Fish or fisherman – We all have desires and aspirations. Some of us even have goals written down. Why is it that some people seem to have an ability to create wealth and others don’t? There is even a political movement that concludes this scenario is unfair and wealth should be “redistributed.” I want to suggest that it is much more benevolent to teach people how to move from poverty to wealth; giving to the poor is Biblical and appropriate in some circumstances but it reinforces poverty and is never a long-term solution. Continuing to give wealth to the poor without teaching them to multiply money themselves is the modern equivalent to slavery. It keeps people in bondage. This newsletter is simply about one aspect of the Gospel… the good news of how and why you can turn poverty into prosperity.
What if?– It’s OK to have a focus on meeting your personal needs and those of your family. Imagine the bills are all paid and you’re wish list for house, car, hobbies and business are fully funded and your personal needs for the rest of your life are covered. Now imagine more money comes; first an extra $100k comes. What would you do? Think about it? Now imagine an extra $500K comes in… What would you do?… now $1M. What would you do?… now $5M. What would you do? Now $10M… What would you do with money if it no longer had value to you personally?
The good news – At some point all our needs are met and we run out of ideas on how to get rid of the money. That’s where the Kingdom comes in. Here’s the secret (really, it’s the gospel), wealthy people always have a purpose for wealth that is bigger than their personal needs. It’s “poverty” that is focused inward in a selfish way. If we can’t honestly come up with any reason for wealth beyond our personal needs, our hearts will naturally sabotage our attempts to multiply finances. Jesus said it this way:
So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matt 6:31-34
The nature of poverty is that its inward focus is self-defeating. The nature of a prosperous business is simply to find a need in someone else’s life and fill it. Can you see that successful business and ministry are the same thing? It is only our cultural bias that separates them (dualism). Opportunities for spiritual ministry and financial increase are found together when that wall comes down.
Hearts – Why does this work? Your heart was designed by God to bless others; to bless the nations in fact. If that dynamic is missing then your heart is really working against the goals you may set in your mind. It doesn’t mean your personal needs go wanting. It means your cup was designed to continually overflow so that your personal needs are never part of the equation. You live continually in a place where your anointing and your finances are far beyond your own needs… “Immeasurably more”… “a river of delights.”
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Ps 23:5 NIV
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, Eph 3:20 NIV
They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights. For with you is the fountain of life; Ps 36:8-9 NIV
Delight the Father – When our hearts do what they were designed to do (bless the nations) the Father gets so delighted that cups start running over. Solomon had his own needs met and simply asked God to give him wisdom to be a good leader. God got so excited; He gave Solomon what he had not asked for in both wealth and honor. I hear that prophetically for Kings right now. “I will give you what you have not asked for.”
I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for — both riches and honor — so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. 1 Kings 3:12-13
Solomon was the wealthiest man on earth. Did he feel guilty about it? No… the context was blessing a nation by adding value that has worth to people and God. He led the most blessed nation on earth. God really takes care of those that take care of His business. Wealth and anointing flow toward Kings with those desires in their heart.
Leadership – Leadership is simply the same phenomena. Wealth and anointing and people flow toward Kings that have a vision to bless people, build the Kingdom, bless the nations by adding value that blesses people. All of us have hearts that are designed to get excited about blessing people. When someone designs a great way to do that, we are all happy to help that person. They become a “leader” because they are greatest in serving or blessing people; finding a need and filling it. That’s why leaders make money too. God delights in them.
Get Started – Write you goals down for the coming year and carry them with you. Put them in the past tense as though they had already been achieved. Read them to yourself out loud serveral times a day. The generosity and Kingdom orientation we’ve discussed in this newsletter do open a door in the Spirit for your blessing. But, it’s not magic! Your initiative is still required to work, start the business, or make the investment. Your efforts will be blessed.
