Day 4: The Prosperity Test

From Dream to Destiny by Robert Morris

As we discovered in the previous day, power will test your character. But so will money. Money is just another form of power. Money can give us the power to do certain things or meet certain needs, and in the same way, the lack of money can hinder us from doing certain things.

So we must ask ourselves, What do we do with the power that money brings us? Do we use it as God would have us use it—to further His purposes for our lives and the lives of others? Or do we squander it in foolish ways?

This is the Prosperity Test. Every one of us has taken this test, and we will continue to take it as long as we’re living.

In Genesis 41:1–8, God showed Pharaoh two dreams. God had a purpose in showing him those dreams—a purpose of blessing, provision, and deliverance from starvation!

Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one; God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years; the dreams are one. The seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty ears blighted by the east wind are also seven years of famine. It is as I told Pharaoh; God has shown to Pharaoh what he is about to do. There will come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt, but after them there will arise seven years of famine, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will consume the land, and the plenty will be unknown in the land by reason of the famine that will follow, for it will be very severe. And the doubling of Pharaoh’s dream means that the thing is fixed by God, and God will shortly bring it about. Now therefore let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt.

‭Genesis 41:25-33

God knew seven years of famine were coming, and He wanted to ensure people didn’t starve. But He needed someone whom He could trust to carry out His plan. Joseph was that person. He understood God’s principles about managing finances.

Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went through all the land of Egypt. During the seven plentiful years the earth produced abundantly, and he gathered up all the food of these seven years, which occurred in the land of Egypt, and put the food in the cities. He put in every city the food from the fields around it. The seven years of plenty that occurred in the land of Egypt came to an end, and the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said. There was famine in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph. What he says to you, do.” So when the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. Moreover, all the earth came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth.

‭Genesis 41:46-48, 53-57

When asked what to do, Joseph had a plan. That plan involved saving specific amounts of grain each year—one-fifth (20 percent) to be exact. This plan was so good that Joseph not only fed Egypt and his family, but other nations came to Egypt to buy food, and Joseph extended Egypt’s empire by trading land in exchange for life-saving grain.

God’s plan would have failed in the hands of someone who didn’t know how to manage money wisely or put Him first in their decisions. He couldn’t choose someone with a pattern of unrestrained spending who didn’t know how to save for the future. If He had chosen someone like that, the grain would have been depleted before the famine arrived! God looked for someone who was a good steward, someone who knew how to manage material things according to His principles. The Prosperity Test was a huge part of Joseph’s destiny.

The Prosperity Test is a huge part of your destiny as well. Until you are found faithful with money, you cannot step into your destiny to the full extent God desires. Why? Because God’s plans for you will always involve bringing His blessings and provision to others.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

‭Matthew 6:21

You might be saying to yourself, I never have any money. How could I be taking the Prosperity Test? The truth is that everyone has financial resources to manage. Every person will be tested by money, whether they have a little or a lot. When you have been found faithful in handling money, God will use you as a channel to distribute His wealth and resources to a hurting and destitute world.