As you study the subject of prosperity, it becomes clear that God is a God of justice as well as mercy. He is fair in all His dealings. In His Word, He has given clear instruction of how to live a godly life, which is the foundation for prosperity. When we are obedient to follow His ways, He will take care of us and bless us. But those who refuse to go God’s way will have a different outcome. Psalm 37:28 in The Amplified Bible says, “The Lord delights in justice and forsakes not His saints; they are preserved for ever, but the offspring of the wicked [in time] shall be cut off.” And Proverbs 28:8 says, “He who by charging excessive interest and by unjust efforts to get gain increases his material possession, gathers it for him [to spend] who is kind and generous to the poor.” It is an immutable law that one cannot truly prosper in all areas of life if he does not serve and obey God (see Deuteronomy 28:15-68). God prospers those who love and obey Him.

Some people may feel that God is taking a long time to fulfill some of His promises, but 2 Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord does not delay and be tardy or slow about what He promises, according to some people’s conception of slowness, but He is long-suffering (extraordinarily patient) toward you, not desiring that any should perish, but that all should turn to repentance” (The Amplified Bible). God is giving the unrighteous plenty of time to repent, however, He is well aware of what they are doing in the meantime (Proverbs 5:21, 15:3). They may appear to prosper through evildoing, but their success will be short-lived (James 5:1-4; Psalm 37:7-9). The Word of God indicates that in the last days, there will be a transfer of wealth from the hands of the wicked to the hands of the just. God is actually giving sinners the job of storing up wealth for the righteous (Ecclesiastes 2:26).

That wealth can come into the kingdom of God in different ways. There are those who receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior and bring their resources with them. This is really what God wants for all sinners—to have them become a part of the family of God. Then they can become partakers of the blessings of God.

Another way the wealth can be transferred is through faith and the Word of God operating in believers’ lives—such as through the hundredfold return. People who are increasing their giving as they grow will see ever-increasing returns on their giving—as the reservoirs that have held riches from unjust gain are tapped. The wicked rich who refuse to obey God will begin to see their wealth dwindle. Riches will return to the hands of the givers.

So learn to give. Get your words in line with God’s Word. Believe for the hundredfold return—and for the wealth of the wicked to come into your hands, because “The wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just” (Proverbs 13:22).

Kenneth Copeland Ministries

Proverbs 3:9-10
KJV—Honour the Lord with thy substance,
and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and
thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

Amp—Honor the Lord with your capital
and sufficiency [from righteous labors], and
with the first fruits of all your income; So
shall your storage places be filled with
plenty, and your vats be overflowing with
new wine.

Moffatt—Honour the Eternal with your
wealth, and with the best of all you make;
so shall your barns be full of corn, your vats
brim over with new wine.

NIV—Honor the Lord with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops; then
your barns will be filled to overflowing, and
your vats will brim over with new wine.

Proverbs 10:2-6
KJV—Treasures of wickedness profit nothing:
but righteousness delivereth from
death. The Lord will not suffer the soul of
the righteous to famish: but he casteth
away the substance of the wicked. He becometh
poor that dealeth with a slack
hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh
rich. He that gathereth in summer is a wise
son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son
that causeth shame. Blessings are upon
the head of the just: but violence covereth
the mouth of the wicked.

Amp—Treasures of wickedness profit nothing,
but righteousness [moral and spiritual
rectitude in every area and relation] delivers
from death. The Lord will not allow the [uncompromisingly]
righteous to famish, but He
thwarts the desire of the wicked. He becomes
poor who works with a slack and idle
hand, but the hand of the diligent makes
rich. He who gathers in summer is a wise
son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son
who causes shame. Blessings are upon the
head of the [uncompromisingly] righteous—
the upright, in right standing with God; but
the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

Moffatt—Ill-gotten gains are never a profit:
’tis honesty that ensures life for man. The
Eternal never stints an honest man: he
thwarts the craving of dishonest men. A
slack hand makes men poor: a busy hand
makes men rich. He who reaps in summer is
a man of sense: he who sleeps through harvest
does a shameful thing. God’s blessing is
upon the good man’s head, but the bad
man’s face shall be darkened with disaster.

NIV—Ill-gotten treasures are of no value,
but righteousness delivers from death. The
Lord does not let the righteous go hungry
but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.
Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent
hands bring wealth. He who gathers crops
in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps
during harvest is a disgraceful son. Blessings
crown the head of the righteous, but violence
overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.

Kenneth Copeland Ministries

When it comes to prosperity, the Word of God
is the secret to your success. But just reading the
Word isn’t what makes you successful.

When God instructed Joshua about what to do
to become prosperous and have good success, He
told Joshua three things to do with the Word on a
continual, night-and-day basis. He said to speak
the Word, meditate on the Word, and do (obey)
the Word (Joshua 1:7-8).

When we get actively involved with the Word,
allowing it to fill our thoughts, direct our conversation
and determine our actions, that’s when
we really become doers of the Word. And God
promised us, the doer of His Word is who will be
prosperous and blessed.

Leviticus 26:3-5

KJV—If ye walk in my statutes, and keep
my commandments, and do them; Then I
will give you rain in due season, and the
land shall yield her increase, and the trees
of the field shall yield their fruit. And your
threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and
the vintage shall reach unto the sowing
time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full,
and dwell in your land safely.

Amp—If you walk in My statutes and keep
My commandments and do them, I will give
you rain in due season, and the land shall
yield her increase, and the trees of the field
yield their fruit. And your threshing [time]
shall reach to the vintage, and the vintage
[time] shall reach to the sowing time; and
you shall eat your bread to the full, and
dwell in your land securely.

NIV—If you follow my decrees and are
careful to obey my commands, I will send
you rain in its season, and the ground will
yield its crops and the trees of the field
their fruit. Your threshing will continue until
grape harvest and the grape harvest will
continue until planting, and you will eat all
the food you want and live in safety in
your land.

Leviticus 27:30

KJV—All the tithe of the land, whether of
the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the
tree, is the Lord’s: it is holy unto the Lord.

Amp—All the tithe of the land, whether of
the seed of the land or of the fruit of the
tree, is the Lord’s; it is holy to the Lord.

Moffatt—The tithe of all the land, whether
in grain from the field or in fruit from the
tree, all belongs to the Eternal; it is sacred
to the Eternal.

NIV—A tithe of everything from the land,
whether grain from the soil or fruit from
the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to
the Lord.

Kenneth Copeland Ministries