In the beginning God placed everything that man could use and enjoy in the Garden. God saw to it that Adam lacked nothing. He lacked no good thing. He was created in the image of God Himself, leaving nothing to be desired

God furnished Adam with companionship, ability, abundance, and a kingdom. He told Adam to be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, subdue it, and have dominion over every living creature. Adam was the master of the Garden, and God was the master of Adam. God's man was free in every way! He knew no bondage until that fatal day when he committed high treason against the Lord God.

The Scriptures tell us that the woman was deceived but the man was not (1 Tim. 2:14). Adam knew that partaking of the tree of knowledge of good and evil meant separation from God. Being fully aware of the consequences, he committed high treason against God and made himself a servant to God's enemy, Satan.

God said, "In the day that you eat, you shall surely die." When Adam partook of the deadly tree, he died, not physically but spiritually. Spiritual death-the nature of Satan-overtook his once righteous spirit, and he became one with Satan. Sin and death consumed him spiritually.

He was born again from life into death. Oh, that horrible day when God's creation came under bondage of corruption and united with Satan, the destroyer. Adam was separated from the Father who is the God of love. Thereafter, he lived under the dominion of Satan whose nature is spiritual death.

By his own free will, Adam subjected himself and his kingdom to Satan. Instead of a lord, man became the subject of a merciless and cruel ruler. By natural birth Adam's children - all of mankind - would be born after his new nature of death instead of life, after the nature of Satan instead of God (Rom. 5:12,17).

Every phase of Adam's life came under the curse of his new god, Satan. He was driven from the Garden; abundance was no longer his to enjoy. He had to toil and sweat in order to survive. His beautiful life was overrun by thorns and thistles both in the physical world and in the spiritual world.

Sin produced sickness and disease to plague him. Even his wife's nature changed from the nature of God to the nature of Satan. What a catastrophe!

God's will for Adam was abundance and plenty. There was no lack. The Lordship of God provided only good. Poverty and lack came only after Adam changed gods and began to operate under Satan's dominion. Satan is the author of poverty. God is the Author of abundance.

When Adam served God, all he knew was abundance. He had the best of everything, the crown of life. God's will for Adam was abundance. He proved that when He created the Garden of Eden. Since His will does not change, God's will for His people today is abundance (James 1:17).

God's will concerning financial prosperity and abundance is clearly revealed in the Scriptures. From the beginning of time, He has provided financial prosperity for His people through obedience to His Word.

It is obvious that God desired Adam to live in abundance, but by Adam's own choice, the lordship of Satan engulfed man in a curse that resulted in poverty and lack. God's heart yearns for His people to be free, and through His infinite wisdom, He has continually provided deliverance for man and freedom from the curse of poverty.

Excerpt permission granted by
Eagle Mountain International Church, Inc.
aka:  Kenneth Copeland Ministries