Prosperity 

Charles FILLMORE | Summary | Spiritual Wealth & Abundance

Explore Prosperity by Charles Fillmore and learn how spiritual principles can attract abundance into your life. 

Read the book summary for powerful insights.

Book overview 

Charles Fillmore - Prosperity

Charles Fillmore’s “Prosperity” presents a metaphysical perspective on prosperity, arguing that true wealth originates from a spiritual connection with God's limitless substance. It emphasizes the power of thought and faith in manifesting abundance, suggesting that poverty stems from negative thinking and a lack of understanding of this spiritual principle. The text encourages readers to cultivate a consciousness of God's omnipresent supply and to actively use their minds to shape their reality, emphasizing the importance of love, generosity, and faith in achieving lasting prosperity. It uses biblical parables and examples to illustrate its core tenets, promoting a spiritual approach to financial well-being and suggesting that material possessions are merely symbols of a deeper spiritual reality. The lessons are structured around developing a mindset conducive to attracting and maintaining prosperity.

Main Themes

The Omnipresent Substance: The sources consistently emphasize the existence of an omnipresent, inexhaustible substance, often referred to as "ether" or "spiritual substance," that is the source of all material wealth and prosperity. This substance is accessible through the power of the mind, particularly faith and positive thinking.

The Power of Thought: The briefing document strongly advocates the power of thoughts and words to shape reality and manifest prosperity. Negative thinking, fear, and worry are seen as detrimental to attracting abundance, while faith, positive affirmations, and gratitude are crucial for tapping into the spiritual substance and manifesting wealth.

Overcoming Limiting Beliefs: A recurring theme is the importance of overcoming limiting beliefs about lack, scarcity, and debt. The documents encourage individuals to release these negative thoughts and replace them with an unwavering belief in the abundance of the spiritual substance and their inherent right to prosperity.

Spiritual Laws of Prosperity: The sources present prosperity as governed by specific spiritual laws, mirroring natural laws. Just as physical laws govern the material world, spiritual laws like forgiveness, generosity, and the power of the spoken word are presented as essential for manifesting financial abundance.

The Importance of Giving: The act of giving is highlighted as crucial for increasing prosperity. Generosity and a willingness to share one's wealth are presented as aligning with the flow of the spiritual substance and unlocking greater abundance.

Key Ideas and Facts

Mind as the Creator: "Everything that appears in the universe had its origin in mind. Mind evolves ideas, and ideas express themselves through thoughts and words." This quote emphasizes the foundational belief that mind is the ultimate creator, manifesting ideas into tangible reality.

Desire and Fulfilment: "Man has never had a desire that could not somewhere, in the providence of God, be fulfilled." This statement posits that desire is an inherent force driving creation and that its fulfilment is inherently possible within the universal design.

Faith as the Connector: "This is accomplished by faith through prayer." Faith is presented as the bridge connecting human consciousness to the spiritual substance and facilitating the manifestation of desires, particularly through prayer.

The Role of the Subconscious: The document highlights the subconscious mind as the fertile ground where ideas take root and ultimately manifest. Techniques like meditation and repeated affirmations are recommended to impress the subconscious with prosperity-oriented beliefs.

The Power of the Spoken Word: "The mightiest vibration is set up by speaking the name Jesus Christ." The act of speaking words, especially spiritually charged affirmations and the name of Jesus Christ, is emphasized as a potent tool to activate and mould the spiritual substance.

Overcoming Fear and Doubt: "If your prosperity does not become manifest as soon as you pray and affirm God as your substance, your supply, and your support, refuse to give up. Show your faith by keeping up the work." Perseverance and unwavering faith are presented as essential for overcoming doubt and seeing manifestations.

Prosperity as a Sin?: "It is a sin to be poor." This provocative statement challenges traditional notions about poverty and suggests that it reflects a misalignment with God's will for abundance and reflects a lack of understanding of spiritual laws.

The Prodigal Son as a Prosperity Lesson: The parable of the prodigal son is interpreted through the lens of prosperity, emphasizing the father's generosity and the prodigal son's return to a state of abundance as symbolic of reclaiming one's right to divine provision.

The Law of Increase: "There is a universal law of increase.... The conscious co-operation of man is necessary to the fullest results in the working of this law." This concept suggests that a principle of expansion governs the universe and requires human participation through action and faith to fully manifest.

Letting Go to Receive: "It is just as necessary that one should let go of old thoughts and conditions after they have served their purpose as it is that one should lay hold of new ideas and create new conditions to meet one’s requirements." The act of releasing old, limiting beliefs is presented as crucial for creating space for new, prosperity-focused ideas to take hold.

The Power of Forgiveness: "Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors." The act of forgiveness, both of others and oneself, is emphasized as a necessary step for clearing mental blocks and allowing the flow of spiritual substance.

Overall Impression

The provided source materials present a comprehensive and detailed framework for achieving prosperity through spiritual principles and practices. It goes beyond mere positive thinking and delves into specific techniques and mental frameworks for aligning oneself with the flow of abundance believed to be inherent in the universe.

It is important to note that this perspective is rooted in a particular spiritual belief system and may not resonate with all individuals. However, the core principles of harnessing the power of thought, overcoming limiting beliefs, and cultivating generosity can hold relevance and value regardless of one's spiritual background.

Content overview

Foreword

This section lays the groundwork for understanding prosperity from a spiritual perspective. It posits that God provides an inexhaustible spiritual substance that manifests as material wealth through the power of faith and understanding. This substance is ever-present and responds to our thoughts and words. The foreword also delves into the connection between spiritual understanding and scientific discoveries, suggesting that the ether, brimming with potential energy, acts as a conduit for divine substance.

Lesson 1: God, the Substance of All Things

This lesson emphasizes the concept of God as the source of all substance, both spiritual and material. It highlights the unwavering and abundant nature of spiritual substance, urging readers to recognize and utilize it for prosperity. The lesson encourages practical application of the law of abundance through blessings and affirmations, emphasizing personal responsibility in manifesting prosperity.

Lesson 2: Spiritual Mind, The Omnipresent Directive Principle Of Prosperity

This lesson delves into the creative power of mind, asserting that everything originates from it. It explores the duality of mind – being and appearance – and emphasizes the importance of both the ideal and the process of manifestation. The lesson highlights prayer and faith as the bridge connecting human and divine minds, enabling the manifestation of substance ideas into material form.

Lesson 3: The Word, The Creative Power of Prosperity

This lesson focuses on the potent power of the spoken word, particularly the name "Jesus Christ," as a force shaping universal substance. It underscores the importance of faith in the spoken word, urging readers to saturate their minds with the teachings of Jesus and speak words of abundance with conviction.

Lesson 4: Spiritual Substance, The Source of Supply

This lesson encourages readers to shift their focus from outer sources of supply to the inner realm of spiritual substance. It emphasizes the need to develop understanding and appreciation of this substance through meditation, prayer, and affirmations of plenty. The lesson stresses the eternal and inexhaustible nature of substance ideas and their ability to manifest as material wealth.

Lesson 5: Faith, The Revealer of Prosperity

This lesson explores the crucial role of faith in demonstrating prosperity. It likens faith to a seed planted in the subconscious mind, explaining that continuous faith eventually brings forth the desired manifestation. The lesson also highlights the importance of combining faith with wisdom (judgment) and love for effective demonstrations.

Lesson 6: Understanding and Using the Law of Prosperity

This lesson delves deeper into the law of prosperity, emphasizing its consistent and unfailing nature when applied correctly. It emphasizes God's unchanging nature as a giver, refuting the notion that hardship and poverty are God's will. The lesson encourages readers to embrace the consciousness of abundance and refute negative beliefs about lack and limitation.

Lesson 7: The Law and Its Fulfilment

This lesson emphasizes the importance of aligning oneself with divine law for achieving prosperity. It asserts that prosperity results from following the rules of this law, which centre around the principle of universal goodness. The lesson utilizes the parable of the prodigal son to illustrate the sin of lack and encourages readers to embrace a consciousness of abundance.

Lesson 8: God Will Pay Your Debts

This lesson explores the link between forgiveness and prosperity, emphasizing the need to release thoughts of debt and resentment for spiritual and material abundance to flow. It encourages readers to cultivate a consciousness of all-sufficiency, thereby eliminating the thought of lack that generates debt. The lesson suggests replacing debt-burdened thoughts with affirmations of divine love and abundance.

Lesson 9: Tithing, The Law of Increase

This lesson discusses the principle of tithing as a means to increase prosperity. It emphasizes the importance of giving joyfully and generously, acknowledging God as the source of all abundance. The lesson encourages readers to recognize and release any limiting beliefs related to hoarding or miserliness, promoting a mindset of circulation and sharing.

Lesson 10: The Impersonal Law of Supply

This lesson reiterates the impartial and consistent nature of the law of supply, emphasizing that prosperity is accessible to all who align themselves with it. It cautions against clinging to material possessions and encourages a shift in focus towards the inexhaustible spiritual source of supply. The lesson emphasizes the importance of using resources wisely and constructively.

Lesson 11: The Imaging Faculty, The Builder of Prosperity

This lesson explores the creative power of the imagination, highlighting its ability to shape and manifest substance. It emphasizes the need to associate faith with imagination for tangible results, cautioning against focusing on limitations. The lesson encourages readers to envision themselves as successful and abundant, thereby harnessing the power of mental imagery for prosperity.

Lesson 12: Overcoming The Thought of Lack

This final lesson focuses on the crucial task of eliminating thoughts of lack and limitation for achieving prosperity. It utilizes the parables of the net and the sheep and goats to illustrate the process of discerning and separating beneficial thoughts from harmful ones. The lesson emphasizes the role of the superconscious mind in guiding this process, encouraging readers to surrender to its wisdom and power for attaining lasting abundance in all aspects of life.

Quotes

"The spiritual substance is never depleted. It is right with you all the time and responds to your faith in it and your demands on it."

"Seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

"Whosoever ... shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that what he saith cometh to pass, he shall have it."

"The Lord is my banker; my credit is good."

"Divine love bountifully supplies and increases substance to meet my every need."

"Infinite wisdom guides me, divine love prospers me, and I am successful in everything I undertake."

Glossary of Key Terms

Seed substance: The fundamental spiritual substance, responsive to the mind and capable of multiplying under the quickening life of Spirit.

Ether: An omnipresent, invisible substance or medium believed to fill space and transmit energy. The author aligns it with the Kingdom of God as an accessible source of spiritual power and abundance.

Cosmic rays: Invisible forces or energies within the ether that shape and mould the seed substance into visible manifestations.

Trinity of creation: The three-fold process of creation involving the original creative idea, cosmic rays, and the resulting visible universe.

Super consciousness: The higher level of consciousness that connects us to divine wisdom and abundance. It can be accessed through prayer, meditation, and speaking the word.

Faith: Trust and belief in spiritual principles and the unseen realities of the Kingdom of God, leading to spiritual demonstration.

Wisdom: The ability to discern and apply spiritual laws effectively, leading to right action and understanding.

Love: Unconditional, selfless affection that heals, empowers, and attracts abundance. It is considered the fulfilment of the law.

Jehovah-jireh: A Hebrew name for God meaning "Jehovah will provide," emphasizing God's provision of substance and abundance.

Imagination: The creative faculty of the mind that forms mental images, shaping the universal substance into desired manifestations.

Denial: The conscious rejection of negative thoughts and limiting beliefs that obstruct the flow of spiritual abundance.

Affirmation: The declaration of positive truths and spiritual principles, aligning our consciousness with the reality of abundance and prosperity.

Giving: The act of sharing resources generously and cheerfully, contributing to the circulation of abundance and attracting greater blessings.

Hoarding: The accumulation of wealth based on fear and a sense of lack, ultimately hindering the flow of prosperity and leading to misery.

Prosperity consciousness: A state of mind that recognizes the omnipresence of abundance and trusts in God as the unfailing source of supply.