Overcoming in the Area of Money
1 Timothy 6:10
10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
The Bible tells us that these men not only lost their anointing but also their salvation by
pursuing money instead of him.
So, if the love of money is the root of all evil, then the pursuit of material wealth and one's own comfort is the greatest sin one can commit once interring into the kingdom. Did you realize the first murder was over material wealth or money?
Genesis 4:3-9
3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an
offering unto the LORD.
4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respected. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? And why is thy countenance fallen?
7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
9 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper
I want you to notice several things about these verses. There was nothing wrong with the fact that Cain brought fruit and animals; this is what he did or his job in other words. Where Cain missed it was he did not bring the tithe; the firstling is the tithe. It specified that Abel brought tithe and offering, but Cain only brought an offering. All he had to do was obey what God said, but there was something in his character that kept him from being obedient, which led to his robbing God, that leads to jealousy, that leads to murder.
To me, it is saying that disobedience in your life will lead to you intimately robbing God either
completely or not giving to him consistently. This will eventually, according to your character
allow some deadly sin into your life, in the case of Cain it was the spirit of murder.
Leviticus 27:30
30 And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD's: it is holy unto the LORD.
This scripture makes it very plain that whether it is seed or money that you have acquired or
substance you have acquired after you have planted seed or invested or made money.
Now look at what happens when tithes are not paid consistently.
Leviticus 27:31
31 And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall add thereto the
fifth part thereof.
Numbers 18 26-28 lets us know that the ministers of the word live off the tithe.
Malachi 3:8-10
8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we
robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even
this whole nation.
10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine
house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the
windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to
receive it.
We have established from the word now that if the tithe is not given then the offerings are not
accepted. So not giving them is stealing, and the word said thou shalt not steal, so not only are you operating under a curse, but you stand in jeopardy of hell. You might say, can you really go to hell for not paying tithes well you must look at it in a much deeper way: why did Adam get kicked out of the garden just by eating a fruit? It’s an issue of obedience that deals with character.
Malachi helps us to understand two things: that offerings are not accepted without tithes and
that tithes are only part of what we should be bringing. You’re being half obedient, plus who
ever said that tithes must be given to your local church, the bible does not teach that. I know a lot of pastors will be upset with me, but how are you going to take one scripture that does not even speak clearly about the local church and make a doctrine out of it? But that is one we have done. You need to find out through prayer and waiting on God where is your storehouse, now I know that many are not mature enough to discern his leading, but until you are, you need to continue to give to the local church than not at all.
Exodus 25:2
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man
that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.
We see another thing that is very important to God when it comes to qualifying for his presence is the attitude in which you give your money.
2 Corinthians 8:12 (KJV)
12 For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted
according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.
If giving then, especially the tithe and offering is a character or heart issue then now we can see why it is considered worship when we give it to God, and when we don’t, we are sacrificing it on the altar of our own hearts. Which are strange fires?
Exodus 29:18
18 And thou shalt burn the whole ram upon the altar: it is a burnt offering unto
the LORD: it is a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
When we take what belongs to God and use it for other than what he was designed when we
go before God, we are offering strange incense to the god of this world; incense is worship.
Exodus 30:9
9 Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering;
neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon.
It is wonderful that Jesus' blood took care of the sacrifices of sin so that we don’t have to go out and buy anything or give money to be accepted by him.
Chronicles 7:1
1 Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from
heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled
the house
I want you to notice one thing that is consistent throughout the scripture when an offering is
made to the Lord the way it should how his glory come down. He brings his presence to a heart that has met certain conditions.
2 Chronicles 24:14
14 And when they had finished it, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, whereof were made vessels for the house of the LORD, even vessels to minister, and to offer withal, and spoons, and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the LORD continually all the days of Jehoiada.
2 Chronicles 29:28-29
28 And the entire congregation worshipped, and the singers sang, and
the trumpeters sounded: and all this continued until the burnt offering was finished.
29 And when they had made an end of offering, the king and all that were present with him bowed them, and worshipped.
You see in one sense giving offerings is worship and we make it an act of worship when we do it with the right heart. And tithes of everything we posses should be given.
Luke 18:12
12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
For you people who think tithes are under the law and we should not do it lets put the nail in
the coffin sort of speak once and for all, because all this time your offerings have not been
accepted.
Hebrews 7:5-10
5 And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:
6 But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.
7 And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.
8 And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
9 And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.
10 For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.
Paul is making the point here that Abram, who was before the law, gave tithes and that the
priesthood yet in his loins tithe to God.
Matthew 6:23-25 (KJV)
23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of
darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
Luke 16:10-13 (KJV)
10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?
13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other;
or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon
Now let’s sum up the purpose of this whole teaching in Matthew, he tells us if you are not
looking at money rightly it will affect the light that is coming into you and it will darken your
heart. It’s your worry about money that has you robbing God in the first place. Your attitude
toward money will cause you not to see God correctly. Giving according to scripture will help
keep your heart on track and your faith toward the Father strong.
Luke helps us to see that God determines whether we can be trusted with the powers of the
word to come which is actually his presence by how we handle money on the earth specifically tithes and offerings. The tithe belongs to another man God; the true riches are the glories of heaven and even God himself. You cannot be trusted with much wealth on the earth for the kingdom because it will cause you to worship Mammon who is the god of money on the earth. And you will stop serving God in one aspect or another and serve money.
