The Prosperity Doctrine

The Prosperity Doctrine, that many Christians believe, is one of the greatest weapons of destruction that the Devil has created, to turn people away from God. I just experienced a very disheartening discussion with a well intentioned but ignorant Christian, regarding this topic.

If there is one doctrine that I have witnessed in my life, that has turned away more people from Jesus, it is this one. It turned me away from the Church for years. 

Thankfully, my faith was stronger than their ignorance, and I actually grew in my understanding of the value in my suffering, but I have watched so many hurting people, who have basically said, “If that’s God, I want no part of Him!”

Jesus Himself told us that “In the world, you WILL have tribulations, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

The scripture that I clung to, through all of my suffering was Romans 5:3-4, “We glory in our tribulations, because tribulations develop character, character develops perseverance, and perseverance, eternal hope!”

The character traits that are built through our suffering, when we allow God to work in our lives, are the Fruits of His Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23 state the 9 Fruits of The Spirit. They are Love, Joy, Peace, gentleness, goodness, patience, kindness, faithfulness, and self control.

Most of the people that I know, who are of good character, have faced significant challenges in their lives. The people that have never experienced real suffering are often the ones throwing around the message of the Prosperity Doctrine.

It’s as if they believe that they haven’t had suffering because they are more spiritual, or have better answers about the Gospel than anyone who is suffering. They have no understanding that their lives could change in an instant. 

Those are often the ones who turn away from their faith, when that happens, because they feel that it’s their fault, or that God is vengeful God, who caused this to happen. They were never taught the eternal perspectives that, yes, we will have suffering here, but we will have an eternity with no suffering. THAT is true faith.

I will share some of my experiences with this harmful doctrine, as an example of well intended ignorance.

When my son Robby was born at 25 weeks, because I had developed eclampsia, I can’t tell you the number of Christians who told me that I was being punished for some sin in my life, or that I didn’t have the magical Faith words in my prayers to make this stop, etc.

Then, when he was brain injured it was the same types of messages that I was given from Church people. If I just had enough faith, Robby would be healed. It was my fault that my son was suffering.

The ultimate words of ignorance came after he died. I hadn’t gone to church for years, but I was in desperate need of comfort. My faith was still very strong but I didn’t trust His people. I decided to “give it another chance”, so I went to a local church that was very popular in our area.

During the service, I saw a child that reminded me of Robby, so I went into the hallway to cry it out. Two women saw me, and came over to “help” me. They had good intentions, but after telling them about Robby’s death, one of them said these words to me, “You know, the devil stole your baby!”

I’m sure she meant to say, “Don’t blame God”, at least I hope that’s what she meant, but it isn’t what she said.

My brain filled up with such righteous indignation, that I said to her, “I don’t know what God you serve but the devil never touched my child! My Heavenly Father sent His Son to take the keys of death and hell, and when my son died, He said ‘Well done my faithful servant! Come and run with me!” Then I left them stunned in their shoes, and went home, never intending to return to a church again!

Eventually, God spoke to my heart and told me that it was time for me to go back to a church, NOT for what I was to receive, but for what He needed me to give. That’s when I was obedient to Him, and eventually attended seminary and became a minister myself.

(Side note, years later, when I developed a neurological disease myself, and got to where I couldn’t even get to church anymore, that same ignorant judgement from many religious people, wounded me again. I have forgiven, but many still judge me as deceived, and I haven’t been back inside the church buildings in 20 years now. I still have fellowship and I still help people, but I just don’t trust the condition of the churches right now. At least in my area. I would be happier with a small home church environment, like the original Church. I’m personally, highly suspicious of Mega Churches in this day and age, most of which preach about prosperity, as they build bigger buildings and line their pockets. I don’t judge the hearts of the people in them, but I do question many of the doctrines and their methods. My faith is super simple. Steve calls it my Bible on a Business Card. It’s to “Love God, Love Others!” It’s down to The Red Letters for me. If doctrines don’t end up doing those 2 things, that Jesus says are the most important, then they’re just wrong!)

The areas of ministry that God called me to, were always related to suffering, so I ended up facing the damaging aspects of the Prosperity Doctrine, over and over again! It was ongoing theme in my years of trying to help people with those spiritual wounds.

Eventually, God gave me 2 more children, but unfortunately, my daughter was brain injured also, due to lack of oxygen at birth. She wasn’t nearly as bad as Robby was, but we still understood that our lives were about to change again.

When she was about 11 months old, she still couldn’t sit supported by a special pillow that was supposed to prop her up. She never smiled and wasn’t reaching any milestones that babies her age should be able to do. Because of Robby’s brain injury, I knew what we were going to be facing.

Once again I had church people in my ear telling me what I needed to do to get God to heal her. Like He’s just this Genie in the sky, there to fulfill my wishes. I would thank them for their prayers and for caring, and then just try to ignore the pain of their words. They were just ignorant, and I understood that by that point.

I made an appointment at the local agency that diagnoses disabilities, so insurance would provide the proper therapies that she would need. 

Before my appointment, God spoke to my heart and said, “I’m going to heal your daughter to heal your heart over your son.” I hadn’t asked for it, or prayed for it. I didn’t expect it! I just filed it away in my brain. I decided that I would just do what needed to be done, and see what God’s plan for her would be.

I put no expectations on Him, because I was at complete peace with whatever His plans were.

I took her to the agency that Thursday morning, and the therapist spent 2 hours doing testing. She was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, lower extremity involvement, with autism suspected.

When I told Steve about it that night, we cried but we also had faith that we could handle this too. We knew what needed to be done, after Robby’s life, and we had faith that God was still God!

The next morning, Steve was yelling for me to go to her bedroom. He had heard her laughing (which she had never done) and when he walked in, she was standing in her crib, bouncing up and down! God had healed her!

I immediately called the agency and said, “I don’t want you to think I’m crazy, but God healed my daughter, and I need you to test her again.” They said, “Okay Crazy Lady, bring her in on Tuesday.”

When I took her in, the same therapist did the same testing on her again. After 2 hours, she said to me, “I’ve done this for 27 years, and I’ve never seen this before. She was disabled last week and she’s not disabled today. BUT I don’t think GOD would heal your daughter, and not heal these other children! I’ll make another report and let the doctors figure out what happened!”

I said to her, “That’s why God brought me to you. Let me tell you about my son. Same parents, same faith, same everything. I don’t know why God chose not to heal my son in this life, and He did choose to heal my daughter, but I will rejoice in both! My son was healed the day he entered Heaven, and my daughter will never have to know the suffering that has been taken away from her in this life.”

That therapist checked in on my daughter for years after, just to see if she was still “healed”.

I didn’t make my daughter a spectacle though. Her healing was private, except for those who knew the story then. Her doctor did call her, “her miracle baby” though.

It wasn’t until she turned 18, and gave me permission to share her story, that I began to tell it. Most of our friends by that point, had no idea that she had experienced that kind of healing.

The interesting thing about this, is that more people have been ministered to, because of Robby’s death, than have been ministered to because of my daughter’s healing!

I have learned that our physical life, death and prosperity, is of no consequence to God, other than how it will affect our SPIRITUAL life, death, and prosperity!

The next time that you are experiencing tribulation in your life, don’t listen to the Christians who think they have all the answers! Don’t believe that there is some magical formula to make your struggles end!

Instead of asking God “Why am I going through this?”, start asking Him “What am I supposed to be learning through this?” Have faith that your Father loves you, and He will carry through to the other side of things. On the other side, you will be able to see the things that He developed inside you, by being obedient to Him, and building the Fruits of His Spirit in your life!