Now first, this is not always true as some prayerful people are very successful. But in many places, especially in poor communities, we see something painful: the ones who spend the most time praying, fasting, and going to church sometimes struggle more financially than those who don’t pray. Why?
Let’s break it down in an African way, using examples you might see in your own village or town.
1. Prayer Is Powerful—But It Needs Action.
Prayer is like planting a seed. But even after planting, you still need to water it, weed the garden, and chase away goats and chickens. Some people pray, but don’t do the work that is needed to succeed. You might find someone praying for a job, but they never go out to ask for one or learn new skills.
Bible says: “Faith without works is dead.” (James 2:17)
So yes, pray—but also act. Some non-praying people are just working harder, learning more, or taking risks in business.
2. Some Churches Focus Too Much on Spiritual Life Only.
In some places, churches teach only about heaven and not enough about life here on earth. They say, “Just pray and wait on God,” but don’t teach how to save money, farm better, start a business, or get skills.
If someone is in church every day from morning to evening, but they never learn how to handle money or open a small business, poverty will still come.
3. Poverty Makes People Pray More—Not the Other Way Around.
Sometimes it looks like prayer causes poverty, but actually, it’s poverty that pushes people to pray more.
If someone is struggling—no food, no job, no help—they cry to God more. But those who have money, land, businesses—they feel like they don’t need to pray. So the poor people pray more, but it’s not prayer making them poor—it’s the poverty that’s making them pray.
4. Lack of Practical Education and Mentorship.
Many prayerful people were never taught about how money works. They don’t understand investments, interest rates, or how to make profit. Some even think money is evil, so they reject business and stay broke, waiting on God to provide in a miracle.
Meanwhile, others—who may not even go to church—are attending business seminars, watching farming tutorials, and trying new ideas.
Prayer is not a replacement for learning.
5. Religious Manipulation and Fake Prophets.
Sadly, in many places, some people are being lied to by fake prophets or greedy pastors. They are told to bring all their money as a “seed,” even when they are poor, and promised miracles.
They stop using common sense and give everything away hoping for supernatural wealth. But instead of wealth, they end up more broke.
6. People Confuse Waiting with Laziness.
Someone might say, “I’m waiting on the Lord,” but they’ve been sitting at home for 3 years without trying anything new.
Prayer must go hand-in-hand with effort.
In Chichewa we say: “Pemphero popanda ntchito ndi ngati mphika popanda moto.”
(Prayer without work is like a pot without fire.)
7. Some Non-Praying People Work Very Smart.
Not every non-prayerful person is lazy or evil. Some of them wake up early, use the internet to learn, partner with others, and create businesses. Some are disciplined. They save money. They invest wisely.
So while one person is praying for a breakthrough, the other person is building a plan and moving forward.
So What Can Prayerful People Do Differently?
1. Keep praying—but don’t stop working.
Faith and action must walk together.
2. Learn new things.
Attend workshops, watch tutorials, read books about business, farming, or savings.
3. Teach practical things in church.
Let church also talk about finances, business, skills—not just fasting and heaven.
4. Avoid fake promises.
Don’t give your last coin to a prophet who promises instant wealth. That’s not biblical.
5. Collaborate with others.
Form farming clubs, business groups, or savings teams (village banks). Work together.
Final Word: God Blesses Through the Works of Your Hands
God doesn’t bless empty hands. He blesses what you do—your farming, your selling, your building. So as you pray, make sure your hands are busy. Use your brain. Use your body. Work smart. God will meet you there.
In the end, it’s not that prayer makes people poor. It’s lack of knowledge, lack of action, and sometimes wrong teachings that do.
Let’s balance the two—prayer and planning, fasting and farming, church and creativity.
If you want, I can help you write a sermon, blog post, or even a youth workshop on this topic. Just let me know.
Ok, so make it well crafted for unique blog post. then offer a solution on how christians can prosper. Make it 1000+ and readable. Use african accent and examples.
Sure! Here is a unique blog post written in a warm African tone and accent, using simple language, African examples, and practical solutions. It’s crafted for readers who want to understand why prayerful Christians sometimes struggle financially, and how they can prosper both spiritually and physically.
Why Do More Prayerful People Get Poorer? (And How Christians Can Prosper in Africa)
In many African communities, you will find something very strange. The people who are always in church, fasting, praying, and singing holy songs—these same people are the ones who seem to suffer the most. They have no jobs, no businesses, no cattle, and sometimes even no food. But just nearby, there is a man who never goes to church, maybe even drinks a little, but he owns a shop, a farm, a good house, and he’s doing well.
So the big question comes: “Why do more prayerful people get poorer?”
Let’s break it down. And don’t worry—we are going to talk the real truth, the African truth. And then, we’ll show how Christians can rise and prosper, the Godly way.
1. Prayer Alone Is Not Enough
Yes, prayer is very powerful. In fact, nothing can happen without God. But let’s be honest: prayer alone cannot plant maize. You can pray 40 days, but if you don’t dig the land, put the seed, water it, and remove the weeds—you will still go hungry.
In many churches, people are taught to just “wait on God,” as if God will drop bags of money from the sky. That is not how God works. Even in the Bible, when God wanted to bless people, He blessed the work of their hands—not their dreams, not their songs, not even their fasting.
✝️ “The Lord will bless the work of your hands.” – Deuteronomy 28:12
So we must work. We must move. We must act.
2. Poverty Pushes People to Pray More.
Sometimes we see that poor people pray more—not because prayer causes poverty—but because poverty makes people cry to God more. When you have no food, no money, no help—you go on your knees. That’s good. But the mistake comes when people replace hard work with prayer.
We must do both. Cry to God, yes—but after crying, go fetch water, go till the land, go learn a skill.
3. Churches Forget to Teach About Money and Work.
Let’s be real. In many African churches, pastors talk so much about heaven, fasting, and casting demons. But very few teach about saving money, starting businesses, learning skills, or farming wisely.
A church member may be in choir, ushering team, and intercession group—but still borrowing sugar from the neighbor every week.
Why? Because we are not teaching people how to live here on earth.
God wants you to live well here on earth before you go to heaven.
We need churches that also talk about budgeting, investments, village banking (banki ya mudzi), and entrepreneurship.
4. Some Christians Are Afraid of Money.
Some Christians think money is evil. They say, “I just want to serve God, not chase riches.” But who told you that money is evil?
✝️ “The love of money is the root of all evil.” (1 Timothy 6:10)
It does not say money is evil. It says loving money more than God is the problem.
Money in the hands of a good Christian can build schools, feed orphans, dig boreholes, and help the church grow.
So don’t fear money. Fear greed—but not success.
5. Fake Prophets Are Stealing from the Poor.
This one is painful. Many Christians are giving all their little money to fake prophets who promise miracles. “Bring K10,000 and God will give you a car.” “Plant a seed of K50,000 and you will get a visa.” Lies.
God does not work like that. You must give to God from your heart—not like you are paying for a blessing.
6. Laziness Hides Behind Spirituality.
Some people say, “I am waiting on God,” but what they really mean is “I don’t want to try anything.” They sit at home, fast, and say, “God will provide.” My friend, even birds must fly out and search for worms.
✨ In Chichewa: “Mulungu amathandiza omwe amagwira ntchito, osati amene akungoyang’ana kumwamba.”
(God helps those who work—not just those who look up to heaven.)
🛠️ So, What Can Christians Do to Prosper?
Let us now talk real solutions. What can believers do to succeed while still remaining prayerful and holy?
✅ 1. Pray, Then Act.
Yes, wake up and pray. Fast. Read your Bible. But after that, go and act. Sell tomatoes. Raise chickens. Learn carpentry. Do mobile money. Hustle clean, and God will bless your effort.
✅ 2. Get Knowledge.
Don’t just go to church 7 days a week. Also attend business workshops, farming expos, or online classes. Watch YouTube videos about farming, mechanics, or online jobs.
The Bible says: “My people perish for lack of knowledge.” – Hosea 4:6
Let knowledge be part of your salvation.
✅ 3. Form Christian Business Groups.
Create Christian savings groups in your church. You can contribute small amounts weekly and give loans to each other. Also, start businesses together—like raising goats, doing tailoring, or making soap.
✅ 4. Teach About Money in Church
Pastors, please listen—preach about money too! Teach people how to budget, save, and invest. Jesus spoke more about money than even heaven and hell. It’s not unholy to talk about money.
✅ 5. Give Wisely
Give to church, yes. But don’t give beyond your means. Don’t borrow just to impress pastors. God sees the heart. And don’t fall for “quick miracle” tricks. Real wealth takes time, discipline, and planning.
✅ 6. Let Your Christianity Be Balanced
Don’t be over-spiritual. Balance is key.
- Pray and plan.
- Fast and farm.
- Worship and work.
- Sow and save.
- Speak in tongues—and also speak in numbers (budgeting!).
✅ 7. Remember—God Wants You to Prosper.
✝️ “Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers.” – 3 John 1:2
God wants your soul to grow—and your business to grow. Your spirit and your wallet must both prosper.
🌾 Final Word: Let Your Faith Produce Fruit.
My brothers and sisters, Christianity is not poverty. Salvation is not suffering. God did not call us to be poor forever. Let our faith produce fruit—on earth, in our homes, in our pockets.
Let the church raise God-fearing, hard-working, money-smart, generous Christians who can feed nations.
You may also want to learn How to Avoid Being in Debt? Practical Guide.