THE FOUR SPIRITUAL LAWS OF PROSPERITY
January: Divine Purpose
In Edwene Gaines’ book, The Four Spiritual Laws of Prosperity, she identifies four key laws of prosperity. We are starting with the fourth principle first, with the idea of “beginning with the end in mind.” That law is Divine Purpose.
Our divine purpose is found in doing that which is joyful for us, as well as knowing we are aligned with God. The most inspiring purpose for the individual or the church is also found through discernment (opening to the leading of God) and following the guidance of the Christ within. The purpose, akin to a mission, is something you will always be working on, and it will never be completed. Your divine purpose is that which you were sent to this time and place to do.
An example of personal purpose is this: To understand and connect with God in myself and others.
If we are aligned with God in what we are doing, and we are joyful in it, it cannot help but prosper. The universe honors an intention that aligns itself with God. The other side of this is that if something is not working for you, is your purpose in it aligned with the divine purpose? Once you know your divine purpose, this is a good test for any endeavor.
What the Bible says:
“I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” Job 42:2
“I cry to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me.” Psalm 57:2
“But he said to them, ‘I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other cities also; for I was sent for this purpose.’” Luke 4:43
“But by refusing to be baptized by him, the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God's purpose for themselves.” Luke 7:30
What Unity says:
“Purpose gives life real meaning. Purpose gives joy and zest to living. When our eye is on the goal, we are not so easily perturbed. Purpose awakens new trains of thought; purpose directs these trains of thought into new fields of achievement. Really to succeed we must have some great purpose in mind, some goal toward which we are to work. But above all, we must always purpose in our heart to achieve spiritually.” Charles and Cora Fillmore, Teach Us to Pray
“All things should be done with purpose, with pleasure as a concomitant only. Pleasure lends zest to all action, but it should never be exalted to the high place of consciousness.” Charles Fillmore, The Twelve Powers of Man
Ideas for practice:
• Select a passage from above or from a favorite resource that speaks to you. In the monastic tradition of Lectio Divina, read the passage until you are very familiar with it. Then spend some time with each of the following questions. What did the author mean at the time? What does it mean in your life right now? What do you feel about it? Let your feelings pour out in prayer. Finally, rest in silence for a time, simply breathing in God’s presence.
• Create a prosperity journal, and record your thoughts from the ideas that come to you in prayer and meditation in the exercise above.
• Form a prayer triad. This is a group of three that meets weekly, perhaps after worship, to share prayer requests and to pray with one another and the ministry. Hold each other in prayer to connect with your divine purposes. Remember that where two or more are gathered in God’s name, God is in their midst.