God gave me a practical plan. I realized that when I went to the bank, I would often withdraw over $100 in cash. I would take out $120 or $150, whatever was needed for the time. I felt the Holy Spirit prompting me to start asking for a one hundred dollar bill from the bank teller, whenever I withdrew over $100 from the bank. If I withdrew over $200, I asked for two one hundred dollar bills. The idea seemed kind of silly and a little bit embarrassing to me. Would God really tell me to do this? But, the impression would not go away so I decided to obey.

It was hard at first. I felt really self-conscious and embarrassed asking the bank teller for the one hundred dollar bills. “I can do this,” I kept telling myself. “God wants me to do this. He is teaching me.” So from time to time, depending on my personal business, I would have a hundred dollar bill or two in my wallet. Eventually, I started to get a little more comfortable with it. This continued for a few months.

One Sunday morning, I was sitting in our local church service with a one hundred dollar bill in my wallet. After the speaker shared his message that morning, it was announced there was going to be a special offering taken for him. I immediately stiffened up because I knew in an instant what God wanted me to do. God was saying, “Okay, Brian, now that you have become accustomed to having a hundred dollar bill in your wallet, I want you to put that one hundred dollar bill in the offering.” I admit it was a struggle. For some reason, it is much harder to depart with a hundred dollar bill than a hundred dollar check. There is something about seeing it go. But I did it. It was an act of obedience, and it felt good.

God spoke to me immediately and said, “I will take you seriously in this venture if you take me seriously. I will bless you with hundreds if you are willing to give hundreds.” You see, I was thinking in terms of receiving hundreds from God (which He wants to do), bur He was thinking of me giving hundreds to His work.

If you are considering praying this same prayer, “Holy Spirit, teach me to prosper,” do so at your own risk. This lesson has been so real that I can honestly say without bragging that since that time we have given away that specific amount of money, one hundred dollars, many times and more. We have been blessed. God is giving us more money and we are giving more money away than ever before. By God’s grace this principle continues to work in us and through us. Go ahead and pray that prayer…”Holy Spirit, teach me to prosper!” Just do it.

Coming on the next post is another humorous example of the Holy Spirit teaching me to prosper…The Christmas Tree story.