Does God promise: Health…Wealth…Prosperity? Or something More?

Proverbs 2:11–15 Wise choices will watch over you. Understanding will keep you safe. Wisdom will save you from evil people, from those whose words are twisted. These men turn from the right way to walk down dark paths. They take pleasure in doing wrong, and they enjoy the twisted ways of evil. Their actions are crooked, and their ways are wrong.

There are some very powerful truths in this section of Proverbs.

First, we need to understand the perspective this Proverb is speaking from.

“Wise choices will watch over you. Understanding will keep you safe. Wisdom will save you from evil people, from those whose words are twisted.”

Wisdom and Understanding will not guarantee you perfect safety in this temporal world.

When the fall took place ALL of creation was affected and infected! No one is exempt from the fall. Today, the false teachers of the “health, wealth, and prosperity” movement peddle their lies and try to deny this reality…yet show me one that has escaped the penalty of sin upon creation. Yes, the young ones are selling their books, heaping other’s riches upon themselves, but where are the founders of this movement that began in the early 1900’s? They have gone the way of all flesh! Their bodies died and they are in eternity! Some died very long and painful deaths from disease. Why? Were they greater sinners than others? Did they lack true faith?

These are polluted questions! Why? First, only God knows all and He is not telling! 

Second, no human being lives in a bubble, protected from the results of the fall. Yes, God heals, He delivers, God does many things in answer to the prayers offered in agreement with His will and the blood of Jesus. However, since Adam, physical death, disease, wars, etc. have existed due to the fall from Eden and sin infected the Creation!   Evil will still touch you, failures will happen and financial troubles will take place. Many faithful children of God suffered during the great depression. Today some of our brothers lose their jobs, are robbed and even martyred. The perspective here is eternal. Wisdom & understanding will make your life here and now better, but what’s most important is they lead you to the right decisions in eternal matters. If you lose your job and even your home, but not your trust in the Lord and thank Him for all He has allowed – that is fruit no one can take away! When you trust your eternity to Him you are SAFE forever! Wisdom is for now, but it lasts forever!  

Second, this Proverb is a good heart check:

“ These men turn from the right way to walk down dark paths. They take pleasure in doing wrong, and they enjoy the twisted ways of evil. Their actions are crooked, and their ways are wrong.”

We are naturally sinful and therefore our flesh will find darkness comfortable. Why? The Hebrew word gives a hint: The noun חֹשֶׁך  ḥōšek is the common word for “darkness,” and in about half of its eighty occurrences it means literally the opposite of light. There’s the key! Light exposes what is going on, that is the last thing our old nature wants! This is the war described in Romans 7 and Galatians 5 between the New Man (Which is empowered by the Spirit) and the Old Man.(The Flesh) The absence of light “darkness,” hides what we are doing. This is why it is essential that we remain in the light., walking in the power of the Spirit.

Even though Star Wars was just a movie, there was a profound truth stated by Yoda: “Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny, consume you it will.” Scriptures state that truth in so many ways! God warned Cain that:

Genesis 4:6–7 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? ⁷ “If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.”

Sadly, Cain listened to his flesh and the first murder was committed. Time and time again, Scriptures warn that you cannot try and mix “light” and “darkness.” One will take control. If darkness, then you will become a slave to it. If light, then darkness will flee and you will experience true freedom!

Notice what living in darkness brings – “Pleasure in doing wrong” & “Enjoy the twisted ways of evil”. This may be pleasurable at first, but no matter how long that temporal moment lasts, it ends when eternity begins, and then there will be an accounting! Be wise, seek God and never regret your life! Keep us in the Light Lord!

The so what? The decisions you make right now, will they matter a Billion years from now? Do you struggle with understanding “Truth?” What should you do about that? If you owned a very successful gold mine, would you visit it often, or just keep the doors locked? Do you know what path you are walking, in the Light or darkness? Do you understand you cannot commit to both?  

Is God’s Grace always alone? Or do we have a part?

Proverbs 2:8–10 He guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to him. Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will find the right way to go. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will fill you with joy.

In our desire to properly teach salvation by grace alone – which is correct – we sometimes behave as though all that God does is only by His grace. That is not true. The Lord extends grace to all - common grace like life, weather, etc. and Saving grace - which requires a response of faith on our part. However, He does not bless, protect, and watch over, etc. all based solely on His grace. As this Proverb states, much of God's protection, guidance, and other blessings are given in response to our direct trust in Him.

He guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to him.

If we do not trust, He may leave us to the natural outcome that our lack of trust brings. God seeks teamwork with us. God is more focused on growing us to be mature adults in our faith then He is giving us what we want. So much of what we want is temporal, He is seeking to produce eternal fruit! Obviously, we humans, and I am one also, desire immediate deliverance from pain, suffering and trouble. Yet God, Who knows all, understands that if He serves us as our personal genie, what will be produced, is a weak faith, spiritual spoiled brat. 

God intends to have us become courageous, spiritual adults that trust Him above everything, which frees us from fear and allows us to walk boldly through the troubles all experience in this world, knowing that at the other side of the trial, is our Almighty, All Powerful, All Loving Dad at the end of the Path. Excited and anticipating our entrance into His home! When we are faithful to Him the fruit He promises is we will be given protection and guidance - it is a partnership!

The rest of this Proverb should be challenged:

Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will find the right way to go. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will fill you with joy.

Not because it is wrong – but by challenging it we unlock our understanding of how this Truth works. How does wisdom in the heart lead to knowledge that will fill us with joy? It’s not good enough to read this and say “Amen!” yet walk away not getting it! When we seek wisdom, and God grants it, He will because He promises to, His wisdom will take all the “data” (knowledge) we have and show us how to use it. 
All the knowledge of Who God is, now becomes applied truth. His promises for deliverance, His mercy, His unfailing love, are no longer just platitudes. Now we see Him, we know Him, we experience Him! That in turn fills us with joy! As wisdom opens your knowledge to application in life, the joy of being in a relationship with Almighty God fills you. Happiness comes and goes with circumstances, but joy is founded in Him. He never changes!

“The so what?” Do you understand that God has given us great freedom to access His grace, but much of it will not be forced on us? Do you cooperate with God’s desire to extend grace to you? Are you seeking “happiness” or “joy?” Do you understand the difference?