3Jo 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
What a wonderful promise. This verse of scripture is from the heart of God Himself. First of all He is speaking to His beloved, the ones that have Him in their heart and are following Jesus. He isn’t talking to the world; He is talking to His beloved. Look where He puts it on His priority list for you. It is above all things. That tells us how important it is to God.
Next, He tells us He wants us to prosper. What does prosper mean? Since the text was originally written in Greek let’s look at the Greek word which is EUODOO. It means to help on one’s way. It means to be successful in life. To be successful means much more than finances and stuff. It includes peace of mind, the joy of the Lord, happiness and a good relationship with God Himself. To prosper in life means to walk in integrity and have a high moral standard. It includes knowing and practicing God’s Word. But it also includes stuff and financial blessings.
Jesus said in John 10:10 “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. Did you see the word abundantly? That’s what Jesus said and Jesus came to do the will of the Father.
Now let’s look at the next part of 3 John 2. God wants you to be in health. He gets no glory out of sickness and disease. He wants you to be in health.
Read 1 Peter 2:24, Matthew 8:17, Isaiah 53:4-5 and Exodus 15:26.
Now look at the last part of the verse. There is a condition to these blessings. It is in the measure that your soul prospers. Your soul is your mind, your will and your intellect. Remember, this is God’s standard. When you are prospering by His standard, you are growing in grace, walking in faith, forgiving those that offend or hurt you, loving your fellow man and joyfully doing what the Bible says. Faith is required and faith comes from hearing the Word of God. I didn’t say studying or listening. God said the just shall live by faith (Heb. 10:38). It’s a lifetime journey but the blessings far exceed any price you have to pay.
Maranatha!
