RICHES

 

I was reading through the scriptures in the past week and came across a portion of it that seems I had not seen before. I had to read it from different translations to get a broader perspective on it. I discovered what exactly the scripture calls God’s riches as many of the times we have exercised this in prayers hoping to have it in material wealth.

 

 

The scripture came to me in a different light and I took time to go over it again. I have seen many people use this portion of the scripture to infer how God wants us to prosper and God’s riches are referred to. This changed my perspective on what God’s riches truly is and knowing this is what God calls riches, you can have rest and contentment as a believer.

 

 

“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory, in Christ Jesus” Phil 4:19

 

 

The scripture above has been quoted so many times in the place of prayers to addressing material needs. And this, no doubt has the power to deliver in that capacity. Paul was responding to the gifts some believers brought to him and he prayed for them in that regard. But more importantly, is the word “according to his riches” in his prayer which makes it call for a closer look.

 

 

The narrative of that scripture is usually painted in a way that looks like God has a storehouse for job, money, varieties of human needs that He can just supply when we begin to pray hard to Him. However, in studying, I discovered some attention should be given to what the scripture calls the riches of God. This becomes more important because the supply of your need is dependent on the riches of His glory. This means if I can get a grasp of the riches of God, I can be very accurate on the supply of my needs.

 

 

The riches in glory being described in that scripture isn’t how much of money God has in a bank, He doesn’t spend money and doesn’t produce it either. The riches in glory as being described by Paul in the same text are as a result of what Christ has done for us and this is no other thing but the salvation made available to man through Christ. Let’s look into the scriptures to get the bigger picture.

 

 

“Jew and Gentiles are the same in this respect: they all have the same Lord who generously gives his riches to all those who ask him for them” Rom 10:12

 

 

Paul explains it more clearly here.

 

The riches of God are distributed evenly between Jews and Gentiles. The riches of God is salvation and this was clearer as Paul then went ahead in the following verse that anyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Paul was hard on passing across the gospel of grace which brings anyone who comes to Jesus to become a part of the fold. The heart of the Father is that men come to the place of salvation and this was all Paul’s gospel was all about. That is the riches He wants to share with you, not some financial manna from heaven.

 

 

So, the supply of your needs is dependent on your access to his house of wealth; staying in the place of salvation. How then does this translate to the supply of man’s need? The salvation of your soul is a total package is what Paul was explaining to the Philippians. When you stay in Christ, pursuing His will, all of your needs will be met. He explained to them how his needs have been met through them just by him staying in the will of the Father. Hence, the prayer which summarizes the importance of staying in God and all your needs will be met.

 

 

The world is beginning to raise “intelligent” teachers who preach using intellect; making it seem as though it is a half-truth to say in Christ your needs shall be supplied as there are many who don’t know Christ but have money. In essence, riches, as the world defines it, are not a prerogative of being in Christ. However, Paul is clear on this; any riches not emanating from His riches in glory are vain.

 

 

Now, you can easily understand what Jesus was teaching in the epistles about the need not to worry about what you will eat or drink.

 

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things (needs) shall be added unto you” Matt 6:33 (emphasis in bracket, mine)

 

I can rewrite that scripture in this manner:

 

“Seek ye first the riches of His glory and every of your needs shall be met”.

An exact prototype of what Paul is saying in Philippians 4:19.

 

You may have all your material needs met; however, if you have not had His riches, you are poorer than the poorest of all being.

 

How stupendously rich is a man who is in sync with God; it’s the best feeling on earth.

 

What need do you want to meet? Stay in Him, inside of Him is the need guaranteed. Don’t be pressured to being “intelligent” in your ways.

 

How rich are you?

 

Be Innovated

Olufemi Ibitoye