A “Check in the Mail Syndrome” : One problem with the current prosperity teaching • Deshen Daily

And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians (Exod. 12:36 KJV)

Divine prosperity is a reality. Furthermore, it is an earthly benefit which is part of the salvation package to us as believers. However, there is a trend in the Church today that I call “the check in the mail syndrome” where we are told to “sow a seed” and then expect some financial open door, most often “expecting a check of that or that amount in the mail..”. There is something wrong with this.

First, please note that financial favor from God is real. It indeed occurs. An example is seen in Israel above. So there is some truth about that getting a check in the mail or miraculous supply from God(e.g manna). Time will not allow me to get into details here. However, there are two problems with this. The first is that Christians often get manipulated by what I will call “kingdom greed”, primarily by fake ministers to give money expecting some substantial financial return that for the overwhelming majority never seem to arrive. The second is that many Christians get locked into this mindset of sowing and expecting some check to arrive in the mail. The truth is that God’s plan of financial prosperity in your life is not with a check in the mail mindset. It is through the blessing of God through the works of your hands. I wish I had enough time and space to repeat this statement a million times! I think the Church( that is all of us) is making a fool of ourselves in the eyes of the world with the current prosperity teaching and practices.

Brethren, what do you have in your hands that the Lord can bless?

MEDITATE

What happened to manna( miraculous provisions) when the children of Israel entered the promised land ( Jos. 5:12)

APPLY THE WORD

The works of your hands are the foundation for divine prosperity. What do you have in your hands? ( Exo. 4:2). The most significant cause of poverty amongst us the Church is not because people do not pay tithes or sow seeds. It is because many Christians have nothing in their hand that the blessing that comes from giving, for example, can work through. Stop waiting for some check in the mail. Activate the blessing of God in your life by getting your hands involved! Move from manna to blessings!( Deut. 28:12)