How Does God Give You The Power To Get Wealth
We all want to have enough wealth and resources to live a comfortable life. But where does that wealth and prosperity actually come from according to the Bible? This article will provide biblical answers to that question.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer: The Bible teaches that all wealth and possessions come from God. As the ultimate owner of everything, God gives people the power and resources to produce wealth when they follow His principles of diligent work, wisdom, generosity, and faithful stewardship.
Wealth Comes from God
God Owns Everything
As the creator of all things, God owns everything in heaven and on earth (Psalm 24:1). This means that all the money, possessions, and resources in the world belong to Him. Though humans have been given stewardship over creation (Genesis 1:28), the ultimate ownership rests with God.
God Gives Power and Resources
While God owns everything, He has chosen to distribute resources unevenly. Some people and nations have more wealth and influence than others. Scripture indicates that this is by God’s design and according to His purposes (Deuteronomy 8:18, 1 Samuel 2:7).
Through His sovereignty, God gives different people different levels of resources and abilities.
For example, some incredibly successful entrepreneurs attribute their business accomplishments to divine empowerment. Take Kanye West who has said, “God has given me this incredible opportunity to do what I do…He’s using me obviously.”
We Are Stewards, Not Owners
While God distributes resources unevenly, the Bible makes it clear that we are stewards rather than owners. All that we have is on loan from God and meant to be used according to His purposes. As stewards, it is our role to manage wealth faithfully as God enables us to generate it (Matthew 25:14-28).
Owner | Steward | |
---|---|---|
Holds the title/deed | Yes | No |
Makes day-to-day decisions | No | Yes |
Reaps ultimate benefits | Yes | No |
In the end, both riches and poverty come from God’s hand. Those He blesses with prosperity are called to generously share and promote His redemptive work in the world (1 Timothy 6:17-19).
Principles for Prosperity
Diligent Work and Wise Investing
The Bible encourages diligent work, stating that “all hard work brings a profit” (Proverbs 14:23). Being diligent in your career or business and wisely investing profits enables financial growth. For example, consistently saving and investing even 10% of income over decades through vehicles like 401(k)s or mutual funds compounds dramatically.
As financial advisor Suze Orman notes, “Investing is not gambling or speculation. It’s making your money work hard for you over the long haul.” Applying wisdom and discernment when making major purchasing decisions is also key – focusing on needs versus wants and limiting debt facilitates prosperity.
Generously Giving Back
While secular culture promotes accumulating wealth for oneself, biblical principles emphasize generous giving. Scriptures state that “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously” (2 Corinthians 9:6).
Jesus also taught that “Give, and it will be given to you…for with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Luke 6:38). Statistics from nonprofit Network for Good confirm the personal benefits of giving – givers report feeling a “helper’s high” and increased happiness.
Faithful Stewardship
Rather than chasing riches for their own sake, the Bible emphasizes wisely managing and stewarding financial resources God provides. We are called to be faithful managers of such blessings to honor God and bless others, recognizing that true contentment comes from God, not materials (1 Timothy 6:6-8).
This requires consistently striving for righteousness in finances and business dealings as part of one’s testimony. For example, Romans 12:17 instructs, “Do not repay anyone evil for evil” – maintaining integrity and avoiding deceitful shortcuts ultimately pays dividends.
Trusting God, Not Wealth
Seeking God First
The Bible teaches us that we should seek God first above all else (Matthew 6:33). When we make God our priority, He promises to provide for our needs. This requires faith and contentment, realizing that the most valuable things in life are not material riches but spiritual riches from God.
Jesus warns us about being so focused on material wealth that we neglect caring for our souls (Luke 12:13-21). We can’t serve both God and money. We must set our minds on things above rather than earthly things (Colossians 3:2).
Being Content and Generous
Contentment is a key to lasting joy and avoiding the destructive lure of materialism. The apostle Paul said that godliness with contentment is great gain (1 Timothy 6:6). When we are content with what we have, we avoid envy, greed, and idolizing wealth.
Generosity is another antidote to materialism. Jesus said it is more blessed to give than receive (Acts 20:35). When we freely give to help others and further God’s work, it changes our perspective from accumulating more stuff to advancing God’s kingdom.
Avoiding Greed and Materialism
Greed and materialism trap many people in endless discontent. Consumer debt has reached epic levels in the U.S., with the average household carrying $6,506 in credit card debt alone. Clearly, having more stuff does not make us happier.
We must reject the lies that more possessions or a higher income will bring lasting fulfillment. The endless cycle of working to buy more things never satisfies. Only God can truly satisfy the longings of our soul. We have to decide if we will serve Him or money.
Conclusion
In the end, all wealth and possessions belong to God alone. As we follow biblical principles of hard work, wisdom, generosity and faithful stewardship, God promises to give us the power and resources we need to produce wealth.
But our trust and contentment must remain in Him, not in the fleeting riches of this world.