English Prosper = To be successful, to thrive, to be rich. This is the commonly accepted meaning of the term. But the Hebrew words translated prosper, prosperity, prosperous in the Bible mean far more than financial riches. They mean, success, well being, joy, health and progress in all that you undertake.

Hebrew Halak = To go on, to progress. Tsaleach = (To cause) to go on prosperously.

Sakal = To cause to 'act wisely' as in:

Shalom = To be complete, finished, at peace, as in:

The implied answer to this question is: No one. No one who resists the Spirit of YaHuWaH has ever prospered. Yet everyone wants to be prosperous. It is a perfectly normal and respectable yearning. But how few people achieve true prosperity? How very few are really successful, safe and are at peace in their souls? To be sure millions have a lot of money and there is seemingly no end to the possessions some folk have. But wealth and possessions in themselves do not spell prosperity. Prosperity is a state of the soul. It is a spiritual condition which is reflected in happiness and inner peace. All the world unconsciously seeks prosperity; but comparatively few find it. Why? Why are so many rich, famous and knowledgeable people so miserable, restless and unhappy? Why? What is the secret of true success, true happiness, true prosperity? Are you truly happy, prosperous and at peace?

The obedient believer may often wonder at the apparent prosperity of the wicked. Our circumstances may often appear to be a contradiction of what YaHuWaH has promised in His Word. It is at times like this that we must examine the whole picture. We must, with the Psalmist, go into the sanctuary of YaHuWaH and examine the end of the story.

YaHuWaH wants His people to be prosperous in every possible way. But the prosperity He wants for us is based on spiritual foundations: not money, education, fame or fading physical beauty. Instead He wants us to build prosperity on faith in Him and His Son. I call this the prosperity of the soul. It all depends on the foundation. If the foundation is faulty, then the 'prosperity' built upon it will not last.

YaHuWaH 's people may or may not be rich; they may or may not be clever, they may or may not have great possessions. But they should all be prosperous. They should all be happy, fulfilled and at rest in the Spirit of YaHuWaH . Until we have found prosperity of Spirit, we could find ourselves chasing bubbles like so many millions are doing today.

The Bible provides the formula for true prosperity. It is an extremely simple one. Here it is.

• Have Faith in YaHuWaH
  
  

  2 Chronicles 20:20

  And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in YaHuWaH your Elohim, so shall ye be established; believe His prophets, so shall ye prosper.

• Obey His Law
  
  

  Joshua 1:7

  Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the Torah, which Moshe My servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. 8: This book of the Torah shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

NOTE: These two things (Faith and Obedience) attract the Spirit and blessing of YaHuWaH. The more you apply them the more prosperous you will become. We write a great deal about the sin of Sabbath-breaking, not because it is the worst of sins, but because it is the most widespread. Billions commit this sin every weekend without realizing it. They must be informed.

The Bible is full of examples of true prosperity. They demonstrate very dramatically the results of faith and obedience. Sad to say the modern Christian world look upon obedience as a form of doubt: as though the obedient believer is trying to earn his/her salvation and entry to the Kingdom of Heaven. This is not the case. So let me - yet again - put the record straight. Faith in YAHUSHUA the Messiah is the very first and last requirement for entry into the Kingdom of Elohim. But that faith must be living faith: and living faith to be recognized as real must exhibit itself in obedience. The repentant sinner, in other words, must "go and sin no more." (John 5:14, 8:11) He/she must give up and forsake sin.

There are several hindrances to true prosperity. The worst is fighting YaHuWaH and resisting His Holy Spirit. Here are a few goals to aim for if you want to be prosperous.

Note: If you have wronged another person, go to him (not someone else) and clear the matter. If you were in the wrong, confess your fault to the person concerned (not to any other), and put it right. Then you will be blessed of YaHuWaH and prosperity will follow.

YaHuWaH wants all His people to prosper and He has given us the formula for true prosperity. You will have noticed that the Bible gives good examples of how believers have prospered. But what about us? Can we also prosper like Hezekiah or Joseph did? Yes we can. The formula works in any age and for all believers who put their faith in and obey the Most High. There are no exceptions.