Prosperity vs. Peace

It has been said from many pulpits, "no money, no peace" or "get wealth without loving money" or "if you do not have financial freedom you are not truly free." These prosperity preachers talk of a false peace that comes from the world through money; however, children of God are told that "Thou shalt not seek their peace nor their prosperity all thy days for ever" (Deuteronomy 23:6). Jesus reminds us that "in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation" (John 16:33). And "they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows" (1 Timothy 6:9-10). If we love the "blood" of this world—money, we gain evil, the world of darkness and eternal damnation—destruction and perdition. Let us examine other scriptures that link prosperity and destruction.

And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand. (Daniel 8:23-25)

Notice, the Antichrist "shall destroy the mighty and the holy people ... by peace shall destroy many." The word "peace" is derived from the Hebrew word shalvah, which means prosperity; thus, the scripture reads, "by prosperity shall destroy many." "And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name" (Revelation 13:16-17). "For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them" (Proverbs 1:32). But "the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits" (Daniel 11:32).

Prosperity in the world is defined as the condition of being successful or thriving; especially: economic well-being. "Power, wealth, and freedom from deprivation are values that society has always deemed important in measuring self-worth and social success."¹³⁹ How many financially prosperous people, however, have "pierced themselves through with many sorrows?" The reports out of Hollywood, Wall Street, mega-churches, the sports world, the entertainment world, and the other haunts of the rich show a life that is not as worry free (infidelity, divorce, spousal abuse, drug addiction, sexual perversion, depression, etc.) as they purport. "There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked" (Isaiah 48:22). "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul" (Mark 8:36-37)? "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:11-13). Jesus admonishes, "Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God" (Mark 10:24)! The prosperity of God is peace (Psalm 122:7); whereas the prosperity of the world is riches—financial prosperity. The righteous focus on the prosperity of God (Psalm 72:7), however, the ungodly focus on the prosperity of the world: "Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches" (Psalm 73:12). Money, at best, is simply a material resource. Resources run out or can be stolen. It is said often, and we agree, that money cannot buy everything.

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. (Matthew 6:19-24)

Thus, a wise man seeks for an annuity relationship that never runs out. "But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it" (Luke 11:28). God, the Source, is everlasting and limitless. God can provide for our needs (Matthew 17:27) or simply remove the need (John 5:3-8). "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16). "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7). "Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant" (Psalm 35:27). The word "prosperity" in this scripture, which is touted by many prosperity preachers, is derived from the Hebrew word shalowm, which means peace; thus, the scripture actually reads that the Lord "hath pleasure in the peace of his servant." The Word of God talks of a peace that surpasses all understanding that comes assuredly with Jesus Christ: "first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace" (Hebrews 7:2). "And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever" (Isaiah 32:17). Aaron Clark weighs in on this subject with the following:

Of all the things we seek comfort in, there is only one thing we really want. The devil has managed to distract all of us, at one time or another, simultaneously deceiving us into believing that the death he camouflages, will bring us exactly what we're looking for. All we found was heartache, heartbreak, disappointment, and failure; and back on the hunt we went. So, what is it that the whole world is looking for? What are billions of dollars wasted on, marriages dissolved for, marches, boycotts, wars, and riots for?

I am convinced that what the whole world is looking for is peace. By whatever means we have sought it; wine, women, song, shopping, war, control, or power; what we really want is peace. For example, most of us who desire to be rich, desire it to relieve ourselves of financial turmoil. That is, we want peace financially. Others desire riches for the power it brings to control our surroundings.

Riches can solve a lot of problems but [it] cannot buy you peace. This subtle message is what has people going in so many different directions. The devil has people deceived into thinking that peace is everywhere but in Jesus. His ministers support his doctrine with messages that point people to Jesus, but only as a means to get their problems solved. When Jesus saves us and looks to glorify God and God only in us, this clashes with the lie that He'll fix all our problems.

Jesus says, "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword" (Matthew 10:34). Still, there is an insistence on finding, in this world, what Jesus said you will not; and the devil is there to assist all who believe they will. We have one problem that we need solved right away: the grave! While we're alive, Jesus says, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you" (John 14:27). Knowing pains of being called is vital.

To look for peace anywhere but in Jesus is the shortest path [to] destruction, even though it could take a long time. How many will live their whole life and never come to Jesus for peace! Jesus says, "If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes" (Luke 19:42).

Trying to get the peace of God without God, is what leads to all manner of evil. Jesus is the Prince of Peace and God is the God of all Peace. Jesus is the door and no man comes to God but by Him.¹⁴⁰

Therefore, if we abide in Christ—believe, study, obey and live his Word, who "washed us from our sins in his own blood" (Revelation 1:5), we gain peace, the world of light and eternal life. "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" (John 8:12). Prosperity in the Lord is defined as the condition of being successful or thriving in our relationship to God and Jesus Christ; that is, spiritual well-being. Oswald Chambers asserts that "The test of the life of a saint is not success, but faithfulness in human life as it actually is. We will set up success in Christian work as the aim; the aim is to manifest the glory of God in human life, to live the life hid with Christ in God in human conditions. Our human relationships are the actual conditions in which the ideal life of God is to be exhibited."¹⁴¹ Prosperity in the Lord means a Christian is blessed: "Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin" (Romans 4:7-8). "A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold" (Proverbs 22:1). Prosperity in the Lord means a Christian has spiritual wealth: "always having all sufficiency in all things" (2 Corinthians 9:8) and "Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness" (2 Corinthians 9:11). Prosperity in the Lord—peace—means that "When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him" (Isaiah 59:19). Examine Matthew 5 and Luke 6 for various other verses that define being blessed: being prosperous in the Lord. "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper" (Psalm 1:1-3).

"Thousands of people are happy without God in this world. If I was happy and moral till Jesus came, why did He come? Because that kind of happiness and peace is on a wrong level; Jesus Christ came to send a sword through every peace that is not based on a personal relationship to Himself."¹⁴² Peace, which cannot be bought, has more everlasting value than money. Righteousness brings peace: "the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever" (Isaiah 32:17). If you are rightly aligned with God—thoughts, speech and actions please God—such that "God is not ashamed to be called [your] God" (Hebrews 11:16), and "the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace" (Psalm 37:11). "Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people" (Ezekiel 37:26-27).

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