Sunday Inspiration With Bishop Oyedepo: Operating In The Realm Of Financial Fortune By The Word

March 13, 2016 – Sunday Inspiration With Bishop David Oyedepo: Operating In The Realm Of Financial Fortune By The Word

Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee. Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart. If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles. Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks. Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver (Job 22:21-25).

We recognise from scriptures that all the forces of breakthrough, including financial breakthrough, reside in the Word. For instance, from the above scripture, when we receive the law and operate it based on the principles of the Word, our access to financial fortune is guaranteed.

We also understand from scriptures that among our inheritances in Christ is supernatural wealth. This is because Christ died to destroy the hold of poverty on our lives, among others, and unleash supernatural wealth on us. As it is written:

Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing (Revelation 5:12; see also 2 Corinthians 8:9).

That means, every child of God is a candidate for wealth and by redemption, has an inheritance of financial fortune in Christ. This establishes that redemption is our gateway to financial fortune. However, God empowers us for wealth through the revelation and application of the covenant. This is because the revelation of the Word is the gateway to a world of unlimited breakthroughs.

For instance, in my crave to know the secret of Kingdom prosperity, I went on a three-day prayer and fasting adventure on March 20-22, 1982. I took my Bible, the books of Kenneth and Gloria Copeland (The law of Prosperity and God’s Will is Prosperity), searching and asking God to show me this secret. On the third day, God spoke to me from Deuteronomy 8:18 which says: But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day. He further said, “My son, My prosperity plan is not a promise, so it does not answer to prayers. It is not a promise, and so it has no respect for fasting. My prosperity plan is a covenant and until your part is played, I am not committed.” This encounter changed my life forever!

This makes the subject of financial fortune a covenant, which demands that we know our part and commit to it, before God can fulfil His part. Therefore, it is the revelation of the terms of the covenant that launches and positions men into the realms of inexplicable but undeniable wealth.

But, what is a covenant?

A covenant can be defined as a spiritual platform where we commit God, through our obedience of faith, to fulfil His plan in our lives. It is also a deal enacted by God, based on well-defined terms and sealed with an oath (Hebrews 6:13-18).

Thus, Christianity is an adventure in the covenant. The Old and New Testament simply means Old and the New Covenant. As such, without a covenant mentality, one stands the risk of being frustrated in the faith. It is important to know that there is no shortcut to a world of financial fortune; it is embarking on a covenant journey with God that launches us into it. That is, there is what to do before we can commit God’s integrity to perform in our lives.

What, then, is the covenant of financial fortune?

Giving is the anchor law of the covenant of financial fortune. It is written: While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease (Genesis 8:22; see also 2 Corinthians 9:6-8).

The law of seed time and harvest is the law that launches men into the realm of financial fortune. ‘Seedtime’ and ‘harvest’ means giving and receiving, which provides the gateway to financial dominion.

It is important to note that the covenant of financial fortune is a current covenant that always delivers, the prevailing circumstances notwithstanding. In the course of my encounter on March 22, 1982, I asked God, “How reliable is this covenant?” He spoke to me from Jeremiah 33:20-21, 25-26: Thus saith the Lord; If ye 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 son to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites the priests, my ministers. Thus saith the Lord; If my covenant be not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth; Then will I cast away the seed of Jacob, and David my servant, so that I will not take any of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for I will cause their captivity to return, and have mercy on them.

God was simply saying, “Until you can stop the day and night from exchanging position, you cannot nullify my covenant. My covenant remains intact as long as the day and the night keep changing position.” It simply means that as long as the sun and the moon keep showing up in their season, no circumstance can stop God’s covenant from having effect. The truth is, if we play our part, we commit God’s integrity to perform His part (Psalms 89:34).

There are two main biblical channels of giving. They include:

Tithing: Tithing is the foundation and master key to a world of financial fortune. The blessings that accrue to us in tithing guarantee our access to unlimited financial fortune. As it is written: Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it (Malachi 3:10; see also Leviticus 27:30).

Our tithe is not a donation; rather, it is part of our spiritual responsibility. The Bible records that all the tithes of the land belong to God; thus, when we take whatever belongs to Him, we come under a curse. Let’s recognise that no matter the sacrifice we offer to God, it is tithing that secures the returns. Missing out of tithing is the principal diagnosis of financial struggles. God said to me, “If you will maintain a holy tithing requirement for the next six months of this year, you will be singing a new song before you arrive at Shiloh!” Therefore, receive grace to be an ever-willing and consistent ‘tither’ in Jesus’ name!

Worship Offering: We are admonished in scriptures not to go into God’s presence empty-handed. This is because God takes cognizance of every offering we bring when we are in worship (Exodus 34:20; Proverbs 3:9-10; Mark 12:41-44).

We must understand that every change of story in every area of life, including finances, stems out of applied revelation. That is, revelation is the starting point to a world of financial fortune. Thus, it is trading the covenant secrets in the Word that launches people into financial prosperity. This is because in the midst of crisis, God’s Word will always triumph (Deuteronomy 8:18).

There are diverse scriptural examples of individuals who traded covenant secrets and emerged as financial giants. However, in the school of supernatural blessings, Abraham is God’s standard.

Therefore, let’s examine how Abraham was launched into the realm of financial fortune.

He was a friend of God: Abraham walked in financial fortune by being a friend of God, which also means the love of God. Remember, love is the cord of friendship and the cheapest evidence of love is unreserved obedience, and that was the platform upon which Abraham’s fortune was built. As a result, he became very rich in cattle, silver and gold (Genesis 13:2; Isaiah 41:8; John 14:21; 1 John 5:3).
Every child of God is a seed of Abraham and according to scripture, if we are Abraham’s seed, then we will do the works of Abraham. That means, when we become God’s friend by reason of our love for Him, we become blessed in return like Abraham was (John 8:39; Galatians 3:29).

We must recognise that a genuine heart for God is the platform for accessing a world of financial fortune. This is because only true lovers of God will ever walk in financial fortune and God blesses us according to our heart for Him. When we are truly in love with God, operating in the covenant becomes easy and giving becomes a delight (1 Corinthians 2:9).

He was a liberal soul: Though God blessed Lot as He blessed Abraham, nevertheless, he (Abraham) liberally gave Lot all that he wanted. Abraham was a liberal soul to the extent that he entertained angels unawares. No wonder he was blessed and prospered supernaturally (Genesis 13:5-13, 18:1-5; Proverbs 11:24-25).

It takes liberality to access God’s agenda of prosperity and it is love that facilitates liberality. That is, giving is a proof of the sincerity of our love. This is why we need the giving grace to access the realm of financial fortune. Thus, it is not about what we have but where our hearts are. For instance, the Macedonian Church was in poverty but the giving grace upon them empowered them to be liberal.

The Bible says: How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality (2 Corinthians 8:2; see also Luke 6:38; 2 Corinthians 8:8).

That means there is a giving grace that enables people to walk in financial fortune. The greater the giving grace on our lives, the greater the coast of financial fortune we access.

However, for our giving to be fruitful, there are conditions to be met. These include:

The fear of the Lord: According to scriptures, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, which is the commander of wealth. The Spirit of wisdom speaking in scriptures says: I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness (Proverbs 8:17-18; see also Psalms 111:10, 112:1-3).

Integrity: The Bible records that Job was a man who feared God and eschewed evil. As a result, he became the greatest of all men in the business world, in his days. Without integrity, we cannot walk in financial fortune (Genesis 14:23; Job 1:1, 22:23; Zechariah 5:4).

Furthermore, for our giving to be acceptable, we must give willingly, cheerfully and in love (Acts 20:35; 1 Corinthians 13:3; 2 Corinthians 8:12, 9:6-8).

He was a tither: When Abraham returned from war, he paid the tithe of the spoil to Melchizedek and that launched him into the realms of supernatural blessings. We provoke our access to a world of financial fortune through our consistent tithing (Genesis 14:19-20; 13:2, 24:1; Leviticus 27:30; Hebrews 7:1-8).

Abraham was addicted to the altar of sacrifice: At God’s command, Abraham was always willing to let go of what he had, including his son whom he waited for, for twenty five years. It was through the altar of sacrifice that Abraham accessed a sworn blessing from God (Genesis 22:16-17).
The altar of sacrifice is the altar of turnaround and more often than not, it is privately demanded by God for our personal turnaround (2 Samuel 24:24-25).

For these reasons, Abraham was supernaturally blessed in all things and he became a symbol of generational blessing. This is why obedience to God’s commandments today is an investment into posterity. We are told in scriptures that Christ died to bring us into the Abrahamic order of blessings by redemption. As we all know, it is following the steps of giants that makes a giant. Thus, if we are Abraham’s children, then, we must walk in his steps to command the same order of financial fortune that he commanded (Genesis 24:1; Psalms 112:1-3; Isaiah 51:1-3; John 8:39; Galatians 3:13-14).

In conclusion, it is important to understand that our seed is not a financial donation to ‘help’ God, the church or a ministry. Rather, it is a spiritual transaction that provokes the release of financial fortune in the ultimate, among others. However, continuity, consistency and steadfastness in financial stewardship remain a covenant requirement for walking in financial fortune (Psalms 24:1; 1 Corinthians 15:58; Philippians 4:15-19; Hebrews 6:12). I, therefore, pray that as you subscribe to the terms of the covenant, every financial stress in your life will be terminated in Jesus’ name! Remain ever blessed!

Jesus is Lord!

Prophetic Blessings
I decree every proof of poverty mentality to lose its grip off your life!
Every form of financial struggle in your life ends today!
This year is ordained your Isaac order of year!
In this great year, God is changing your level beyond your wildest imagination!
Receive grace to live an upright life in your financial dealings!
Every financial misfortune around your life is cursed in Jesus’ name!
Before you arrive at Shiloh 2016, you are a financial wonder!
Before the month of March ends, you will sing a new song