I wanted to openly and boldly set the record straight about what kind of preacher I am.  I am a health and wealth, word of faith, name it and claim it, prosperity preacher!  Why? Because that is what Jesus was. He was not a sickness and debt, word of unbelief, doubt it and lose it, unsuccessful preacher.

Now before you equate what I said with much of the false teaching you may have seen on TV or assume I am being arrogant let clearly define and explain these terms in light of their “biblical definitions.”  Because I believe these descriptions ought to rightfully belong to the true gospel preaching, disciple making, sola scripture standing, non-compromising men and women of God.

Make it Plain

  1. Health: Isaiah 53:5, “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” The Bible teaches that all our sicknesses and diseases were apart of the atonement of Jesus Christ. Dr. Michael Brown in his book, “Israel’s Divine Healer,” even clearly defends this biblical truth from a Jewish perspective.  In others words, the same cross that forgives our sin is the same sacrifice that heals us.  See how clearly Matthew applied the prophecy of Isaiah 53 to the healing work of Jesus, “16 When evening came, many who were demon- possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took up our infirmities and bore our diseases,” Matthew 8:16-17.
  2. Wealth: Deuteronomy 8:18, “But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.” From beginning to end the Bible teaches that God’s intended plan for his people is to have enough to meet their needs and to meet the needs of others, “blessed to be a blessing,” Genesis 12:1. Having enough to share and give generously has always been God’s definition of wealth. Though some in the bible had “great riches” and others “suffered lack”- the normative pattern from Abraham to Ananias was to have money without loving it and making it an idol. Wealth for the disciple of Christ is simply a tool we use to serve God with. Remember the timeless words of Jesus in Luke 16:9, “I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.”
  3. Word of Faith: Romans 10:8 (KJV), “But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart:that is, the word of faith, which we preach.” To hold a word of faith position simply means to believe that when you hear the “Word of God” faith is able to come into your heart, period. No more and no less- it simply means to take God at His word.  How is a person saved? By hearing and believing the “word of faith” concerning the gospel, Romans 10:9.  How is every other biblical promise received by the believer? By hearing and believing what God said.  Therefore, it is impossible to do anything in God’s Kingdom without His “word of faith,” as Hebrews 11:6 clearly states, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
  4. Name It and Claim It: John 14:13-14, “13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” Being specific in prayer to God and then believing you have received what you have asked for is the basis for every successful prayer of request in the Bible. The better way to say it is, “Believe It and Receive It!” Certainly, this doesn’t mean that we can make a “wish list” of things we want and then believe that God “owes” them to us. However, if we ask anything according to His will and have faith- we will receive them. 1 John 5:14-15, “14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.” 
  5. Prosperity: Psalm 1:3, “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.” God is about giving His people life over death, light over darkness, truth over error, love instead of hate, new life instead the old one, and victory over defeat. Being a Christian means we win in the end because we are on Jesus’ side, John 16:33. Therefore, on this earth we should play the game of life and expect to win. If you are a construction worker, do “all things as unto God” and believe by God’s grace when its time for a promotion you’re going to be the one that gets it. Sure sometimes Christians like in the early church and in bad places today are persecuted, murdered, and oppressed (even then we overcome by the blood of the lamb)- but in times of peace and freedom like in the US we should not settle for anything less than God’s best! Proverbs 2:7-8, “7 He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, 8 for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.”

Application

Now in closing, I’m not “just” a “health and wealth, word of faith, name and it claim it, prosperity preacher,” I’m also not ashamed to say that by God’s grace, I am a “hell-fire, judgment of God, tongue talking, devil stalking, sanctified preacher,”- but that’s for another blog.  So as for this lesson, don’t be ashamed of using biblical terms to define your faith. Remember we should correct error with “proper use,” not “disuse.” Thus, let us all “take back” these scripturally based terms and honor God with them because they have always belonged to Him in the first place.

Romans 1:14-17, “14 I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 15 That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed— a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”