Just as there are 10 things God says will make you money, there are seven things guaranteed to lead to poverty in God’s financial kingdom. You’ll notice many of the steps below are direct contradictions to those steps listed here.
And if those financial behaviors lead to poverty, it follows that the opposite behaviors lead to making lots of money. So today, I want to lay out some simple steps God guarantees will lead to wealth.
1. Don’t Love Money More Than God: If you worry about money, money has become your idol.
The enemy wants you to worry about finances. He wants you to think and obsess over money… because it drives you AWAY from God. The enemy knows if you love and honor God, He will prosper you and make you great within the city gates.
When worry starts creeping into your mind, it’s a deception from the pit of hell. Banish that thought back to where it belongs, knowing your God is faithful.
2. Work With A Spirit Of Excellence: The Book of Colossians says, “Work with all your might unto Him.” God sees what you do. He sees your diligence. He sees your motivation, the heart you pour into it and the extra hours you invest. Even if no one else acknowledges your work, He sees and will bless the fruit of your hands.
Look at the biblical story of Joseph. The Lord sends Joseph a vision, and his father blesses him. His 10 older brothers get jealous and sell him into slavery. As a slave, he’s brought to Egypt to work in a governor’s house. Then the governor’s adulterous wife attempts to seduce him, and when he refuses her, she runs to her husband and claims he made the moves. And her false accusations land him in prison.
But Joseph has this special gift from God… right? He can interpret dreams. So people come to him to interpret their dreams, while he is in JAIL. His reputation spreads, and the Egyptian Pharaoh hears about it – actually coming to prison to ask Joseph to interpret his dream. After Joseph warns him about a coming famine, the Pharaoh elevates him to a position over ALL the lands in Egypt. So God exalted this guy from prison, to the head of an entire huge, powerful nation.
Joseph never stopped diligently serving his God. He continued using the gift God had given him to bless others. He was faithful, and exalted God, even while rotting away in a prison cell. See, if you work as unto Him, He will bless your work.
3. Beware The Trappings Of Materialism: God’s monetary blessings are designed for a much larger purpose than just “stuff.” Sure, He does want to bless you with stuff, but He doesn’t want stuff to own your life.
Trust me, I’ve been there. I was a woman with a LOT of stuff… and all it got me was a lot of debt and a lot of anxiety. God exposed the greed in my heart. So my husband, Hans, and I did some MAJOR downsizing. We followed what Jesus called us to do.
And it was the best thing that ever happened to me! It brought that ugly, nasty, spoiled, wicked brat inside me right out into the open, freeing me from the crippling bondage I never realized had held me hostage for so many years.
Ecclesiastics 5:10 warns, “Whoever loves money never has money enough.” If you keep accumulating more clothes, a nicer car, a bigger house – and still feel a void – that is bondage to greed. And it can never lead to true fulfillment and fullness of joy in God.
4. Remember – It’s GOD’S Money: ALL money comes from God. Everything that exists belongs to God. Your money, is God’s money. And He wants to multiply that money. (Remember those verses from Deuteronomy?) When you honor Him, serve Him and follow His commandments, He wants to multiply your money.
We get into trouble when we worship the money, MORE than the One who created it. This is a destructive path, and because He loves you, God WON’T let you continue down it. The money in your hand is a test, to see what you’ll do with it. This test is to see if He can trust you with more.
I used to be stingy. I didn’t give anything to God. However, since my husband and I began giving, we have never wanted for anything. Even in my worst years financially, we earned a six-figure income. God loves you. God wants to keep you safe. God wants to bless you. If you trust in these truths, He will provide for you… because God honors His Word.
5. Give Generously: We just established ALL money is God’s money, so share it generously. God wants to bless you with more and loves a cheerful giver. We teach our children this principle – to tithe 10 percent of everything they make. And that giving may look different for different people, because it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to give to a church.
You can give to a charitable organization or use it for a mission trip – basically, anything that blesses others and honors God. This demonstrates He can trust you with more. When you are faithful with the little things, you prove your trustworthiness for the BIG things. Give willingly. Give graciously. Give with a cheerful heart… knowing and trusting God WILL provide.
6. Sow Into The Right Soil: This, my friend, is HUGE. The Bible illustrates the parable of the sower. It outlines the four different types of soil a farmer can sow into:
Seeds sown into the rocky soil sprout quickly, but have no roots. Those plants quickly get scorched by the sun. Seeds planted on hard ground get stolen away by birds. Seeds planted in thorny soil establish roots, and sprout. But as the plant grows, it’s choked by the thorny vines, then withers and dies. Those plants get strangled by the worries of life.
But a farmer who plants his seeds in fertile soil, sees a return of 30, 60 and 100 fold. So, how do you know if it’s fertile soil? Examine the fruit. Is there even fruit? Is it good fruit? The Bible defines the fruit of the Spirit as love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Do you reap those things out of the ground you sow into? For example: investing in DaniJohnson.com. Whether you’ve invested your time reading this article, or watching the Dani Johnson show, or your time and money into attending one of our events, are you reaping good fruit? Have you used the training to pay off debt, increase your income, mend relationships, build confidence, grow as a leader, get yourself right with God? That’s how you know you’re sowing into good soil.
7. Recognize Different Seasons: Nature dictates diverse seasons: times of plenty and times of famine. When you’re faithful during the season of plenty, you actually accumulate wealth for the coming famine. Joseph did that in Egypt. If you’re in a season of plenty now, just know this is preparation for the famine. Don’t “eat” all your seed, and you will continue to prosper… even when others around you flounder financially.
And if you’re currently in a season of famine, take care of everything you DO have, knowing more WILL be given to you. As you’re trustworthy in the famine, you gain more. That’s how His financial kingdom works! Continue working with excellence and diligence as unto Him. Continue giving with a spirit of thanksgiving and cheerfulness, and He will prosper you. Yep, it’s that simple!
8. Prosper Where You’re Planted: Do you ever find yourself thinking, “Well, if (fill in the blank) would just happen, then I’ll be set.”
We’re all guilty of similar thoughts. But that’s just the enemy directing you focus away from what you DO have, diverting it to what you DON’T have. You have to find happiness in your current circumstances. That’s what “prosper where you’re planted” means. When you “outsource” your happiness to some external circumstance – sometime in the vague future – you remove your personal accountability for your attitude and actions in the now.
Whatever you have in your hands right now – your children, your spouse, your job, your business – treat it with respect and honor. You cannot financially prosper, if you don’t dedicate your whole heart and soul to what you have NOW. Learn to love what you already have. Find the best in your circumstances. See the best in those around you. Then watch what He does for – and with – you.
9. Ask…And Ask BIG: Listen, our God is not a “small” God. His Word says His arms are not short and His ears are not deaf. We can’t even begin to conceive what God has planned for those who love Him. You need to think BIGGER than you presently think. You need to think WIDER, TALLER, DEEPER!
Right now, our company is asking God to change 100 million lives, as our goal. We want to touch 100 million lives. Remember to ask in GODLY proportions. Stop thinking in terms of your size. He gives exceedingly and over-abundantly. We know ALL things are possible through His Son, whose strength lies within us. Ask according to His will, and it will be given.
10. It’s Okay To Fail: You need to understand, it’s okay to make mistakes. There are ups; and there are downs. If this is a low season for you, don’t worry. Don’t fret. Don’t freak out. He loves you and will prosper you.
Now, write this down. Write it on your bathroom mirror, or put it a sticky note on your dashboard or laptop screen:
How awesome is THAT?!
Bottom line, God wants to see you succeed. He wants to bless you. He wants to give you the desires of your heart. And he gives you the playbook to do it. All you have to do is follow His directions!
I know that I have been extraordinarily blessed since my family has committed our ways to Him, and I want to give you the same strategies I followed that led to great success.
The book Spirit Driven Success breaks down scripture and gives you tangible wisdom you can apply to your life immediately. If you want to take hold of everything God has for you, get your hands on a copy of this book.
I can’t wait to hear about your amazing results!
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