BY THIS TIME NEXT YEAR: The Watch Letter

I saw a video recently in which a woman told an audience at church to decree the promises of God. She told them to declare that by this time next year, they would have the house they wanted, the car they wanted, the seven-figure income they wanted, and so on. The crowd went wild and began to decree what she said. But I wondered what they defined as the promises of God.

Many people use Philippians 4:19 — “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” — to justify the mindset that God wants us to have all the things and finances our hearts could desire. But the words need and riches do not only apply to what is tangible. Cars, money, and homes are tools and resources that are temporary. They can rust, burn, and decay. God loves us too much to only provide us with things that are not eternal and that have no bearing on how we spend eternity.

A person in the audience watching the video I described above commented that she noticed there was no mention of decreeing things like, “By this time next year I will have a stronger relationship with God.” I would add to that: “By this time next year, I will have been delivered from this stronghold.” Or, “By this time next year I will have set my house in order and we will serve God.” Or, “By this time next year I will have let go of ungodly habits.”

Defining the promises of God as worldly gain limits God, and we should not be satisfied with that. But godliness with contentment is great gain (1 Timothy 6:6).

According to Ephesians 1:7, riches is also another word for God’s grace:

“In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.”

But we, not just people in general, but those of us who come to church, often do not consider being blessed with God’s grace as being rich.

In a recent message, our Pastor, Chief Apostle H.C. Gunn, told us that we have stopped or never started honoring and valuing the fact that we are saved, OR can be saved.

“We don’t rejoice in salvation,” he said. “We don’t rejoice in the hope of living with God forever. We don’t rejoice in being able to see his face. We don’t rejoice in having his peace.” Instead, he said, “We rejoice in the hope of being successful.”

And because we don’t treasure salvation and the grace that was shown to us by God, we risk missing the true abundant life of freedom from sin and instead place more priority on financial freedom. Salvation allows us not to be oppressed by sin and the devil, but to be part of the family of God and the household of faith, supported and loved by others who love the Lord. And that is worth rejoicing about!

When Chief Apostle Gunn got saved and became a minister of the gospel, he could have asked God for anything. But instead, he sought the ability to hope in God and let him deliver him from worry so he could live by faith. He obediently spent days in an abandoned house, developing his relationship with God, rejoicing and soaking in the hope of salvation. And even though he knew God had imparted to him great spiritual gifts -- gifts he could have used to gain prestige and prosperity-- instead, he sought the wisdom and way of God. Now that's a leader!

It reminds me of Solomon in 1 Kings 3. He was a king and could have asked God for anything. A king has access to all the possessions and people in the kingdom. But he didn’t ask for riches or greater stature. He asked for a do-right mind and a heart that understands God’s will for his people. And in exchange, God gave him what he asked for and made him the greatest and most blessed earthly king of all time.

Watch that moment between God and Solomon here: https://youtu.be/bl_oY8W366w?si=D_6r1OfK-npcRbbh

By this time next year … what will you be rejoicing in?