THE GREAT WEAPON: MONEY

Money is vital, it is the medium of exchange and means to an end. It takes care of our needs and worries. It is a general and legally acceptable medium of transactions. When you have money, your mind is at peace, you feel at ease and you have what you want as at when needed, it commands respect. Money cut across countries, nations, cities, towns, villages and governments. It is a means of survival, no matter how or where you work, you aim at getting paid with money. Therefore, money has a strong controlling force, it controls all; young and old, black and white, rich and poor, it controls attitude or actions of human. You know the real attitude of humans when money is available or vice versa. It is essential and one of the very important needs of man.

Money is a good instrument in the vineyard of God and can also be a great weapon or tool in the hand of the devil. Money can build and can pull down. Money can hold together, money can separate or scatter. Oh! What a great weapon. Many evils perpetrated by man are based on the love of money; homes have been divided or broken apart based on handling money wrongly. It lures people into sin and is a source of weakness for the strong and destruction for the weak. It respects no one, therefore, it is a pleasant tool for the devil to take people freely to hell. It is a wise distractor and a great force that can pull the mighty down.

Matthew 19:21 – 26 explains one the parables of Jesus about money and the rich; how it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. The word of God summarizes that we should flee from the love of money and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and meekness. Whoever loves money never has enough, whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income and this is vanity (Eccl 5:10). Godliness with contentment is a great gain, the love of money is the root of all evil. (I Timothy 6:6 – 11).

There are examples in the Bible of those that fell through the Love of money; Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus Christ and made identification of Him to those that will crucify Him. Unfortunately, he was unable to spend the money and fell totally into hell by suicidal action. Ananias and Saphirra are another example and they lost their lives in the process. They are bad examples of Christ’s followers in the Bible that served money instead of the money serving them.

When money is handled in a polite way and with wisdom, it multiplies and blesses its owner. It is like a visitor that if it is well treated, it is ready to stay and serve its master. Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it. This is the knowledge that is lacking in most youths of this generation, they want quick income, they want a high standard of living with little or no stress or work. The Bible says in Hebrew 13:5 that we should keep our lives free from covetousness, and be content with what we have, for God says, He will never leave us nor forsake us.

Many great men of God have fallen from with this weakness: love of money. The devil used it as an easy weapon to pull them down from the ladder of greatness in the vineyard of God. Money can make or mar its masters despite how pleasant it can be. Many marriages are broken due to this simple but deep rooted need. Families have gone apart through the love of money. Different nations of the world have had their citizens subjected to abject poverty due  to the leaders squandering what is supposed to be used to better the lot of the common man. The Bible emphasized that the root of all evil is centered around the love of money, that is why you keep wondering the great wickedness of the ritualists and how desperate they can be to kill to get money. Siblings kill each other, husbands use wives and vice versa, fathers kill their children, disagreement and chaos among siblings, youths use their parents, go deep into occultism, armed robbery among others all in the pursuit of wealth and affluence.

The church of God is not left out, many workers in the church of God are into services all in an effort to gain. Many request to be paid for the talent given to them by God before they can use it for God. They conduct shady acts worse than that of Annanias and Sapphira all in the love of money. Untruthful remittance of tithe and offering, adding figures to digits and inflating prices for projects handled are many ways adopted by some church members. Many are out of their ways to sell miracles and anointing oil, water among others all in the love of money. Some will offer to be in charge of the church contribution and offering bags in crusades in order to take offering without the knowledge of the church. Believers who are supposed to be examples to the world sometimes join unbelievers to do unimaginable things at their various places of business/work and in government establishments just to get more gain albeit unlawfully. Beloved, it is very obvious that money is an easy weapon in the hands of the devil to draw as many as can fall for it into hell. Its love leads straight to perdition, it is an easy to use tool for the devil.

Brethren, God wants us to live in peace and affluence. Christianity is not poverty, He wants us to be comfortable in all ramifications while still maintaining godliness. Proverb 10:22 pronounced that the blessings of the Lord brings wealth without painful toil for it, only if we can follow the laid down principles of wealth with some emphasized below:

• Proper tithe and offering: it requires proper insight to obey this instruction from God. This can be found in both old and new testament; Gen 14:19 – 20, Gen 28:20 – 22, Mal 3: 8 -12. Mark 12, 41 -44, Luke 11:42. Some believers do not pay their tithes as regularly as they should for love of money.
• Giving with a sacrificial heart. This is done from the heart; not until you give out millions or thousands with media publications. You can sow seeds of greatness with little little seeds you keep sowing into the lives of others. Matt 6:1 – 4, Luke 18: 9 -14
• Prudency in spending with good budgeting. Living according to your income, don’t over labour your capacity and avoid wastage. Proverb 13:16, Proverb 14:15
• Faithfulness and cooperation between couples centered around sound budgeting and keeping to the planned events. Proverbs 19:14,
• Hardwork and deligence Proverbs 6: 6 -11
• Godliness with contentment is great gain. Be content with what you have, do not envy others. 1Timothy 6: 6 -10
• Prayers and Thanksgiving; God will definitely multiply the heart and hands that appreciate Him. Phillipians 4: 6 – 7
• Faithfulness in little things (Truthfulness and trustworthiness), these open doors of greatness. Luke 16: 10 – 12, Matthew 25: 14 – 18
• Sowing into the church of God and fields of ministry. God will never forsake His faithful givers. This is a great secret of wealth. Don’t make vows without fulfilling it. Galatians 6:7, Eccl, 11:6, Prov 11:24 – 25, Prov 22: 26 – 27

These are biblical truths that can guide us to riches and wealth. May the wisdom of God not depart from us. (Amen). Above all, you cannot claim riches of God if you are his enemy, living in Sin. Therefore, surrender all to Him and enjoy the great promises of wealth for His children. SHALOM!