Matthew Allaria Ministries
MENU

Study Notes

The study notes in this section are Matthew’s personal outlines and therefore they have not been edited.  As a result, you will find some grammatical errors.

Character & Prosperity

I

Foundation Statement: The character you walk in will directly affect your level of prosperity

 

I.      Character effects your wealth and prosperity

A.    Proverbs 22:4 – The fear of the Lord leads to riches

B.     What is the Fear of the Lord? Fear – Reverence, honor, respect, and be in awe of

1.      Respect

a.      Esteem somebody or something – To feel or show admiration and deference toward somebody or something

1)      Admiration-Appreciation of somebody; regarded w/ appreciation & respect

2)      The state of being admired deferentially

b.      Be considerate; To show consideration or thoughtfulness

1)      Considerate-Mindful of the needs, wishes, feelings of others

c.      Not go against or violate something-To pay due attention to and refrain from violating something (Ex.) Respect the law or Respect another’s privacy

d.      An act of giving particular attention; high or special regard; to consider worthy of high regard; to refrain from interfering with

2.      Deference

a.      Polite respect; putting another person’s interest first

b.      Precious regard for another's wishes

c.      Submission to judgment, opinion, or wishes of another person

d.      Respect and esteem due a superior

3.      Honor

a.      Esteem somebody or something – To have or show great respect and admiration for somebody or something 

b.      To show merited respect; gesture of deference; a keen sense of ethical conduct

4.      Reverence

a.      Feelings of deep respect and devotion

1)      Devotion-Deep love & commitment; great dedication & loyalty; strong enthusiasm & admiration for somebody or something; Fervent religious or spiritual feeling

b.      Respect somebody or something deeply; To regard somebody with deep respect

c.      Honor or respect felt or shown; deference; profound adoring awed respect

5.      Awe

a.      Feeling of amazement and respect that is often coupled with feeling of personal insignificance or powerlessness

6.      One form evidence that you are a humble, reverent person of character is there is riches in your life

a.      NIV – Humility and the Fear of the Lord bring wealth

b.      NCV – Respecting the Lord and not being proud will bring you wealth

c.      MOF – The Humble and reverent are rewarded with wealth

7.      Riches (1 Kings 3:11-13 – The same word Solomon got for seeking wisdom)

a.      1 Kings 8-10 – Solomon was extremely rich

b.      1 Samuel 17:25 – The same word riches that David got

C.    There’s an excessive, abounding, flow of wealth & prosperity that resides in character

1.      Proverbs 19:23-The person of character will be Satisfied – Fulfilled, stuffed or bursting, filled, have one’s desire satisfied, to have in excess, surplus, oversupply, to enrich

a.      BAS-The fear of the Lord gives life: and he who has it will have need of nothing

b.      Ps 34:9-People who walk in character, honoring & respecting God have no lack

2.      We cannot continue to live outside God’s character and then be surprised when we don’t prosper and aren’t protected

a.      People who refuse to grow in God’s character r vulnerable 2 the enemy & broke

3.      We need to understand that our lack of character in an area that might not have anything to do with our finances, can and will effect us in the financial realm

a.      Connect the dots; you’re character over here effects your prosperity there

b.      There’s more to financial prosperity than just tithing and giving

D.    If you make character primary, it will lead you into prosperity; too many believers are wanting the prosperity without the character

1.      Proverbs 19:1-If you’re poor, but you have character you’re character will cause you to prosper; If you’re rich and you lack character that will lead you into poverty

a.      BAS-Better is the poor man whose ways are upright, than the man of wealth whose ways are twisted

b.      This doesn’t say you should be poor or that it’s good to be poor; it’s revealing to us that character takes precedence over prosperity

2.      Proverbs 15:16-It didn’t say you should have little; it said it’s better to have little and be fearing God than having abundance and not fearing God

a.      If u fear the Lord it will lead you to riches and you’re little won’t be little anymore

3.      Joseph was better off in that pit, a slave in Potipher’s house, & a prisoner in that prison with his character, than his brothers were as free men with an inheritance in their Father’s house

a.      Joseph’s character led him to prosperity; their lack of character led them to lack

II.     Walking in character is directly connected to the power with which the blessing can work in your life (Psalm 115:13, Proverbs 10:22)

A.    The blessing of the Lord that He blesses people of character with makes rich

1.      The blessing is this empowerment to prosper in spite of and apart from circumstances and situations that surround you

2.      The blessing was on Isaac when he sowed in famine; The blessing was on Joseph in Potipher’s house, in prison, and as Prime Minister of Egypt; The blessing was on Jesus when he multiplied the loaves and fishes

3.      Jeremiah 17:7 – This tree was blessed with the blessing

B.     The level of character that you walk in is going to determine the level of power with which the blessing operates in life (Psalm 24::4-5)

1.      When you’re character level is high, the power of level of the blessing is high, and in turn your level of prosperity will be high

a.      It’s possible to be born again and blessed, but if you walk in a low level of character the power level of that blessing will be low in your life

2.      Joseph’s character level was so high and that caused the power of that blessing to work at such a level that it caused him to prosper no matter where he was-Gen 39:5

a.      His brothers were the seed of Abraham as much as him & had access to that same blessing that was on his life, but their character level brought the power of the blessing down

3.      Proverbs 11:11-The upright have the blessing

a.      Cities have been overthrown because the character of the church is love and the of the blessing has been low (Psalm 133:1-3)

III.   Character > Wisdom > Prosperity

A.    Psalm 111:10, Proverbs 9:10 – Wisdom begins with your character

B.     Wisdom leads to total life prosperity

1.      Proverbs 8:12-14-Wisdom has strength, power and might; 15-Kings reign by wisdom; 15-Pricnes decree justice by wisdom; 18-Wisdom has riches and honor; 19-Wisdom has fruit better than gold and increase better than silver; 21-Wisdom causes you to inherit substance; 21-Wisdom will fill your treasuries; 34-Wisdom has the blessing; 35-Wisdom has the favor of the Lord

2.      Proverbs 3:13-Wisdom has happiness; 16-Wisdom has length of days; 16-Wisdom has riches and honor; 17-Wisdom has peace (Shalom) and pleasantness

3.      Proverbs 4:5-6-Wisdom has protection; 8-Wisdom has promotion

4.      The beginning of all these things that wisdom brings is character 

C.    Proverbs 1:7-People are cut of from what God want for them because they lack character

1.      Hosea 4:6 – People are cut off from what God wants for them because of what they do not know