Money Matters 4 - BELIEFS

The late Dr Edwin Louis Cole has cogently and potently put it :'your beliefs has the greatest potential for good or evil.' Our beliefs can directly affect our effectiveness and productivity which God both demands and deserves from us.

Money Matters 3 - TOP TABOO TOPIC

Money matters are fragile, sensitive matters as it remains one of the most difficult issues to openly deal with in Christianity today.

5 reasons for the tabooness of money...

1) The Evil of Money

1 Timothy 6:10 - For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith...

1 Timothy 6:17 - Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, Who gives us richly all things to enjoy.

Many Christians have been conned into believing that God is against riches and against His people being rich. For far too long, sincere but foolish Christians connect and label wealthy people including rich Christians as being ungodly and worldly. This is the first reason why money issues are sensitive issues. Anyone who keeps talking about money is almost always regarded, at least subconsciously as being evil or wicked.

2) The Misuse of Money

Money has been abused and misused. Sadly, the perpetrators include Christian ministers who have not broken out of the grip of covetousness and materialism.

People fully receive ministry when they can believe the integrity of its main leaders. When trust is violated, any ministry will spiral downhill, and if necessary changes and rectifications are still not made, that ministry will disintegrate.

Over the last 2 decades, we have seen the general trust between church leadership and laity erode because of the abuse of money, especially by church leaders. Much of the abuse centered on extravagant living, misappropriation and mismanagement of church funds. Today the Church still carries the ugly scars of resentment, hostility and skepticism caused in the first place by greedy ministers.

3) The 'Virtue' of Poverty

Proverbs 6:11 - your poverty come on you like a prowler, and your need like an armed man.

In many Asian countries today, poverty is stll celebrated as a virtue. Here, it is honourable for young children to go around in the cities, barefooted, bald, clad in orange robes and begging for their food from pathetic looking, dirty bowls. To many here, it is a sign of great spirituality and considered sacred. This is still a prevalent practice in countries like Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, India and China and Many other Asian countries. It also prevails in Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and other eastern religions too.

Poverty is linked to virtue, holiness and great spirituality. The minds of these Christians have not been renewed.

Many Christians today still believe that true Christianity must embrace the 'holy suffering' of poverty and lack.


The people of the world have great difficulty believing God is love because they keep seeing Christian unnecessarily suffering poverty, insufficiency and debt. They Church often forgets that the world only walks by sight, sense and circumstance. They don't know anything about faith.

4) The Privacy of Money
Since the fall, man constantly hides and runs both from God and his true self! He became more self-conscious than God-conscious. It is common fact that everyone of us wears masks to hide our true selves from others. As one has aptly put it, there are 3 persons inside of us :
i) the one we think we are
ii) the one others think we are
iii) the one God knows we are


One of the surest way to discover the true character of a person, beneath his facade is by noting the way he uses his money. Money issues are undeniably personal issues. The way a person uses his money can and clearly reveal his true life-values and his character.


It's all My Money - Every working person legitimately thinks he is entitled to spend his hard earned money any way he thinks right and proper. It reasonably follows therefore that a person's money represents his very life. It is something personal and very close to him. The fact is money issues are heart issues! How we spend 'our hard earned' money reveals our innermost values, priorities and beliefs, ie what we consider to be good, evil, right, wrong, human and inhuman, etc are revealed through how we spend money given or entrusted to us.


Money in itself is amoral, that is, it is neither good nor evil. However, it only becomes good or evil through its use. A man's life values, convictions and heart are revealed through the way he redistributes the money in his possession.


The Bible teach that the worker must be paid his wages. This is non-negotiable payment made to a person in exchange for his labour and value added contribution into an industry or business. This payment is not a gift. It is a person's salary. Every hour a worker contributes through his work in a company represents a part of his life. In short, time really represents life. This is obviously something personal - it is his life.


5) The Misconception of God
This final and probably the most widespread cause of financial breakdowns in Christianity today is the ignorance of God's stewardship or management plans for His resources on earth. It is our ignorance of God's ways, will and word that is the root cause of our many defeats and destructions. The church is attempting to serve and work with a God of Whom she knows nothing or very little about. No wonder she did not boasts of great exploits except for those who know their God shall be strong and do mighty things.


In other words, only those who keep seeking will find. Those who keep asking receive. If saints are not going to grow up through actively pursuing truth in and for their lives, they aren't going anywhere in God.


Misunderstanding God
The prayer of faith is one that must be based on true revelation of God - the One to Whom we pray. One who does not believe, will have difficulty making his prayer effective. When a saint prays according to this true revelation, his prayer becomes effective because his faith can then be released. It suffices to state that without an accurate revelation of God, no saint can ever breakthrough in any matter, let alone money matters. 


Our perceptions and attitudes in life generally determine our approaches and responses in life. This is especially so with God - the Source of all things!


In confronting our true conditions, we are enabled to confront our mountains. Remember, we cannot conquer what we are not willing to confront.


Summary of Principles
1. Money matters has been a neglected issue in the Church because of its sensitivity. In order to conquer the territory of money, the Church must first confront it. To defeat the enemy, we must be willing to deal with our weaknesses and the enemy's strengths.


2. Money is a sensitive issue because of the evil element attached to it. It is the love of money, not money in itself that is evil. Money is amoral.


3. It is sensitive also because of its misuse and abuse especially by Christian ministers. The issue of trust, credibility and integrity of ministers is a key issue for breakthrough in these times.


4. Thirdly, poverty has been wrongly connected with virtue and spirituality. Dealing with it can be quite ugly or unwelcoming because of religious spirits that have been allowed to breed like lice for decades under the carpets of the church.


5. The private nature of money is such that the way it is used unmasks the real worth and character of its users. Hence, it's sensitivity.


6. Finally, money is sensitive because sincere but misled saints still do not understand their God for His true character and nature. To talk about money requires knowing the true prospering, increasing, blessing nature of our God. Many will be faced with the reality that they have been dealing with a 'wrong God' in these lectures on money.

Money Matters 2 - LOCATING THE LYING LOSER

Revelation 20:1-3 - Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven... He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the devil and satan, and bound him for a thousand years... so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished...

Defeated But Still Deadly?

If satan was defeated by Christ on the cross 2000 years ago, why do we still need to deal with him anymore? Why does he still have power over us?

It is true, Christ defeated satan. Jesus totally stripped satan of his stolen authority to mess up people's lives. The devil is indeed a defeated foe.

In the Garden, Adam lost his authority of dominion over the planet to the devil who took over and unlawfully, became the 'god of this world.' The human race came under the spiritual slavery of satan. Every facet of human life - political, social, spiritual, economic and the educational spheres came under satan's evil influence through his lies and half-truths. 

Through the cross, Jesus Christ took back those keys of authority from satan who stole it from Adam its rightful owner.

Luke 10:19 - Behold I give unto you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy,  and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

Since the devil and his cohorts have all been defeated, how can he possibly have anymore hold or power over the saints?

Satan's Pseudo Power

Though satan has been denuded of all authority to hurt and harass people, it does not mean that he sits idly by, giving up further attempts to thwart God's plans and purposes. He is not going to roll over and show himself dead. No, he still persists in destroying the destinies of man.


Satan exploits the ignorance of the saints on Christ's finished work and devour those who live in ignorance of the victory of Christ over him.  The devil cannot harass just anyone he sees or he wants. He has to carefully seek and particularly select potential targets. These targets must always be those who are unaware, ignorant and oblivious of the truths concerning the cross and satan's utter defeat.


Destruction from Ignorance
Hosea 4:6 - for My people are destroyed for their lack of knowledge


The greater the ignorance in a person, the greater is satan's advantage over that person. When people are ignorant of God's ways and will, they become vulnerable to enemy manipulation and domination.


Satan's Only 'Power' - Deception!
The 'power' satan has over anyone is released by his getting the person to believe his lies. The devil actually activates his victim's spirit and soul against himself. This is so because God designed a man to thrive when his life is based upon truth. He self-destructs when his life is based upon 'lies' because he was not designed to function on lies.


The devil is not the roaring lion. He only tries to sound like one. He paints a picture of himself as a powerful lion that can destroy people's lives and families. The truth is he is not! He is a totally beaten, toothless little wimp! The actual roaring lion is Christ Jesus - the Lion of Judah!

Satan is a Liar!
The devil lies about everything - about God, about himself, about people, about heaven, about hell, about the earth, about the Church and so on. It is in satan's nature to lie. He can only deceive those who listen to his lies. The devil himself knows - If you can be deceived, you can be defeated.


John 8:44 - You are of your father, the devil, and it is your will to practice the lusts and gratify the desires {which are characteristic] of your father. he was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a falsehood, he speaks what is natural to him, for he is a liar himself and the father of lies and of all that is false.


Some vital truths from the passage of scripture...


1. All that is false and untrue is sourced in satan. All that is true is sourced in God. Satan is called the father of lies. Jesus is the Truth.


2. Truth gives us access into God's life. Lies forces us into the devil's domain and therefore his dominion.


3. Satan's quest to kill the life of Christ in believers is done through lies and all that is false. He is a murderer or a taker of life. God is Author of Increase in and for believers. He is the Prince or Author of Life.


Only God Reveals Destinies
To fulfil one's destiny, one must first know it. A person's destiny was ordered in eternity, before time, by God Himself. Unless the person is reconnected and stays connected to the Creater, he can never discover his true purpose in life. The connection is only possible through a living, heart relationship with Him. This life is the very thing satan seeks to kill - the life of God flowing in and through the saint - satan seeks to murder the life of God.


Word Looters
How then does he accomplish this murder? It is by stealing the word or rhema - the specific message that God speaks. God has placed His life in His word and satan knows this!


Specifically, the devil's focus is to stop the beleiver obtaining revelation knowledge. It is revelation knowledge that produces faith and without faith, a person is disconnected from the Power of the Life source - God himself!


Hebrews 11:6 - For without faith, it is impossible to please God...
Romans 10:17 - Faith comes by hearing, and hearing the word of God.
John 16:13 - When He, the Spirit of Truth has come, He will guide you into all truth...


The Weakened Church
As far as money matters go, satanic deception has spanned many decades now on the church of Christ...


a) The Boxed-In Church
Much of the Church is boxed up today. She has not been 'allowed' to fully express herself, optimising every gift, talent and ability resident with her. God being the increase demands that His people multiply and prosper and manifest His manifold wisdom to the world. Since everything in His kingdom operates based on the law of increase, members of His kingdom will necessarily and resultantly be advancing in an upward, increasing direction for all areas of life.


God wants His people to be blessed in all areas of their lives. When the saint is powerfully plugged to the God of Increase, he cannot but increase!


b) The Holey Christian
Much of the church still hold to the lie that God wants them saved and then to wait contentedly - either for the rapture or their death, whichever comes first! While waiting, they believe, Christians are to be contented with what they have and not to shoot for the top, or excel in becoming their best, in contributing to human society. All such quests are deemed ungodly, unholdy and worldly.


c) The Low Life Christian
Many believers have believed that God frowns on such 'ambitions and desires' to be great and successful. So they remain stuck at mediocrity or low level of life. They substitute godly contentment with ungodly complacency and lethargy all in the name of being holy or humble.


The gifts, talents and abilities resident within the saints are rarely allowed full expression. Mediocrity and low-living seemingly praised above the spirit of excellence or the desire to breakthrough in life. The Church is thus boxed up and shamefully limited in her expression of the God of Increase to the world.


d) Molested and Beat Up
The Church believes 'money is the root of all evil' wrongly connects evil to money and consequently avoids all money issues fearing she will become evil.


Last Day Apostasy
The last day Church is prophesied to be an overcoming and triumphant one-in all aspects of life. The Church will again be the world leader in all spheres of life - socially, politically, economically, spiritually and educationally.


The greatest key to experiencing God's promises and power in our lives is to have a listening ear. We need to be plugged into God continually and this comes through being tuned in to God's frequency instead of the other frequencies of the world, satan and man.


John 10:3-5 the sheep hear His voice... and the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.


SUMMARY OF PRINCIPLES


1. Through His cross, Christ totally stripped satan of his authority to oppress or enslave people again. It is a done deal, a completed mission, a fulfilled victory.


2. The only 'power' satan has over people today comes through his lies and deceptions. Ignorant Christians are vulnerable and easy victims of satan only because of their ignorance of truth.


3. If you can be deceived, you can be defeated.


4. The success of satan's battle against the Church is tied to his stealing the word or message of Christ to and for the Church. No word (rhema) means no life. No life means unfufilled destinies.

Money Matters 1 - VISION OF VIOLENCE

A Vision

The hideous tyrant appeared both enraged and jubilant. With deadly force, he was tirelessly lashing out his long whip against the people. Loud 'whacking' sounds could be heard. Each time the whip cracked, loud shrieks echoed through the enclosed place. The people were panting, gasping and screaming in terror as they ran amok and around.

A unique feature of the vision was the fact that none of the victims could tell from where or from whom the beating was coming. The evil torturer was invisible to them. Yet they were experiencing unbearable, even excruciating pain all the time. All they could do was to keep on running mostly in a circular direction. Yet, no matter where they ran, the whip seemed to follow them closely. They just keep endlessly running around amok endlessly.

It was upon seeing a black colored dollar sign inscribed on the forehead of the demon that I began receiving some clear words from the Lord regarding the meaning of the vision.

Understanding the Vision

The Lord showed me that many of His people, including and especially His ministers were under the cruel dominion and control of the Spirit of Mammon. Untold numbers, entrapped by Satan, interlocked in a deadly whirlpool of financial hellholes, have become emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually fatigued. This has paralyzed any will in them to fight back. Some have become resigned and indifferent to believing any hope of a turnaround in their adversities. Many are already swept into increasing cycles of defeat, depression and destruction. Also, many have compromised their faith by going back to their past ways in making a living, having lost many more hope in God and believing the like that He has forsaken them or that they are no longer worthy of Him.

The Word of The Lord

And the Lord said to me, "This is one battle Satan has scored well against My people. He