Poverty and Christianity have had a close connection for a long time. It almost seems like being a Christian is a direct ticket to being poor. This has made having money look like an evil thing.
The pursuit of wealth has become a huge debate in the church. Some say we don’t need to be rich to serve God while others say being rich makes serving God efficient.
Amidst the tossing, one truth remains; poverty is not fun. No one prays to God to keep him poor. Any prayer made to God concerning poverty is always for God to take us out of it.
When it comes to defeating the spirit of poverty, a lot goes into consideration. It is only after all the conditions have been met that you will come out of poverty.
The conditions are many. Knowing all of them is difficult. But thank God because you don’t have to know all of them.
Just as you don’t have to know the whole law for you to be justified, so you don’t have to know all the conditions for you to be set free from poverty.
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All this is possible through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.
In this article, I will explain how you can apply the power of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for you to come out of poverty once and for all.
Coming out of Poverty Physically
Poverty is both physical and spiritual. For you to come out of poverty completely, you have to handle the physical side as well as the spiritual side.
The physical side of poverty is overcome by gaining physical knowledge about money. The economy of the world is physical. The operations of the banks are physical.
It is hard for anyone to make money unless you understand how money works. For you to escape poverty physically, you need to have understanding of the physical operation of money.
This is where going to a business school will help you. These days, you can buy courses and guides that will help you learn about making money online.
Some Christians despise these physical teachings about money assuming that they are unnecessary. The truth of the matter is that these physical teachings are a requirement if you want to escape poverty.
God too understands that you need this physical understanding of how money works for you to come out of poverty. If you go to Him to help you out of poverty, He will require you to gain this physical knowledge about money.
Therefore, as a Christian who wants to come out of poverty, understand that you need physical knowledge about how money works and money making strategies.
Coming out of Poverty Spiritually
This is where most Christians focus when they want to escape poverty. But sadly, many still don’t get it right. Escaping poverty spiritually has its own conditions that you must meet for you to be free.
The Example of Jesus
We have had it mentioned many times that Jesus became poor so that we may become rich. It is true that Jesus became poor for us to be rich. But then we often don’t agree on what ‘become rich’ means.
Some say that God meant for us to be spiritually rich and not necessarily physically rich but others see it different.
I am not here to settle that debate.
The only thing I am going to do is show you how you can use the example of Jesus to become rich. Whether you want spiritual wealth alone or both spiritual and physical is for you to choose.
The way to defeat poverty is to follow the tactic that Jesus used to defeat death. Death scared men. Men would give up anything just to avoid death. They would even give up worshipping their God to avoid dying.
When Jesus came on earth, He defeated death in a way no one expected. Jesus gave Himself over to death while still remaining faithful to His Father in Heaven.
Since the main goal of death was to scare men from worshipping God, death had nothing to gain by taking a man who was faithful to God.
Jesus put death in a situation where it had no chance of winning.
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For you to overcome poverty, you have to put poverty in the same position that Jesus put death. Poverty, just like death in the case of Jesus, is meant to separate you from God.
When you are poor, the devil will deceive you that it is God’s fault that you are poor. In such a situation, you are more likely to believe the lie than when you are not poor.
Just like Jesus, show God your faithfulness while you are in poverty.
Proving your Faithfulness to God in Poverty
First, accept that you are poor. Then be persuaded that even in your poverty you can still serve God and be faithful to Him. Don’t become faithful to God with the aim of Him making you rich. Just be faithful because it is the right thing for you to do.
Tell yourself that whether you will live the rest of your life poor or rich you will still serve God and be loyal to Him.
I know this is easier said than done but that is the truth. Just like the four lepers in the time of Elisha who got tired of sitting at the gate of the city and decided to go to the camp of the Arameans not caring whether they would be killed or spared, you must get to that level of desperation.
You will only have a chance of ever being rich as a Christian if you prove to God that you are loyal to Him in poverty.
You may also prove to God that you are loyal to Him in poverty but God chooses to keep you in poverty for His own reasons.
Either way, whatever God does, provided you have proven to be faithful to Him in poverty, you will be pleased with the end result.
It is unlikely that God would keep someone in poverty after the person has proven to God that he is faithful to Him in poverty.
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Remember the word of God says that whoever can be trusted with little can also be trusted with much. If you can praise God, give tithes and offering and help others know Christ when you are poor, it is likely that you will do it too when you become rich.
Giving in to Poverty
Instead of making prayers against the spirit of poverty, give glory to God in your prayers. Tell God how much you love Him. Live as if poverty doesn’t bother you a single bit.
In reality, it is switching your attention from overcoming poverty to being loyal to God that will free you from poverty.
Just as Jesus gave Himself over to death, you must allow yourself to suffer the pain of poverty. During the pain of being in poverty, praise God and live as if you are not poor and see the kind of riches that God will shower you with.
God has great power to make anyone rich. It is only that He uses this rule to determine who is ready to be lifted to a position of great wealth.
Be the one.
God bless you!