Lesson 42

It is God's will that every believer is able to prosper in the marketplace.
It is God's will that every believer acts as His channel for the transfer of the wealth of the world into the church.

And God has His plans and strategies to bring this about.
He is our Commander-in-Chief.
We are His warriors in the marketplace battlefield.
And we must receive His orders and obey them in order to win our battles in the marketplace.

Presently, a great portion of the wealth of the world is in the hands of the devil.
The devil will not give up the wealth under his control without a fight.
The devil will use his strategies to entice and to trap believers in the marketplace so as to cause us to fall and fail.
We must be aware of his schemes (2 Corinthians 2:11).

The devil had tried to offer our Lord Jesus the wealth of the world if only Jesus would bow down and worship him.
The devil will tempt believers to use short cuts to possess the riches of the world.
Jesus resisted his temptation and the devil fled (Matthew 4:8-10).

Again, the devil took Him (Jesus) to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me."
Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: "Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'"                               (Matthew 4:8-10)

We can be sure that every believer will be tempted by the devil time and again to take short cuts (using the devil's ways) to gain the riches of the world.
Do not fall into his trap.
You will indeed get your riches if you follow the devil's ways, but you will also lose your soul in exchange.
Your temporary gain will lead to an eternal loss. So beware !!!

We therefore need to know God's plans and strategies in our work and business.
We need to receive God's wisdom in all that we do.
We need God's wisdom in all our decision-making.
We need God's wisdom in our response to every trial and temptation in the marketplace.
Only by walking fully in God's wisdom will we triumph over the devil in the marketplace.

To walk in God's wisdom, we need to do the following:

Every believer, including the one who works in the marketplace, is commanded by God to meditate on God's word day and night (Joshua 1:8).
No matter how busy he is, a believer in the marketplace must daily read God's word in order to know of God's will.
It is only in this way that he can walk in the general wisdom of God.
He will be able to know right from wrong, and live a life pleasing to God.

The word of God will keep a believer from sin and help him to walk in righteousness.
In this way, God will cause the believer to possess the riches of the world (2 Timothy 3:16; Proverbs 13:22; 28:8).

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in RIGHTEOUSNESS, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.              (2 Timothy 3:16)

A good man leaves an inheritance for his children's children,
     but a sinner's wealth is stored up for the righteous.       (Proverbs 13:22)

He who increases his wealth by exorbitant interest
     amasses it for another, who will be kind to the poor.        (Proverbs 28:8)

A believer will be faced everyday with situations where he will have to make a choice from among many apparently "good" alternatives.
For all such decision-making, he needs to know the specific wisdom of God.
This is because only God knows the final outcome of any choice we make.
Only God knows what the best choice is for us to make.

Never ever be proud and take any action without seeking God's specific will.
No not be self-dependent or self-sufficient, presuming on the blessings of God in all your independent decision-making.

Therefore, ask God everyday for His specific wisdom for every situation in the marketplace.
And God promises to give us His wisdom when we wait upon Him (James 1:5).
He will cause His peace to surround our heart and mind as we follow after His specific will in every area of life (Colossians 3:15).

If any of you lack of wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 
                                                                                                                    (James 1:5)

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.                            (Colossians 3:15)

And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts - deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds.                             (Colossians 3:15 AMP)

E.g. Questions we can bring before God in the marketplace include the following:
"Should I agree to this deal?"
"Who should I partner with in this venture?"
"Where should I relocate my business?"
"Should I employ this worker?"
"How should I deal with this problem in the office?"
"How should I respond to this customer's request?" Etc.

God has given us His Spirit to lead us at all time
"He will guide us into all truth" (John 16:12).
He will take from what belongs to the father and make it known to us (John 16:15).

Therefore, after we have asked God for wisdom, we are to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit, who will tell us what to do.
The Holy Spirit will warn us, teach us, tell us of things yet to come, give us new ideas, etc.
In this way, the Spirit of God will lead us to follow after God's specific plans for our work and business.

Every believer in the marketplace must follow after the leading of the Holy Spirit.
We are sons of God, and our lives must be led by His Spirit (Romans:14).
We must not do things after our own will and plans.
We will fail if we do.
What may seem "right" to us will bring death to us and to our business, if it is not of God (Proverbs 14:12).

Those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.       (Romans 8:14)

There is a way that seems right to a man,
     but in the end it leads to death.                                              (Proverbs 14:12)

God wants us to acknowledge Him as our Strength and our Shield (Psalm 18:1-2).
He wants us to be totally dependent on Him for our every need.
He wants us to acknowledge that without Him we can do nothing fruitful for His kingdom (Proverbs 3:5-6; John 15:5).

Trust in the LORD with all your heart
     and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge Him,
     and He will make your paths straight.                                  (Proverbs 3:5-6)

I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
                                                                                                                     (John 15:5)

We must therefore always be totally dependent on God in all our decision-making.
As we humble ourselves before Him. God will lead us and exalt us (Luke 18:14).
In this way, we will always give Him the glory for our success in the marketplace.

Thus, beside asking for wisdom, we need to ask God for everything that pertains to our success in the marketplace, including:

To have faith in God is to trust absolutely in His promises.
God wants us to constantly express our faith in Him in every aspect of our life in the marketplace.
"Without faith it is impossible to please God" (Hebrews 11:6).

When we declare our faith in God's word, God's Spirit will confirm His word.
And we will see the glory - the presence, power and love - of God manifested (John 11:40).
And God is as real in the marketplace as he is in the church meetings.
It is our faith that will allow God's glory to be made known to the people around us.

Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"                                                                                (John 11:40)

"With God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26).
And all things are possible for those who believe (have faith in God ) (Mark 9:23).
Therefore we must always stand firm on God's word, no matter what the external circumstances are, for God will always do what He has promised.
Just believe in His word; never doubt.

You express your faith in God by thanking Him for His blessing.
You express your faith in God by thanking Him for His promises which are coming to pass.
You express your faith in God no matter what the external circumstances are.
And every time you express your faith in Him, thanking Him for His blessings, God is working to bring the blessings to manifestation.

We can express our faith in God in our workplace in many ways, including the following:

E.g. God has led you to start a business, and sales are slow. In fact, there is great competition.
However, you turn to God and ask Him to send you some good customers to buy from you in large quantities.
Having asked God in prayer, you must now believe that you have received it, according to God's promise in Mark 11:24.
You therefore begin to thank God for the customers that he is sending to buy from you in large quantities.

In your prayers of thanksgiving to God, you thank God by saying:
"Father, I thank you that you have heard my prayer."
"I thank you that you are working everything out for my good" (Romans 8:28).
"I thank you that you are sending to me many customers with big orders for all the goods in my warehouse."

You also begin to express your faith in the authority God has given you in Matthew 16:19 and 18:18 to rule over all situations by declaring to your friends and by commanding as follows:
"All my present stock will be sold by the end of this year."
"I will achieve more than my targeted volume in sales by the end of this year."
"Every carton box in my warehouse, I command you to be sold in Jesus' name."

God has put His miracles in our mouths (Romans 10:8).
When we speak the word of faith, believing in God's promises, the miracles take place.
On the other hand, if we do not believe in God's power, in God's goodness to His children, or in His promises, we will declare evil about ourselves and our work.
We will then be putting curses on ourselves with our own mouth.
If this happens, our business or work will die a slow death (Proverbs 18:21).

The tongue has the power of life and death,
     and those who love it will eat its fruit.                                  (Proverbs 18:21)

Therefore, never say:
"I am going to die, all the businesses in my line are closing down; I will not last long also."
"My shop-lot is in a poor location; I will lose to all my competitors in the main entrance."
"My workers are all useless bums; they like to fight, quarrel, cheat and steal. They are lazy and unsubmissive."

Instead, bring all your problems to God.
Ask Him to intervene and help you in all area.
Then begin to thank Him by faith for the answers.
As you thank God, the miracles will take place.
The miracle is in your mouth (Romans 10:6-10).

But the righteousness that is by faith says: "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?' (that is, to bring Christ down) or 'Who will descend into the deep?'" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).
But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your MOUTH and in your heart," that is, the WORD OF FAITH we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your MOUTH, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is in your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your MOUTH that you confess and are SAVED.                                              (Romans 8:6-10)

As we believe (exercise faith) in God and confess it with our mouth, we will be saved.
The Greek word for "save" is SOZO, which means "to heal, preserve, save, do well, make whole" [SC 4982].
Thus God will heal your business, preserve your business, save your business, make your business do well, if you ask God to do so, believe God's promises in your heart and begin to declare that it is done with your mouth.
Do not nullify your prayer by speaking words of doubt instead of faith.
If you do, you are a double-minded man, and you will receive nothing from God (Mark 11:23; James 1:6-8).

God commands us to "Love our neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:38).
If we do not walk in love, we are sinning against God.
And will separate us from God's blessings.
He will not hear us when we pray to Him (Isaiah 59:2; Psalm 66:18).

But your iniquities have separated
     you from your God;
your sins have hidden His face from you,
     so that He will not fear.                                                                   (Isaiah 59:2)

If I had cherished sin in my heart,
     the Lord would not have listened.                                             (Psalm 66:18)

Instead, sin will give legal right for the devil to enter into all areas of our life, to kill, steal and destroy (Ephesians 5:26-27; John 10:10).
We must therefore always walk with a clear conscience before God.
Whenever the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, we must quickly repent and not delay.
In this way, we close all doors to the devil into our lives.

In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.                       (Ephesians 5:26-27)

The thief [the devil] comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.                   (John 10:10)

Every believer must therefore walk in love towards others, towards his boss, his employees, his clients, and even his competitors in the workplace.
Do not treat anyone as an enemy.
See everyone as a creation of God, whose life Christ has died for.
Love them with God's love, as a testimony and witness to them of the reality of God's salvation in our life.

As we show love and mercy to others, we will in turn receive God's love and mercy.
We will reap what we sow (Matthew 5:7).
If we do not show mercy to others, God will likewise abandon us to the devil to torment us (Matthew 18:21-35).

We must therefore be patient and kind.
We must not envy, we must not boast, we must not be proud.
We must not be rude or be self-seeking.
We must not be easily angered or keep a record of wrongs (1 Corinthians 13:4-5).

We must get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice (Ephesians 4:31).
We must be tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ's sake has forgiven us (Ephesians 4:32).

Your thought

1. In what areas do we most need the wisdom of God in our work and business?
   

2. In what ways do we need God to help us succeed in our work or business?
   

3. How can we apply our faith in God to our work or business?
   

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