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BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE ON FINANCESPART II: A SPIRIT OR ATTITUDE OF POVERTY
Dr. Kenneth W. Jones, Pastor, Practical Living Ministry
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Focus of Study
Is there such a thing as a “spirit of poverty?”
Are there conditions for financial prosperity
Biblical Principles of Managing Finances
Stewardship of Finances
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Review3
3 John 1:2 - Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be
in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
Realize that God is your Source
Philippians 4:19 - And my God will supply all your needs according to His
riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
2nd Cor 9:8: "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that
ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good
work.“
Psalms 23:1 - THE LORD is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me],
I shall not lack.
The G.O.S.P.E.L. According to Finances
G- Goals & Giving: Ensure you set financial goals and give to the Lord
O - Obligations – Always consider and reduce debts and financial obligations
S – Savings – Have a plan to save and work hard to achieve it
P – Priorities – Ensure your priorities align with your Purpose and Plans
E – Educate, Edify, and Exhort each other regarding finances, and planning
L – Live peaceably, wisely and live within your means
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Part II: Dealing With Attitudes and a
Spirit of Poverty5
Proverbs 6:6: Go to the ant, O sluggard, Observe her ways and be wise,
Haggai 1:5,6: Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts, "Consider your ways!
6 "You have sown much, but harvest little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied; you drink, but there is not enough to become drunk; you put on clothing, but no one is warm enough; and he who
earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes."
First Things First
The people of God were neglecting God’s temple because
they sought to secure their comfort first and became
complacent
Haggai 1:4: "Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your
paneled houses while this house lies desolate?“
You have sown much, and bring in little: The cause of their
financial difficulties was their wrong priorities.
They suffered setback after setback because the blessing of God
wasn’t their priority
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First Things First
Haggai describes a double curse.
Instead of much, little was reaped
What little they earned was wasted without doing any
good (earning wages to put into a bag with holes).
You drink, but you are not filled with drink: If our priorities
are wrong, nothing will satisfy us.
Consider your ways! This means as we must consider God first
in all we do – including our finances
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A Spirit of Lack or Poverty
The Spirit of Poverty is Actually a Spirit of Fear
Job 3:25 - "For what I fear comes upon me, And what I dread befalls
me.
In Hebrew: “I feared a fear, and it came upon me.”
Some interpret Job as saying, “While I was in prosperity I thought
adversity might come, and I had a dread of it.”
It is said by reason of his fear and anxiety of mind, never had any
pleasure in his greatest prosperity, fearing destruction from the Almighty
became a terror to him in his thought life
So as Job began to lose one thing, he feared the succession of the more
losses following
And that which I was afraid of is come unto me: Job was also beginning
to experience other aspects of fear of poverty, i.e. what would his
friends think of him
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Over 56% Americans are stressful (or fearful) of retirement (http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-pew-americans-stressed-over-finances-
20150226-story.html)
We must be careful not to confuse concern and care for your
finances as being fearful. Fear is incapacitating bringing a
stronghold to one’s life where they make bad decisions or do
nothing to plan
Fear will also say: “It’s no use…”
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A Spiritual Stronghold
A spirit of poverty is a stronghold attached to other areas of
your life to keep you in an impoverished state or mindset
Spirits associated with poverty: drunkards, sluggishness, and
gluttony (to be loose morally, worthless or prodigal)
Proverbs 6:9,10: Sluggard behavior (habitually physically,
mentally, and spiritually inactive), sleeps a lot,
This spirit can keep a person from getting a job, reading the Word to
build faith, and
Proverbs 23:21 - For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to
poverty, and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.
Shall come means it will bring cause you to possess or inherit
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Does Lack or Poverty Come From a
“Spirit” or Mental Mindset?
Reasons for Poverty or Lack
Sin, Disobedience, & Carnality (Deut
28:15, 38, Prov 13:18)
Lack of Constraint, Sluggishness, & Unity in
the Home
Demonic Oppression and Emotional Ills:
Depression, Anxiety, Stress, Fear, Worry
Lack of Wisdom, Patience, and other
godly virtues (2nd Peter 1:5-9)
Laziness and Slothfulness (Proverbs 6:11)
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Reasons for Lack or Poverty
Doublemindedness (James 1:8)
Following and Associating with worthless people & pursuits
(Proverbs 28:19)
Generational (Curse or Mindset) producing an impoverished
lifestyle, a mindset and/or poverty complacency (Cycle of
Poverty)
Stubbornness and Pride – Resistance to counseling and
counseling
Covetousness – Leads to greed, lying, jealousy, envy, poor
financial decisions, poverty, remorse, regret, bitterness,&
deceit
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Prosperity Is Progressive
Isaac sowed in a time of famine faithfully and in
obedience and it yielded positive results for him
(Genesis 26:1,2)
Genesis 26:12,13: Then Isaac sowed seed in that land
and received in the same year a hundred times as much
as he had planted, and the Lord favored him with
blessings. 13 And the man became great and gained
more and more until he became very wealthy and
distinguished;
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Rebuke the Devourer
Malachi 3:11,12:
"Then I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy
the fruits of the ground; nor will your vine in the field cast its
grapes," says the Lord of hosts.
12 "All the nations will call you blessed, for you shall be a
delightful land," says the Lord of hosts.
Devourer – Something to diminish or take away from
To rebuke here in Hebrew means to “cripple or paralyze”
Proves that the blessings of God are conditional
Israel was agricultural and the devourer was the locusts
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Rebuke the Devourer
We know that the enemy comes to steal, kill, & destroy (John 10:10)
When we set ourselves in obedience with God concerning our
giving and trusting in His word, we have the right to resist the devil
concerning our finances
Many people with financial problems fail to do the most important
thing first: obey and honor God with their resources. When we put
God and His kingdom first, He promises to meet our other needs
(Matthew 6:33).
How can you truly rebuke the devourer or a “spirit of lack” if a
person fails to apply godly principles, act in faith, and exercise
wisdom?
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Associated Scriptures
Proverbs 6:11 - Your poverty will come in like a vagabond And your need
like an armed man.
Genesis 45:11"...I will sustain and provide for you, so that you and your
household and all that are yours may not come to poverty and want...“
Proverbs 13:18 "POVERTY and shame come to him who refuses instruction
and correction, but he who heeds reproof is honored.“
Proverbs 28:19 - He who cultivates his land will have plenty of bread, but
he who follows worthless people and pursuits will have poverty enough.
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Associated Scriptures
Isaiah 1:19 - If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the
good of the land;
Job 36:11 - If they obey and serve Him, they shall spend their
days in prosperity and their years in pleasantness and joy.
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Prayer to Break the Curse
Father, in Jesus' Name, I confess and repent of the sins and
iniquities on my behalf and on the behalf of my ancestors of
being a sluggard, lazy, not receiving instruction, drunkenness,
gluttony, of following the wrong people and pursuits, and of
covetousness.
Father, I repent in Jesus’ name of engaging & participating in
carnal, spiritual and rebellious activities that has allowed the
enemy to rob me not only of my finances, but also my peace
regarding the blessings of God in my life.
I go back on both sides of my bloodline and I break the curse of
POVERTY off of me and my family, in Jesus' name. I am free from
the Strongman of Lack and Poverty in my life.
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Biblical Principles Regarding Finance
Giving is Essential
Luke 6:38: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed
down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give unto your
bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be
measured to you again."
According to Deuteronomy 14:23, one purpose of tithing was to teach
the people of Israel to put God first in their lives.
We honor God with our giving and in return, He provides for
us
"Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thine
increase: so shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall
burst with new wine."
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Giving Is an Act of Faith
2 Corinthians 9:7 - Each one must do just as he has purposed in
his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a
cheerful giver.
You can’t afford not to tithe! It’s sad that less than 4% of
Christians nationally even tithe.
God is Your Source – Realize in Faith that God is the
source of everything.
Philippians 4:19 says, "My God shall supply all your need according to
his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.“
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Biblical Principles Regarding Finance
Manage and Keep Out of Debt
Proverbs 22:7 - The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the
lender.
Proverbs 21:5 - The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, But everyone
who is hasty comes surely to poverty.
Debt is considered slavery (It is not a sin) because we can get to a point where
we don’t have the freedom to decide on how to spend our income because it is
already assigned to someone else.
The Bible neither expressly forbids nor condones the borrowing of money.
As long as money is being handled wisely and the debt payments are
manageable, a Christian can take on the burden of financial debt if it is
absolutely necessary.
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Principles Regarding Finances
Keep Good Records:
By keeping good records, having a plan and being honest with oneself
and with your spouse, a person won't get into financial trouble.
Budget
“Proverbs 21:5 - The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, But
everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty.
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Scriptures
Through skillful and godly Wisdom is a house (a life, a
home, a family) built, and by understanding it is
established [on a sound and good foundation], 4 And
by knowledge shall its chambers [of every area] be
filled with all precious and pleasant riches (Proverbs
24:3,4).
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Learn to Be Content
Hebrews 13:5: Let your character or moral disposition be free from
love of money [including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly
possessions] and be satisfied with your present [circumstances and with
what you have]; for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way
fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I
will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor
let [you] down ( relax My hold on you)! [ Assuredly not!] :
(Amplified Version)
Live within your margin.
Your spiritual character will impact your fiscal character
God is saying that He will not fail you – Can you trust in that?
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Contentment Not Complacency
Contentment is having an inner peace that accepts what God has
provided for you in your present vocation and financial situation
Not a complacent attitude that you accept your financial
condition
Philippians 4:11 - Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have
learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
1 Timothy 6:8 - And having food and raiment let us be therewith
content.
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Seek Godly Counsel When Needed
Psalm 1:1 declares, "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel
of the ungodly." A person needing financial advice should not go to
someone who makes his living selling the very thing he's contemplating
buying.
Proverbs 15:22: "Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in
the multitude of counsellors they are established“
There may be people able to handle finances better than you
and from a biblical perspective
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Final Things to Avoid
Living beyond your Means – leveraging credit in a
presumptuous fashion
Falling prey to Get Rich Quick schemes
Not giving God the opportunity to provide in His timing and
in His way
Importance of prayer to God as your provider
Importance of patience on waiting on Him to provide
Neglecting the counsel of your spouse
It is important is it to function as a team in this important area of
finances
How Should We Ensure the Financial
Security of Our Future?
World’s view: Save for all possible future contingencies; We
need to buy every type of insurance imaginable;
We need to plan for retirement and make sure that we will be
comfortable and able to provide for all of our wants and
pleasures. However, We have to be careful of becoming
fearful or anxious
God’s View: We need to act and plan responsibly; but we
need ultimately to have our confidence in the providential
provision of El Shaddai – Our provider. We must use wisdom,
but still have faith.
Stewardship
Luke 16:11 - "Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use
of unrighteous wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you?
Jesus equates how we handle money with the quality of our spiritual life
(3 John 1:2). Just as the faithful steward with the talents (Matthew
25:21). In other words, less stress over money can lead to greater
intimacy with the Lord
This is also a leadership issue: If a person can’t be faithful before God
with the money He gives, how can they be faithful with the care of
people?
Our Possessions and Money can compete with the Lord for first place in
our lives.
Matthew 6:24 - "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one
and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot
serve God and wealth.
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Stewardship
The key to growing and prospering financially rests in
stewardship – faithfully using what God has provided to you
The first and foundational principle of Christian stewardship is
the understanding that God is the owner of all we possess.
Do you feel that your income and household finances has a
purpose?
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Practical Living Ministry
Practical Living Ministry exists to assist individuals, groups, and
organizations to operate to their full God-given ability by sharing life
changing principles for spiritual growth and development.
If this message touched you, please let me hear from you.
If you would like to encourage us financially to keep sharing these
kind of messages, please go to our donation section on our website
at www.practicallivingministry.org
If you would like to contact Dr. Jones for a speaking engagement at your
church or event concerning biblical leadership, mentoring, and Christian
culture. Please contact Pastor Kenneth Jones at
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