There were some questions about a spirit of poverty during the Rejection teaching. Poverty is something that can be seen in lots of places, even among people with money, as I said. Here are some other bits I found that are worth passing along...
Ecc 5:10 Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless.
A spirit of poverty keeps us from being what God created us to be by convincing us “God is not able.”
• It keeps us from receiving our full inheritance and blessings (including being freed up in deliverance!)
• It isn’t as much not having, as being afraid you won’t have.
• It convinces us God is a “god of scarcity,” rationing his blessings. This is a lie. (Ps 37:18-19 says God will give his servants 'plenty', Philippians 4:19 says that God will supply all your needs. And check out Ps 37:25!)
• A spirit of poverty can stem from a religious spirit (unity is mentioned as a source of blessing in Psalm 133. Religion, as well as bitterness, produces disunity). God blesses unity. There is no blessing in division. And where’s there’s no blessing, there’s poverty.
• It keeps us from giving generously, and makes us selfish out of fear of not having. God does not need our money, but when we give, we experience his nature, as God is a Giver!
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Poverty is more prevalent in my life than I would think as a middle class white guy.
ReplyDeleteOddly enough, I spoke to my Aunt down in Alabama earlier in the year, and she said something about my father that I had never known. My father's dad left when he was 3 or 4, and my grandmother remarried an Army man. They had one daughter, my aunt, and proceeded to travel all over the place, including stints in Europe, before settling in Louisiana.
Apparently, there were several things my Dad wanted to do growing up and in high school (activities, events, etc) that the family simply could not afford. My aunt expressed his sincere frustration and resentment about this back and, and that my dad even references some of this stuff present day. It has affected how he helped (or didn't help) with my grandmother's care over her last few years.
Can I connect the dots? Yes, I see how a spirit of poverty plays out in a middle class white dude. I see how I can clutch firmly onto what I've been blessed with, how I can even resent when I don't get more, get what I want.
Ecc 5:10 convicts me and the feeling that I don't have enough. It keeps me from seeing the abundance of blessings in my life, that the gifts the Lord provides aren't tied to currency.
I repent and recognize my heavenly Father gives, and he gives BIG TIME.
Brothers, this poverty thing is worth digging into.
bc
I agree with you, Brett. I repent of agreeing with the spirit of poverty.
ReplyDeleteI believe the root is rejection, and I believe it causes division between all the brothers.
"Let's kick those voices back to hell, and get that death out of our heads."
Holy Spirit, please give me the acceptance, the unity, and the riches you want to give me. I receive them with a smile on my face.
Amen.