Name It and Claim It – Part 2

Review

• Last week we gave an overview of the Word of Movement.
• People familiar with the movement know it most for the message.
• This is a doctrine that proclaims that God wants us to in every aspect of our lives. This , but is not limited to
• • Physical Healing
  • Physical protection
  • Provision and financial prosperity
  • Favor
  • Peace
  • Joy
• There are many reasons why people have and continue to be not only , but also outright to this doctrine.
• There are certainly in the movement that warrant criticism.
• However, the purpose of this series is to explain why key tenants of the doctrine not only make , but also have biblical .
• We will the primary claims of the doctrine against the Scripture and let you be the .
• To do this, you need to make sure that you listen to the series in its , as some points will only make sense once other things have been at length.

Abraham Refresher

• Last week, we mentioned that one of the most important biblical figures in the Word of Faith movement is .
• We also said that what you think about Abraham will what you think about the Word of Faith doctrine.
• Like Jesus, Abraham both the Old and New Testaments together and is discussed in both.
• We learned that Abraham is the of faith and that those who have faith like him are his children (Galatians 3:7).
• Abraham believed in Christ when he believed that he would be the of many nations (Galatians 3:8).
• When we believe in Christ, we are in the faith of Abraham; as he believed in Christ, so do we.
• As a biological descendant of Abraham, Jesus inherited Abraham’s (Galatians 3:16).
• Jesus is a son of Abraham, but we become sons of Abraham and of God by being in (Galatians 3:26-27).
• As , we are in Christ.
• By being in Christ, we inherit Christ has.
• This is because Christ took everything we had on the ; in other words, he bore our cursed (Galatians 3:13-14).
• In dying for us on the cross, Jesus took our curse and we inherited His (II Corinthians 8:9)
• This begs the question: What is the blessing of Abraham ? Is it only spiritual or does it also include things?

Take-Aways From Abraham’s Life

• Abraham was and a man of faith at the same time (Genesis 13:2).
• The Bible does not present this as a .
• While this fact alone does not prove that God expects all of us to be as materially as Abraham, it does demonstrate that God does not people of faith to be poor.
• In fact, there are other examples of people of faith who were or who were at least of means:
• • Job (Job 42:10-17)
  • Jabez (I Chronicles 4:9-10)
  • Proverbs 31 Woman (Proverbs 31:16-24)
  • Lydia (Acts 16:14-15)
  • Joseph of Arimathea (Matthew 27:57-60)
• Abraham was wealthy and God.
• Abraham cared that God received the for his wealth and not sinful (Genesis 13:13; Genesis 14:18-23).
• The idea that we must credit God for our and success is one noted throughout Scripture:
• • Deuteronomy 8:11-18
  • Daniel 4:28-32; Daniel 4:34-37
  • Acts 12:20-23
• All of this suggests that God is interested in our prosperity and not thwarting it.
• God’s issue with us is not our money but our .
• He can trust us with when our hearts are to Him.
• He wants us to be completely on Him and not our .
• But when we lean on Him completely, He takes care of us (Matthew 6:33).

Prosperity and Old Testament Law

• God writes into the laws that govern Abraham’s biological children (Deuteronomy 28:1-14; Exodus 15:26; Exodus 23:25-26).
• The prosperity written in the law inspired a of David (Psalm 103:1-5).

Dr. Joshua D. Smith, Ph.D.