Godliness will make a difference in your life and also enable you to make a difference in the lives of those around you. The Bible says godliness is profitable in all things. This is talking about prosperity for the whole man—spirit, soul, and body. In addition, the Bible says that the profit godliness brings is for this life and the life to come. And the profit that godliness brings in this life includes more than just finances and material profit.
First Timothy 4:7–8,15 says, “But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come… Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.”
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Notice particularly verse 8: “For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.” Although bodily exercise does profit, the reason it “profiteth little” is that it only profits in one area of your life and only for a limited time.
Exercise does build you up physically, but it won’t build you up spiritually or mentally. But godliness is profitable unto all things. It pays off in everything, “…having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.”
Too many times, Christians only think about what a great day it will be when we all get to Heaven. And that will be a great day, thank God! But God’s promises are for more than just the next life. Paul said living for God is profitable in this life as well as in the next one, “…having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come!” (1 Tim. 4:8)
Godliness pays off here and hereafter.
“Godliness” simply means living for God. And how do you live for God? By doing exactly what Paul said in 1 Timothy 4:12.
Be an example for believers in word, in conduct (or manner of life), in love, in spirit, in faith, and in purity. That’s living for God. And living for God is profitable!When you live for God, you will see a difference in your life—in your job, in your family, in your finances, and in your health. Godliness is profitable in all things. You will also see a difference in the lives of those around you. Godliness pays!
How is godliness “profitable”? You see, God made an investment in us as believers, and He wants to realize some returns on His investment! We talk about our inheritance in Christ Jesus. But God has an inheritance in us, and He desires that it produce a high profit.
I believe that God not only desires for us to be saved (and thank God, He has remitted our sins), but He also wants us to bring glory to His Name after we are saved. That will help bring God great dividends for His investment in us!
You know, friends, godliness is not a hindrance to success. It’s exactly the opposite. Godliness is profitable unto all things! It’s profitable unto protection, promotion, and prosperity.
Godliness Ensures Protection
If we’re God’s children, we belong to Him! And He will protect us. First Corinthians 6:19 says, “…Your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own.”
You don’t belong to yourself. You’re not your own. You were bought with a price; you belong to God. Since we belong to God, then we ought to expect Him to take care of us. As I said, godliness ensures protection. Now, that doesn’t mean that we can act foolishly and think we’ll be automatically protected. We must still live godly lives, wisely choosing to serve God each day.
That’s what it means to be godly—to live for God and serve Him wholeheartedly. There’s reward or profit for living a godly life. Living for God will affect you in every way, including in the realm of protection.
The Lord didn’t say the going is always going to be good. In fact, the Word of God says that the afflictions of the righteous are many. (Ps. 34:19) The word translated afflictions is referring to troubles and trials. In Psalm 91:15, God said He would be with us in trouble. If you are never going to have any trouble, why would God say He’d be with you in trouble? No, serving God doesn’t mean you’re never going to have any trouble.
Some people get the idea if you live by faith, you just sort of float through life on flowery beds of ease. They think you’ll never have any persecution, opposition, or trouble. They get the idea that the blessings of protection, promotion, and prosperity will fall on them like ripe cherries off a tree. But that’s not what the Bible said. Psalm 34:19 says, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.” Godliness ensures divine protection! That simply means God will see you through!
Godliness Ensures Promotion
When I talk about promotion, I’m not talking necessarily about promotion according to the world. Yet, your promotion (or your profiting) shall appear to all according to 1 Timothy 4:15. “All” means everyone in the world and everyone in the Church as well. All means all!
Godliness ensures promotion, but you still have work to do. Unfortunately, God has been unable to promote many people. He wanted to bless and promote them. He wanted them to develop and grow. He wanted their profiting to appear to all. But they didn’t apply themselves. They were too lazy or slipshod.
When you live for God (and that includes being diligent and hardworking), God will promote you. He’s on your side. He’s not against you. Now if you just whittle away your time, it won’t work. But if you apply yourself and believe God, He will promote you.
Notice again our text that says godliness, or living for God, is profitable. It pays to live for God.
Godliness Ensures Prosperity
Of course, when you use that word prosperity, people think about the natural realm—about financial and material prosperity. That’s true, but it actually means “to prosper in spirit, soul, and body.”
According to the Bible, your physical, material, and financial prosperity depend on your spiritual prosperity.
When it comes to the realm of the natural, so many people don’t see the truth that God wants them to prosper financially and walk in divine health. They think, ‘God wants to bless us spiritually, all right. But we may have to go through life poverty-stricken and barely able to get by.’ But that’s not true, and we see that fact over and over in the Word. Second Chronicles 26:5 says, “And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper.” If you’ll read all of this account, you’ll discover that God is talking about material and financial prosperity.
As long as we seek the Lord, God makes us to prosper. Joshua 1:8 says the same thing: “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.”
We could paraphrase that verse like this: “This Word of God shall not depart out of your mouth; but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do [do the Word; don’t just be a hearer of] the Word according to all that is written in it: for then you shall make your way prosperous.”
Did you notice what God said? He said you will make your way prosperous. Of course, God would be behind your prosperity. He’s the author of it. But your actions determine whether or not you make your way prosperous. You determine whether or not you prosper mentally or emotionally. It’s up to you whether you prosper in school, on your job, or in relationships. It’s up to you whether you prosper financially and physically. It’s up to you!
If you want to see a difference in every area of your life, and if you want to make a difference in other people’s lives, godliness is the key. Living a godly life will make your way prosperous, and you will have good success—spirit, soul, and body! With godly living you will receive divine protection, promotion, and prosperity!
Rev. Hagin served in Christian ministry for nearly 70 years and was known as the "father of the modern faith movement." His teachings and books are filled with vivid stories that show God's power and truth working in his life and the lives of others.
Rev. Hagin was born on Aug. 20, 1917, in McKinney, Texas, a son of the late Lillie Viola Drake Hagin and Jess Hagin.
Rev. Hagin was sickly as a child, suffering from a deformed heart and an incurable blood disease. He was not expected to live and became bedfast at age 15. In April 1933 during a dramatic conversion experience, he reported dying three times in 10 minutes, each time seeing the horrors of hell and then returning to life.
In August of 1934, Rev. Hagin was miraculously healed, raised off a deathbed by the power of God and the revelation of faith in God's Word. Two years later, he preached his first sermon as pastor of a small community church in Roland, Texas.
In 1937, Rev. Hagin was baptized in the Holy Spirit and began ministering in Pentecostal churches. During the next 12 years he pastored five churches in Texas: in the cities of Tom Bean, Farmersville (twice), Talco, Greggton, and Van. In 1949, he began an itinerant ministry as a Bible teacher and evangelist.
During the next 14 years, Jesus appeared to Rev. Hagin eight times in visions that changed the course of his ministry. In 1966, he moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he opened a ministry office. That same year, he taught for the first time on radio—on KSKY in Dallas. In 1967, he began a regular radio broadcast that continues today as Faith Seminar of the Air. Teaching by his son, Rev. Kenneth W. Hagin, is also heard on the program.
In 1968, Rev. Hagin published the first issues of The Word of Faith magazine, which now has a monthly circulation of more than 250,000. The publishing outreach he founded, Faith Library Publications, has circulated more than 65 million copies of books by Rev. Hagin, Rev. Hagin Jr., and several other authors worldwide. Faith Library Publications also has produced more than 9 million audio teaching tapes and CDs.
Other outreaches of Kenneth Hagin Ministries include RHEMA Praise, a weekly television broadcast hosted by Rev. and Mrs. Kenneth W. Hagin; RHEMA Correspondence Bible School; RHEMA Alumni Association; RHEMA Ministerial Association International; RHEMA Supportive Ministries Association; the RHEMA Prayer and Healing Center; and a prison ministry.
In 1974, Rev. Hagin founded RHEMA Bible Training Center USA and in 1976 moved the school and ministry offices to Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, where they remain. To date, RHEMA Bible Training Center USA has 23,000 alumni, and RHEMA Bible Training Centers have opened in 13 other nations: Austria, Brazil, Colombia, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Peru, Romania, Samoa, Singapore, South Africa, and Thailand. Together, the 14 schools have more than 28,000 graduates worldwide.
RHEMA Bible Church, pastored by Rev. Hagin Jr., began holding services in October of 1985 on the RHEMA campus in Broken Arrow and has since grown to become a thriving congregation with more than 8,000 members.
Rev. Hagin's daughter and son-in-law, Pat Harrison and the late Doyle "Buddy" Harrison, founded Harrison House Publishers in 1975 and Faith Christian Fellowship International Church in 1977. Both organizations are based in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Until shortly before his death in September 2003, Rev. Hagin continued to travel and teach throughout the United States and into Canada conducting All Faiths' Crusades and other special meetings.