Jesus taught his followers that sacrificial obedience would be rewarded, but prosperity gospel preachers exploit these verses for fundraising.
Televangelist Jesse Duplantis promotes a theology of instant gratification, creating unrealistic and unbiblical expectations. During a September 20th telethon, televangelist Jesse Duplantis told his audience:
“I always believe for the now. I mean when you want something, you want it now. Listen, we are Americans. We created fast food. You understand? We don’t like it if they spend 30 seconds more on a hamburger. We want it now. Well, let me tell you something. You need your harvest now, don’t you? Certainly, you do. Why not? That’s not being greedy. I mean it’s called growth.” (We call it greed.)
Duplantis’ words about faith in the “now” came in response to George Pearson, senior pastor of Kenneth Copeland’s Eagle Mountain International Church, reading Bible verses about the “hundredfold blessing” in Mark 10:29-30.
“And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.” – King James Version
Notice, these Bible verses say nothing about financially donating to a church or religious non-profit media ministry.
Also, the phrase “now in this time” is translated as “in this present age” in the New International Version.
Duplantis also proclaimed, “You never put your faith in the future. It can create a future, but it wasn’t made for the future. It was made for the now.”
However, Hebrews 11, which is known as the Faith Hall of Fame, recognizes famous Jewish leaders that had faith in future events.
“All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.” – Hebrews 11:13, New International Version
Waiting is Frequently a Part of God’s Plan
The Bible clearly teaches Jews and Christians to “wait upon the Lord.” Duplantis should be familiar with verses like Psalm 27:14 which says, “Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” – King James Version
Ironically, during the same September broadcast Duplantis announced his ministry purchased a $21 million Falcon 7X jet. Duplantis had to wait five years to acquire his dream jet.
In 2018, Duplantis received critical news coverage after announcing on his TV program that he was believing God for a Dassault Falcon 7X jet. A new jet would have cost Duplantis’ ministry $54 million.