PROSPERITY FROM GOD
PROSPERITY FROM GOD
Preached by: Pastor Carolyn Sissom
Sunday, May 1, 2011
This week I posted a dream I had. In it the Lord commissioned me to speak and declare prosperity and financial blessing to His people.
As I have studied the scriptures for more understanding, it is clear that throughout the Holy Bible, the Lord has spoken to His prophets to either declare prosperity or to pronounce judgments that they would not prosper because of their sins, pride, disobedience, forgetting the Lord in the time of prosperity, etc.
We know that during the times of judgment, the Lord has always provided a supernatural supply for the elect. One example of this is the blessing of the Israelites in the land of Goshen during their captivity in Egypt.
This past week has again been a week of storms, economic threats, political upheavals, and moral and spiritual decline on many levels in this nation.
This week the Kingdom of God lost a giant of the faith. David Wilkerson, founder of World Challenge Ministries was killed Wednesday in a car accident in East Texas.
Brother Wilkerson’s book, The Cross and the Switchblade, stirred the fires of Faith in my life. I have been blessed since the 1960’s to receive his monthly sermon series. Not only did the Lord use him through the delivering power of the Lord Jesus Christ to redeem thousands of teenagers from life-controlling issues, but He was also a prophet of judgment. I am not saying that he spoke and declared judgment, but he saw by vision the judgment that came upon this nation from the early 1970’s until now.
I read his book, “The Vision”, in the early 70’s. I remember becoming overcome with grief and a feeling of physical illness as I read and had a witness of the judgments that were to come and have already come upon our nation.
He foretold of terrorism, economic disasters, energy crisis, famine, corporate corruption, religious scandals, militant homosexuality, pleasure driven Christianity, twisted morality, drastic weather changes and earthquakes, a flood of filth, debauchery and perversion even on our television screens; hatred of parents by teens; increase in teenage alcoholism; a new sex drug would be marketed; betrayal of parents to the point of having them put to death; rebellion of preachers’ kids. The antichrist spirit will enter the hearts of certain men in high places, in government, and in the judicial system causing these officials to engage in legal maneuvers designed to harass independent churches, missionaries, and ministers.
In 1974, such things were unthinkable prophetic warnings. Sadly in the year 2011, they now read like old news headings. He was persecuted and ridiculed when he wrote that book for being a fear monger.
He updated the book in 2003 and is published it as “The Vision and Beyond”. He prophesies of a time of monetary confusion and despair; with American cities declaring bankruptcy.
The chapter, God’s Message for the Prepared, encourages us that the Lord has a provision for true Christians.
“The way tragedies and disasters are striking the earth with such frequency and intensity would suggest that the earth is suffering labor pains. The Bible says God is going to create a new heaven and a new earth. This old earth will pass away and melt with fervent heat. The very elements are to be melted away. We are witnessing not so much the death of an old world, but the birth of a new one.
These are exciting days for true Christians. God, in His love and mercy, is allowing disasters to strike the earth to warn all who will hear that Jesus is coming back, and that it’s time to get ready. He loves His children too much to bring His new kingdom to pass without warning. He knows that mankind is hard of hearing and that it takes disasters of earthquake proportions to get his attention. These disasters are kind of countdown, too painful to ignore, choreographed by God to set the state for the final moments of time.” (David Wilkerson)
This week I shared the commission the Lord spoke to me regarding prosperity for His people to my young friends, Todd and Erin Conti. Todd was happy about this word and asked me, “Are you excited and happy?” I replied, “No, I am not feeling either of those two emotions. I am contemplative, praying to understand and to be wise as well as faithful.” Prosperity preachers have been given a “bad rap” by profiteers and charlatans. This is an arena of the Kingdom that receives a lot of persecution by the world. I’m not afraid of the persecution. I have had plenty of that. I just want to be sure I will be faithful, strong, and fearless in the battle.
By the Lord releasing this anointing, then my understanding would be that an angel has been released to minister this. So I began searching the scriptures.
Genesis 24:40: ‘And he said unto me, The Lord before whom I walk will send His angel with you, and prosper your way…”
This would be the Angel of the Lord.
Deut. 8:18: “But you shall remember the Lord your God; for it is he that gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which he swore unto your fathers , as it is this day.”
In Jeremiah 33, is a promise of restoration to God’s people after captivity and judgment. This is called The Great Prophecy of the Davidic Kingdom, fulfilled in and through the Church. In verses 1-5, describes Jerusalem’s overthrow. A call to prayer was issued as the siege of Jerusalem was begun. This picture of impending disaster furnished the dark background against which was flashed the future glory of the Holy Nation (Matt. 21: 42-43; 1 Per. 2: 9-10), the Kingdom of God. Verses 6-14 reveals future blessing and glory:
“Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth. And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return, and will build them, as at the first. And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against Me. And it shall be to Me a name of joy, a praise and an honor before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do to them and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure to it…”
Cleansing is to be effected after the judgment. The joy of salvation is echoed in verses 9-11, and Kingdom peace and prosperity are described in 12-14. The Branch of the Lord will be revealed (15-16) The Lord declares His faithfulness to perform all the Covenants and promises made to His people (23-26).
This is the chapter of God’s unbreakable promise. Zion (The Kingdom of God) will once again become the center of family life and of joy and prosperity. The establishment of the restored order is to be associated with the one who is described as the Branch of Righteousness. In him are the two offices of King and Priest united. God then says that His promise is not only sure but also gracious.
33: 20-22: “Thus says the Lord, if you can break My covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season; Then may also My covenant be broken with David My Servant, that he should not have a song to reign upon his throne…and the host of heaven cannot be numbered neither the sand of the sea measured so will I multiply the seed of David My servant and the Levites that minister to me.”
As I have studied the prophets, it seems to me that they prophesied judgment until judgment was upon the people. Then the Lord had them declare and proclaim His love, provision, healing, restoration and prosperity through His Son, Jesus Christ, the Greater David.
I hope all of you see why I am “bent-over-before-the Lord” with this Word he spoke to me this week. “Carolyn wherever you go, declare and prophesy prosperity and financial blessing to my people.” This would also indicate that the judgment spoken of by David Wilkerson of monetary confusion and despair is upon us.
2 Chr. 26: 5 “And he (King Uzziah) sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God; and as long as he sought he Lord, God made him to prosper.”
Ps. 1:3 “And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he does shall prosper.”
“Let the dollar fail. Let depression or recession come with its unemployment and fear. Let pollution and inflation come. Let there be wars and rumors of wars. Let the fabric of society disintegrate. Let mankind go to the drunken brink of disaster. For the true child of God, everything is still under control! It really doesn’t matter---nothing can harm those who abide under the shelter of the almighty wings. The shadow of the almighty is bigger than any fearful shadow this age can project. God’s children need fear no evil. His children will never beg for bread, and He will supply ever true need up to the very last minute of time.
God has not promised to keep His children from suffering. We are promised peace and security of soul and mind---supernatural provision for every true need---and assurance that we never have to beg for bread.” (D.W.)
Now, I have received an amazing Grace of financial blessing and prosperity to be spoken wherever I go. If the Lord is sending me, then He will send others. I pray those who are assigned this Grace will not use it as profiteers. I plan to walk circumspect, and in the Fear of the Lord.
This week, May 5, 2011, is our National Day of Prayer. I encourage all of you to participate in a prayer gathering to call the heart of the people of this nation back to the Lord and “to mobilize the saints to intercede for America and its leadership in seven centers of power: Government, Military, Media, Business, Education, Church and Family”. (Shirley Dobson)
Rev. Sandra Farley and I will be attending the National Day of Prayer in Washington, D.C. as guests of Capitol Hill Prayer Group.
I also want to pay tribute and honor to Leyland Giardina, father of Rev. Roxanne Giardina. Brother Giardina was a 40-year member of the Assemblies of God and attended Eastgate for three-years. He had a 23-year battle with cancer and fought the good fight of faith. He was healed this past week and is now well, whole and happy in Heaven. Our prayers and sympathy are with the Giardina family and the Wilkerson family.
Preached by: Pastor Carolyn Sissom
Eastgate Ministries, Inc.
Scripture from K.J.V. quotes from “The Vision and Beyond” by: David Wilkerson as indicated. Vision was given to Carolyn Sissom, Monday, April 25, 2011. Comments and conclusions are my own and not meant to reflect the views of those from whom I have gleaned.