100 Days Of Favor (29 page)

Today’s Prayer

Father, I thank You that I am an heir of the world because I am Abraham’s seed through Christ. I have such a rich inheritance not because I have done anything to deserve it, but because Jesus qualified me through His death and resurrection. And since Jesus died to give me this wonderful inheritance, I will not apologize for it, but expect to experience and enjoy it!

Today’s Thought

I am an heir of the world through Jesus’ finished work!

Today’s Reflection On Favor

DAY 67

Blessed To Be A Blessing

Today’s Scripture

I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing.
—
Genesis 12:2

W
HAT DOES IT
mean to be an heir of the world? Let’s take a look at Abraham’s life to see what the Lord did for him. God’s Word tells us that Abraham did not just become rich. He became very rich.

The success that we, as new covenant believers, can believe God for is good, holistic success that permeates every aspect of our lives!

“Well, Pastor Prince, being an heir of the world refers to spiritual riches.”

Hang on, that is not what my Bible says. According to Genesis 13:2, Abraham was “very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold.” Now, if financial blessings are not part of the blessings of the Lord, then are you telling me that the Lord cursed Abraham with wealth? I am so glad that God defined Abraham’s riches very specifically. God must have foreseen a generation of people who would argue that He is against His people experiencing financial success, so He said clearly in His Word that Abraham was very rich in livestock, silver and gold. Abraham wasn’t just rich spiritually. Beloved, God is not against you having wealth, but He is definitely against wealth having you.

The Lord blessed Abraham so that he could be a blessing to others. He told Abraham, “…I will bless you…and you shall be a blessing.” Similarly, He will bless you financially, so that
you
can be a blessing to others. You cannot be a blessing to those around you—your loved ones, local church, community and the poor—if you are not blessed by the Lord first.

Now, you already know that finances alone don’t make you a success. There are a lot of “poor” people in the world today who have a lot of money. They can have fat bank accounts, but their hearts are empty without the revelation of Jesus’ love for them. You and I have something from Jesus that is far more superior. The success that we, as new covenant believers, can believe God for is good, holistic success that permeates every aspect of our lives!

What keeps you safe for financial success is when you know that your blessings come by Jesus’ unmerited favor. When you have that revelation, you will no longer be preoccupied with having money because you will be preoccupied with the Lord. Amazingly, you will realize that the more occupied you are with Jesus, the more money follows after you! Now, why is that? It is simply because when you seek first the kingdom of God, and put Jesus, His righteousness (not your own righteousness), His joy and His peace as your first priority, God’s Word promises you that ALL the material things that you need will be added to you (Matthew 6:33).

The Lord always gives you money with a mission and prosperity with a purpose. He blesses you and when you are blessed, you can be a vessel to bless others. The gospel of grace can be preached, churches can be built, precious lives can be touched, sinners can be born again, marriages can be restored and physical bodies can be healed when you send out the Word of Jesus with your financial support.

Don’t love money and use people. Use money to love people. May it be settled in your heart once and for all that it is God’s desire for you to be a financial success and to have more than enough to bless others!

Today’s Prayer

Father, I thank You that Your blessings for me include financial prosperity. I know that You are not against me having money, but You don’t want the love of money to keep me in bondage. I ask that You prosper me financially, so that I may use money for Your kingdom work and to bless those in need. Keep me safe for financial success. Help me keep my eyes on Jesus—always preoccupied with Him and His purposes, and never forgetting that every blessing comes by Your unmerited favor.

Today’s Thought

Don’t love money and use people. Use money to love people.

Today’s Reflection On Favor

DAY 68

Your Blessings Include Health And Renewal Of Youth

Today’s Scripture

Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. —Psalm 103:5

B
EING AN HEIR
of the world does not just mean having financial prosperity. Let’s look at what else it means to be an heir of the world. What other blessings did Abraham receive? We know that Abraham was healthy and strong, and so was Sarah, his wife. The Lord renewed their youth so dramatically that when Abraham was about 100 years old and Sarah about 90, Sarah conceived Isaac after many years of barrenness.

You can trust the Lord to renew your youth as He did for Abraham and Sarah!

When God blesses, His blessings include fecundity, which is fruitfulness in childbearing. Nobody can argue that Abraham and Sarah’s renewal of youth was merely spiritual. Isaac is proof that the renewal they experienced was physical as well. As an heir of the world, the Lord will likewise cause you to be strong and healthy. It is not possible to be an heir of the world if you are constantly fatigued, sick and flat on your back. No way! God will make you healthy and keep you in divine health in Jesus’ name!

Some years ago, I asked the Lord why the Bible calls every female believer a daughter of Sarah (1 Peter 3:6). There were many other women of faith in the Bible, such as Ruth and Esther. So why didn’t God choose to refer to female believers as daughters of Ruth or daughters of Esther? The Lord then showed me in His Word that Sarah was the only woman in the Bible who had her youth renewed in her old age. We see evidence of Sarah’s renewal of youth when she was pursued twice by two different kings who wanted to include her in their harems.

Do you know how old Sarah was when Pharaoh, the first of these kings, wanted her? She was about 65 years old! Now, if that is not evidence enough for you, do you know how old Sarah was when Abimelech, king of Gerar, wanted her? She was about 90 years old! Hey, these were
heathen
kings. I am sure that they were not captivated by her inner or spiritual beauty. Sarah must have had her physical youth renewed for these kings to desire her in her old age. Ladies, are you getting this? The Lord calls you daughters of Sarah. You can trust the Lord to renew your youth as He did for Sarah!

God’s Word promises a renewal of your youth and strength. There are two passages in the Bible that I want you to read for yourself. Psalm 103:1–5 says:

Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, who satisfies your mouth with good things,
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Meanwhile, Isaiah 40:31 promises this:

But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

As in Sarah’s case, we can experience a literal renewal in our physical bodies. Let us believe God for this physical renewal of our youth, and that after this renewal, we will have a youthful body, but a wise and experienced mind. Now, that is a powerful combination and that’s the kind of renewal that God wants to give us.

My friend, God wants you to be strong and healthy. It is not His plan for you to be sick. Sickness, viruses and diseases are not from Him, and He would certainly not put sickness on you to teach you a lesson, any more than you would put sickness on your children to teach them a lesson! Be very clear that God does not and will not discipline you with sicknesses, accidents and diseases. We are on the same side as doctors, fighting the same battle against sickness.

Beloved, it is very important for you to get this doctrine right so that you can believe right. What hope is there and how can you have a confident expectation to be healed if you erroneously think that your condition is from the Lord? It is time for you to stop being deceived by wrong teachings. Just look at the ministry of Jesus to see God’s heart for you. Look at the four Gospels. What happened every time Jesus came in contact with a sick person? The sick person got healed! You will never find Jesus going up to a perfectly healthy person and saying, “I want to teach you a lesson on humility and patience. Now, receive some leprosy!” No way! Yet, that is basically what some people are saying about our Lord today.

Now, tell me, what happened each time Jesus saw lack? When the little boy brought his five loaves and two fish to Jesus, did He gobble them up and say, “I am giving you a lesson about poverty”? Of course not! Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, multiplied them and fed more than 5,000 people with 12 baskets full of leftovers (John 6:8–13)! That’s my Jesus! He did not feed the multitudes with just enough food. He blessed them with more than enough food. He is the God of more than enough and that is His style. Likewise, Jesus wants to bless you with more than enough, so that you can be a blessing to others!