Prosperity Doctrine -True or False?

Give Thanks!

In John 10:10, Jesus Christ made a statement about the benefits of understanding why he came:

10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:10

In the context of that section in John, Jesus used the easily relatable 'gate of the sheep' analogy. Jesus Christ is the door to the fold. He is the 'way' to the abundant life. On the opposite side there is a thief that steals, kills and destroys. God wants us to live abundantly and His word keeps us within his desire.

I have read many articles on the 'prosperity doctrine' both for and against. Each side has a propensity  to veer off biblical logic to the extreme of its own side. Christianity is not a 'get rich quick' scheme nor is it 'church mouse poor theology':

8 Remove far from me vanity (uselessness) and lies (deception): give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient (what is prescribed) for me: Proverbs 30:8 

The Bible is full of wonderful principles on prosperity that apply to many of God's promises in general. It is full of practical, sound, powerful and successful precepts that we can trust from the very heart of God:

2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. 3 John 2

God wants us to prosper!  Every individual is different in what he or she needs. What is needed by one person may be different from another person's need. Poverty, however, is like an armed robber on the highway of life. (Proverbs 6:11, Proverbs 24:34) God has given us the power to be individually successful through his Word and the gift of holy spirit.

18 But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day. Deuteronomy 8:16.

God loves us! He gives us 'the power to get wealth' (makes us heroes of strength). Deuteronomy is written to the Old Covenant believers where the spirit of God was upon certain people who led God's people. A New Covenant came on the Day of Pentecost with the gift of holy spirit. The gift equips all believers with distinct power tools.  If a man or woman practically applies God's word  and utilizes the power God has given each one of us, he or she will be abundantly blessed in all categories, not just financial ones. Our effort as believers is to dig the gold of the Word faithfully and consistently apply it.

The world will try and talk us out of it. It is full of stumbling blocks that are thrown down to deter us.  Sometimes, when something breaks down or we hadn't counted on a certain bill for us to pay, our hearts may sink into thinking that we have done something wrong and fear rears its ugly head. Don't rely on the stock market, news media,  the 'experts' or government. It doesn't hurt to try to get the best information we can, but we should run it all by God, the 100% reliable source.

25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. I Corinthians 1:25 (Check out the rest of I Corinthians 1)

Things happen, but that doesn't change God's promises. Going to God and giving it to him is standing on the promise that perfect love casts out fear. We have God's ability to overcome and we are not to believe the lies of condemnation that we have failed somehow.  I used to think debt was sin. It is hard to believe that God wants us free economically when one is so worried about sin. When, in my own life, I dumped the sin conscientiousness and looked to God, the most amazing things happened.

  Going to God frees us.  Just knowing how much he loves us and how much he is willing to help us is the best place to be in our hearts.