“Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers”
… a remarkable and extraordinary prayer from the Lord’s Apostle/Elder, John, for the believer Gaius from 3 John 2. Here, this faithful New Testament church leader expresses a strong and earnest desire for the side-by-side development of spiritual maturity, physical well-being, and material blessing. While certainly it is appropriate to seek God for any of these as significant aspects of one’s life, the coupling or joining of them together in this passage is unprecedented in the biblical text. In addition, there is supportive evidence that physical health and spiritual well-being are uniquely intertwined, and surely success and/or prosperity in one’s career or business affairs can play a role as well in any individual’s overall well-being.
Here, in 3 John 2 we find the Greek word, euodoo (yoo-od-o’-o), which is a compound expression meaning to succeed along the road, to reach successfully, and/or to prosper in business affairs. The continuous tense in this scripture suggests consecutive, uninterrupted circumstances of varying prosperity as weeks follow weeks. This concept is in the likeness of the inner man being renewed “day after day” as in II Corinthians 4:16. In other words, this prayer finds Gaius’s faith father (see 3 John 4) praying for his spiritual, monetary/material, and physical well-being … prosperity!
Most committed Christians can either quote or find a verse related to God’s material blessings being poured out (like Luke 6:38), God’s provision of health and/or strength (as in Proverbs 3:7-10), or concerning spiritual growth/maturity (such as Colossians 1:10), but how about all three, spoken together in one powerful and discerning prayer passage? WOW! How do you think brother Gaius must have felt when he received and read this prayer from Elder John?
Undoubtedly, this experienced apostle/elder fully understood the concept conveyed by his co-laborer, the Apostle Paul, in his instructions to the Philippian church:
Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. (Phil 2:3-4)
Isn’t it interesting to note that this prayer ties both the physical health and material blessing directly to one’s spiritual growth and development as a vital/essential priority? It appears, according to 3 John 3, that Gaius is growing spiritually and that there is distinct/clear evidence of this maturing being manifested throughout his life. Apostle/Elder John seems to be delighted as well, even elated with his progress …
For I was very glad when brethren came and testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth. I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth. (3 John 3-4)
This simple, yet broad-reaching, unelaborate prayer would include success in business ventures and investments, happiness and peaceful fulfillment in domestic/family interactions, as well as within one’s spiritual relationships (with the Lord and other believers). In addition, this intercession is inclusive of all the activities, engagements, and/or transactions in which a committed believer might lawfully engage within one’s society (pagan or not). It shows that it is absolutely and unhesitatingly right for us to encourage our friends through prayer, whether in good times or bad, lean or abundance, that they may have success and growth in their spiritual lives, be in good health, physically/ mentally/ emotionally and prosper through the works of their hands and in their plans of life. John must surely have learned this from Jesus, whose concern for people’s physical troubles is attested to in all four Gospels. Certainly this is a biblical warrant for Christians today to pray for the temporal as well as the spiritual and physical needs of our peers in Christ.
At West Oaks Fellowship, we’ve learned to actively embrace our cultural differences, as well as the distinctions in our widely diversified heritages. We are truly “nations gathered for worship” who at the same time are actively “sharing the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15). Now let us embark on praying for one another — not just when needs arise — but as the Apostle/Elder John prayed for Gaius, that each one in our body will be in good health and prosper even as his/her soul prospers!
Let’s just do it! -PF
