Five Principles of Prosperity

Genesis 24:56

In Genesis 24, Abraham sends his most trusted servant, Eliezer, to find a bride for his son Isaac. God prospered Eliezer, and in that we find five principles of prosperity. 

Set Specific Goals

Principle one: establish your cause. “Abraham said to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, ‘…You shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac’” (Genesis 24:2,4). Clearly, Eliezer had a cause, a mandate. Do you?  

Beware of vague goals. Most people could not write down what God has called them to do. 

Beware of unworthy goals. One definition of failure is succeeding in the wrong thing.

• Is your cause God-given?

• Does your cause motivate you to fulfill it? 

• Does your cause demand your very best? 

• Can you honestly pray for God to help you fulfill your cause?

Beware of unbalanced goals. You need goals for every area of your life, not just one. 

Are the things you’re living for worth Jesus dying for? 

Plan for the Challenges

Principle two: examine your condition. Diagnose your problems. “And the servant said to him, ‘Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I take your son back to the land from which you came’” (Genesis 24:5)? 

Planning is not unspiritual; God planned our redemption before He made the world.  

Find Your Foundation

Principle three: encourage your confidence. How?

1. Promise—Abraham told Eliezer, “The LORD God of heaven, who…swore to me, saying, ‘To your descendants I give this land,’ He will send His angel before you” (Genesis 24:7a). Wait before God until you get a promise out of His Word.

2. Profit—In the right sense, ask, “What’s in it for me?”  Eliezer’s reward was that his master would be pleased, and God would be glorified. It is not wrong to serve for reward if your reward is to hear Jesus say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” (See Matthew 25:21,23.) 

3. Prayer—“Then [Eliezer] said, ‘O LORD God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham’” (Genesis 24:12). When you pray, the Spirit of God comes into you to encourage, motivate, and drive you. 

Discipline Your Life

Principle four: enforce your character. Discipline your:

• Decisions. “And the man, wondering at her, remained silent so as to know whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not” (Genesis 24:21). Eliezer was not making a snap judgment about Rebekah. He wanted God to affirm it. 

• Appetite. “Food was set before [Eliezer] to eat, but he said, ‘I will not eat until I have told about my errand’” (Genesis 24:33a). Sometimes we have to set aside food, television, ballgames, vacations, etc. 

• Time. Rebekah’s family tried to slow down Eliezer. “And he said to them, ‘Do not hinder me, since the LORD has prospered my way; send me away so that I may go to my master’” (Genesis 24:56). There is time in every day to do everything God wants us to do. 

Work with Other Christians

Principle five: enlist your comrades. Eliezer knew he had to get Rebekah’s father, mother, and brothers to cooperate. God makes us dependent on one another; that is the reason we have churches. Ask yourself, Have I learned to cooperate, to depend upon others, to delegate? 

Success is the progressive realization of the will of God for your life. Soon, you will stand before God, and you will find out whether you have been prosperous.