Everyone seems to be talking about the coming financial crisis. Darkness is looming, doom and gloom.
They say currencies are losing their value. Inflation is on the rise, economies on the verge of collapse.
I don’t know about you, but I choose faith over fear.
And if you’re with me on that, write that in the comment section right now.
Three simple words, faith over fear.
Let that be your public declaration that you will not bow to fear, mongering, that you will not bow to what others are saying.
The scripture says this psalm 37 25 once I was young and now I am old yet.
I have never seen the Godly abandon or their Children begging for bread. Look, this isn’t financial advice.
I don’t know which way the economy is going to go, but I do know this whatever way the economy goes.
God is still on the throne.
Even some Christians sadly are getting in on the doomsday saying waiting for something to go wrong.
I believe that for the child of God, no matter what is happening in the world, the future is bright, we have something to look forward to.
We belong to our father in heaven and he will take care of us.
Now, this message is not to scare you but to prepare you. Let’s say what they’re saying is true.
Let’s say that there is a financial crisis such as we’ve never seen before just around the corner.
That could be the case. It could not be the case.
In fact, you will notice throughout history that often the media and the powers that be really like to hike things out of proportion.
That’s not to say that bad things don’t happen.
They do but don’t allow fear to infect your heart, choose rather to see the eyes of faith.
And I wanna show you how to prepare for any time really.
These principles regarding finances are biblically based, they’re solid and they’re tried and true from Genesis to revelation.
We see a common theme all throughout the scripture.
It’s not a sin to have money, but it is a sin for money to have you.
Now, this idea of prosperity we all know has been very much abused in times past.
But when we look to the scripture, we can see a balance beginning to form.
It’s not all about health and wealth, not every Christian is going to be a millionaire.
And in fact, there may be times where you will have struggle.
The Christian life is one of trials, tribulations sacrifice. Yes, we’re blessed.
Yes, we have good things from above, but we must learn to balance this. The gospel is not about wealth.
The gospel is not about having it all the way you want it.
The gospel is not all about you receiving all the miracles you could ever ask for.
But we do see in scripture, principles of financial fruitfulness, we do see in scripture that God does provide for the needs of his Children even materially.
Now, religious minds get offended at this idea. Don’t talk about money or poverty is a virtue.
These are lies of the enemy that actually keep the believer bound and more ineffective in the Kingdom of God.
Because when the believers have resources, we actually fund the Kingdom of God.
Thus being more effective in the work of soul winning in the building of the Saints.
Financial fruitfulness is beneficial to the Kingdom of God.
Think of the wealth of heaven, think of Abraham a New Testament example, Joseph of Aramas, we understand that biblical wealth has to do with others.
Biblical wealth has to do with using your resources to further the Kingdom of God.
There is nothing wrong with having money. As long as money doesn’t have you.
And as long as you make sure that you understand that the center of the gospel is not financial prosperity.
It’s a side doctrine. It’s a truth we see in scripture, but prosperity is not the gospel though it is something that can benefit the believer.
So biblical prosper charity is when your needs are met and when there’s enough left over to care for others.
Now, here’s what the Bible says, concerning the love of money.
First Timothy chapter six verses 9 to 10 says this, but people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.
For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.
And some people craving money have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.
Now there, the scripture establishes very clearly that the love of money, greed is very sinful and destructive to your life.
But money itself can be used for the benefit of the kingdom of God.
Let’s jump down now to verse 17.
Just a few verses later, the Bible says, teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable.
Their trust should be in God who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment.
So not just what we need, but he also gives us what we need for our enjoyment.
The next verse, tell them to use their money to do good.
They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need. Always being ready to share with others.
Verse 19, this is powerful by doing this.
They will be storing up their treasures as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.
So the scripture here tells us that you can actually use your finances to benefit others in the kingdom of God.
Proverbs chapter 10 verse 22 says this, the blessing of the Lord makes a person rich and he adds no sorrow with it.
Now again, the scripture does challenge the love of money.
The scripture does challenge greed and no prosperity is not the purpose of the gospel, health, wealth and happiness.
That’s not the center of the message of Christ. We again, I’ll say this again.
As believers will live lives, of sacrifice, of trials, of tribulation. We won’t always have everything that we want.
And not every believer is called to be a millionaire.
But the truth of the matter is this God always provides for the needs of his people.
And biblical prosperity again, is when your needs are met and there’s enough left over to take care of others.
Think about the fact that wisdom brings wealth according to Proverbs chapter eight verse one and verses 17 and 18, listen as wisdom calls out here as understanding raises her voice.
I love all who love me. Those who search will surely find me.
I have riches and honor as well as enduring wealth and justice.
So here we see in the scripture that one of the benefits of exercising wisdom is the production of wealth.
Now, since wealth is a product of wisdom, it can’t be evil unto itself.
Wealth is a tool to establish the generations, to further the cause of Christ, to help one another.
And if you begin to look at wealth as something that’s just for you, if your life becomes all about money, well, then you’re in the danger zone.
Again, you can have finances so long as finances do not have you.
In fact, money is a good test of the heart.
Matthew chapter six verse 21 says, wherever your treasure is there, the desires of your heart will also be.
So now that we’ve established biblically speaking, that wealth is not evil unto itself, that money is not evil unto itself.
How then are we to prepare for what some call the coming financial crisis?
Now again, if you ask me personally, this isn’t a prophetic word. This is just my opinion on the matter.
I really don’t think that things will get bad as the naysayers say, it will.
But even if it does as Children of God, we stand in the safety of knowing that he will provide for us.
Now, I know there are many scriptures that we can point to like Jesus telling the rich young ruler to give up his riches or it to be easier for a camel to fit to the eye of a needle than it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God.
But as I said, when we look at these portions of scripture, we see that the problem is not the money, but the greed and the love of money.
So how do you prepare and how do you live in God’s provision?
How do you not just live in God’s provision but in biblical prosperity.
Again, biblical prosperity when your needs are met and there’s enough left over to help others.
Number one have faith like Joseph in the famine and Israel in the desert.
So you will be taken care of in any circumstance. Matthew chapter six starting at verse 24.
No one can serve two masters. Four. You will hate one and love the other.
You will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.
Now watch this. This is powerful.
Jesus here is saying that you can’t serve God and money and then he gives this warning.
That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life. Watch this.
You can’t serve God and be enslaved to money. So what’s the solution? Don’t worry. Why?
Because worry is how you worship finances. I’ll touch more on that in a moment. Let’s continue to read.
That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life.
Whether you have enough food and drink or enough clothes to wear isn’t life more than food in your body.
More than clothing. Look at the birds, they don’t plant or harvest or store food and barns for your heavenly Father feeds them and aren’t you more valuable to him than they are.
Can all of your worries at a single moment to your life and why worry about your clothing.
Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow.
They don’t work or make their clothing get Solomon in all His glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are.
And if God cares so wonderfully for wild flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you.
Why do you have so little faith? So don’t worry about these things, saying, what will we eat?
What will we drink? What will we wear these things? Dominate the thoughts of unbelievers.
But your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Verse 33 here’s the conclusion.
Seek the kingdom of God above all else and live righteously and He will give you everything you need.
Worry is how you worship money. Whenever you start stressing about money, you’re holding a worship service for Mammon.
You really don’t need to worry. We’re not like the world. We don’t lose our minds.
When they talk of economic crisis, we don’t become filled with fear when the systems of the world fail or seemingly fail, we can be filled with faith, knowing that we live in the safety of our father’s love and whatever his will is for our lives.
We know that it involves His presence, his love, his peace, his joy, his grace and in those things, we rejoice in those things.
We find security. I’ve never seen the righteous forsaken, nor their Children begging for bread.
And once you become liberated from that fear, once you stop allowing those things to affect your mind and infect your mind, well, then you’re free to be generous.
And that’s key number two generosity.
This is something I’ve learned in my many years of knowing the Lord and being in ministry, put God’s house first.
Why? Because He’s gonna take care of your needs, knowing that God will take care of all my needs, liberates me to become generous.
You see, when I don’t believe that my needs will be met when I believe that there will be lack.
When I believe that God will forget to provide something, then I withhold, then I become anxious.
Then I start to grip my resources a little tighter.
When I first got married to my jess, we struggled for a while financially.
I remember the first few years of our marriage, we would pray every month for financial fruitfulness.
And I remember I didn’t always know how we would pay the rent because the income was so inconsistent.
Sometimes I was preaching, sometimes I wasn’t, sometimes the people gave to the ministry. Sometimes they didn’t.
So I would do all these different odd jobs. I would write, I would help with marketing materials.
I would do anything I could to help bring in resources.
But every single month God met the need and every single month I made it a point to sit down with the bills to look at what needed to be paid.
And I always paid God’s house first.
I would send in my tithe and my offering to my local church and I would do that first every single month.
Now, there were times when I would pay my ties and offerings and I would go if I do this, I don’t see how the need will be met.
But every single time I can sit here as a testimony and tell you every single time God came through, I never needed to worry.
I didn’t see the way, but he makes a way where there seems to be no way.
He’s the God of the miraculous. He’s the God who provides for us.
This is what the Bible says in Second Corinthians chapter nine.
Remember this, a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop, but the one who plants generously will get a generous crop.
You must each decide in your heart how much to give and don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure for.
God loves a person who gives cheerfully watch this now verse eight and God will generously provide all you need.
Not some of what you need, all you need.
Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. What a powerful phrase.
Then you will always have everything you need.
Always have everything, not sometimes have some of the things, but always have everything you need.
And here’s the best part and plenty left over to share with others.
Let’s skip down to verse 10 where the Bible says, for God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat.
In other words, God was the one who gave you what to sow in the first place.
And I’ve learned this principle in my life that as I give, that opens up the river of generosity.
Again, I know this subject has been abused. I know people have manipulated the scriptures for their own selfish gain.
But we can’t deny the provision of God.
We can’t deny that God promises to meet our needs and to give us something left over that we might be a blessing to others.
Again, we must live a life of sacrifice. We must carry our crosses.
But even in that God always provides. So the Bible is absolutely clear on this.
And yes, as I said, there are instances where the rich are condemned, but the rich are always condemned for their love of money and their greed because of their hearts.
The Bible gives us a clear picture of what generosity looks like and what it does fear grips faith releases fear grips, faith releases generosity is a river.
And if that river is going to flow to us, then we must allow it to flow through us through our generosity.
Luke 6 38 give and you will receive your gift, will return to you in full, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more.
Running over and poured into your lap.
The amount you give will determine the amount you get back in difficult times.
The very last thing you should cut is your support of the gospel.
I know it’s tempting, especially when things are so scary.
I know it’s tempting to say I have to cut my support to the church.
I have to cut my support of the ministry. I have to cut my support of the kingdom. Why?
Because we imagine that if we keep supporting the ministries that there’s not gonna be enough left over for us to meet our needs.
But remember, it’s God who meets the needs and we must have the faith in order to have the generosity and it’s in generosity that we see the flow of God’s provision.
Now, I’m all for the practical, but the practical isn’t the supernatural.
I know the natural mind says, God bless me and I’ll give and this is what most believers do in terms of their giving.
God bless me and then I will give when God says give and I’ll bless you. Why?
Because that requires faith that requires you to step out, that requires you to go by faith and not by sight.
So we have it reverse. We’re waiting to win the lotto. So to speak.
We’re waiting for everything to even out.
We’re waiting for everything to look perfect when we must continue to give by faith.
And even if you’re not struggling, it still takes faith to give. It takes generosity.
It takes a love for the gospel. Now, this is where, as I said, many believers struggle.
Can you surrender this part of your life?
And again, as I said, religious people don’t like when we touch on this.
And the enemy wants to keep the church broke.
Because if he can keep the church broke, he can keep us from using our resources to further the message of the gospel.
Can you surrender this area of your heart? I know we’re filled with our excuses.
I know we’re filled with all of the things that we use to rationalize our non giving.
But this is where true faith comes to life.
This is where as the scripture says, where your treasure is there.
Will your heart be also be a blessing that you wish someone was to you.
And in your generosity, you’re preparing for the times that the world calls crisis. So number one have faith.
Number two, when you have faith, you can give generously. So number two is generosity.
Number three, good stewardship, generosity doesn’t work without stewardship. And this is where many people make their mistake.
They’ll do one and not the other.
Sometimes Christians are very generous but they manage their money so badly that it doesn’t matter if God blesses them because they have holes in their boat and they’re gonna sink no matter what.
And then some people are really good at being good stewards, but they lack the faith and the generosity to give to the kingdom of God.
So they have all their finances in order.
Things are going well and then they kind of just withhold or they just tip Jesus.
They, here’s a dollar or two. That’s my kind contribution.
There’s no generosity, there’s no lavishing the Lord with our love and our gifts. And so we must do both.
We must be generous. That’s the supernatural aspect and we must be good stewards.
That’s the practical aspect if you’re giving generously, but you’re not stewarding wisely, you’re not going to see that provision overflow.
And if you’re stewarding wisely, but you’re not giving generously, there’ll be no supernatural touch on your stewardship.
This is why we must be good stewards of God’s resources while we are generous.
Now, in the book of Matthew chapter 25 verses 14 to 30 we see a parable that Jesus told it’s the parable of the talents and in this parable, the master gives different amounts of resources to three different individuals.
Now, the first two individuals use what they have and they produce more and therefore they’re rewarded.
The third does nothing buries it in the ground.
And when the master comes back, he finds that that servant did nothing with it because he was afraid he called a wicked and lazy servant.
He takes from the one who had a little and gives it to those who began to produce while he was gone.
So it’s the opposite of what the world says.
He takes from those who don’t do well with what they have and gives it to those who are good stewards.
Now, the context here of Matthew chapter 25 14 to 30 it’s not necessarily about money, but here we do see the principle of stewardship and that God takes it very seriously taking care of what you have practical money management.
So if you’re giving to the church, your ties, you’re offering, you’re giving to ministries like this one, you’re supporting the kingdom of God.
That’s wonderful. But are you using wisdom when it comes to your finances?
Are you properly budgeting or are you over spending on things that you don’t need?
Are you overspending on restaurants, on entertainment, on gadgets on clothes?
Are you maxing out those credit cards for things that you’re not even gonna need? Three months from?
Now, this is why you must be a good steward because stewardship multiplies your resources even if you only have a little, if you’re a good steward with the little that you have and you’re being generous on top of that, that’s when God begins to multiply because God sees that He can trust you with more resources.
You see the resources that you and I have don’t belong to us.
God is the one who gives us resources and he watches. Are they doing well with what I’ve given them?
Are they using what I’ve given them for the proper purposes?
And when He sees that you do well with what you have, he knows that he can trust you with more and then unleash more resources for you to steward when you treat what you have.
like it’s what you want, then you’re exercising the principle of stewardship when you give with what you have.
Now, it’s a sign to God that you are ready for more.
We can’t expect more if we can’t obey with the little that we have right now.
If you’re not giving with the little that you have right now, then even when resources come, you won’t give.
Why? Because there will always be an excuse to not give. There’ll always be something to fear.
There’ll always be something that the experts say that we should all prepare for.
There’ll always be naysayers, there’ll always be doom and gloom. You’ll always find a reason to not give.
So if you’re not giving with what you have right now, you wouldn’t give where God to increase you.
This is why we must choose faith over fear and exercise generosity and good stewardship.
So how do you prepare for what the world calls the coming crisis? Well, number one have faith.
Number two, be generous. Number three, demonstrate good stewardship. And number four, faithfulness. Galatians chapter six verse nine says this.
So let’s not get tired of doing what is good at just the right time.
We will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.
Now, the context here is not talking about finances, but there’s a takeaway spiritual principle that has universal application for everyday life and that is simply that we must continue to do that, which is good.
Now, here’s the problem. Some believers will be generous for a little while and they’ll be good stewards long term.
But then their generosity begins to lack.
Maybe their faith begins to lack or maybe their stewardship becomes a little bit sloppy.
You need all three faithfully in order to begin to produce that harvest in your life, generosity, faith, good stewardship, all of these components coming together consistently over time, ultimately are what produce those kingdom benefits in our lives.
Now, just like an airplane takes flight.
Many things have to go right in order to put that airplane in the sky, lots of different parts have to come together and work.
Just so lots of things have to go right in order for that airplane to take off and only one or two things need to go wrong.
In order to take it down in the same way, we must apply all that the scripture says concerning finances in order to see financial fruitfulness and we must do it consistently like a train, starting, then stopping and starting and stopping.
Someone who gives sporadically and consistently or based on their emotions will never really gain that momentum in their life and their finances that they’re looking for.
And again, the Bible does talk about finances.
The Bible does talk about the fact that God wants your needs to be met and he wants to bless you as a good steward with more resources that you might bless those around you.
But it’s gonna take doing what the scripture says.
Let me emphasize this again so that no one can accuse me of preaching the prosperity gospel.
The gospel is not about house, wealth and happiness. Finances are not the center of the message of Christ.
But the Bible does talk about money.
And what do we see the Bible talk about when it talks about money. Number one have faith.
Number two demonstrate generosity. Number three, demonstrate good stewardship.
And number four do all of these faithfully consistently, not just for a week and say, oh, it didn’t work not just for a few months and say, oh, it didn’t work, not for a season.
And when things start to go wrong in your life, you say, well, I can’t really give right now no faithfully consistently, persistently, no matter what the world is saying, no matter your surroundings, no matter the circumstance, using whatever resources you have to faithfully advance the kingdom of God.
Father. I pray you help us do it.
And I pray lord that you would fill them with faith, help us father to not listen to the voices of the naysayers, help us father to not allow that fear to infect our hearts.
But I pray lord that you would cause us to see through the eyes of faith that we might see that the future is bright and that no matter what happens in this world that our faith is in you, you are on the throne and we thank you for that father in the mighty name of Jesus.
We pray. And I want you to say it because you believe it. Say amen.
Now this is usually the part of the video where people click away.
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Now check out this teaching. I did titled How To Prepare for the coming Persecution.