You are probably familiar with 2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore
if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are
passed away; behold, all things are become new.” Are you in
Christ? If so, then you are committed to Colossians 2:2-3: “That
their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and
unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the
acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of
Christ; In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
We read earlier from Proverbs that one hand of wisdom
holds riches and honor and the other hand holds length of
days. These are some of the treasures of wisdom—all of them
are hid in Christ. Wisdom is in Christ. You are in Christ.
Wisdom is in you! It belongs to you! Welcome to where the
riches are!

In financial dealings, the truly wise man, one who is operating
in the covenant of God, will not borrow money. He will not
obligate himself in this way. A man who borrows money is relying
on the world’s system of finance and will never be in absolute
control of his affairs. God has a system of finance which
will provide everything you need. It is not a sin to borrow
money, but there is a better way. Why not use it? There is a
higher life. Reach for it!

This is a very difficult area where businessmen are
concerned, but God can and will provide everything any businessman
can conceive in his heart or mind. God has a way!
This is something you grow into spiritually. If you want to
believe God for thousands of dollars to operate your business,
you will have to start by believing Him for your next shirt and
tie. As you do, you will grow into a position where you can
believe Him to provide large amounts of money. The wisdom of
God will cause these things to happen, and it comes forth only
by spending time in the Word.

Suppose Henry Ford walked up, handed you a book, and
said, “This book contains every secret that I have learned in the
automobile industry, in the manufacturing business, and in the
stock market. It has been tried and proven over a period of years
to produce absolutely if you will read it one hour each day and
meditate in it.” Would you trade an hour’s sleep for the success
Henry Ford enjoyed? This and so much more is available to you
by reading and meditating in the Word of God. Commit yourself
to it. Make up your mind and heart before God.

Kenneth and Gloria Copeland

The established heart comes by meditation in the Word of
God. We have seen from the book of Joshua that if a person
will meditate in the Word day and night and do all that is written
therein, he will prosper and deal wisely in his affairs. It is
through this kind of meditation in the Word that you will discover
what God has to say about finances.

Proverbs 3:13-14 says, “Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,
and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise
of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof
than fine gold.” In other words, there is a better market for wisdom
and understanding than for gold and silver. The merchandise
of it is greater; and will provide more. Solomon proved
this. People from faraway countries heard about the wisdom of
Solomon and brought him wealth and riches because of it.

Verses 15-16, “She [wisdom] is more precious than rubies: and
all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and
honour.” Wisdom actually possesses riches and honor. Does wisdom
belong to us? Again, we go to the established covenant for
the answer. Let’s see what the Word has to say about it.

First Corinthians 1:30 states very plainly that Jesus has
been made unto us wisdom. James 1:5-6 says, “If any of you
lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally,
and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in
faith, nothing wavering.” Paul prayed in Colossians 1:9-10 “that
ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and
spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of
the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work.” We
should bear fruit and succeed in every endeavor, and the wisdom
of God enables us to do this.

Now I take for granted that you understand the importance
of prayer in all these areas. Spend time before God and in His
Word. Let Him reveal to you His wisdom and His understanding.

Kenneth and Gloria Copeland

All the words God spoke to Joshua would have been useless
if he had disobeyed and not meditated in the Word day and night.
Only by meditation in the Word will you be able to see how to do
what is written there. Proverbs 23:7 tells us that as a man thinks
in his heart, so is he. Learn to take the Word of God and meditate
in it. Then when the world says, “There’s no way out,” you can
just smile and say, “Oh yes, there is a way. His Name is Jesus.”

God said, “If you will meditate in My Word, you will prosper
and have good success.” In other words, you will deal wisely in
all the affairs of life. If you do this, prosperity will be no problem.
It doesn’t matter who you are or what situation you are in,
if you can deal wisely in all the affairs of life, you will triumph.
Paul and Silas proved this when they were in jail. They praised
God at midnight, and evidently they dealt wisely in that affair
because the prison doors popped open!

A good businessman knows that making money is not his
biggest problem. Anyone can make money if he knows how to
deal wisely. He can take 50 cents and turn it into a fortune if he
knows exactly what to do with it. If you knew exactly how to
deal wisely with the money in your purse or billfold—if you
knew what to do, where to go, whom to talk with, and what to
say—success would be inevitable.

The truly successful man is one who knows the Lord, has
learned to believe God, and can share it with others. This man
is valuable to God, to himself, to the people around him, and
he is dangerous to Satan.

Remember, it is God who gives the power to get wealth in
order that His covenant may be established. God and His Word
are one. When you are in the presence of the Word of God, you are
in the presence of God Himself. John 1:1 says, “In the beginning
was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
There is no way that you can have God manifest in your life
without His Word. Now there are special manifestations of God’s
grace, but the Christian is not supposed to live on these. We are
to live a constant manifestation of God’s presence from His
Word. You keep His Word, and He will manifest Himself to you.
Nothing thrills me more than to know that if I wake up in the
middle of the night with some problem, all I have to do is reach
for my Bible. This is the manifestation of the power of God. It
will work every time for anybody who will use it! When you
realize that this manifestation of God is available all the time and
begin to walk in the light of it, you will become prosperous.

Kenneth and Gloria Copeland