Prosperity preachers treat material prosperity as the definitive sign of faith and spiritual growth. Even a glancing look at the Old Testament tells us that one can be well off and far from God; healthy and on their way to hell.

The prosperity gospel teaches that God wants his people to be wealthy and healthy. At its core is often the idea that in Christ God has restored to us the blessings of the covenant made with Abraham. These blessings are understood in a primarily material way, including good health, economic prosperity, and an all-round victory in most areas of life. Prosperity gospel preachers rely heavily on the Old Testament to make this case, arguing that God promises his people abundant wealth and abounding health.
The threat of the prosperity gospel has been well-documented, from the devastating revelations concerning the late T.B. Joshua to the undeniable ways it distorts both an individual’s faith and the church’s corporate witness. In this article I want to show how having a better understanding of the Bible’s overarching redemptive story—and covenants—is an important corrective to the prosperity gospel.
Meet the God Who Lacks for Nothing
The Bible’s creation account teaches that God created the world and everything in it. At every stage of the creation, God calls what he has made “good” (Genesis 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31). This is a testament to the all-surpassing wealth and abundance of our God. The work of creation isn’t merely functional but bountiful. We don’t only see God’s power, but also that he lacks nothing.
There’s an implication here. God is self-sufficient. His working in this world is not incentivised by our giving or sacrifices. The same is true of how he treats us. Importantly, this understanding of God guards against the temptation to treat God as a kind of talisman, who is motivated to give us wealth because of what we do for him.
Meet the People Who Lost Everything
Having met the Creator God, let’s consider the zenith of his creation: people (Genesis 1:31). These opening chapters of Genesis teach that God grants man dominion over the rest of the world (Genesis 1:28-30; 2:15). Why? Well, just like everything else God made, humankind exists to bring God glory. Our ruling over the world, this dominion, was meant to display God’s splendour; to give him honour. As God’s representative, those who image God (Genesis 1:27), man was entrusted with the blessings of God’s rule and power.
But man turned from, rather than to, God in search of satisfaction, significance, and security. We forsook the all-sufficient Creator and put our faith in the creation (Genesis 3:6; Romans 1:21-23). The worst result of this wasn’t poverty or poor health. In fact, the people we meet in Genesis after the fall live incredibly long lives and enjoy economic prosperity. The problem is, all of them die; all of them endure spiritual poverty, being kept from entering Eden and enjoying the presence of God that Adam and Eve had.
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Continue to learn doctrine, study your Bible, affirm the creeds, sing God’s praises—and read church history. Whatever you’re suffering, you’re not the first Christian to face that (Hebrews 11:39-40). Take confidence in knowing the stories of your brothers and sisters who went before. These stories offer real confidence. When you grow weary and desperate, look at how God has carried others through their trials. Trust him to do the same in yours. He’s far greater than our circumstances.

Church history has remained a pivotal aspect in tackling modern issues in the church. My love and passion for it grew from the time I was an undergraduate student. Grappling with church history, I saw how truly unique the church is.
More than this, I appreciated the role of the preservation of this history in the growth and the life of the church. The lessons from it have made me see God’s sovereignty, unfailing faithfulness, and unrelenting purposefulness. I have celebrated the many who went before me. Those that paid tremendously for defending doctrine and faith (Hebrews 10:32-34). Many faced death, because they knew that even death itself was temporary and that what they believed was forever (2 Corinthians 11:16-33). 
In this article, I endeavour to show that church history reminds us of God’s sovereign hand and presence with his people.
Jesus is Powerfully Present with His Church
The character of God is at the centre of the study and pursuit of the Christian faith. The significance of church history in this is that upon encountering it we are reminded of Jesus’ promise in Matthew 16:18, “I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”
The Bible is full of stories of people who experienced the faithfulness of God. The history of Israel repeatedly shows God’s compassion and holiness. He overcomes for Israel. He brings them into a land of physical inheritance. Yet throughout their history he points them forwards, to Christ, when God would come to dwell with his people. So Jesus Christ brings salvation, the fulfilment of Israel’s hopes. 
The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave on the third day sparked the beginning of Christianity. However, early church history is also the continuation of Israel’s story. The resurrection identified Christ as the Son of God, truly human and truly God. The disciples and the onlookers attested to his power over death. Convictions were strengthened and the Holy Spirit was manifest at Pentecost where many received power to become witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).
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