“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples”.
– John 15: 7-8
In our Christian culture of today, many people arm themselves with the Bible verse of “ask and you will receive”. Jesus gave clarity to this particular scripture in John 15: 7-8 as in the main Scripture above. Naturally it is unusual for a Testator to bequest an inheritance to a benefactor not known to him. Even if he wills his entire estate to a cat or a dog house, he must have had a connection with the animal or organisation. If you do not have a relationship with a person how is it possible to approach them for a favour or make a request. Even the worldly banking industry requires that a person has an account with them, which shows there is an established relationship for you to enjoy the benefits of the services provided for their customers.
Psalm 37:4 says “Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart”. There it is again, there is a proviso in God giving you your heart’s desires – “delight yourself in the Lord”. So where do we as Christian or ‘believers’ arrive with the concept that you can be ‘a master of yourself and living your life, how ever you wish, without abiding in Christ and expect that you will receive His blessings? Jesus said that those that love me are those who do my commands. John 15:9-11 “As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full”.
Beloved, if a person is not willing to obey the His Word as commanded that is evidence that they are not abiding in the love of Christ and definitely outside of the father’s love. Given this scenario it is therefore impossible for your joy to be full according to scriptures. There are people who deceptively believe they are enjoying the Blessings of God in their wrongly acquired wealth and prosperity. It is the Lord that gives the power to get wealth – My dear brethren, the Lord has made the WEALTH available before the foundation of the world. The Bible says in Philippians 4:19 “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus”.
According to a dictionary definition, Wealth is “a great quantity or store of money, valuable possessions, property, or other riches – the wealth of a city. Or “an abundance or profusion of anything; plentiful amount – a wealth of imagery”. It went further to describe it in relation to Agriculture as wealth of the soil – being rich or valuable contents or produce. And finally wealth is defined as “the state of being rich; prosperity; affluence -persons of wealth and standing”. However it defined wealth in terms of Economics as:
a. all things that have a monetary or exchange value.
b. b. anything that has utility and is capable of being appropriated or exchanged”. – (The online dictionary).
Our father has made provision ahead of time, covering every aspect of human need to the extent of exchanging the life of His Son, Jesus on the Cross, as full payment for yours and mine sins. This exchange was made possible because Jesus obeyed the Will of the Father, having a full knowledge of the extent of the Love the Father has for the lives he created, in His image to be in relationship with Him. He is Jehovah Jireh. He does not require your sacrifices or any payment in return, but a pure and circumcised heart, that is willing to delight themselves in the Lord. This act of obedience of abiding in His love holds the keys to having full access to God’s provisions and enjoying His wealth without repercussions. This generation is hung up in clamouring for the vanities of this temporary world and would do almost anything to acquire earthly wealth. Some have sold their souls to the devils consciously or otherwise. Beloved, any wealth without Jesus being at the Centre of it all, is futile. It vanity upon vanity and a vexation to the spirit.
The real blessings of God are Eternal Life and the fruit of the Spirit. Whatever wealth and riches are evidence of the additions that come as the benefit of seeking first the kingdom of God first. As Kingdom citizens rooted in Christ Jesus, you are eligible to be enjoy all the physical attributes of wealth described above for the truth of the matter is – “the Blessings of God maketh rich and addeth no sorrows”. Therefore, when you have sought God in truth and in Spirit and in full alignment with his purpose for you, walking and abiding in his love, then, you have a legitimate right to ask whatever you will and it shall be done expressly for His own glory. Jesus said in John 15:13-14 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. King Solomon with all his riches and wisdom admonishes us in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil”.
I pray that the Lord enable you to abide in Him as His disciples, so that you bear much fruit to the glory of the Father through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Blessings
Pastor Joyce