In Psalms, chapter thirty, verse six, secure in his prosperity, the psalmist assumed that his wealth and success made him so strong that nothing could destroy his happiness. God then withdrew His protective hand and brought serious trouble and helplessness into his life, causing him to experience the need for God’s continual care and presence, as in verses eight through ten. All believers who feel secure in themselves, rely on temporal things and give God and His kingdom anything but the first place in their lives should receive a caution from the words of this psalm.
The prosperous find themselves in trouble when they have their heart on possessions instead of God. The signs of this begin with their attitude. What do the prosperous have their minds upon? God? or their possessions.
Joseph was prosperous, as in Genesis thirty-nine, verse two, “And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man, and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.” Joseph acknowledged God, and that is why the Lord was with him. The servant of God had a gift, and he excelled under Pharoah. “And his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand. And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.”
Today, some people do not yet serve God, but their actions in giving and speaking about God allow them to prosper. God sees the heart of everyone and knows who sincerely are towards Him and those who are, not even though on the outside they appear to be. In Matthew nineteen, verse twenty-three, “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.” A few prosperous people are with Him because many have their hearts first on their possessions instead of Him.