Chapter 1: Full Prosperity
What does the word prosperity mean? What about prosperity in the eyes of God? Dictionaries define prosperity as the state of being prosperous, profitability, success, good life, good fortune.
To God, this success, good life, good fortune is in all areas of our lives. Prosperity in the eyes of God encompasses salvation and good health, a blessed family life, material prosperity, and happiness. On our own, we cannot achieve all these things, but for God, everything is possible. However, we need to follow the path that the Word of God lays out for us and obey the biblical principles that it teaches us. It might be that you are neglecting these principles, and that could be one of the reasons you are not living the best of God here on earth.
Full prosperity aims to meet all the needs of the individual, in all aspects of his life, but it is necessary that we follow the guidelines established by God in His word to achieve it. Hosea 4:6 says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children."
We sin due to lack of knowledge. I was born in a Christian home, and I went to church often. In my adult life, I often tried to get to the cults daily. I was most faithful on Sundays, missing the cult only when I was traveling, and only if there weren’t any churches nearby. I gave birth to my son on a Wednesday. I was discharged from the hospital on Friday, and on Sunday, I went to church. Although I was trying to honor God by going to His house frequently, I did not truly know his word, simply because I'd never read it. And because I'd never read it, I was a spiritually weak Christian.
I was living in Brazil, and was a faithful Christian for 18 years old, when during a pastoral counseling, my pastor asked me if I read the Bible, and I told her I didn’t feel
the need, since I knew the main passages by listening to the sermons. She then advised me to read the Bible every day. This was the best advice I was ever given in my life. My life changed when I opened my heart to God and started reading the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. I learned daily from its principles and advice. Ever since then, God has worked miracles in my heart and in every area of my life.