by Edwene Gaines: There is a scriptural quote that I love so much, I sometimes have it printed on my stationery: “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” (John 14:13)

Isn’t that wonderful? It says, in essence, “Whatever it is that you want, if you ask for it in my name, you’ll get it.” The promise is so straightforward, and there are no qualifiers. No if’s, and’s or but’s. There’s no, “As long as it’s a good idea…or “Just so long as it doesn’t seem greedy…” It doesn’t say any of that. It says, “Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that I will do…” In the name of this indwelling Christ, this indwelling Christ will do for you so that you can glorify God.

Let me tell you something. God is not glorified by poverty. God is not glorified by illness. God is not glorified when you feel guilty or unworthy. God is not glorified when you run around playing the victim.

God is glorified when you stand up and acknowledge who you are and claim your birthright. And who are you? You are a divine being, a child of God the Most High, a person who deserves to have every good thing that life has to offer.

Now, it may be that some of the things I’m telling you here are hard for you to accept. They might be the opposite of what you’ve been told all your life, and you might feel that you can’t just transform your thinking instantly, as if by magic. Learning a brand new way of thinking can take some time and concerted effort, so I’d like to introduce a practice that many people find helpful in changing a long-held mindset: affirmations.

An affirmation is a statement about what is really true (despite what outward appearances may lead one to believe). When you make a positive statement with conviction, you open up a space in your life for that good to appear.

I suggest you try using affirmations to launch you on your new journey. Write them out, and then speak them aloud three times a day for 21 days. And as you’re speaking, don’t mumble! Speak them with power, from your solar plexus. Say the affirmation as if you absolutely believe it, without a trace of doubt.

Below are some affirmations that I like. You may feel free to use them, or you may want to make up some of your own. If you make up some of your own, remember the key is that you are making a statement about what you desire as if it is already true.

You might say any or all of the following:

• My Father/Mother God loves me.
• I am God’s beloved child.
• I am forgiven for all mistakes of the past.
• It is God’s good pleasure to give me the kingdom.
• I seek the kingdom in all that I experience.
• Because I serve God, I have a right to the abundant life. I have a right to riches.
• Every one of God’s children has a right to abundance.
• Because I give of my time, energy, and money, I am in the flow of inexhaustible substance.
• I love to tithe to where I receive my spiritual food. I give lavishly and joyously.
• Rich, divine ideas flow through me to bless and prosper all humankind. I want God’s good for everyone.
• My abundance benefits everyone, an everyone’s abundance benefits me.
• I set specific goals and let God lead me to accomplish them.
• I am thankful for all my seen and unseen blessings.
• My faith in God is firmly established. I live by faith.
• My thoughts, words, and deeds are divinely creative.
• Because I am faithful in small matters, my Lord makes me master over great matters.
• Never do I seek personal credit; I glorify God in all that I do.
• I am a world server. I serve God in the world. I walk through the world transforming it as I go.
• I am joyous, peaceful, healthy, enthusiastic, wise, loving, and rich. Praise God!
• Forgiveness is my daily business. And I am faithful in prayer to cleanse my emotional nature of bitterness, irritation, blame, and guilt.
• God and I are in the business of loving, giving, and serving.
• I serve God.
• Money serves me.

The truth is that you can have everything you want in this life. You can be free from the grips of poverty, and instead live a life of joy and faith and prosperity. You can live according to your divine purpose, in line with God’s plan, with everything you could possibly want or need at your fingertips…

Excerpted from The Four Spiritual Laws of Prosperity by Edwene Gaines. Edwene is a Unity minister, and the owner/director of Rock Ridge Retreat Center in Valley Head, Alabama.