The Egyptians urged the people to hurry and leave the country. “For otherwise,” they said, “we will all die!” So the people took their dough before the yeast was added, and carried it on their shoulders in kneading troughs wrapped in clothing. The Israelites did as Moses instructed and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold and for clothing. The Lord had made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for; so they plundered the Egyptians. – Exodus 12:33-36
Gods people were in slavery for hundreds of years and finally Pharaoh told them to leave. God caused the Egyptians to give the Israelites to show them favour and give them gold silver and clothes to take with them. These possessions were important to have for later on when the tabernacle of God was being built. So what we can learn here is that God will allow us to acquire good things so that we can do his will in the future.
After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the Lord had brought on him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring. The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. And he also had seven sons and three daughters. – Job 42:10-13
This was a tough time of testing for Job but God proved faithful to allow Job to get back more than what he lost.
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. – John 15:7-8
This is the authority that we have when we ask for anything in prayer in Jesus name. The important thing to note here is that our submission to God is required. We can go and pray in Jesus name if he is not the Lord of our lives. But if Jesus is your Lord then you can pray in his name and expect to receive every good thing that you ask for in prayer.
Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. – Psalms 37:4
David wrote this psalms and he is telling us to delight in the Lord and to commit everything to him. To take delight in the Lord means to have great pleasure and joy in his presence. When you do this God will give you the desires of your heart that are in line with his will for you.
“Jacob set apart the young of the flock by themselves, but made the rest face the streaked and dark-colored animals that belonged to Laban. Thus he made separate flocks for himself and did not put them with Laban’s animals. Whenever the stronger females were in heat, Jacob would place the branches in the troughs in front of the animals so they would mate near the branches, but if the animals were weak, he would not place them there. So the weak animals went to Laban and the strong ones to Jacob. In this way the man grew exceedingly prosperous and came to own large flocks, and female and male servants, and camels and donkeys. – Genesis 30:40-43
God gave Jacob a strategy in order for his flocks to increase and become stronger than the others. In the same way you can pray that God will give you an idea to be better than your competitors so that you can increase and grow wealthy for his glory.
Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?” God said to Solomon, “Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, possessions or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, possessions and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have. 2 Chronicles 1:10-12
Solomon could’ve asked for anything but he asked for wisdom to rule gods people. Because God approved of the way that Solomon ordered his priorities, he gave Solomon wealth, riches and honour as well. Once our priorities in our heart are ordered correctly then God will also allow good things to come into our life as well.
Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. – 1 Timothy 6:17-18
Those who have money must be generous and not arrogant because of what they have. It’s God who gave you everything that you have and we need to be careful not to put our hope in those things rather than God. His wants you to have good things but not if you are going to become arrogant or put your trust in those things. This may be a reason for God to keep something from you so check your heart.
Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.- James 1:16-17
Every good gift that you have in your life is from God. God know exactly what you need and when is the right time for you to have it. So we can trust him to give us good things Omar the right time. He’s not looking to harm us but to bless us.
The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, without painful toil for it. – Proverbs 10:22
When God blesses you, know that it will be exactly what you need and there will be no regret or pain that comes with it.
Now the Israelites had been saying, “Do you see how this man keeps coming out? He comes out to defy Israel. The king will give great wealth to the man who kills him. He will also give him his daughter in marriage and will exempt his family from taxes in Israel.” David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” They repeated to him what they had been saying and told him, “This is what will be done for the man who kills him.” – 1 Samuel 17:25-27
When we overcome obstacles in our lives there is often a reward or blessing waiting for us. Here we see that the reward for killing Goliath was a 3 fold blessing.
- His family will be exempt from taxes. This is a blessing over your past that people will remember you differently.
- You will receive great wealth. All your needs today will be meet.
- The kings daughter. The generations after you will be blessed since your children will be royalty.
When God rewards you he will make sure that the blessing is so amazing that people will see and give glory to God.