John Piper on the wealth-and-prosperity doctrine:

[Andry]

If Job had kept his focus on God in the midst of his trial, I believe he would have seen himself as prosperous.

I've mentioned it before on other threads, but I am currently going through some financial difficulties in my life. To the onlooker, I am anything but prosperous. But I still see myself as prosperous. This is a temporary setback, some trials and tribulations if you will, that I brought on myself. But I will come through the other side victorious. I don't see myself where I am. I see myself where I'm going.

Dude, what you're going through is not a setback.

When Joseph was sold by his brothers to the slave market in Egypt, it probably didn't feel like God was prospering him. But it wasn't about prosperity. It was about purpose.

So When Joseph’s brothers thought they were selling Joseph into slavery they were actually selling him into the purposes of God. It didn’t feel like that when his feet hit the bottom of the pit. And when he was standing in the slave market in Egypt being sold to the highest bidder – it didn’t feel like it. Neither did it feel like it when suddenly he had to choose not to compromise, when the wife of the chief captain of Egypt wanted him to commit adultery with her. Or when they took hold of him and put his feet in irons and threw him into prison. It certainly didn’t feel like it for two years after he had shared the revelation of the dream with the baker and the butler.

But it wasn't about prosperity, because it was about purpose. And it finally felt like the purposes of God were being fulfilled when the king called him, and put on him the robe of the prime minister on his back and the ring on his finger, and sat him on the chariot and rode him through the streets of Egypt, and caused him to have the opportunity to be the deliverance for all of his family and all of his nation. Then it felt like it. But it didn’t feel like it at the time.

And in our lives, it's not about being 'prosperous' more so than being purpose-driven......which is seeking the Kingdom of God.

Most Christians have got it backwards. They believe God wants to prosper them. Which is true. But prosperity for what purpose? So we're seeking the prosperity, or provision, but don't understand the purpose.

So let me ask, rhetorically, why would God ever want to give us anything without purpose?

Fact is, provision follows purpose. In fact, provision, does not determine your purpose. And many of us are waiting for something to happen and something to come and something to be provided and prospered. If this happens, if I have that, if this changes…. then I’ll be able to be released with purpose, then I’ll feel …. That’s not how it works. That’s backwards.

It doesn’t work that way. What we really need to do is to ask God to define our purpose – and once we understand that purpose, and once we begin working towards that purpose, the provision and the prosperity will follow. So provision follows purpose

So our prosperity is attached to our purpose. So if we feel that we are in need of provision in any area of our lives, if it’s passion back in our marriage, if it’s tolerance for our jobs, if it’s to re-catch the plot in our church, whatever it is, if we are in need of provision the key to that provision being released is our catching again the purpose.

And when we purpose to seek the Kingdom, all the things that is necessary in order for us to complete our purpose will be given.

 

[probinson]

Dude, what you're going through is not a setback.

When Joseph was sold by his brothers to the slave market in Egypt, it probably didn't feel like God was prospering him. But it wasn't about prosperity. It was about purpose.

So When Joseph’s brothers thought they were selling Joseph into slavery they were actually selling him into the purposes of God. It didn’t feel like that when his feet hit the bottom of the pit. And when he was standing in the slave market in Egypt being sold to the highest bidder – it didn’t feel like it. Neither did it feel like it when suddenly he had to choose not to compromise, when the wife of the chief captain of Egypt wanted him to commit adultery with her. Or when they took hold of him and put his feet in irons and threw him into prison. It certainly didn’t feel like it for two years after he had shared the revelation of the dream with the baker and the butler.

But it wasn't about prosperity, because it was about purpose. And it finally felt like the purposes of God were being fulfilled when the king called him, and put on him the robe of the prime minister on his back and the ring on his finger, and sat him on the chariot and rode him through the streets of Egypt, and caused him to have the opportunity to be the deliverance for all of his family and all of his nation. Then it felt like it. But it didn’t feel like it at the time.

And in our lives, it's not about being 'prosperous' more so than being purpose-driven......which is seeking the Kingdom of God.

Most Christians have got it backwards. They believe God wants to prosper them. Which is true. But prosperity for what purpose? So we're seeking the prosperity, or provision, but don't understand the purpose.

So let me ask, rhetorically, why would God ever want to give us anything without purpose?

Fact is, provision follows purpose. In fact, provision, does not determine your purpose. And many of us are waiting for something to happen and something to come and something to be provided and prospered. If this happens, if I have that, if this changes…. then I’ll be able to be released with purpose, then I’ll feel …. That’s not how it works. That’s backwards.

It doesn’t work that way. What we really need to do is to ask God to define our purpose – and once we understand that purpose, and once we begin working towards that purpose, the provision and the prosperity will follow. So provision follows purpose

So our prosperity is attached to our purpose. So if we feel that we are in need of provision in any area of our lives, if it’s passion back in our marriage, if it’s tolerance for our jobs, if it’s to re-catch the plot in our church, whatever it is, if we are in need of provision the key to that provision being released is our catching again the purpose.

And when we purpose to seek the Kingdom, all the things that is necessary in order for us to complete our purpose will be given.

Thanks for your post andry. I know God's purpose in my life. I have a calling to work with the youth in our area and in the music and media ministries. I use the gifts and callings God has given me to further His kingdom. The reason I call my financial difficulties a setback is because they are a setback. But it's only temporary and it in no way precludes the purpose and calling God has on my life. I'm not waiting for something to happen to appropriate God's purpose in my life. I'm walking in it now. I believe this financial "setback" is necessary now because it's taught me to trust God alone to be my provider. But I will walk in God's purpose for my life regardless of my circumstances.

 

[ladake]

I'm not waiting for something to happen to appropriate God's purpose in my life. I'm walking in it now. I believe this financial "setback" is necessary now because it's taught me to trust God alone to be my provider. But I will walk in God's purpose for my life regardless of my circumstances.

I agree, I'm in a similiar situation and I will say I'm still learning to depend on God in all things, not just for finances. I want to be a person who says I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether living in plenty or in want.

I think the main point is being content with what you have, thanking God for what you have or don't have and know that monetary means don't make us rich or poor.

But regardless of whether each of us is a millionaire or a penny pauper on earth...we can still give our time and love to others, spreading the word and just know we all have mansions in our Father's kingdom.