Have you ever felt like your everyday experiences in life aren’t lining up with your hopes, dreams, and the promises of God over your life? Many people feel that way, including myself over the years, until I discovered a key in 3rd John 2 that unlocked a Kingdom perspective on prospering for me.
“I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” 3rd John 2 emphasis added
I love how this verse so perfectly defines thriving in the Kingdom. This is the same way that I explain it to my Created to Thrive Mentoring Program members.
This verse begins by showing that prosperity in life and walking in divine health are both part of our inheritance in the Lord. They are both meant to be a regular part of every believer’s life.
Over the years, I’ve found it’s easy to believe that God wants to abundantly bless His people with physical health, healing, and wholeness. But the idea that God wants His people to “prosper in all things,” financially, in the marketplace, and in life seems to be harder to accept for many people.
In His sermon on the mount, Jesus said this,
31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:31-33 Emphasis Added
Thriving in the Kingdom isn’t a matter of working, sweating, figuring it all out on your own, and striving harder than everyone else around you. That’s the world’s way. That’s operating out of the mammon system and John knew this when he first penned the letter that would become 3rd John.
John learned first-hand what Jesus taught on that mount; that true Kingdom prosperity begins when you:
- Put God first.
- Commit to doing life, art, and business God’s way.
- Expect God to provide for all your needs.
- Believe that God wants to abundantly bless you in all areas of life.
That’s normal in the Kingdom of God. God doesn’t have favorites. God doesn’t make some people sick and some people healthy. He doesn’t prosper some and not prosper others just cause He’s playing favorites. Nope, prosperity and health are your birthright; it’s normal for every believer.
Helping Your Soul to Prosper
Have you ever taken a moment to think about what it means for your soul to prosper? And what does thriving internally have to do with prospering externally?
Everything that we do in the Kingdom is through faith. Meaning we see it, feel it, and believe it first, internally before we ever see those things manifest in our life, externally. That’s just how God has set it up. It’s not something God does to us but rather something He does with us through the leadership of the Holy Spirit.
I think that’s why Jesus taught us in Mark 11:24, “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” You see, prospering in your soul starts with renewing your mind and aligning your heart, will, and emotions with the truth of God’s Kingdom. So when you pray, you pray like you already have the thing you’re asking for – from a place of gratitude – rather than begging God for what you need.
As you intentionally sow these Kingdom principles into your life, your thought life and belief systems begin to change. And over time, the internal prospering begins to manifest externally. Maybe that’s why Proverbs 23:7 teaches us that “as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.”
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