The Way

“Doing Things The Bible Way”    

MARCH 2005 ISSUE

 

What Does It Mean To Prosper

Naturally & Spiritually

By: Stephanie Kennedy

I took the time to look up the word prosper and it is defined as to be fortunate, successful, and gain in wealth.  I think that prospering goes beyond wealth and great success.  When I read about prospering, my first thought was the word growth, because when you prosper, you grow, learn and understand things better than you did before.  For instance, when I go to Bible study on Wednesdays, I watch people stand up and say their testimonies.  I see that they were blessed, but it doesn’t always start out with a blessing.  Some have went through rejection, struggle, and even a period of discouragement.  But God brought them out of their situation and they overcame those problems.  To me, natural prosperity means that it starts inside of you.   It’s like a foundation.  If you don’t have God in your life and do not believe that you are going to make it, how are you ever going to succeed in whatever you do?  In Hebrews 11:1, it says that “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen”. In other words, even though you can’t see the thing you hoped for, whatever that may be, you have to praise God and believe that you will receive it anyways.  I was listening to Donnie McClurkin’s song called “Yes You Can”; and the lyrics are, “Yes you can, you can do anything if you try, just try, but you have to believe and rely on what you have inside, you can make it, through your trials, for your trials will just make you strong, you can do anything”.  I believe that these are the words that explain what it really means to prosper, because when you believe in God and fill your spirit with the Word of God, nothing can stand in your way.  God said that he will make you the head and not the tail, and the battle is not yours, it’s the Lords.  I think this is the foundation and the meaning of prospering naturally and spiritually!  

 Stephanie is a Senior at Lakeview High School in San Angelo, TX.