4th Condition

The fourth principle is right thinking, speaking and acting. I want to put the emphasis on thinking. I want to suggest to you it is impossible to think wrong and live right. And it is inevitable if you think right you will live right. Joshua 1:8. This is the instructions to Joshua when he was to lead God’s people into their inheritance.

“This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous and then thou shalt have good success.”

To me, that’s the most total promise of prosperity and success that a person could ever wish. “Then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, then thou shalt have good success.”

What are the basic requirements? Three. Meditate in the law of the Lord, speak the law of the Lord, act the law of the Lord. It’s what we think, it’s what we say, it’s what we do that determines what we experience. “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; thou shalt meditate therein that thou mayest observe to do.” I sum that up in think, speak and act God’s word.

Then again in Psalm 1, in a sense, an even more embracing promise. In Joshua it’s spoken to one man but in Psalm 1 it’s absolutely general—any person that meets these conditions. The first 3 verses.

“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”

Notice that last little sentence. “Whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” Will you say that with me? “Whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” There is no room for failure there. Everything he does will succeed. What are the conditions? I suggest to you there are three negative conditions, two positive. The negative conditions, the things you must not do, are stated in verse 1. You must not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of the scornful. Notice there’s a gradual slowing down.

If you begin to walk in the way of the ungodly you then stand and finally you’ll sit and you’re there. You’ve got to avoid that evil progression from walking to standing to sitting.

Many Christians actually accept the counsel of the ungodly in many areas of their lives. Then they wonder why they don’t prosper. This is the primary requirement, we do not walk in the counsel of the ungodly.

Then there are the two positive requirements in verse 2. “He delights in the law of the Lord.” And secondly, “He meditates day and night in the law of the Lord.” If I were to pick out one thing that’s absolutely central to prosperity in the scriptures, it’s right meditation. It’s what you think about, the way you think, what fills your mind and occupies your mind is really going to determine your experience.

So on the basis of meeting those five conditions, three negative and two positive, the Bible says of any person, whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. That includes every single person in this room here tonight. According to my understanding of this scripture, if you accept the Bible as the word of God, here are principles which will guarantee success for every person in this room. In fact, in the name of the Lord and on his behalf I promise you total success if you will meet these conditions.