Prepared To Prosper

Proverbs 24:27 AMP - Prepare your work outside and get it ready for yourself in the field; afterward build your house and establish a home.

There is a huge difference between preparing to prosper and being prepared to prosper.

Being prepared means you are ready. Preparing means you are trying to get ready, but not yet ready. When it comes to your professional dreams and goals, which are you?

A new soldier is preparing for battle. A seasoned soldier is prepared for battle. See the difference? Do you want a surgeon who is preparing for your surgery, or one who is prepared? Are you preparing to win, or are you prepared to win.

When it comes to prospering, it's something God wants for you. The words prosper, prospering and prosperity are in the scriptures over 80 plus times.

First let's define what the word Prosper actually means.

• Webster’s definition: the condition of being successful or thriving; especially: economic well-being.
• Hebrew definition 6743: tranquility; security, ease, peace, wealth, to have good success.
• Greek definition 2137: to help on the road; succeed in reaching, to succeed in business affairs.

Prosper, prospering and prosperity are biblical words. They are God's Words. So as you read these words in the Bible, you’ll get the impression God wants you to be prosperous. God not only wants to be your source for every kind of provision, He also wants to abundantly provide for you. Once you know and accept this, you can confidently approach God and ask Him to bless you and bring you into His prosperity.

What does the Bible have to say about prosperity?

3 John 2 (AMP) – Beloved, I pray that in every way you may succeed and prosper and be in good health [physically], just as [I know] your soul prospers [spiritually].

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) – “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Deuteronomy 5:33 (NIV) – Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.

Deuteronomy 28:11 (NIV) – The Lord will grant you abundant prosperity—in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground—in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you.

Psalm 1:3 (NIV) – That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.

Psalm 128:2 (NIV) – You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.

Proverbs 8:18 (NIV) – With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity.

Proverbs 11:25 (NIV) – A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.

Proverbs 16:20 (NIV) – Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.

As you read through these scriptures you will have a hard time believing God doesn’t want you to prosper. To prosper is a good thing, not a bad thing.

The question is are you still preparing for God to prosper you or are you prepared? There is nothing wrong with preparing, but at some point you have to be prepared. You have to have done your homework. Here's some wisdom from the book of wisdom, Proverbs.

Proverbs 28:19-20 NIV - Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty. A faithful person will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.

Proverbs 24:27 AMP - Prepare your work outside and get it ready for yourself in the field; afterward build your house and establish a home.

God wants to prosper you but at some point you must actually be prepared.

- if you are a Christ-follower, your faith must be bold and strong for God's assignments — be prepared

- if you are a Christ-follower, you must understand your purpose as a marketplace disciple — be prepared

- if you are part of the global workforce and you want God to prosper your career, you must be up-to-date and prepared for the promotion — be prepared

- if you want to become an entrepreneur and start a business, you must be prepared in the area of digital marketing and sales (customer acquisition) — be prepared

- if you are a seasoned entrepreneur trying to scale and grow your business — be prepared

Whatever it is that you are pursuing, understand what being prepared looks like. If you're not sure what being prepared looks like, find a mentor/coach, they'll tell you.

Why is this important? It's important because you have God-planted dreams and goals inside you and I want you to succeed and prosper. Everyday I see good people with big dreams yet no results. Why? 99% of the time, they're not prepared.

I see this with new and experienced entrepreneurs, they are preparing but not prepared.

I see this people struggling to find a job or get promoted. Same thing.

I see this with people in ministry.

Here's some tough love, find our what prepared looks like, and then get prepared. God is waiting on you to do this.

Once you are prepared — your God will prosper you.

-Gerald