THE NEW MAN (Part 6)
Memory Verse: “Beloved,
I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy
soul prospereth.” III John 2.
LESSON OBJECTIVES AND FOCUS
At the end of the lesson we should be
able to desire the prosperity and breakthrough that only God can give, and
understand the requirements for achieving both.
LESSON
INTRODUCTION
God is still making people prosper
today, and He wants to prosper you
WE
NEED TO NOTE THAT
·
Age, nationality, tongue or whatever is
never a hindrance to receiving God’s prosperity and breakthrough. Neither is
prosperity excluded from the godly and holy. In fact God wants His children to
prosper – both in the spiritual and physical realms. III John 2 tells us that this is God great desire for His children
(the new man): “I wish above all things…”
And what is this greatest wish of God for His children? “…that thou mayest prosper and be in health,
even as thy soul prospereth”.
So it is God’s wish
that we have good health and prosper both materially and spiritually. It
follows therefore that “poverty” and “ungodly riches” are not God’s plans for
us. We must reject both of them.
LESSON
OUTLINE 1: PROSPERED, FAITHFUL TO GOD, REMEMBERING THE NEEDY
i.
Our perfect example of prosperity is
God the Father. He possesses everything and dwells in the midst of heavenly
glory and beauty. Psalm 50: 8-15; Rev.
21: 18, 21.
ii.
Jesus our Saviour prospered. He holds
the master keys to the heavenly treasure house in His hands. Phil. 4:19.
iii.
Some biblical examples of prospered
people include:
a. Abraham
and Isaac, Gen. 24:1, 35; 26: 12-14.
b. Joseph,
Gen. 39:1-4.
c. Solomon,
2 Chron. 1: 10-15.
iv.
As we have already seen, it is God’s
plan that His children prosper. III John
2.
v.
But God does not prosper us to promote
our self-indulgence. Luke 12:16-21.
Rather, He entrusts riches to us so we may be rich towards Him through our
giving. I Kings 8: 62-66; II Cor. 9:
5-8.
vi.
The prospered man has a very great need
to remember the needy.
Psalm 9:18; Matth 6: 1-4.
What is the difference between
physical and spiritual prosperity?
LESSON
OUTLINE 2: ENJOYING BREAKTHROUGHS
i.
Feeding regularly on, and living in
obedience to what God says to us in, His word will bring about constant
breakthrough. Luke 5:1-10; II Kings 4:1-6.
ii.
God gives good ideas to His children,
and when we act on them, poverty disappears. Consider the case of the lepers in
II Kings 7: 3-11.
iii.
Breakthrough in the physical realm also
rests on the following additional principles: Generosity, divinely led investment, hard work, creativity and
innovation, and the fear or honour and respect of God in all we do.
Luke 12: 16-21 (which we have seen
already); Prov. 18:9; 24:30-31; Eccl.
10:18; Prov. 6:6-11.
What can be some of the factors
that account for the fact that some people enjoy breakthroughs while others
don’t?
SUMMARY
Prosperity and
breakthrough are the heritage of God’s children (the new men).