For as long as we can remember, most of us have had some type of relationship with money. When we were little, we had pretend money from a board game. As teenagers, after-school jobs gave us cash, and as adults, we learned that the world expects us to earn as much income as we can. But what if we suddenly discovered that everything the world taught us about money was wrong?

We’re well-acquainted with the philosophy that says, “Whoever dies with the most stuff, wins.” From a biblical standpoint, nothing could be further from the truth. We’ve been conditioned to accumulate as much wealth as possible, and those with less money are looked down on. Every day on the news, there are reports of crimes—murders, suicides, and robberies—that result from an obsession with money. “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Timothy 6:6-10, NIV).

Notice that this verse says the love of money, not money itself, is the root of all evil. It’s okay to be wealthy, but developing a wrong relationship with wealth is what trips most people up. Receiving compensation for an honest day’s labor is biblical, but many people get greedy and fall into the temptation of ill-gotten gains. The Bible warns against the “get rich quick” mindset that hypnotizes the world. “Wealth [not earned but] won in haste or unjustly or from the production of things for vain or detrimental use [such riches] will dwindle away, but he who gathers little by little will increase [his riches]” (Proverbs 13:11, AMP).  

The Word of God gives us the correct view of money, and the thinking that leads to true prosperity. We find the true source of wealth, above and beyond banks or earthly treasuries. “If you start thinking to yourselves, “I did all this. And all by myself. I’m rich. It’s all mine!”—well, think again. Remember that God, your God, gave you the strength to produce all this wealth so as to confirm the covenant that he promised to your ancestors—as it is today” (Deuteronomy 8:17, 18, MSG). This truth will never change.

Financial blessings are only a part of prosperity. Prosperity from God covers not just our finances, but our health, our happiness, our relationships with others, and our ability to succeed and thrive in every area of our lives. It begins on the spiritual level. “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers” (3 John 1:2, NKJV). Believing this opens us up to amazing abundance, not just in our bank accounts, but in all every facet of our lives.