“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” 3 John 2 is a beautiful tell-all passage that reveals God’s desire for us and what we should wish for each other: a healthy body, a healthy soul, and a prosperous life. But how can we live out this desire? What does it mean to live a prosperous or abundant life?
Depending on who you ask, you may get several responses, even among believers. Still, the best place to get our understanding of abundant living is the Word of God itself. The words abundant and abundantly are used repeatedly throughout scripture. In John 10:10, we see Jesus saying that “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly.” Later in Ephesians 3:20, the Apostle writes, in acknowledgment of God, “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.”
The passage in Ephesians is often brought up in conversations about prosperity, especially prosperity in the material sense, but is that really all there is to the biblical concept of prosperity? We know the dictionary definition of abundance – having more than we need, but does that only apply to material possession? If we find ourselves not having more material possessions than we need, does that mean we aren’t living an abundant life in Christ?
What does it really mean to live an abundant life?
When we look at the faith giants throughout scripture, we see a mix of circumstances that calls the secular understanding of abundance into question. Countless Christians and holy men suffered persecution, imprisonment, exile, ridicule, and starvation but were content with the blessings of the Lord and the abundance of His presence in their lives.
Yes, sometimes, like Job, abundance will be reflected in earthly possessions. Abraham, Jacob, David, Solomon, these were all men of means who lived in physical abundance and seemed to be rewarded for their faith. This, however, is not a fixed formula. Abundant faith does not guarantee an abundance of worldly treasure. So, what does it guarantee? Abundant peace even amid hardship, abundant joy even in moments of doubt, abundant love even in the moments when we are faced with our faults and incredibly abundant grace to cover all our sins.
Living an abundant life means walking in God’s will for your life. It means trusting God’s best for you and being obedient to His leading. This can sometimes manifest in the form of financial wealth, but it will always be manifested in the form of spiritual health.
PROSPERITY OF MIND, BODY, AND SPIRIT.
MIND
The marker of a prosperous mind, body, and spirit is balance. A prosperous mind is free from anxiety, worries, fear, depression, and other mental struggles. The mind is a “battlefield” that the devil wants to capture and take control of. Have you ever found yourself spinning in a flurry of anxious thought? Wondering what you should have said, could have done, or will do next? Worrying about your child, your finances, your relationships, and your health? Do you sometimes feel attacked out of nowhere by things in your past? That’s the devil trying to drag you into a cycle of unhealthy thoughts that will throw you off balance and distract you from the fullness of God.
If you’re too distracted by fear, you won’t have the bandwidth to exercise faith. The devil knows this, and so does God. This is why He encourages us to “…not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2)
How exactly do you renew your mind? How do we capture our stray thoughts? Philippians 4:8 has the solution. It says, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” We control the state of our mind by controlling our input and what we focus on. When we can do this effectively, the end result is a prosperous and healthy mind.
BODY
A healthy body requires balance as well. It’s called temperance and moderation and requires us to be mindful of how we treat our bodies. Being physically healthy is a part of living an abundant life. Being plagued by lifestyle diseases and other ailments can make life miserable for us, and it is not what God intends for His people. This is why God encourages us to be good stewards of our bodies, not using them to do things to deface and devalue our bodies that He has described as His temple. God wants us to make healthy food choices and adopt healthy habits that do not bring dishonour to Him or harm to us.
SPIRIT
Our Spirit is nurtured by staying in the presence of God. This is God’s greatest desire for us; that we will grow in faith and manifest the fruits of His spirit that are “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23). When we live in the presence of God, we become more like Him. This is the purest form of prosperity there is; to have God living in your spirit, leading and instructing you in all things.
The Bible reminds us that “every good and perfect gift comes from God” (James 1:17). The plans that God has for us are never ones to harm us. He expects us to be good stewards of all that we are given, including our body, mind, and spirit. Financial abundance should be stewarded with the principles of the Bible and used in the ways that God instructs, but financial abundance is not the promise that is given to believers. God promises those of us who love and believe in Him eternal life. This is the ultimate marker of prosperity and abundance!
