guarantees me the victory
I am enjoying my life in Christ
I am enjoying true prosperity
Dr. Walter R. Tucker III
Chapter 1
SPIRITUAL PROSPERITY
Spiritual Prosperity is our love relationship with the Father through the Son and by the Holy Spirit. It is our life in Christ.
Key Statement: Our love relationship with the Father through the Son and by the Holy Spirit is the greatest thing we have and the thing we should focus on first!
Goal: To maximize our love relationship with God the Father through God the Son.
The Scriptures support this goal when they tell us that the greatest thing commandment is to love
God: Master, which is the great commandment in the Law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. Mat 22:36 - 37
Of course, God’s Word tells us that the only way we can have a true and loving relationship with God (the Father) is through God the Son—Jesus!
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. Joh 14:6
All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him. Luk 10:22
Once we get born again in Christ, we enter God’s Kingdom. Still, we must continue to seek the Kingdom we are now in so that we can understand how to operate in it. On the one hand, we have been made righteous through Christ—that’s positional righteousness.
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2Co 5:21
On the other hand, we must walk righteously before Christ daily—that’s practical righteousness.
Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 1Jn 3:7
Since God is invisible, and his Kingdom is invisible, we must seek the Kingdom of God by faith. Those of us who are born again believers can see and learn of the Kingdom of God through the Word of God and by prayer; by talking to God and hearing Him speak to us—from His Spirit to our spirit. Again, seeking God’s Kingdom and being in agreement with His will is paramount—it’s the top priority of the believer and the # 1 way to be and stay blessed!
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you. Mat 6:33
Isn’t it interesting that the Word tells us our job is to seek the spiritual and God’s job is to provide the natural. In essence, God is telling us what are # 1 priority should be and He’s letting us know that when we keep that priority—seeking His Kingdom and seeking to stay right with Him through His Word—that He will always provide for us and bless us!
Again, this Spiritual Prosperity is available to the born-again believer. It contains key elements and demands key actions.
Key Elements: Saving grace and perfecting grace.
The Key element for Spiritual Prosperity is God’s grace. Some theologians have defined grace as “unmerited favor,” but it is also known as simply the favor (kindness and power) of God given to man. Our relationship with God the Father begins when we accept the saving grace of Jesus Christ by faith. Many Christians can remember the day, date, and hour they gave their life to Christ! I just remember that one day in 1983 I went to Sunday School at Enterprise Methodist Church and that I kept on reading the Sunday School books and kept going. I knew that I was a sinner and needing saving. I needed to be forgiven, healed, and empowered, and once I asked Christ to come into my heart that’s exactly what happened.
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. Eph 2:8-9
But, after we are saved by grace through faith, we must grow in grace by faith.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Eph 2:10
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen. 2Pe 3:18
But the God of all grace, He calling us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little, He will perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 1Pe 5:10
In other words, even though grace is a gift, God’s grace abounds through our faith. Since the Apostle James said that faith without works is dead, there must be some act or action that is the evidence of our faith. In this case, as it relates to Spiritual Prosperity, the actions required are first to study and then to meditate on God’s Word.
Key Action #1: Study
Studying involves reading, but it is more than just reading. “To study” means to make a diligent effort.
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2Ti 2:15
Because my parents always stressed the importance of education, I attended the best schools: Princeton University, U.S.C., and Georgetown Law Center. Even before I was saved, I understood that if you wanted a good grade you couldn’t get around studying. Studying meant sacrificing—putting your work in!
Key Action # 2: Meditate
To meditate means to muse or to roll thoughts over in your mind; to ponder or consider. There are many forms of meditation. Some relax the body and the mind. Some deal with simply emptying the mind of all care and thoughts. However, meditating on God’s Word means that you are spending time reflecting on a particular verse or passage of Scripture.
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Jos 1:8
The way to successful meditation of God’s Word is through memorization, followed by verbalization. There are far too many Christians who have not committed God’s promises to memory. Personally, I see meditation as critical. When I don’t do it, I feel spiritually malnourished. When I do it, when I do feed my spirit, I feel spiritually strong, powerful, and alive. No one has to remind me to meditate on God’s Word just as no one has to remind me to eat breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
When we study and meditate on God’s Word, we receive spiritual knowledge and understanding (revelation). This is what produces Spiritual Prosperity! Suddenly, we are enlightened and that is powerful! Remember, Jesus said, you shall know the truth and the truth shall MAKE you free! (John 8:32) This is so important. That is why the Apostle Paul prayed the prayer he prayed in the
first chapter of Ephesians:
Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saint… Eph 1:15-18
Spiritual Prosperity is the highest level of prosperity and the one from which all blessings flow. Spiritual Prosperity is relationship not religion. Remember, Jesus said that He and the Father were one (John 10:30) and that he always did things that pleased the Father (John 8:29). That’s Spiritual Prosperity! From that level of prosperity, all Jesus’ needs were meet. The Father, by the Holy Spirit, directed Him as to what to do at every given moment, and empowered (graced) him to do it. Spiritual Prosperity necessarily leads to Mental Prosperity. The beautiful relationship with the Father through the Son and by the Holy Spirit not only produces favor and power, but also and wonderful state of mind. It’s like a waterfall—it flows downward!
Chapter 2
MENTAL PROSPERITY
Mental Prosperity is our love relationship with our minds and the minds of others. It is the mind of Christ.
Key Statement: Our love relationship with our minds and the minds of others is the second greatest thing we have, and the thing we should focus on second.
Goal: To maximize our love relationship with our minds and with the mind of others. The Scriptures support this as our second priority when they tell us that a prosperous mental state flows from a prosperous spiritual state.
Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: Rom 5:1
God’s Word also reveals to us the importance and order of our relationships. It tells us that we should love others as we love ourselves. Implying that we can’t love others until we love ourselves. And we can’t really love ourselves until we understand how much God loves us.
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Mat 22:39
We love him, because he first loved us. 1Jn 4:19
Key Element # 1: Peace
The first key element for mental prosperity is peace. The Bible makes it clear
that there is a worldly peace and a Godly peace. Worldly peace is unprofitable. It is external and temporal. But Godly peace – the peace that only God gives – is profitable in all things.
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Joh 14:27
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Phil 4:6
This peace of God is something money can’t buy. Not only can you not buy it, but you can’t get it from anyone except God Himself through Christ. And once you have it, it can’t be take away or diluted.
Key Element # 2: Joy
The second key element for mental prosperity is joy. The Bible reveals to us that like Godly peace, this joy is Godly not of the world. As the old song says, “This joy that I have, the world didn’t give it and the world can’t take it away.” Like Godly peace, this joy is internal and eternal. It comes directly from close fellowship with God; by his Spirit and through his Word.
You will make Me know the way of life; in Your presence is fullness of joys. At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psa 16:11
While peace and joy are the key elements of mental prosperity, the things that you can look forward to when you are in a mentally prosperous state, they must be maintained by some key actions required on our part.
Key Action #1: Pray
Prayer is best defined as communication with God. It is both talking to God and hearing from God. The most effective prayer is when what you say to God and believe from God is in line with what God Himself has said in his Word. In essence, the most effective pray is to pray God’s Word. When what we say agrees with what He says, we shall have what we say.
And whatever you may ask in My name, that I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. Joh 14:13-14
And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him. 1Jn 5:14-15
Key Action # 2: Fast
The second key action needed to maintain mental prosperity is fasting. To fast
means to abstain from food. Throughout Scripture, fasting has proven to produce spiritual power. Fasting starves the flesh and feeds the spirit. It has been proved to cause one’s spiritual ear to be more sensitive, one spiritual mind to be more alert, and one’s spirit to be more powerful.
And He entering into a house, His disciples asked Him privately, Why could we not cast him out? And He said to them, This kind can come out by nothing except by prayer and fasting. Mar 9:28-29
I don’t know about you, but I have definitely found these words from Jesus to be
true. Whenever there are some very difficult issues, trials, or devils opposing or attacking me, one of the greatest things I do is to fast! Fasting produces power—the anointing—and the anointing breaks the yolk (Isaiah 10:27)! When Jesus’ disciples couldn’t cast the demon out of the deaf and dumb boy, Jesus let them know that it was because they weren’t living disciplined life of fasting.
In the meantime, His disciples were asking Him, saying, Master, eat. But He said to them, I have food to eat which you do not know. Therefore the disciples said to one another, No one brought Him anything to eat? Jesus said to them, My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work. Joh 4:31-34
Spiritual Prosperity leads to Mental Prosperity and Mental Prosperity leads to Physical Prosperity. It’s like a waterfall that flows downward.
Chapter 3
PHYSICAL PROSPERITY
Physical Prosperity is our love relationship with the stewardship of our bodies. It is the health of Christ
Key Statement: Our love relationship with the stewardship of our bodies reveals whether we really know our bodies belong to God.
Goal: To maximize our love relationship with the stewardship of our bodies
The Scriptures support this goal when they tell us that it is important to pray for the physical (bodily) health of others: Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospers. 3Jn 1:2
Notice that the above verse affirms the order of God that I have been sharing with you. Your soul is your mind. Thus, it states that your physical prosperity is a function of your mental prosperity.
Another verse talks about the benefit of physical wellness, but again makes it clear that spiritual wellness is of higher value (benefit):
For bodily exercise profits little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. 1Ti 4:8
The Apostle Paul doesn’t tell Timothy that bodily exercise is useless, but says
that in comparison with godliness, it is “little.”
Key elements # 1: Health
The importance of good health is apparent to all. Yes, it is a priority in life. Without good health one is weak, and incapacitated. Without good health, one dies. Therefore, it follows that good
health trumps money and the things it buys. Yes, you can buy the best health care in the world if you are materially wealthy, but even rich people die due to poor health habits and, of course, as a result of inherited illnesses. What would you rather have: good health and no money or bad health and a lot of money???
Bad health not only brings physical deficiency, but also physical pain and mental anguish. No wonder that throughout the Bible there are numerous stories of persons who had serious diseases and would do most anything to be healed. The third priority of True Prosperity is Physical Prosperity – the health that only God himself can give. If you have ever been sick or fought an illness, then you have found as I have that doctors are not the healers, but practitioners. They are practicing medicine and trying their best, based upon their education and experience, to diagnose your problem correctly and prescribe the right medication, surgery, or procedure to treat it correctly. The pharmaceutical companies make billions of dollars targeting the symptoms, but only God can heal the disease.
For I will give health back to you, and will heal you of your wounds, says Jehovah; Jer 30:17
Key element # 2: Divine healing
As the old Gospel song says, “Can’t Nobody Do You Like Jesus!” There is no healing like divine healing. As I stated, man will do just about anything to receive God’s divine healing. The key is that God has the grace, but we must have the faith.
God can and will heal, but He set up His Kingdom to work in the earth by faith:
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Heb 11:6
In essence, God’s grace works through our faith. We have to take that step of faith towards God to activate His hand of grace, of divine healing. The woman who had been bleeding profusely, off and on for 12 long years, had tried everyone and everything, without success. Finally, she heard about the healer, Jesus Christ, and decided that she would diligently seek him, no matter the cost:
And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched. Luk 8:43-44
Divine healing comes from God and is not bound by the type of illness or how
long it has been existent.
It brings incredible joy:
And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple, which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. Act 3:2-8
Key Action # 1: Eat Right
The first key action needed to maintain physical prosperity is eating right. I am not a certified nutritionist; neither am I writing this book for it to be a nutritional road map for you. However, after much research and years of personal experience I have found that virtually all health professionals agree that we should all strive for a high-fiber, low-fat, low-sugar, low-salt diet. In short, the old saying, “you are what you eat,” is true. In order for us to have physical wellness, we must eat less processed foods and maintain a diet of those things that come fresh from the ground, free from as much processing, preservatives, and additives as possible. Many recommend eating organic fruits and vegetables and that’s fine if you can afford the higher cost of organic food. However, the main point is to daily eat raw fruit and vegetables, and not canned or frozen. The older we get, the more we need to eat for fuel and not for fun!
Actually, the more we train our bodies to eat right, eat for fuel, the better we feel and the more fun we have! Remember, the original diet of man was a vegetarian (non-meat) diet. Man did not start eating meat until after man’s disobedience to God.
Eating right also includes drinking a lot of water, since around 60% of the human adult body is water. Yes, there are those who recommend that we drink alkaline water instead of tap water or regular bottled water. That’s great if you can afford it. The point, once again, is that daily drinking water instead of sodas, sweetened juices or other beverages is the way to go to keep yourself and clean out your body of impurities.
Key Action # 2: Exercise Regularly
The second key action needed to maintain physical prosperity is regular exercise. Many studies have proven that regular exercise not only helps you lose weight but helps to lessen the risk of the number one American killer—heart disease. Exercising regularly helps all the systems of our bodies, for example the digestive system, the circulatory system, and the respiratory system, functional better.
Studies have also shown that “if we don’t use it, we lose it.” In other words, we need to use our muscles in order for them to stay strong and effective.
Chapter 4
MATERIAL PROSPERITY
Material Prosperity is our love relationship with the stewardship of money and the material things it buys. It is the wealth of Christ.
Key Statement: Our love relationship with the stewardship of money and the things it buys reveals whether we really know all that we have comes from and belongs to the Lord.
Finally, we are talking about material prosperity. Notice that True Prosperity does not exclude material prosperity, but it puts it in its proper place among the four priorities of our lives—LAST!
Material prosperity is in last place because if you don’t have spiritual, mental, and physical prosperity, you have nothing! Jesus said it this way:
For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Mar 8:36
On the other hand, when a man is spiritually right with God, and has mental and
physical wellness, then material prosperity is not a danger or a detriment to him, but an opportunity for him to show himself faithful to God and to be materially rewarded by God.
He who is faithful in the least is also faithful in much. And he who is unjust in the least is also unjust in much. Luk 16:10
And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Mat 25:20- 21
As you can see, Jesus taught a lot about the proper stewardship of money. Remember, He said, “where you treasure is, there shall your heart be also.” Mat 6:21 But, let us never confuse the use of money with the love of money. The Word tells us that the love of money is the root of all evil (I Tim 6:10). Once again, the priority that God wants for us is to have is to love Him. One who loves God with all their heart will never be deceived by or enslaved to money. As the Lord said:
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Mat 6:24
Jesus wants us to love God and use money, not love money and try to use God.
But God is not against us having material prosperity, financial wealth, under the right conditions. He does not want his children poor or suffering lack. On the other hand, because we are his children, He wants us to have all our needs met and to live an abundant life. John 10:10
Key elements: sustenance and abundance
Unfortunately, some people equate holiness with poverty. Didn’t Jesus say that it is virtually impossible for a rich man to enter into Heaven? No, He said that it was impossible for one who trusted in riches to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Mark 10:24
God does not want us to go hungry but to have more than enough to share with others. In the Old Testament, David said, “The Lord is my shepherd and I shall not want” Psalm 23:1. In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul said, “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” Phil 4:19.
When you live your life in Christ, when you have spiritual prosperity, you will have peace and joy, health and divine healing, and you will truly be able to enjoy life as God blesses you with sustenance, and abundance—you will never suffer lack. Acts 4:34.
Key Actions: Tithe Faithfully and Give Generously
Once God is blessing you with money, the key thing to do is to remember who is your source! Your job is NOT your source. The government is NOT your source. Your family is NOT your source. God alone is your Source! As such, you must acknowledge Him and honor him as your Source:
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. Pro 3:6 -10
Unfortunately, far too many believers seem to struggle when it comes to giving generously and abundantly to the Kingdom of God through their local church or favorite ministries. If they only had the revelation of God’s Word in this matter. The Bible tells us in effect that giving financially to God’s Kingdom is the clear sign of where you heart is toward God: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Mat 6:21
Does this mean that you don’t have a heart for God unless you give millions? No! But it does mean you have to put your money where your mouth is. You don’t have to give a lot numerically, but you should give a lot based on what you have to give. The widow gave two mites and Jesus said she gave more than all the rest who had big money! How so? Because she gave all that she had! Mark 12:41-44
We spend and invest money in everything and it’s time for God’s people to do better at investing in the greatest investment ever – the Kingdom of God! Remember, not only do you please God by giving into the Kingdom, but you bless yourself and others. You bless yourself because the more you give the more you receive. It’s the law of Sow and Reap:
Give, and it shall be given to you, good measure pressed down and shaken together and running over, they shall give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you measure, it shall be measured to you again. Luk 6:38
But I say this, He who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully. Each one, as he purposes in his heart, let him give; not of grief, or of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that in everything, always having all self-sufficiency, you may abound to every good work; 2Co 9:6-8
Of course, when you give to God through His Church, you will bless others, whether the finances are used to pay the church rent, feed the hungry, or print up Gospel tracts for evangelism. Bottom line, the Gospel is free, but running a church or para-church organization costs money! We can’t send money to God in heaven but we can sure give it to his earthly ministries which do his heavenly work!
Chapter 5
GROWING IN SPIRITUAL PROSPERITY
Having True Prosperity is essential to a joyful and fulfilled life. Since it begins with Spiritual Prosperity, the question becomes, how does one grow in Spiritual Prosperity?
The answer is found in slogan I created:
Study, Mediate, Pray and Fast…victory you’re sure to have
Victory you’re sure to have…study, Meditate, Pray and Fast!
Let’s take the four steps to one at a time:
Study God’s Word
Study = reading + research
Study to shew yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be
ashamed, correctly interpreting the word of truth. 2Ti 2:15
Studying will help you gain spiritual knowledge
Meditate on God’s Word
Meditation = memorizing + verbalizing
But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day
and night. Psalm 1:2
Meditating will help you gain spiritual understanding
Pray God’s Word
Prayer = Talking to God + Hearing from God
And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray,
and not to faint; Luke 18:1
Praying will help you gain spiritual wisdom
Fast according to God’s Word
Fasting = abstaining from some food + abstaining from all food
Do not appear to men to fast, but to your Father in secret. And
your Father who sees in secret shall reward you openly. Mat 6:18
Fasting will help you gain spiritual power
Without Spiritual Prosperity, you DON’T (REALLY) HAVE ANYTHING:
What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul. Mark 8:36 Without Mental Prosperity, you CAN’T ENJOY ANYTHING…
Choose my wisdom rather than silver and the finest gold. Prov 8:10
Without Physical Prosperity, you DON’T HAVE STRENGTH FOR ANYTHING God gives you the strength to obtain wealth. Deut 8:18
To this point, I have broken down the four levels of True Prosperity: Spiritual, Mental, Physical, and Material (Financial). The term True Prosperity came to me because while reading the Bible, I realized that there are only two paths—the true path and the false path. When we use the word “prosperity,” we need to know which type of prosperity we’re talking about—true or false.
Chapter 6
FALSE PROSPERITY
False Prosperity is just the opposition of true prosperity. Instead of prioritizing Spiritual Prosperity—our love relationship with God through Christ, it minimizes or eliminates it and emphasizes Material Prosperity. False Prosperity, therefore, is…
I. First, MATERIAL (Material Prosperity)
Goal: Accumulate as much money and material possessions as possible.
Its slogan is: “Money makes the world go around!”
II. Then, PHYSICAL (Physical Prosperity)
Goal: Enjoy the best healthcare, physical fitness, and cosmetic appearance that money can buy.
Its slogan is: “Living longer and looking better is a priority!”
III. Then, MENTAL (Mental Prosperity)
Goal: Enjoy the greatest pleasures and therapists that money can buy
Its slogan is: “Who said you can’t buy happiness!”
IV. Lastly, SPIRITUAL (Spiritual Prosperity)
Goal: To be in touch with a higher power and spiritual principles
The person who is walking in false prosperity has not opened up their heart to
have a personal love relationship with the Father through the Son. Jesus, in his teaching through parables, taught us that there are four kinds of hearts: 1) Unreceptive, 2) Shallow, 3) Divided, 4) Receptive. The first three unreceptive and unproductive hearts (unproductive for the Kingdom) can also be seen in the following types of persons:
1) The Atheist, 2) The Agnostic, 3) The Deist/Humanist
The Atheist says, “I don’t believe in God.”
The Agnostic says, “I don’t know what to believe.”
The Deist/Humanist says, “I believe in a higher power, but my trust is in the things of this world.”
A person is either going to embrace True Prosperity or False Prosperity.
Which is it for you? Like most of us, when I was young I was taught that having fame and fortune would define you as being successful—that your self-worth was defined by your net worth. However, after going to all the best schools, Princeton, U.S.C. and Georgetown and eventually becoming a mayor and a U.S. Representative, I learned that being rich and famous did not equate with True Prosperity. The higher up I got politically and financially, the more pride, lust, and greed I saw around me. The people who were running our country we also the ones running from one host-bar banquet to another and running around on their wives. Financial or political stability did not constitute spiritual morality. I learned the hard way that this American society has its priorities all wrong!
We can now truly see this in the news every day. Members of Congress, CEO’s, and A-list celebrities are dropping like flies as the “Me-Too” movement reveals their sexual and financial sins from years ago. What’s more, the richest and the most famous are glaringly committing suicide, though it would seem they have everything to live for. One after the other, our celebrated sports heroes are being disqualified on the field or the court because of their immorality off the field or the court.
Slowly, as a nation, we Americans are coming to realize that money doesn’t buy peace and status doesn’t buy character.
I thank God for what He showed me at the highest levels of government. Though I made some bad choices while I was mayor, it was my political downfall that produced my spiritual awakening! I went to prison for receiving bribes, and from that day forward, I never saw life the same. All my so-called friends, who were just there for what I could do for them, abandoned me, but Jesus Christ never left me nor forsook me. There in prison, I realized that the prosperity I had fought all my life to get was false, because it was based on material things that could be taken at a moment’s notice. I knew that for the rest of my life I was going to put all my time and effort into chasing True Prosperity! My prayer is that you don’t have to find yourself in prison to reject False Prosperity. But that you will learn from my experience, glean from my revelation, and live a blessed and TRULY prosperous life in Christ Jesus the Lord! Enjoy!
Chapter 7
PROCLAIM TRUE PROSPERITY
I’d like to leave you with this, a proclamation of True Prosperity that you can use (proclaim) on a daily basis:
The True Prosperity Proclamation
© 2015 by Pastor Walter R. Tucker, III
In the name of Jesus Christ I have true prosperity
I have life in Jesus Christ
And I have it more abundantly
Each day I’m going forward by faith with good success
I am blessed and highly favored
Too blessed to be worried or stressed
I am blessed going out and blessed coming in
Each day I’m Spirit led, each day I’m led to win
I have the peace of God, which passes all understanding
The joy of the Lord is my strength, no matter what is happening
By the stripes of Jesus Christ I am comforted and healed
I claim healing in my physical body in spite of how I feel
In the name of Jesus Christ
Each day I have it made
All my needs are met, and all my bills are paid
Each day I am increasing in faith, hope and power
Whatever I set my mind, mouth and hands to
For Christ’ sake it shall prosper
Because I’m living in the supernatural
I’m experiencing God’s great grace
Manifested by signs, wonders and miracles
Because I continually seek His face
My agreement with God’s Word
Daily guarantees me the victory
I am enjoying my life in Christ
I am enjoying true prosperity
Dr. Walter R. Tucker III