Financial Blessings, Your Spiritual Heritage in Christ Jesus

I am excited to put to pen this timely message which I preached on at the beginning of this week.  Why the excitement?  For a significant period of time, I have desired to teach on this subject, but I did not know when the opportunity would avail itself.  I trust that this is the appointed time of God.  Am I a financial guru with answers to all your financial problems and a road map to you becoming wealthy?  Not at all.  I am only a teacher of God’s Word who has sat at His feet to learn some truths regarding this subject.  I may not have all the solutions but at the very minimum, I am grateful to have liberating wisdom on finances from God’s word.

I will start by demystifying a few issues about money in relation to our faith in Jesus Christ.  Firstly, what is the meaning of blessings?  It is common to human beings to sometimes take words for granted.  One of the common words in the Bible and which Christians use a lot in their conversations is the word “bless”.  We see this word used by God in His conversation with Abram in Genesis 12:1-2.  This portion of scripture states, “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”  Five times, the word bless is used in this portion of scripture.  The Hebrew word which is translated to the word “bless” means the “Lord’s favor”.  This means that God was committing to place His favor on Abram, which would affect every aspect of his life, both spiritual and physical.

How does a financially blessed person look like?  2nd Corinthians 9:8 & 10 helps us to understand how a financially blessed person looks like.  It states, “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. … Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.”  A financially blessed person evidently manifests God’s grace with regard to financial blessings.  Such a person has all that they need (not all that they want) in order to abide in every good work.  Their store of seed is ever-increasing, and their harvest of righteousness is enlarged.

It is important to understand that God does not delight in material poverty.  Some people are disturbed when believers, irrespective of their titles and vocations, exhibit unusually great wealth.  Understandably, many of us have few models of believers walking in fuller measures of the Lord’s favor with regards to financial blessings, and so it is easy to think that God has no capacity to make rich.  Such misplaced perceptions of God are not only contrary to Scriptures but will also distort your capacity to receive God’s grace with respect to financial blessings.  Sadly, I have also come across believers who have idolized poverty and consider the poor to be godlier than the rich.  Such believers have an inherent suspicion for the rich perhaps because they connect certain levels of wealth to ungodly practices such as witchcraft, corruption, cultism among others. Such believers do not have a holistic revelation of the God whom they serve.  God is the source of all things, and He is neither constrained of spiritual nor material blessings for His children.

The Word of God expressly indicates that Jesus went to the Cross to liberate you and I from both spiritual and material poverty.   2nd Corinthians 8:9 states, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”  The only poverty that is encouraged in scripture is being poor in spirit, which means brokenness and dependency on God.  Matthew 5:3 states, “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of God”.  King David had a revelation of the All-Sufficient God, Jehovah Rohi, the Lord my Shephard.  It is based on this revelation that he wrote Psalms 23 in first persona.  Every verse in that chapter is an expression of how David had experienced Jehovah Rohi.  It was a testimony of his life.  The Lord has not changed.  The fact that you have not experienced certain aspects of Psalms 23 in your life does not mean that God is incapable.  It simply means that you need to tap into that grace that is available for you, child of God.  God told the prophet Jeremiah that “He is watching over His word to perform it,” (Jeremiah 1:12).  The truth is that for many of us, God is waiting on us to come boldly into His throne to receive grace for financial blessings.

I wish to also clarify that God is not impressed by wealth.  Wealth doesn’t make you more of a son than those who lack it.  What made God to call Abraham His friend?  What made God to boast about Job to the devil?  Was it their wealth?  Not at all.  On the contrary, God boasted about Abraham and Job because of their relationship with Him.  Wealth was a byproduct of their walk with the Lord.  Wealth is the “all other things will be added to you” according to Matthew 6:33. In fact, in Isaiah 41:8, God calls us “descendants of Abraham my friend”.  Whereas we are descendants of Abraham by faith, we must remember that our relationship with God must be founded on friendship.  Nothing else can substitute your relationship with God, and when you try to, you will evidently manifest absence of grace, for apart from God you do nothing (John 15:5).

Descendants of Abraham are partakers of God’s blessings as covenanted with Abraham.  Galatians 3:14 states, “He (Jesus Christ) redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.  Who are Abraham’s descendants?  Those who have accepted the Lordship of Jesus Christ and have been reconciled to God by faith. Believers are Abraham’s seed.  Galatians 3:26-29 states, “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who are baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”  The apostle Paul considered it important to make us understand in this portion of Scripture that the Abrahamic covenant promises are available to all who are in Christ Jesus irrespective of their current titles, situations, ethnicity and races.

Lastly, I wish to clarify on the ultimate purpose of financial blessings.  What comes to mind when you hear the phrase “financial blessings?”  Some think of personal happiness and comforts, whereas others think of vast estates, palatial homes and state of the art cars.  Whereas there is nothing wrong with these thoughts, it is valuable to know God’s heart with regard to Him lavishing financial blessings on us.  God’s purpose goes far and beyond your personal happiness and comfort, as well as exceeds your family’s financial security.  His heart is expressed in Genesis 12:1-2 as He pronounces blessings to Abram, “I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. … and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”  The impact of financial blessings was never meant to stop with us and our immediate family members.  We are blessed to be a blessing.  We are blessed to build the Body of Christ and to advance the Kingdom of God.

It is pitiable to see a follower of Jesus Christ operating under a hoarding, greedy spirit because this is not a spirit of God’s Kingdom.  It contradicts the heart and mind of God.  It violates God’s commands.  A person who amasses wealth only for his/her enjoyment, is poor towards God, and is likened to a rich fool as per Jesus’ parable in Luke 12:13-21.  Verse 15 of this portion of Scripture warns us, “Watch out, be on the guard against all kinds of greed: a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possession.”

It is encouraging that God’s promise to Abram did not stop with “I will bless you.”  He went further to articulate the perfect will of His blessings upon us: “you will be a blessing. … the people of the earth will be blessed through you.”  Don’t see yourself as a never-filling reservoir of water.  See yourself as a freshwater lake, with a divine tributary and many distributaries.  I was privileged to visit the hopeful nation of South Sudan a few weeks ago, and I saw the majestic White Nile which is a perennial river whose source is Lake Victoria.  Whereas South Sudan is a sparsely populated country, the regions along the White Nile are densely populated.  Thanks to the life-giving waters of the Nile.  I took a moment to reflect on the Lake where the river flows from, which is partly found in my country Kenya, and I was grateful that the waters not only serve the countries where the lake is found but also go out to serve people who are thousands of kilometers away.   I pray that I will be a life-giving lake, such that the blessings of God upon my life will bring impact on people who are in distant nations and continents.

Will your resources leave footprints of the Gospel in your village, neighbourhood, county, country and the nations of the earth?  The nations are ready for evangelization. The harvest is ripe!  When your eyes are set on fulfilling the Great Commission, then you shall pray for millions of dollars, and when they are placed into your hands, you will be faithful to channel the resources to the course of Christ.  God is counting on all His children, the young, middle-aged and advanced in age, to fulfill the Great Commission.  We all have an opportunity to be a blessing!  Whereas spiritual leaders (like Moses the Israelite) have God’s wisdom for divine strategy to repossess territories for Jesus and special grace for intercession, the Joshuas have the grace and faith to prevail by the sword in the battlefield.  At Rephidim, when the Amalekites attacked the Israelites, in Exodus 17:8-13, Moses commanded Joshua to mobilise men to fight the Amalekites.  Moses went to the hilltop with Aaron and Hur to intercede for the armies of Israel, led by Joshua.  Exodus 17:13 states, “So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.”  As God leads us into our workplaces, gives us opportunities to mingle with communities and to travel to far destinations, we must never forget that we carry Joshua’s mantle, to slay the enemies of God by the sword of God’s Word.  This entails battle.  The victory is assured.

I trust that now we have settled in our hearts and minds the fact that God is willing and able to bless His children financially.  So why do followers of Jesus Christ suffer financial difficulty?

• Satan’s attack/ retaliation against a believer’s finances- Such a believer is considered to suffer for obedience, according to 1 Peter 2:19-21 which states, “It is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.”  Job suffered Satan’s attack.  Please note that God allows such attacks, like in the case of Job.  To think otherwise, would be to imply that God is not in control of your life, which contradicts Scripture.  Therefore, take courage in knowing that you are not forsaken.  Amidst suffering for obedience, you are not alone.  The writer of James urges those who suffer for obedience to patiently wait on the Lord’s deliverance and restoration, remember His faithfulness and stand firm in the assurance of His victory (James 5:10-11).
• Trial by God- James 1:12 states, “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”  God tested the Israelites while they were in the wilderness to know their hearts.  Often, before being ushered into a new dimension of glory in a specific aspect of our lives, we go through trial that builds our spiritual capacity for the next level.  What is expected of us when God tests us with regard to our finances?  We are to persevere under trial and to remember His Faithfulness, that He does not allow us to be tested beyond what we can bear.  We are to rest in His grace that is able to carry us through victoriously.
• Lack of stewardship and financial prudence
• Sin- It often leads to financial limitations/ curses from one generation to another, unless it is broken. Such financial limitation/ oppression/ curse is referred to as “suffering for disobedience” in the epistle of James.  Through worldly pursuits for financial success, many have built broken cisterns which cannot hold water (Jeremiah 2:13).  Some, for example, have used inaccurate weights and misleading proposals to earn dishonest gain, contrary to Deuteronomy 25:15.  Sin defiles your land, properties, money, among other possessions.  Leviticus 18:24-25 states, “Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, because this is how the nations that I am going to drive out before you became defiled.  Even the land was defiled; so I punished it for its sin, and the land vomited out its inhabitants.”  Sin provides Satan with an “entry point”, which basically means a foot hold for the devil to have a legal claim over your finances.  An example in the New Testament of believers who opened a doorway for the devil to come into their hearts and fill them with a lying spirit is Ananias and Saphira (Acts 5:1-11).

Undoubtedly, there are many followers of Jesus Christ who are living under financial limitations/ oppressions due to sin.  How do you know that the devil has a claim over your finances? As you prayerfully look through this aspect of your life, you will notice unexplainable limitations, unusual struggles and losses.  Is this God’s will for you?  Not at all.  It deeply grieves God that His children are not living in the freedom that Jesus Christ died for.  The good news is that Jesus is willing and able to heal your finances (Luke 6:17-19).  God expects you to take an active role in appropriating the work of the Cross in your life.  Galatians 5:1 states, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. ” This is a powerful portion of Scripture, and I pray that it will be revealed to you in the fullness of its Truth.  Jesus has set you free so that you may enjoy freedom.  What is required of you to enjoy your freedom in Christ Jesus?  You are to stand (active verb and not a passive position) and do not let (active verb- keep on the watch/ alert) yourself fall back into the yoke of slavery (guard yourself against sin).

It is my prayer that financial limitations/ oppressions end with you, as far as your lineage is concerned.  I wish to share the following practical actions which a believer should take to break financial curses/ limitations/ oppressions in their lives and in their lineage:

1. Become restless, bearing a humble attitude.
   Esau was distressed when he realised that his brother Jacob had taken his blessings.  His Father Isaac pronounced something profound that revealed that he would continue to suffer for giving away his birthright until the day he would become restless.  Genesis 27:40 states, “You will live by the sword and you will serve your brother. But when you grow restless, you will throw his yoke from off your neck.”  When you become restless, fed up with your current situation, you will break the yoke upon your finances.  This restlessness must be exercised with a humble attitude because God gives grace to the humble (James 4:6-7).  Often, it is difficult to acknowledge that you need healing in a particular aspect of your life without humility.  Without humility, God’s grace is constrained to flow and meet you at that point of need.
2. Repent, preferably through an extended time of prayer and fasting, as the Spirit guides.
   2 Chronicles 7:14 states, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and heal their land.”  This portion of Scripture sets out the pattern for us to receive healing, not only in our land but also in our personal lives (the inhabitants of the land).  1 John 1:9 assures us of God’s forgiveness whenever we repent.  Also, the importance of fasting with regard to loosing chains of injustice, untying cords of the yoke, setting the oppressed free and breaking every yoke is emphasised in Isaiah 58:6.
3. Restitution of committed financial wrongs/ sin
   As you pray and repent, God may reveal to you financial wrongs that you not only need to repent of, but also to take specific action to correct/ remedy the wrongs.   For example, you may have inherited/ bought grabbed land; buried paraphernalia in properties before you were born again; bought properties using corruption money, among other ills.  For some of us, God will require that you follow the way of Zacchaeus and repay your wrongs. Luke 19:8-9 states, “But Zaccheus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look Lord! Here and now I give half of my possession to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” Jesus said to him, “Today, salvation has come to this house ….””
4. Bind every work of darkness working against your finances and loose the manifestation of God’s promises upon your life Matthew 18:18 states, “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”  Exercise your spiritual authority in Christ Jesus.  Beware of spiritual realities, that the earth hears; the clouds and the heavens hear; the crops in your farm hear; thus speak in faith and in authority. Destroy what you do not want to see and create what you desire to see with regard to your finances.  Matthew 16:19 states, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
5. Tithing and giving
   You cannot purport to be praying for liberty on one side, and on the other side you are robbing God by not tithing.  Malachi 3:6-12 is very elaborate on this matter.  Lack of tithing will cause you to operate under a financial curse.  Tithing gives you access to the promises of God in Malachi 3:10-12 which states, “God will open the flood gates of heaven and pour blessing that you will not have room enough for it; he will prevent pests from devouring your crops; your vines will bring forth fruit in season; the nations will call you blessed; and your land will be delightful.”  On the other hand, giving is an act of obedience that accompanies your confession of faith in Christ Jesus (2nd Corinthians 9:13). Obedience disables the devil such that he cannot have any claim over your finances.  God requires that we give cheerfully, not from what we do not have, but from what we have (2nd Corinthians 9:7).  God blesses those who have concern for the poor.  Psalms 41:1 states, “Blessed is he who has regard regard for the weak; the Lord delivers him in times of trouble. The Lord will protect him in times of trouble. The Lord will protect him and preserve his life, he will bless him in the land and not surrender him to the desire of his foes.”
6. Activate your faith with regards to finances and tap into Abraham’s covenantal promises that are yours in Christ Jesus Many believers struggle to understand spiritual realities in their day-to-day life, which they like to call “secular”.  Finances, for example, are considered secular and so they are to be handled the worldly way, whereas disciplines like prayer are considered “spiritual” and are to be practiced as prescribed in the Bible.  You need faith to access the grace of God with regard to finances just the same way you need faith to become born again and nurture your relationship with Him.  Galatians 3:5-9 states, “So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? So also Abraham “believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Understand then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.”  If you want to tap into and live out the Abrahamic promises, you must live by faith (Galatians 3:11b), not by sight or fear.
7. Receive the yoke-breaking anointing that is available for you in Christ Jesus.  Isaiah 10:27 states, “In that day their burden will be lifted from your shoulders, their yoke from your neck; the yoke will be broken because you have grown so fat”.  The NKJV states, “the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing.”  The anointing, Blessed Holy Spirit, breaks yokes.  Sometimes, God will provide opportunity for your pastor/ elder or a servant of God to pray for you, and pour oil upon you as a contact point for the Holy Spirit.  When the disciples were sent out by Jesus to preach the Gospel, “they cast out demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them,” (Mark 6:13).  James 5:14 states, “Is anyone among you sick?  Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.”
8. Be a worshipper; unreservedly offer your praise to God-  Praise is a great spiritual weapon that keeps the devil at bay from your finances. It inflicts vengeance; it punishes people; binds kings with fetters and binds nobles with shackles on your behalf (Psalms 149:7-9).  Whatever season you go through, pray that you never lose your praise. James Goll states, “Praise enables you to hold your faith shield steady.”
9. Live in obedience to the revelation of God’s Word which you have received
   As earlier stated, living a righteous life ensures that Satan has no claim over your finances.  James Goll adds, “Godly character is one of the highest weapons of spiritual warfare.”   Romans 16:19-20 states, “Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you, but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.”  I pray that by the grace of God, you will love God’s commands and remain committed to obeying them.

Take some time to pray as follows:
• Plead the Blood of Jesus upon yourself and your finances. His Blood speaks of mercy (Rev 12:11- they overcame the devil by the Blood of the Lamb); Hebrews 12:24- the sprinkled blood promises/ speaks much better things than does the blood of Abel.  Repent specifically; ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the sins that you need to repent about.

• Speak the promises and favor of God upon you and your finances- This is the Word of your testimony, that overcomes the devil (Revelation 12:11).

• Rededicate your life to God and confess that Jesus is your utmost need and desire (Revelation 12:11- they did not love their lives even unto death).

• Welcome the Lord to be enthroned in your finances and seek His empowerment to make wealth. Seek for His grace to walk in divine provision and fruitfulness.

• Align yourself to God’s purposes for your life. Alignment to God’s will is important in receiving God’s blessings. Stop chasing money; start seeking to be at the center of God’s will.