Before I even began my prayer to the Lord this morning, He put a Scripture on my heart: “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” (Joshua 1:8)

To us, prosperity means wealth. But the Lord first calls on us to meditate on His Word day and night and do what it says. Even though many “prosperity preachers” use this verse to show that God wants to give us worldly wealth, I think the prosperity and success He is referring to is spiritual, not money bags. According to Skip Moen who has a Hebrew word study blog, “the Hebrew word for prosperous “seleah” really means “to accomplish what is intended””.

Skip continues: “It is the success and prosperity that comes from reaching the goal.  So, what is the goal?  The goal of God’s tora is all about God’s character.  It isn’t about us.  The goal is to become a reflection of the character of God – the one who is merciful, patient, kind, long-suffering, willing to sacrifice, forgiving and faithful.  The reason that we listen, memorize, contemplate, act and watch is so that we will become like Him.  It has nothing to do with green pieces of paper.  God’s goal is to give you something that can never be taken from you.  God’s goal is to give you Himself.”

What God considers prosperity has little to do with the world.  Overcoming the world means gaining what cannot be lost. If we look at Jesus’s words in the Sermon on the Mount, it becomes clearer: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matt. 6:19-21)

The Lord wants us to treasure Him, His Word, and to joyfully anticipate His plan for our lives: to become a reflection of His image. “But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” (Deut 4:29)

The song “First” came to mind as I meditated on these Scriptures. Before I bring my need, I will bring my heart. Before I lift my cares, I will lift my arms. I wanna know You, I wanna find You In every season, In every moment. Before I bring my need, I will bring my heart And seek You First…You are my treasure and my reward. Let nothing ever come before I seek You first.

Source: Prosperous by Skip Moen