* My Disclaimer : If you are one of those people whose heart skips a beat when the church talks about money, you might want to take your heart medication!
* Part of my pastoral responsibility is to bring people out of curse and into blessing
ƒ{ There are Christians that still don't understand that they can be blessed
ƒ{ If we don't start believing that God's favor can be on us
ƒ{ Then you can
„X Be baptized until all the fish know you
„X Anointed with enough oil -- to be deep fried
„X Fast -- until you can see your bones through your shirt
ƒ{ And still not live in abundance
ƒ{ If God owns the cattle of a thousand hills
o He should be able to slaughter one for me!
ƒ{ The prodigal son's father did!
„X Note the blessings of the 2nd son
„X All through scripture it was the 2nd son who got blessed
„X You are the 2nd son through salvation
ƒ{ Some say they think that Christians should take a vow of poverty
ƒ{ I say that sinners should
ƒ{ Because we can't support anything or finance the truth if we are broke
Matthew 28:12
When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money.
* The world is spending a large sum of money to tell a lie
* 1.9 million in political ads
* The devil knows that if he's going to influence a people, he will spend money
* The church has to be willing to spend -- to tell the truth
* The world always finances their vision
o Spending billions of dollars looking for life on other planets
o Instead of saving lives living on this planet!
2 Chronicles 20
Vs 12
ƒ{ We have no power
ƒ{ We don't know what to do
Vs 25
ƒ{ Great plunder -- KJV -- Great riches
„X after the enemy was defeated
„X riches -- plunder -- articles of value were released
ƒ{ The enemy that we need to attack is lack
ƒ{ We must destroy an enemy of
„X Poverty (thinking)
„X Greed (stingy people)
„X Fear
ƒ{ Here are some truths that we will build on
ƒ{ Because the truth shall set us free
1. I can change my economic conditions
...You don't have to die in the same place you were born in
* Change it now -- don't wait until the next raise or bonus
* You are not powerless
Deuteronomy 8:18
But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.
2. Money is not good or bad
* People say if I had millions of dollars..
...I would give it to the church
* Money doesn't change you
* If you are stingy now ...
...you will be stingy on a higher level
* If you are foolish in spending now...
...you will be a super-size fool with money
EXAMPLE: MTV Cribs ($10 million dollar bathrooms -- MC Hammer)
Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous
* Money must borrow its goodness or badness...
...from the one who holds it
* The same $100 can buy crack or groceries
* Money is directed
o If you're a good person
o You can do a lot of good with money
o If you're a bad person
„X We want your money source to be shifted from the wicked to the good
* People say to me, "I am believing for the day that I can write a million dollar check for the kingdom."
* That's the heart that God can bless
* But we must gain some learning to apply to it!
3. Abundance begins with control
* It's nobody's fault you're broke
* Not your boss
* Not your kids
* Not your government
...you have to control or direct your money
- Insert from Steve Casey
o Tell your money where to go
o Instead of your money telling you where it's been
- Quit waiting to win the lottery...
...get on a game show
- Imagine if your money could tell us where it's been
o I've been paying interest on things that are long gone
o Tell your money -- talk to it -- direct it
„X Provide vision for it
* Tell this 10% go to church and bless God
* Tell this 10% go to the bank and sit and wait and be still and know he is God!
o Order the other to pay on debt
4. Money is currency, it should flow
* Money is always changing hands
* It's time for me to get my hands in the game
* Money doesn't disappear
* It just changes hands
* During the great depression money didn't disappear...
...it just changed hands
* More millionaires were made during the great depression than any other time in America's history
Currency = moving
ƒ{ You're probably wondering what this story has to do with economic empowerment
ƒ{ There are times when there is so much coming against us we don't know what to do
„X Layoffs
„X Tax increases
„X Emergencies
„X Etc.
ƒ{ Have you ever wondered how am I going to get out of this?
ƒ{ I want you to know
o That God is concerned about what you're concerned about
ƒ{ Some of the financial mess is your fault
ƒ{ Some of it isn't
„X Bad choices
„X Not applying previous money messages
„X Lack of understanding
„X Debt
„X Etc.
ƒ{ Not your fault
„X Economy
„X Layoffs
ƒ{ It doesn't matter
„X Tell God there is a vast army coming against me
„X I don't know what to do
„X But my eyes are on you!
* Vs 12
ƒ{ We've been talking a lot about
'THIS PRESENT GENERATION'
ƒ{ I believe every generation needs someone God can trust with Big Stuff
THINGS TO CONSIDER FROM OUR TEXT
1. The victory in battle is tied to new levels of prosperity
...Like a video game -- new power at new level
* Enemies are always guarding your harvest / abundance
o Making it hard for you to take your blessing
o Have you ever noticed that when you get a spiritual breakthrough
o There is blessing that comes
EXAMPLE: Doreane's letter
Guy with $800 need
2. Being blessed is part of the battle
...for some it's a battle to know it's ok to be blessed
o When you get saved, blessing is part of the package
EXAMPLE: McDonald's "Super Size It"
Movie, "Super Size Me"
o You have to let yourself
„X Enemy
„X Money
o Know that being blessed is not an option
o Super-size me
* I have to be blessed to do what God wants me to
* We can't be broke and do what God has called us to
o Bikes
o Feed-the-multitude
o Events
o Dream center
o Feeding
o Starting new churches
* If I am going to battle
o I've got to get a blessing
* If someone around you doesn't look like they believe in that
o Just tell them you'll take theirs
3. Generational enemies are against you
* If you study this portion of scripture you will find out that
* This wasn't the first time they had fought with these enemies
* When you showed up on planet earth there were some enemies already set up against your blessings
o Mom -- we didn't have
o But told me we could
o Dad -- criticized those that have
o All siblings are broke
o Are you raising kids
o And twisting their value system
EXAMPLE: spend $100 on tennis shoes
0$ on a book
* Someone has to attack the lack and break the generational lack curse
o Kids can do better than previous generation
* What if we could give a gift that would change someone's destiny
o We give
„X Cards
„X Money
„X Pay rent
* But what if we could provide
o Housing
o Dream center
o Etc.
* Imagine walking up to a bright child in a less fortunate family and writing them a tuition check
* I want to come to the place I can give something like that!
4. Praise not complaints must lead my life Verse 20
Judah = Praise
Get the praiser's out front
„X I've found out that if I am negative
„X I set a negative atmosphere
„X And then negative things are drawn to me
„X And certain things can only live in certain atmospheres!
„X Some things thrive and breathe and feed in negative atmosphere
o So when your economics are attacking you
„X Don't complain
„X Get your praise out front
„X Thank him for what you do have
„X And the past breakthroughs
„X Walk out and thank him for your car
* Go in closet - Thank him for clothes
* Cabinet -- food
* Feet -- shoes
o You don't have a right to put God's name on your life
o And walk around in this country...and complain
o Get your praise out in front of you
o Characteristics don't change because you get money
„X Mad at the pet psychiatrist
* For misdiagnosing the poodle
„X I've learned to be content in whatever state I am in!
o Keep your praise in front of you
„X I don't have to have the best
„X Most expensive of everything to be happy
Note -- it took them three days to gather up what one afternoon of praise gained them.
