True Prosperity (3)

Faithfulness and Diligence

"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" (Matthew 25:21).

The force of faithfulness is a fruit of the spirit that you received when you were born again. Webster's dictionary defines faithful as "full of faith, believing, strong or firm in one's faith, firmly adhering to duty, a true fidelity, loyal, true to allegiance, constant in the performance of duties or services."

A faithful person consistently does what is right, even if it looks like it could be to his disadvantage. Psalms 106:3 says, "Blessed are they who maintain justice, who constantly do what is right" (New International Version). We can't be godly without being faithful because faithfulness is God's character:

It is because of the Lord's mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great and abundant is Your stability and faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-23, The Amplified Bible). God is faithful (reliable, trustworthy, and therefore ever true to His promise, and He can be depended on); by Him you were called into companionship and participation with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord (I Corinthians 1:9, The Amplified Bible).

II Chronicles 16:9 says God is looking for faithfulness, "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him…." The Hebrew word for perfect there means "loyal, devoted, dedicated, faithful."

Kenneth and I have had financial trouble, challenges with sickness and other things, but when we have stood on the Word and refused to give up, God has always answered our faith with His action!

Once you find a promise in the Word, don't disqualify yourself from receiving by saying, "God would never do that for me." Be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2). Let God's Word change your thinking. You will prosper in any area as your soul [mind, will and emotions] prospers in understanding about that area from the Word, and you take that knowledge and act on it. Your inner man prospers when you believe the Word. Your circumstances prosper when you receive what He says and act on it.

Be faithful to keep meditating the promises in the Word until they overtake your life. Everything you receive from God starts with the Word in your heart. Proverbs 4:20-23 says, "My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."

Faithfulness will energize you to be diligent even if you have never been that way in the natural.

The Word repeatedly says we are to diligently seek God, hearken to what He says and obey His commands. Why? Deuteronomy 28:1-2 says when you hearken diligently, blessings overtake you! Because ".he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him" (Hebrews 11:6). Diligence increases you. As Proverbs 10:4 says, "The hand of the diligent maketh rich."

Be diligent and faithful to God in your natural life as well. Make a decision to be faithful on your job, at your church, in your prayer life and in putting the Word first place in your life.

Our soul prospers as we spend time in the Word, believe it and create a lifestyle of obeying God. The result will be what I John 3:22 says: "And we receive from Him whatever we ask, because we [watchfully] obey His orders [observe His suggestions and injunctions, follow His plan for us] and [habitually] practice what is pleasing to Him" (The Amplified Bible).

The number one law of receiving is don't quit! Stay with the Word! Stay with what God has told you to do. Even if you make a mistake, repent and get back on track. That's faithfulness. It's part of the prosperous life because "a faithful man shall abound with blessings." (Proverbs 28:20).  [Continue at true Prosperity (4)]