Prosperity of Soul...Thinking Right.

Greetings,

            Here’s a quick lesson I wrote while on a recent trip. I have actually broken it up into two parts, the second of which we will post in a couple of weeks. At first I was going to keep it all as one, but I believe that the things I address are really worth thinking about slowly. Don’t be in a hurry. Take the time, as I know you do anyhow, to really meditate on these things.

            In the first part, I talk about walking in the blessings of God by exercising our talents that God gave us. In the second, I deal with ‘poverty’ mindsets and what to do with them. Do not confuse ‘blessing’ and ‘poverty’ to be terms only used concerning money. ‘Poverty of mind’ is any area we do not think like God thinks in any specific area. I like what I was able to address and the principles I discuss. If you will put them into practice, they will bring great blessing to you…

Prosperity of Soul: Part One

            …Well, I’m out on another trip for one of our long standing clients with Harvest Aviation. The flight was great, no issues, and we had really good winds. We were able to get here, Tortola, in about 3 hours and twenty minutes. There are times it has taken over four hours. Winds and temperatures mean a lot to jet performance. Standard temperature at forty one thousand feet should be about -57 degrees C. Even two to three degrees difference can really affect aircraft performance. It was nice to make good time. Four hours in a Learjet can be rough on your back and butt…I think it’s time for a bigger jet.

I had the chance yesterday to see our clients’ two yachts…yes, two. I have already been impressed with him, his businesses, and how he carries himself with the people around him. I knew he was doing well, but after seeing these boats, I kind of was taken a back at just how well. I had already met one of his boat captains, but today I was able to meet all of the crews working for him as well. Great, friendly people, who have great respect not just for our client, but also for the job they knew they were privileged to do. We were a group of men loving the trade we were in, and the person who hired us to serve him.

For these next couple of moments I want to talk about some observations I have made concerning some of our attitudes not simply about wealth, but our perspectives as representatives of God’s kingdom. I want to challenge maybe some of our present beliefs on a couple things, and then challenge us again to take on new perspective.

Walking in your Gifts Brings Prosperity

“A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.” Prov. 18:16

“…for the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light…” Luke 16:8

As I was visiting with our client and his crew, I was really impressed at how he could own such amazing things and be so open with them. I actually told him that I was impressed by how he shares his things even with the people who work for him. Now, I don’t mean I can call him up and say “Hey, can I have the keys to your yacht and take it for a spin…be back Monday. Oh, I’ll make sure the kids clean up the dog mess too…”

What I mean is that he understood he was doing well, but he enjoyed having people with him to enjoy it too. It seems to me that he was enjoying life and the things that his talent has brought him to help him enjoy it more.

Where I believe so many Christians miss out on the goodness of God, is that, well, they don’t believe in the goodness of God. And if one starts to experience the blessings of a great God who loves us, that person is many times judged as selfish, a lover of money, and unspiritual. One of the most ridiculous things I was ever told one time was that I was ‘…bowing my knee at the feet of this millionaire…” This person simply could not understand that Proverbs 18:6 is a reality. All that was happening is only a fulfillment of a promise of God. When I started saying years ago that “…there are a lot of people that need to meet me…” based on understanding these verses, I wasn’t kidding.

I’ll ask a quick question, using myself and the talents God has asked me to steward over as an example.

“He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.”Prov. 13:20

As I have preached many times, I learned that talents are not hobbies…they are endowments from God that are to be multiplied as much as possible until their limit is reached. God basically is looking at a return on investment. He invests talents into us, and we give Him a return. I have learned that the growth of a talent places a demand so to speak on creation that will bring whatever opportunity is available to grow that talent to its potential.  It really does make room for itself however it has to, that it may grow.

To be frank, I’m wondering where we are going to find a Christian millionaire having enough wealth and resources that have a jet that allows me to grow in my talents in aviation. How about having the wisdom and accessibility to be there for me to question them so that I may understand principles to make me a better steward of the resources God has placed me over. Flying and aviation are talents endowed to me, not hobbies I go out and play with. Having fun does not make it play time. I have fun preaching too, but it’s not something I am playing at. As an added benefit, the pay I receive from aviation benefits both the church and my family. (There were times where just my personal and business giving was a third of the entire church!)

Just as my bicep muscle can be used to either lift a barbell, or lift a fork, though the application changes, the same muscle is being used. This also works with church and business. The principles I grow in while learning from these businessmen through aviation are the same principles that will give me the understanding to steward an international ministry. Whether jets, cars, or pulpits, though the applications are different, the ‘muscle’ so to speak, which is the wisdom of stewardship, is the same.

Poverty minded Christians forget that Abraham, who was looking for a city whose builder and maker is God (Heb 11:10), who is called the father of our faith, yes faith, was one of the wealthiest men alive at the time.

Some Christians will use the principle that ‘we are not of this earth, and love not the things of this world,’ to believe you aren’t supposed to have anything nice and are to suffer through life. Or they may cap it and say…“Well I think $100,000 is good money and I am happy with a nice car.  I’m paying the student loans on the kid’s school, though I really am cutting back to do it…boy am I blessed.” This mentality may allow them to put a couple extra bucks in the offering and maybe take the kids to MacDonald’s once in a while. Then back they go into their little comfort zone in which their minds have set up to let others worry about the souls that are perishing around them.

We need to understand that a man’s trade and the market he is in will limit to a degree what he can cap out as far revenue. For example someone who just loves to sell lemonade on the street is certainly not in a market to make what say a guy selling high rises in Manhattan will be. Yet these principles of growing stewardship work whether you make ten thousand or ten million.

I know that Paul said he had learned to be content in all things, and he had learned to be wealthy and poor. From not understanding what he was saying though, we have adopted a philosophy that is almost a fatalistic; “God will do what He wants”, and then we figure we will just let life push us around.

Let’s see what the Apostle Paul’s attitude was.

“…in labors more abundant…besides the other things, what comes upon me daily, my      deep concern for all the churches…” II Cor. 11:23, 28

“Not that I have already attained or am already perfected, but I press on, that I may lay    hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me…” Phil. 3:12

Does this sound like contentment means that we get rid of all drive to see the absolute best that God can do? Contentment has nothing to do with allowing life to push you around leaving you to be an autumn leaf blown in the wind. Contentment is a fruit of faith that knows at any given time, the strivings for a better life and world and walk with God are producing what He said they would and that rest comes from knowing God is working it out; not rest from a lack of labor or care that things are done right.

If a man of this earth who works his rear end off can have such materials in this life, like jets and yachts and lands, how about the child of God seeking after His kingdom and all that comes with it?

“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul        prospers. III John 2

Think of this.

“Wealth is not an evidence of spirituality, but it certainly can be a result of spirituality.”

God is not rich because of what He has, but who He is. Realize that there really is no such thing as ‘wealth’ if He doesn’t create what we consider valuable. Our Father loves us and favors us. How much more devastating (I use the word in a positive sense) should the children of God be in influencing and driving the atmosphere of their family, community, region, etc. because they have learned to walk in prosperity of mind, spirit, and body granted to them freely by the Creator.

Whether any of my clients meet the Lord, that’s not my responsibility. It’s between them and God. But I am responsible to be a representative of the greatest government, social system, and might called the ‘kingdom of God’. When people see me, they are supposed to see an ambassador from another world that is greater than the world they have known. The people on the earth in this age are looking at any given time upon the representatives of one of two kings…Satan, or Jesus.

Jesus, Our Example

If we look at Jesus’ ministry, all the provision He needed was there at any given time. I may sometime figure out in today’s currency what it would cost to feed five to ten thousand people in one sitting, and still have plenty left over. There’s a catch. Let’s not forget that He started with only a couple pieces of fish and some bread. That bill would be astronomical.  Let’s not stop there. How much would it cost to develop a machine and technology that could actually influence the weather to where even thunderstorms stop when you tell it? Jesus calmed many storms. Where is the technology that can do that or how much would it cost to develop it?

“…and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities-Mary called       Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, and Joanna the wife of Chuza,       Herod’s steward, and Suzanna, and many others who provided for Him and from their             substance.” Luke 8:3

Jesus knew that at any given time God’s prosperity was there to pay and supply for what it was that He was commanded to accomplish. He worked relentlessly for the sake of teaching, healing and delivering the masses. And He used not just His own resources, but those of others as well.

Think of how ridiculous it is to say that Jesus doesn’t believe in prosperity for His people when He had to walk in it Himself using His own and others’ resources!

Jesus didn’t condemn wealth, or what an honest person did with what he earned, He just expected it to be available if the Lord should call on it. Can God call on me today to have enough wealth to pay for a new church in its entirety? Not yet but I’m working on it…Can He use me to pay for the crusade in Africa that will reach a million people in one week?  Not yet but I’m working on it.

Has Ken bought me that new jet we will need one day? Not yet, but ask him and he will tell you “I’m working on it.”

God’s Kingdom…Prove It

The proper use of wealth is a tremendous weapon in the hands of God’s children to demonstrate the reality of God’s kingdom. I don’t believe God’s children are to be intimidated by the power that is in wealth, but to understand it and use it for the kingdom.

“And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom,     but in demonstration of the Spirit and power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom            of men, but the power of God.” I Cor. 2:4-5

Our faith that we live by was never designed to be based on philosophy or intellect. Faith in God is faith in provable, demonstrated power. Not theory or hypotheses.

Neither Jesus nor Satan has ever thought their kingdoms would be represented only in words. Both kingdoms will demonstrate themselves in their own capacity. Both kingdoms depend on action and demonstration to expand their influence. Both historical and personal experience though has shown me every time there is a direct clash between the two, Jesus’ kingdom and resources defeats Satan’s, every time.

The enemy has tricked many Christians to have a “hide out in your cave” mentality and wait for the rapture. In other words, stay in church, the world’s ‘…going to hell in a hand basket…’ we know it’s going to get worse, so buy your time till it’s over…

Do we really understand that the world that is ‘…going to hell in a hand basket…’ is not about sand, gravel, fish, and the materiality the earth is made of… it’s about people. It’s people…souls…creations in the image of God that will suffer under that final judgment.

I wonder then how we can believe God is pleased with a “…let’s just hang till it’s over…” mentality and wait it all out.

Money can be used to demonstrate God’s power as surely as healing the blind and the cripple. A person’s need places a demand in the spirit for God to provide. How can we fast and pray to believe for power to raise the dead and heal blind eyes but not have the power to pay the rent for a widow woman or buy a car for someone who just got laid off and the transmission blew?

I am on this earth to see the fullness of God’s kingdom and power in all areas, not let my limited view passed on by tradition and ignorance limit what God will do.

Our Lord brought to earth a kingdom that will invade by demonstration every area that involves the life of man and his purposes here on the earth. We are all guilty in some ways of limiting our perspective of what God wants to do in ourselves individually or corporately.

We Really Are Co-Laborers      

Here is an example of what has happened in this ministry and the profound lesson I learned from it.

In a time long ago, in a land far, far away…just kidding. Sometimes I just can’t help myself…

We had grown from a single engine airplane to a multi-engine or twin engine airplane. The church plant in Montpelier was well and we had started another church in Laconia. The bigger airplane allowed us to take more teams to these cities. God was also using it to continue my training in advanced aircraft.

Aviation is not cheap. We determined a long time ago that this was not something you could be involved in and try to skimp. If airplanes break, they don’t just get pulled over to the side of the road. You want things working and if you’re not willing to believe for whatever price to do it right, get out and find something else.

Tough times had fallen on the ministry and there were internal and external pressures to sell the airplane. Everything in the ‘natural’ gave evidence that we should sell the plane. I can read an Excel spreadsheet as well as anyone and it wasn’t good. There were many accusations at that time that I was being childish and only in it for myself…that I was wasting God’s resources. Then people started to withhold their giving…as if God gives us that right. No matter what though, I could not get rid of the sense in my spirit of how wrong it would be to sell. So I went on a time of fasting and prayer to find out why I could not get any peace…

After a couple days the Lord spoke to my heart so profoundly that what He said effects every area of my life and faith today.

He told me that I could get rid of it (airplane) if I wanted to but that…” He would have to go find someone else that would have the faith not to quit.” Then He said something I can never forget…

”If you (Joe Johnsick) don’t have it, then I (Christ) don’t have it!!!!”

The Bible says that you and I are co laborers with Christ. He lives through us and we work as a team. Man is God’s representative on the earth and the materials of the earth are at God’s disposal as He grants it to be stewarded by His people.

I then understood that…

… Wealth is nothing to God unless it is used by His people to be a blessing on the earth.

He needed me to resist the devil from stealing the resource, in this case an airplane, through pressure and intimidation and potential unbelief. God needed me to ‘walk on water’ so to speak and hold on to this asset that God had greater plans for than I could have imagined.

Well, not only did we not sell, God came through within a couple months and all bills were caught up.

When in God’s time we sold, we were able to take the profit and put it toward our land purchase for our new church building. And the person who bought it was another pastor who used it for his own training and church planting in Maine and Canada. The time I continued to fly it gave me the needed experience so that when the jet opportunity came, I was able to do that as well.

Remember, “…an opportunity is not an opportunity if you can’t take advantage of it.”

If I would have sold prematurely, a large chunk of money for the land would not have been there. Also, I would have hindered a work that God was doing in another ministry. That pastor and I have become very good friends and labor together here in the northeast and Canada to see Gods will be done. If I would have given in to the pressures, even from God’s people, the kingdom would have been negatively affected in ways I could not see at the time. I would not have been able to advance to the degree I have now in jets and the corporate environment. Don’t read on any more until this concept sinks deep into your spirit…

If we don’t have it, He doesn’t have it.

I am so grateful that Gerry and Dick had enough trust in me, and the Spirit of God to trust the Lord in this. It was another example to us of how God has His hands on this ministry.

So don’t even begin to try and tell me God doesn’t want His people to steward over wealth and material things. Natural evidences mean very little to me anymore as I have learned many times negative circumstances are only the devil trying to pressure unbelief so that we will let go of the very tools God needs to use us powerfully.

Get a hold of the great privilege and responsibility you and I have in this life to take great care of the powers of the age to come and the wealth it will bring…we’ve got a lot to do and He will give us abundantly what we need because…if we have it, He has it.

I’ll post the second part of this in a couple weeks.

See ya,

PJ