The Heart of SignificanceSample

Faith for God’s Purpose

Prayers anointed by the Holy Spirit are very similar in nature to prophecies. They reveal God’s intent and purpose. One of my favorites in the whole Bible is the prayer found in 3 John 2: “Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.”

It is quite interesting that this anointed prayer reveals the heart of God for each of us. He has not only willed for us to be in good health and to prosper, but He also instructs how. It begs the questions: 

Why does God give us instructions on how to have a healthy family? Because He wants us to have a healthy family: spirit, soul, and body. 

Why does God give us instructions on how to have a healthy thought life? Because He wants us to have a healthy thought life. 

So then, why does He give instruction on how to prosper? The answer is obvious but not religiously acceptable, in part because of abuses. But truth is truth, and it must not be rendered powerless because of another person’s abuse. Instead of ignoring truth because of the risks involved, we must return to humility, thankfulness, and accountability in our relationships so we can discover God’s heart in a matter.

 I’ve studied 3 John 2 for so many years, and yet it still amazes me. Our inner world has an effect on our health. I guess we’ve known that for decades. Doctors have told us that our emotional health, when infected with bitterness, anger, jealousy, and fear, affects our bodies in very destructive ways. So then, that’s not new. But what still adds the wow factor to my thinking is that the measure in which my soul prospers affects my finances. 

Managing our inner world is central to all matters of faith. Our heart is the seat of affection and the place from which flow the issues that affect our lives. Faith comes from the heart as well, not the mind. Faith is not an idea or a concept. It is not a doctrine to be believed in. Faith is an inward expression of confidence in God being who He says He is and doing what He says He will do.

The most trustworthy One in the universe values being trusted. Faith is the most well-deserved expression we could ever give to God, the perfectly faithful One. It is obviously not to satisfy His ego, as He is the person of love, which never seeks its own. (See 1 Corinthians 13:5.) Our trust in God is an act of justice. Consider this: For the most trustworthy One in the universe to be trusted is an act of justice. Faith is not the result of striving. It is the result of surrender. It is also an expression of holiness. Because we are separated unto Him, we discover His absolute reliability in all things, resulting in great faith. The more we are separated unto Him, the easier the issue of faith becomes. 

The Scripture says that without faith it is impossible to please Him. It’s not that He is hard to please, in some finicky or angry way. It is simply unjust to do otherwise. Not to believe Him is to deny all that is right with the world, building our lives on the inferior. Anything outside of faith wars against the purposes of God in the earth. To be true to who He is and all that He has purposed to do with those made in His image, it is vital that we believe. It is vital that we are people of great faith, for He is the God of great people.

And the heavens proclaim his righteousness, for he is a God of justice.—Psalm 50:6, NIV