Biblical Guidelines To Financial Freedom And Prosperity

7/14/2019

In everything you do, put God first, and He will direct you and crown your efforts with success.

Quoting this quote from William Marrion Branham, "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God. Have you ever witnessed that to be the truth? Put God first. Pay your tithes first. Pay everything first. Pay God. Pray first in the morning. Pray all through the day. Give God the first place in everything. You'll be a witness."

I would like to share some biblical guidelines to achieve financial freedom and prosperity from our senior pastor, Ptr. David A. Sobrepeña of Word of Hope (A Christian Family Church).

Enjoy and be blessed!

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

(1 Timothy 6:6-10)

30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field,
which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

(Matthew 6:30-34)

A. Desire Is Never Satisfied

How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness. When our life focuses on “getting more money,” we have the wrong focus.

Whoever loves money never has enough;
whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.
This too is meaningless.

(Ecclesiastes 5:10)

B. The Desire Leads To More Evil

Money in itself is not wrong, but loving money leads to all sorts of sin.

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.
Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

(1 Timothy 6:10)

C. The Desire Separates Man From God

You cannot serve God and mammon. Mammon, in the New Testament of the Bible is commonly thought to mean money, material wealth, or any entity that promises wealth, and is associated with the greedy pursuit of gain.

No one can serve two masters.
Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

(Matthew 6:24)

D. Consequences Of Loving Money

1. Forget God

11 Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God,
failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. 12 Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, 13 and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied,14 then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

(Deuteronomy 8:11-14)

2. Stop Trusting God

24 “If I have put my trust in gold
    or said to pure gold, ‘You are my security,’
25 if I have rejoiced over my great wealth,
    the fortune my hands had gained,
26 if I have regarded the sun in its radiance
    or the moon moving in splendor,
27 so that my heart was secretly enticed
    and my hand offered them a kiss of homage,
28 then these also would be sins to be judged,
    for I would have been unfaithful to God on high.

(Job 31:24-28)

2. Be Deceived

Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

(Mark 4:9)

Violations Of God's Principles (Other Causes Of Financial Bondage)

When you don't have enough money, ask yourself these questions?

1. Do I really need more?
2. Did I already misuse what God gave me?
3. Is God testing my faith?
4. Have I violated biblical principles?

Testing of Faith

1 In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. 2 He had seven sons and three daughters, 3 and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.
4 His sons used to hold feasts in their homes on their birthdays, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.5 When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom.
6 One day the angels[a] came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan[b] also came with them. 7 The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”
Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”
8 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job?There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”
9 “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. 10 “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. 11 But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.”
12 The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”
Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
13 One day when Job’s sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, 14 a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby,15 and the Sabeans attacked and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
16 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The fire of God fell from the heavens and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
17 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
18 While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, 19 when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 21 and said:
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
and naked I will depart.[c]
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;
may the name of the Lord be praised.”
22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

(Job 1)

All that I am, all that I have, all that I hope to have belongs to God.

Possible Violations

1. Stinginess (not same as thrift)

24 One person gives freely, yet gains even more;
another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.
25 A generous person will prosper;
whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.

(Proverbs 11:24-25)

Generosity Encouraged
6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.

(2 Corinthians 9:6)

2. Stubbornness

This attitude says, "I do whatever I want with my money."

Whoever disregards discipline comes to poverty and shame,
but whoever heeds correction is honored.

(Proverbs 13:18)

3. Hastiness

The plans of the diligent lead to profit
as surely as haste leads to poverty.

(Proverbs 21:5)

4. Indulgence

for drunkards and gluttons become poor,
and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

(Proverbs 23:21)

5. Laziness/Indolence

Do not love sleep or you will grow poor;
stay awake and you will have food to spare.

(Proverbs 20:13)

Lazy hands make for poverty,
but diligent hands bring wealth.

(Proverbs 10:4)

A sluggard’s appetite is never filled,
but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.

(Proverbs 13:4)

All hard work brings a profit,
but mere talk leads only to poverty.

(Proverbs 14:23)

"Indolence" means habitual laziness. An excessive love of comfort or pleasure that causes a person to habitually neglect work or duties.

6. Craftiness (Get Rich Quick Schemes)