"As long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper." (2 Chron. 26:5).

         Prosper-- the Hebrew word is "tsaleach" meaning: to go on successfully, and thus literally, to overcome, be an overcomer.
         A corresponding thought in the Greek, is found in the short third epistle of John, verse 2, "Beloved, I wish (or pray) above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." The Greek word is "euodoo"-- "eu" meaning-- good; and "hodos" meaning-- a road. And combined, they literally mean: HAVE A GOOD ROAD, a good journey, to go on well. The verb is used to mean having a successful, prosperous journey.
         While John certainly wished his friend Gaius good health, there is nothing inferred that John prayed for him to be rich, increased with goods, etc. It is a mishandling of this scripture to use it to emphasize a prosperity that is focused on earthly things that appeal to the flesh. John desired that his friend would have a most successful overcoming walk with God-- with the outward just reflecting glimpses of the inner state-- with the emphasis on a prosperity of the soul. Such OVERCOMING often requires a stressful path of testing and trial, while inwardly faith grows strong, with songs in the night-- overcoming step by step as God prepares the way before us. For, truly, "A man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth." (Luke 12 :15) .
         First time the word "prosper" is used in the scripture is Genesis 24:40. Abraham was sending his servant back to his kindred, to take a wife for Isaac, and the servant was apprehensive, "Peradventure the woman will not follow me. And he (Abraham) said unto me, The Lord, before whom I walk, will send His angel with thee, and prosper thy way..." No doubt about it, for us to have a prosperous journey, we need THE ANGEL OF HIS PRESENCE to go with us all the way. "The Lord, before whom we walk," goes before us. He gives us a good road! True, might be rough terrain, but HE IN US is the Overcomer. He is the Author and the Finisher, and all the way in between. And we do identify with the hymn writer, Annie S, Hawks, when she wrote:

                                                       "I need Thee every hour, Most gracious Lord:
                                                       No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.
                                                       I need Thee every hour; Stay Thou near by.
                                                       Temptations lose their power when Thou art nigh."

         Yes, we know He abides within-- but we would be conscious of His presence continuously, for it is BY HIS STRENGTH that we shall go on successfully.
         It is significant that 6 times the word "tsaleach" is used in the phrase, "And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him..." Young's Literal Translation reads: "And the Spirit of Jehovah prospereth over him." I like that! Now a victory would be forthcoming because of the prospering of the Spirit of the Lord. When He is involved in our journey, His "going on successfully" becomes our prosperous way also.
         Of Samson we read, "And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him," and he rent a lion. Again, "The Spirit of the Lord came upon Samson," and he slew thirty men of the Philistines. (Judges 14:6, 19). He overcame because the SPIRIT OF THE OVER COMER was present to guarantee success.
         God laid His hand upon Saul to become king over Israel, and Samuel said to him, "The Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy, and shall be turned into another man." Shortly thereafter it came to pass, "And the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied." (1 Sam. 10:6, 10). It was a prosperous occasion for Saul because God's Spirit came upon Him, and his way was enhanced with the success of the Spirit.
         Thus we read, "And the Spirit of God doth prosper over Saul," (1 Sam. 11:6, Young's), as time and again GOD moves upon him, uses him to further His purpose. It is true, that in himself Saul often fell short, snared by the flesh, but whenever GOD PROSPERED OVER HIM the mission was successful. I dare say, much as we truly desire to "prosper in the Lord," it is far more important that HE prospers over/in us-- then overcoming victory is sure.
         We read of how Samuel "taketh the horn of oil, and anointeth him in the midst of his brethren, and prosper over David doth the Spirit of Jehovah from that day onwards." (1 Sam. 16:13, Young's). There would be times when David would have to flee for his life-- times when he would say, "There is but a step between me and death" (1 Sam. 20:3), for he must needs be tried and disciplined-- prepared for the throne-- but GOD would prosper over him, and through it all he could say, it is "GOD who girds me with strength, and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like hind's feet (able to stand firmly or make progress on the dangerous heights of testing and trouble); He sets me securely upon my high places." (Psalm 18:32-33, Amplified).
         We read of Daniel, overcoming the lions, and "was taken out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God. - So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.” (Daniel 6:23,28). He believed in his God, and his God caused him to prosper. How we need to believe in God, and the Word He speaks into us. His Spirit causes the Word to become life within-- life that overcomes.
         To prosper– to make progress– we do well to hear God’s word to Joshua, to have Him reaffirm it in our own heart. “As I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. - Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, - turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law 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 was prosperous and then thou shalt have good success.” (Joshua 1:5, 7-8).
         "Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do." (Deut. 29:9).  A life immersed into the Word will have good success! By that we do not mean a successful rising to the top of the corporate ladder, or a series of new cars, better homes, etc.
          But there is a coming to KNOW HIM, and being joined in union with Him, so that as He prospers IN US, we also find the richness of our life is in Him.
       The secret of success is to know that God's will is our will, and we would not hesitate in being fully committed to Him. To be all out for God as an on-going lifestyle-- having been crucified to the world, and having the world crucified to us, so that He becomes the Center Focus of our life.
         "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." (Psalm 1:1-3).
         Prosper-- be reminded that it means to overcome all adversity, regardless of what it might be. It is the INNER CHRIST-LIFE that needs to flourish. "His delight (pleasure, desire) is in the law of the Lord." Not in a form of legalism, ceremony, etc. but knowing that the revealed will of God is His law for us today. We would have our roots go deep into the river of His life-- never to wither, but ever to go on prosperously with Him. The Word will guard and keep us. We need not heed the counsel of the ungodly. We need not take our stand in the way of sinners! We dare not sit in the seat of the scornful. But we would say with Job, "I have esteemed the words of His mouth more than my necessary food." (Job 23:12). Therefore, "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee." (Ps. 119:11). And we would heed the admonition of Paul-- "Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom." (Col. 3:16). "Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee." (1 Tim. 4:15-16).
         Note the word "profiting" from the Greek "prokope." Pro– forward, kope-- to strike, smite, and thus, to cut forward, blaze the way, make a pioneer advance. Interesting that the word "kope" has also been translated as "to slaughter," indicating the striking of a death blow. If our journey is to be a successful overcoming we certainly will need to strike many a death-blow to the flesh-- laying down our life, that we might become one in His life. "If ye through the Spirit do mortify (put to death) the deeds of the body, ye shall live." (Rom. 8:13). Therefore, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." (Gal. 2:20).
         Joseph is certainly a type of the trail-blazer, going before his brethren, to make those advances by which God would preserve his family through the difficult times that were about to come upon them. In fact, his overcoming meant the salvation/preservation of the Egyptians also for that time.
         "And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand." (Genesis 39:2-3). Joseph was advanced to being over all that the Egyptian had. He was highly successful in all that he did, but this new position was not necessarily a mark of prosperity, though outwardly it might appear to be so, but it became a new arena for daily overcoming. Yet we do read several times in this chapter how that "THE LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand," both in the house, and in the field. God's blessing was upon the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake. Wonderful as all of this might have been, God's interest in the matter was not centered on Potiphar, but on Joseph. He would continue to prosper, but under some very difficult and undesirable circumstances. Potiphar's wife tried to seduce Joseph, and when he would not yield to her, she set about to black-mail him with false accusations. Suddenly this "prosperous man" was cast into prison. Some might see this as a negative-- yet looking back we see it was only a step forward in the overall plan. And "THE LORD WAS WITH JOSEPH, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it. The keeper of the prison looked not to anything that was under his hand; because the Lord was with him (Joseph), and that which he did, the Lord made it to prosper." (Gen. 39:21-23).
         God alone knows the extent of spiritual growth through all these happenings in Joseph's life. He watched Potiphar reap the benefits of his labour. He saw the keeper of the prison enjoy a respite from running the prison, while he was in charge. Some people resent others being blessed while they endure the pain, the grief, limited substance, etc. because they continue to think in terms of natural things. But there is a wealth of spiritual blessing that cannot be measured over against earthly things. The in workings of God in Joseph were revealed when he could look his brothers in the eye with a genuine forgiveness for all that they had done to him. It was a dimension of spiritual overcoming when he could say, "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them." (Gen. 50:20-21). Truly his was a prosperous life, lived out to the glory of God. He overcame in awesome dimensions things that his brothers little understood. God was with Him! God made him to prosper!
         It is written, "I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things." (Isaiah 45:6-7, NIV Trans.). All of these various ones that we have mentioned, that prospered, it was because GOD BROUGHT IT, and when the Spirit of the Lord prospered over them, they were able to "stop the mouths of lions, quench the violence of fire, escape the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens." (Heb. 11:33-34).
         "All these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the word are come." (1 Cor. 10:11). Tremendous examples of overcoming obstacles, of successfully going on, to prosper in the way of the Lord-- when HIS Spirit came upon, prospered over them. But while each happening had its moment of glory, yet the victories passed, and there were new difficulties to overcome. But the Scriptures also foretold of One who would PROSPEROUSLY OVERCOME, and He "liveth forever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation: -- He doeth according to His will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay His hand, or say unto Him, What doest thou?" (Dan. 4:34-35). Of this Omnipotent One we also read-- "The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand." (Isa. 53;10). When He speaks, His Word "shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereunto I sent it." (Isa. 55:11). He is totally victorious!
         We saw in the examples that the prospering was GOD-CAUSED, when His Spirit prospered over them. No less is this true of the Total Overcomer, our Lord Jesus Christ. John the Baptist bear witness, how that he "saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him: And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Mark 1:10-11). Furthermore, "God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto Him." (John 3:34). Now there would be prosperous overcoming which goes beyond our ability to express. "He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till He have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for His law." (Isa. 42:4). For, "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the holy Spirit and with power; who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him." (Acts 10:38). How  the Spirit prospered over Him! How meaningful is the phrase "for God was with Him." And well He knew this, saying, "I can of  Mine own self do nothing." (John 5:30). He relied on, trusted in the wisdom and power of the Father, for all of His overcoming.
         Nicodemus recognized God's Spirit prospering over Jesus, and said to Him , “Rabbi, we know that Thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that Thou doest, except God be with him." (John 3:2). Here is the secret of successful overcoming--divine prospering in us, so that it becomes GOD ALL THE WAY. It was in The Son and it shall be so in His sons. No man shall boast in his victories, as if he, by his own strength gained the victory, "That no flesh should glory in His presence - according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." (1 Cor. 1:29,31).
         In the midst of all the turmoil of our times, we hear Him whisper within, "In the world ye shall have tribulation (pressure): but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." (John 16:33). And later John adds to the thought, "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world." (1 John 4:4). And it is because of His indwelling, that Paul could say, "In all these things we are more than conquerors THROUGH HIM that loved us." (Rom. 8:37). Certainly all the power for our overcoming flows from Christ, thus all the victories that we gain are but a further revelation of Him-- of what HE can do and become in the life of the believer. It all redounds to His glory. (Editor's Note: To embrace the theory of "rapture" is to deny the indwelling of Christ, and His Father, as they are One. Without question it is anti-Christ in its concept. Jesus prayed to the Father that He would keep them from the evil, but He also prayed, "I pray not thou shouldest take them OUT OF THE WORLD." The Prinzings brings this fact to bare in the following paragraphs. In the book of Revelation Christ Jesus repeats "To him that overcometh will I give..," the  question follows, if we are "raptured," taken out of this world, not allowed to go through the processings, HOW CAN WE BE OVERCOMERS. Prinzing also states, "Only God can satisfy the hunger/desire HE has placed in us. Yet for the purpose of our processing He places us in this world, surrounds us with all of its enticements, and then gives us grace to overcome it all. End of Note).
         Overcoming means that we FIRST BE OVERCOME BY CHRIST, before we become over-comers with Christ. He prospers in us long before we prosper, gaining the victory over the world. All of the world's negativity, and all of its pressures, all that appeals to the lust of the flesh and is transitory and vanity-- HE overcame it all, and now He would dwell within and share that overcoming with us.
         There is to be an active participation with the indwelling Christ in this overcoming process. In the positive realm of praise and worship we learn to give thanks for whatever comes our way.
         "Giving thanks always FOR  ALL THINGS unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Ephesians 5:50)..
         "IN EVERYTHING give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
         This is the positive realm, and just the opposite from the negatives of complaining, grumbling, etc. The situations may be bleak, dark, a severe and painful trial, but as we begin to praise and thank the Lord IN and FOR all things, assured of the fact that since He allowed it, He will use it, then work it into our good-- such praise and worship works for overcoming. Submission to the will of the Father in all things-- what a challenge! Yet we would not rebel against Him, nor against what He is doing within us.
         It is also significant that He prayed, "I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldest keep them from the evil." (John 17:15). He did not pray for an escapism for us, BECAUSE HE PURPOSES TO HAVE OVERCOMERS. To be taken out of the world would cause us to miss the purpose for being here-- which is to be trained, developed, exercised, learning to overcome, not yielding to the lust (over desire) of the flesh, but to find in Christ the satisfaction for every inward desire. Only God can satisfy the hunger/desire HE has placed in us. Yet for the purpose of our processing He places us in this world, surrounds us with all of its enticements, and then gives us grace to overcome it all.
         "I write to you young men, because ye have overcome the wicked, the evil." (1 John 2:13). There are two Greek words for "evil." Kakon, speaking of evil in the abstract sense; and poneros, referring to evil in the concrete sense. That which is abstract is that which is generalized, while that which is in the concrete sense is that which is specific, names the think. In the generalized term we all have had evil in our nature, for we "were by nature the children of wrath, even as others," (Eph. 2:3). The cure for this is to be "born again" and receive the new Christ-nature. Then we can actively move with God in overcoming all of the evil around us-- facing up to these things, and gradually overcoming them. What victory! Rising above the circumstances and pressures of the times, and then facing those evils which would bedevil us individually, taking dominion over them all.
         The concrete evils which we face differ according to our various circumstances, and are meted out to us for our development. "Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." (Matt. 6:34). The quota for the day depends upon His workings in us. Sometimes barely a cloud in the sky. Other days the Psalmist says, "all thy waves and thy billows have gone over me." (Ps.42:7) Yet whatever the evils might be that surround us, THROUGH CHRIST there can be a prosperous overcoming. "And the Word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked." (1 John 2:14). How desperately we need the inflow of the Word of God, not in our heads as a mental knowledge, but to dwell in us. Not just quoting it by rote, but it becomes our life-- this will enable us to overcome, "not somehow, but triumphantly." Praise God.
         Undergirded by the mighty Word of God, it will be said of His people, as it was/is of Christ, "And in Thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness." (Psalm 45:4). He shall not ride alone, for "He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My son." (Rev. 21:7). Now we have DIVINE PROSPERITY. "To inherit all things." This has nothing to do with the riches of this world, its increase of goods, nor its fame, power, etc. But how, as the chorus goes, "The things of earth grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace."
         Divine prosperity means sharing HIS LIFE, sharing HIS THRONE, sharing HIS POWER, a positive overcoming all the negatives of this world, to find a joy and peace which abides. Beyond words to tell, what glory awaits His prosperous overcomers-- that He alone might be magnified. All of our overcoming is because we have been overcome by Him. Praise God!

                                                   Lord, let your holy Spirit now prosper over me.
                                                   That by Your grace and power I gain the victory.

                                                   Let self in full surrender be crucified with Christ,
                                                   Outworking of Your process within a sacred tryst.

                                                   Not of the world be living, nor yet its ways to know,
                                                   But hold me in Thy union, that I, in Thee, might grow.

                                                   And when I'm fully overcome by Thee, Almighty God,
                                                   Then I shall be a conqueror, my feet with peace be shod.

                                                   A prosperous overcomer-- these words with hope do ring,
                                                   And they who find fulfillment, shall bow before The King.

                                                   All travail be forgotten, its grief to fade away,
                                                   In Christ our full salvation brings forth our vict'ry day.
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(1)Prinzing, Ray and Doris "Letters of Truth"  Boise, Idaho 83705, P.O. Box 5822

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