Abundance

from PaulaWhite.org

Ultimately, God wants you to prosper! The Word of God says it like this: “Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers.” (3 John 1:2). How does our soul prosper? We come into abundance by being faithful, and we become faithful by having an “attitude of gratitude.”
What you appreciate, appreciates! When we learn to magnify the value of what we already have by praise to God, we will truly see the value in what we have. When we perceive our value, we are faithful to care for and be responsible to ourselves and what we have. So gratefulness flows out of grace. Grace shows you your value. Your value causes you to be faithful. And being faithful brings you into abundance!

“His lord said unto him, well done, good and faithful servant;
thou hast been faithful over a few things,
I will make thee ruler over many things:
enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” Matthew 25:23

Faithful in the Greek means “trustworthy, trustful.” Isn’t it interesting that part of being trustworthy means also being “trustful”? Since we are faithful people, we believe others are faithful, too. Not because we become an easy target, but because filled with faith, we see the good in others. To the pure, all things are pure (Titus 1:15).
See what happens to the fearful servant:

“Take therefore the talent from him,
and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance:
but from him that hath not shall be taken away
even that which he hath.” Matthew 25:28-29

According to the determining factor, to have “abundance,” we must be faithful - “trustful and trustworthy.” This means you are safe and can be trusted. You make a promise and don’t change, even if keeping your word is unpleasant due to unforeseen circumstances. Abundance is given to a healthy vessel of “trust.” The implication here is that “I am responsible for, and am thankful for what I carry, possess or contain, because I know it has value.”

It’s impossible to feel grateful for something or someone that we do not value.

What do you value? What do you not value? When we depreciate something, we devalue or diminish its worth.

When we appreciate something (or someone!) we give value with approval and praise. When we appreciate things, we “mean” to increase their worth. This is the attitude we need to cultivate for our souls to prosper and to be counted worthy to be a ruler over many.

Imagine that a leader comes into power who devalues and diminishes the people under them. That leader would be detrimental to the people they led. That leader would be seen as critical and destructive to those around him. This kind of leader could not cause their people to grow and prosper.

In order for you to become the leader God wants you to be, you have to become an “appreciator” of the people and things around you. When we see the treasure in others, we have true admiration and respect for them. When we act faithfully, we open the door for them to become who they are in Christ!

This was the secret of the man with the 5 talents.

The man with 5 talents who gained another 5 did so by “appreciating” the value of his own talent and using it to gain other valuable talents. We can bring out other people’s talents by “appreciating” those around us and being gracious to them. When we do this, we come into abundance, because we are being both trustful and trustworthy! These are the leaders God is raising up!

God desires for you to appreciate your family, friends, material things and even your enemies. We can’t do this without the work of God in our hearts by faith in Jesus Christ. The grace of God can work in us and others when we are gracious, grateful people. When we make it a way of life to be gracious, grateful people, we are faithful, and can be trusted with more. Body of Christ, we must become grateful people, and then faithful... only then will we be ready to possess the abundance of the land He has for each and every one of us!