Month: August 2026

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The Prosperity Gospel

Priest enthusiastically putting money into a collection plate in a church
“God has promised me Wealth!”

by Randal W. Deese (8-4-2026)

We believe the Prosperity Gospel does not represent the Scriptural teaching regarding prosperity. The Bible teaches that God is good, that He faithfully provides for His people, and that every good gift ultimately comes from Him (Matt. 6:25–34; Phil. 4:19; Jas. 1:17). Scripture does not, however, promise that every faithful believer will possess material wealth, enjoy uninterrupted health, or experience continual earthly success. Nor does it teach that financial giving obligates God to provide a predetermined monetary return.

Biblical Prosperity Is Broader Than Material Wealth

In Scripture, prosperity cannot be reduced to financial abundance. Biblical prosperity is fundamentally the condition of living faithfully under the blessing, wisdom, presence, and purposes of God. Joshua was promised success as he meditated upon and obeyed God’s law (Josh. 1:7–8). The blessed person of Psalm 1 prospers because he delights in God’s instruction and produces fruit in its proper season (Ps. 1:1–3). Such prosperity primarily concerns covenant faithfulness, spiritual fruitfulness, and the fulfillment of God’s calling rather than the accumulation of possessions.

The New Testament places its greatest emphasis upon spiritual riches: redemption, forgiveness, wisdom, grace, hope, righteousness, fellowship with God, and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 5:1–5; Eph. 1:3–14; 3:16–19).

Believers may possess little in this world while remaining rich toward God and abundant in faith (Luke 12:21; Jas 2:5; Rev. 2:9).

God Provides for His People

We affirm that believers may confidently pray for daily provision. Jesus taught His disciples to ask the Father for their daily bread (Matt. 6:11). He assured them that the Father knows their needs and instructed them to seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness (Matt. 6:31–33). Paul likewise testified that God was able to supply the needs of the Philippian believers according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19).

God may provide through employment, generosity, community, unusual circumstances, or miraculous intervention. Pentecostal faith rightly expects God to act. Nevertheless, divine provision must not be confused with a universal promise of luxury. Scripture distinguishes between necessities and excess, teaching believers to be content when their basic needs are supplied (1 Tim. 6:6–8).

Wealth Is Neither Proof of Faith Nor Evidence of Divine Approval

Material wealth is not a reliable measure of spiritual maturity, faithfulness, or God’s favor. Some righteous people in Scripture possessed considerable resources, including Abraham, Job, David, and Lydia. Others faithfully served God while experiencing poverty, hardship, persecution, or deprivation.

Jesus lived without earthly wealth and warned that He had nowhere to lay His head (Matt. 8:20). The apostles endured hunger, thirst, poor clothing, beatings, homelessness, and material need (1 Cor. 4:9–13; 2 Cor. 11:23–27). Paul sometimes experienced abundance and sometimes suffered need, yet he learned to be content in every circumstance (Phil. 4:11–13).

The heroes of faith included not only those who experienced remarkable deliverance but also those who suffered, were imprisoned, mistreated, and deprived of earthly security (Heb. 11:32–38).

Therefore, poverty must not automatically be attributed to unbelief, inadequate confession, insufficient giving, or hidden sin.

Likewise, wealth must not automatically be interpreted as evidence of righteousness.

Faith Is Trust in God, Not a Mechanism for Acquiring Wealth

Biblical faith rests in the character, promises, wisdom, and sovereignty of God. It is not a spiritual force that enables people to create wealth through positive words, mental visualization, or verbal decrees. Believers are instructed to ask God in faith, but they are also taught to submit their desires to His will (Matt. 6:10; 26:39; 1 John 5:14).

Words possess moral and relational power, and Christians should speak truth, blessing, faith, and hope (Prov. 18:21; Eph. 4:29). Scripture does not teach, however, that human words possess an inherent creative power comparable to God’s sovereign speech. God alone calls into existence that which does not exist (Rom. 4:17). Christian confession is an expression of trust in God, not a means of controlling Him.

Giving Is Worship, Not a Financial Transaction

The New Testament teaches generous, willing, and cheerful giving (2 Cor. 8:1–15; 9:6–11). God frequently blesses generosity by enabling believers to continue meeting needs and supporting good works. The principle of sowing and reaping is therefore biblical, but it must be interpreted in light of Paul’s teaching on generosity, righteousness, thanksgiving, and care for others.

Giving must never be presented as a commercial exchange through which a person purchases healing, protection, promotion, or financial increase. Spiritual leaders must not exploit vulnerable people by promising guaranteed monetary returns in exchange for donations. Peter condemned the attempt to purchase the gift of God with money (Acts 8:18– 23), and Paul warned against those who imagine that godliness is a means of financial gain (1 Tim. 6:3–5).

Christian giving should arise from love, gratitude, compassion, and devotion to God—not greed or manipulation.

Scripture Warns Against the Love of Money

The Bible does not teach that money itself is evil, but it repeatedly warns against greed, covetousness, and misplaced trust. Jesus declared that no one can serve both God and wealth (Matt. 6:24). He warned against every form of greed because life does not consist in the abundance of possessions (Luke 12:15). Paul identified the love of money as a root of many kinds of evil and warned that some, through their desire to be rich, had wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows (1 Tim. 6:9–10).

Those who possess wealth are commanded not to become proud or to place their hope in uncertain riches. They are to trust in God, do good, become rich in good works, and be generous and ready to share (1 Tim. 6:17–19).

Suffering Is Not Necessarily Evidence of Spiritual Failure

Jesus openly taught that His followers would experience tribulation, rejection, and persecution (John 15:18– 20; 16:33). The apostles taught that suffering may accompany faithful Christian discipleship and may produce endurance, maturity, hope, and deeper participation in Christ’s life (Rom. 5:3–5; 8:17–18; Phil. 3:10; Jas. 1:2–4; 1 Pet. 4:12–16).

We reject any teaching that routinely blames suffering believers for their lack of faith. Christians should pray boldly for healing, deliverance, provision, and restoration while continuing to trust God when answers are delayed, take a form different from what was requested, or are not answered at all – “Thank God for unanswered prayers.” Genuine faith remains anchored in God’s goodness even amid unresolved suffering.

Divine Healing Must Not Be Commercialized

We affirm that God heals and that the Church should pray expectantly for the sick (Matt. 10:7–8; Acts 4:29– 30; Jas. 5:14–16). Healing is an expression of God’s mercy and a manifestation of the Holy Spirit’s power. It is never a product to be purchased, a reward earned by giving money, or a benefit controlled by a minister.

Jesus commanded His disciples, “Freely you received; freely give” (Matt. 10:8). Any ministry that conditions prayer, prophecy, healing, or spiritual access upon financial contributions contradicts the character of the gospel.

Christian Ministry Must Be Free from Financial Exploitation

Spiritual leaders may receive appropriate material support from those they serve (Luke 10:7; 1 Cor. 9:7–14; 1 Tim. 5:17–18). Nevertheless, ministers must remain free from the love of money, dishonest gain, manipulation, and extravagant self-interest (1 Tim. 3:3, 8; Titus 1:7, 11; 1 Pet. 5:2).

Paul refused to manipulate people financially and reminded the Ephesian elders that he had not coveted anyone’s silver, gold, or clothing (Acts 20:33–35). He renounced disgraceful and deceptive methods in ministry (2 Cor. 4:2). Christian leaders must therefore handle money transparently, avoid coercive fundraising, and never use supposed revelations, prophecies, or promises of miracles to pressure people into giving.

The Gospel Centers on Christ, Not Personal Enrichment

The gospel proclaims the death, resurrection, lordship, and saving reign of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:1–4; Rom. 10:9–13). It calls sinners to repentance, to reconciliation with God, to the reception of the Holy Spirit, to participation in the body of Christ, to holy living, and to faithful witness.

Jesus did not call His disciples primarily to pursue comfort or wealth. He called them to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him (Mark 8:34–36). The apostles did not preach financial enrichment as evidence of salvation. They proclaimed forgiveness, eternal life, the gift of the Holy Spirit, resurrection hope, and entrance into the kingdom of God (Acts 2:38–39; 3:19–21; 14:21–22; 20:20–27).

The supreme treasure offered in the gospel is God Himself.

We Affirm a Biblical Theology of Blessing

In rejecting the Prosperity Gospel, we do not reject God’s blessing, provision, healing, generosity, or supernatural intervention. We affirm that:

  • God is a loving Father who cares for His children’s needs.
  • Believers may pray confidently for provision, healing, employment, opportunity, and deliverance.
  • God may entrust wealth to believers for stewardship, generosity, ministry, and the relief of suffering.
  • Faithful obedience often produces wisdom, stability, fruitful relationships, and practical benefits.
  • The Holy Spirit empowers believers to endure hardship and to serve faithfully in every circumstance.
  • God’s ultimate promise is resurrection life and the restoration of all creation in Christ.

Biblical blessing must always remain centered upon God’s kingdom, governed by His will, and directed toward love of God and neighbor.

Conclusion

The Association of Biblical Pentecostals rejects the Prosperity Gospel because it distorts biblical faith, narrows divine blessing to material gain, commercializes spiritual ministry, and may burden suffering believers with false guilt. It replaces the cruciform pattern of Christian discipleship with an expectation of continual success and often treats giving as a means of personal enrichment.

We proclaim instead that Jesus Christ is our greatest treasure, the Holy Spirit is God’s incomparable gift, and eternal life in the kingdom of God is our enduring hope. Whether believers experience abundance or need, health or sickness, deliverance or suffering, they are called to trust God, practice generosity, pursue holiness, care for the poor, and remain faithful to Christ.

Our confidence is not that every believer will become wealthy, but that nothing can separate those who belong to Christ from the love of God and that their labor in the Lord will never be in vain (Rom. 8:35–39; 1 Cor. 15:58).

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Decreeing and Declaring

by Randal W. Deese (8-3-2026)

We believe that Scripture does not teach that believers have the power to decree and declare. The Bible does not teach that human beings possess sovereign power to create new realities, determine future events, compel circumstances, or force desired outcomes simply by speaking a “decree and declaration” formula. Sovereign and creative speech belongs uniquely to God, whose Word accomplishes His will because He alone is the Creator, Lord, and King over all things.

God Alone Speaks with Sovereign Creative Power

Scripture begins by presenting God as the One whose Word brings creation into existence:

Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light (Gen. 1:3).

The heavens were made by the Word of the Lord, and all creation exists because He commanded it (Ps. 33:6–9). God declares “the end from the beginning” and accomplishes all His purpose because none can prevent His sovereign will (Isa. 46:9–11).

Paul likewise identifies God—not believers—as the One “who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist” (Rom. 4:17). This passage does not teach that Abraham created his promised future by speaking it into existence. Abraham trusted the God who had sovereignly promised what only God could perform. Biblical faith does not imitate God’s sovereignty; it relies upon it.

God’s Word accomplishes what He sends it to accomplish because it proceeds from His own omnipotent will:

So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please (Isa. 55:11).

No comparable promise is given concerning every desire, prediction, declaration, or command spoken by a believer.

Believers Proclaim God’s Word; They Do Not Create Reality

Christians are commanded to proclaim, confess, teach, testify, bless, encourage, warn, and speak the truth. These are powerful and necessary forms of biblical speech. Believers declare “the praises of Him who called” them out of darkness (1 Pet. 2:9), confess Jesus as Lord (Rom. 10:9), proclaim the gospel (Mark 16:15), and speak God’s truth with boldness (Acts 4:29–31).

Such a declaration announces what God has revealed or accomplished. It does not create truth, guarantee a preferred outcome, or exercise independent control over future events. The authority of Christian proclamation rests entirely in the truth and authority of the message God has given—not in the believer’s vocal intensity, confidence, wording, or use of a particular formula.

The prophets did not speak whatever they personally desired and then expect God to make it happen. They were required to speak only the Word God placed in their mouths:

Whatever I command you, you shall speak (Jer. 1:7).

Ezekiel was similarly instructed, “You shall speak My words to them” (Ezek. 2:7). Even Jesus declared that He did not speak independently but spoke according to the Father’s commandment (John 12:49–50). Therefore, no believer should claim greater independence in speech than the prophets, apostles, or the Lord Jesus Himself demonstrated.

Prayer Is Petition, Not Sovereign Command

Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10). Biblical prayer confidently approaches God, but it does not replace God’s will with human sovereignty.

The apostles did not ordinarily address circumstances as though their own speech controlled reality. When threatened, they prayed to the “Sovereign Lord” and asked Him to grant them boldness and to perform signs by His power (Acts 4:24–30). When Peter was imprisoned, the Church offered “constant prayer” to God for him (Acts 12:5). They did not treat prayer as a verbal mechanism that automatically produced their preferred result.

Scripture teaches believers to ask in faith while remaining submitted to God’s wisdom and will:

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us (1 John 5:14).

James warns against speaking presumptuously about the future. Rather than declaring that a particular plan must occur, believers should say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that” (James 4:13–16). Submission to the Lord’s will is not unbelief. It is the proper confession that God is sovereign, and we are not.

Faith Does Not Mean Faith in Our Own Words

Jesus’ teaching about speaking to a mountain must be interpreted within its own context:

Have faith in God (Mark 11:22).

The emphasis is not on faith in the believer’s ability to speak realities into existence, but on faith in God. Jesus immediately connects the saying with prayer:

Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them (Mark 11:24).

He also connects believing prayer with forgiveness and a heart rightly ordered before God (Mark 11:25).

Faith is not confidence that our words possess creative energy. Faith is confidence in the character, promise, wisdom, and power of God. The believer does not control God through speech; the believer trusts God through prayer. Likewise, Jesus’ promises about asking in His name do not authorize using His name as a verbal formula to force a desired outcome. To ask in Jesus’ name is to ask as one who abides in Him, represents His interests, seeks His glory, and submits to His will (John 14:13–14; 15:7; 16:23–24).

The Tongue Has Great Power, but Not Divine Omnipotence

Proverbs states that

Death and life are in the power of the tongue (Prov. 18:21).

This teaches that words have profound moral, relational, emotional, and practical consequences. Words can deceive, destroy reputations, provoke violence, crush spirits, communicate wisdom, reconcile enemies, encourage the discouraged, and proclaim the message of salvation. The verse does not teach that human speech possesses God’s creative power or that every spoken statement becomes reality. The broader teaching of Proverbs concerns the consequences of wise and foolish speech, not the metaphysical creation of circumstances by verbal declaration (Prov. 12:18; 15:1–4; 16:24; 18:6–8).

James similarly describes the tongue as powerful because of the immense good or destruction it can produce through human relationships and conduct (James 3:2–12). Neither Proverbs nor James teaches that words function as spiritual laws compelling the universe to conform to human desires.

Job 22:28 Does Not Establish a Christian Decreeing Practice

The statement,

You will also declare a thing, and it will be established for you (Job 22:28)

It is frequently used to defend the practice of decreeing desired outcomes. However, these words were spoken by Eliphaz, one of Job’s counselors. At the conclusion of the book, God rebuked Eliphaz and his companions for not speaking rightly concerning Him (Job 42:7–8). A statement from a rebuked counselor cannot be removed from its literary context and treated as a universal promise that believers may decree circumstances into existence. Sound doctrine must be established from the clear and consistent teaching of Scripture, not from isolated statements spoken by people whose theology the biblical narrative corrects.

Delegated Authority Remains Subject to Christ

Jesus gave His disciples genuine authority to preach the gospel, make disciples, forgive in a ministerial sense, exercise church discipline, resist the devil, cast out demons, and minister in His name (Matt. 10:1; 16:19; 18:18; 28:18–20; Luke 10:17–20; John 20:21–23; James 4:7). Yet delegated authority is never autonomous sovereignty.

The apostles exercised authority as servants commissioned by Christ. Their power was derived, limited, and governed by the Lord who sent them. They did not teach that every Christian could determine the future, command wealth, eliminate all suffering, or guarantee healing through verbal decrees.

Paul could not merely decree that his “thorn in the flesh” disappear. He pleaded with the Lord three times, and the Lord answered according to His greater purpose: “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Cor. 12:7–9). Paul left Trophimus sick at Miletus (2 Tim. 4:20), advised Timothy concerning recurring illness (1 Tim. 5:23), and thanked God for showing mercy to the seriously ill Epaphroditus (Phil. 2:25–27). These examples demonstrate faith, prayer, compassion, and dependence upon God—not sovereign control of circumstances through declarations.

Our Position

Therefore, the Association of Biblical Pentecostals rejects the teaching that believers possess inherent or delegated sovereignty to create reality, determine future events, guarantee healing or prosperity, cancel every hardship, or force spiritual and material outcomes through spoken decrees and declarations.

We reject the idea that words operate as impersonal spiritual laws by which believers can compel God, control the universe, or activate blessings through a prescribed formula. Such teaching confuses God’s sovereign speech with human confession, transforms prayer into command, and risks placing faith in faith, words, or techniques rather than in God.

At the same time, we affirm that believers should:

  • Proclaim the promises and truth of Scripture with boldness.
  • Confess Jesus Christ as Lord.
  • Pray with faith, perseverance, and expectancy.
  • Resist the devil in submission to God.
  • Exercise spiritual gifts according to the Spirit’s will.
  • Speak words that bless, heal, encourage, correct, and edify.
  • Ask God for healing, provision, deliverance, and intervention.
  • Trust God to answer according to His wisdom, goodness, timing, and sovereign purpose.

Biblical Pentecostal faith is neither passive nor unbelieving. We pray fervently, expect God to act, welcome the gifts and power of the Holy Spirit, and boldly proclaim what God has revealed.

Nevertheless, we recognize that power belongs to God, not to our formulas.