Poison of the Pilgrim 8-The Poison of Poverty Mentality

The next in our series of poisons of thepilgrim is another subtle one that is so sneaky, you actually can feel totallyjustified when you allow this poison in. It's the poison of poverty mentality,and it will keep you powerless and poor for your entire life if you let it. Itdoesn't hit you in a rush like last week’s poison, but it is a slow,frustrating, uncomfortable death none the less.

 

PROSPERITYDOCTRINE- RECIPE FOR DISASTER?

 

Prosperity teaching has been common for along time, however it has to some degree lost many of its followers. What isit, and I wonder why?

 

Prosperity teaching says that you are achild of God, and God wants to bless you with financial prosperity. The thought is that,if you do the right things, pray the right prayers and if you can generateenough faith, God will make you a millionaire.

 

3 John 1:2 (KJV)

Beloved, I wish above all things that thoumayest prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers.

 

Yep, I'm in, sounds great. What's thecatch? Is there even a catch?

 

There is. The catch is that God is God, andtherefore He has a plan for your life, which may or likely may not involve youbecoming a multimillionaire. The trouble is, if God hasn't and you believe Hehas, you are in for a lot of heartache and disappointment.

 

In fact, many people who believe thisteaching finish disillusioned and turn away from God. Grossly unfair towardsGod, given that they decided He was going to prosper them and make them millionaires and then they expected Him to follow through and do their bidding.If God promises you, and you have things like Scripture, prophecies and a wholestack of things to confirm this, then fantastic. But don't decide what you wantand get upset that God doesn't do it your way. Last I saw, He is Lord, not youand not me!

 

WHAT IS THE POISONOF POVERTY MENTALITY?

 

The poison of poverty mentality is notabout how much money you have, or haven't got. In fact, if you have a povertymentality, you could have a million dollars and it would make absolutely nodifference at all.

 

The poison of poverty mentality is aboutfear and lack. If you have a poverty mentality then you will believe you arenot good enough to be blessed so you will cling on to what you have in case youlose it. God wants to deal with that in our lives.

 

2 Corinthians 8:9

For you know the grace of our Lord JesusChrist, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that youthrough his poverty might become rich.

 

So poverty mentality is not about what youhave or haven't got, it's about how you see yourself. It's about what you thinkyou deserve. And if you start to believe that verse I just read to you, thenyou are already starting to neutralise the power of this poison.

 

That verse talks about Jesus giving up theriches of Heaven and all that entails to become a lowly man. He did this so wecould become rich, and not just in monetary terms.

 

Being truly rich is way beyond money. It'sbeing rich in the things of God’s Kingdom: rich in anointing, power, authority,everything He has. Money is nice,but not necessary to become truly rich

 

Jesus gave up heaven so that we could haveaccess to heaven – so that we could bring heaven to earth. And we need to berich in every way if we are going to do that: in the anointing, in wisdom, inknowledge and understanding of the Word of God; in power and authority and inthe gifts of the Holy Spirit.

 

That's our calling! That's our destiny, butthere is one poison that will keep us from all that. It is having a povertymentality.

 

God wants to break this poison off us. Hewants us to understand that we are are sons and daughters of the King. God isnot a stingy Father, He's not reluctant to bless His children, to see usprosper, to see us succeed in all He has planned for us to do.

 

The poison of poverty mentality tells usnot to believe this, tells us we are unworthy, that we are not able.

 

Today is the day we allow God to break thepoverty mentality off us and cast it aside. It is time to remove the povertyspirit from its throne!

 

WHAT’S GOD’S WILLFOR YOUR LIFE?

 

We’ve got to understand that poverty is notthe will, not the requirement nor the proof of a Godly life. There's nothingglamorous about being poor! Some church traditions teach or imply this, equatingpoverty with humility. We know God wants us to be humble, but does that meanthat we have to be poor as well?

 

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you,”declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give youhope and a future.

 

Have you got hope? Have you got a future?Or are you living in a poverty mentality?

 

Australia is poisoned by poverty mentality.Our social security system is amongst the best in the world, but it breeds amentality of lack, of an ungrateful spirit and a poverty mentality that expectsnothing more than the worst thing possible. We get content in ourcircumstances, comfortable in poverty, safe in our sicknesses, living a life oflack and expecting no better.

 

God is rich, the devil is poor! Heaven isabundance, hell is poverty-stricken! Whose kingdom are you in and who has beenleading you? Do you live by a poverty mentality manifesting as fear, worries,struggles, hard work, and self-dependence? Or do you live by the “Truth andGrace” that comes through Jesus Christ, a life full of His leading and Hisprosperity?

 

Can you believe that your Heavenly Fatherwants the best for you? Can you believe this even if it doesn't involvemillions of dollars, luxury cars and houses or worldly success? Prosperity ismore than money, it's a way of life and it is measured not in the presence ofmoney, but in the presence of The Spirit of God!

 

 

TESTS TO SEE IF YOUHAVE THIS POISON

 

Here are some tests you can apply right nowto see if this sinister poison is operating in your life…

 

Test1: Constant Money Fixation -

 

What do you think about money? When you dothink about it, are you concerned about how much of it you lack, or how muchyou can manifest? Have you ever thought about why you want to manifest money inthe first place?

 

Do you talked about money despite nothaving much?  Do you make snide commentslike, “I'm not a Myers person, I'm a K Mart kind of guy?” Do you always chosebased on price? Will you do nearly anything to get money?

 

Ecclesiastes 5:10

He who loves money will not be satisfiedwith money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.

 

Most poor people spend all their timethinking about money (or more specifically, their lack of it). When I was atUniversity and broke, that’s what I did. At times I was fixated on money. I thought aboutall the things I didn’t have and couldn’t get. And at times I was jealous ofthe people who had them. 

 

Test 2: "IHate Rich People!" -

 

Being jealous of all the things otherpeople have that you don't have will not help matters. Because jealousy soon turns tohate, so before long You find yourself hating all rich people because they havewhat You want -- nice homes, exotic cars, expensive clothes.

 

As Aussies, we have the tall poppy syndromewhere we try and cut any successful person down to our level. “"He's notthat great”, “"She's not that pretty”, “"He has more dollars thansense!”, etc.

 

James 3:14-15

But if you have bitter jealousy and selfishambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is notthe wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.

 

That’s the real joke, because as much asYou might hate rich people, you are working hard every day trying to become one! So there's awhole bunch of internal conflict going on.

 

With this mentality you end up surgingforward to success, only to sabotage yourself every time You get close tosuccess. You tend to be so obsessed that you'll try anything, including gettingripped off time and again trying to get rich quick. Millions of people doexactly this, because they obsess about money and are jealous of those who haveit.

 

You might think you are programmed forsuccess, but you may be actually programmed in your head, in your mentality forpoverty.

 

Test 3: Fear-BasedDecision-Making -

 

Making decisions based on fear of loss orfailure never leads you towards prosperity. In fact, fear-based decision-makingcan rob you of any sense of happiness or joy of success, and distort yourbehavior.

 

 2Timothy 1:7

for God gave us a spirit not of fear but ofpower and love and self-control.

 

Have you ever seen someone experience moreanguish at losing $10 than earning $100? Ever seen someone drive around aparking lot for 10 minutes to avoid a one-minute walk to the store? Have youever not given your offering at church because it's been a tough week andyou're worried you won't make it through?

 

These scenarios are fear-based, notprosperity driven. The decisions are not made on what the possible benefitsare, but made in order to avoid a possible negative outcomes.

 

When something adversehappens to you, do you immediately see the worst possible outcome, or see the immensepossibilities opening up before you?

 

Check your heart now… Do you make decisionsbased on moving towards God’s blessing for you, or based on moving away fromfear?

 

So how do you make decisions, especially big ones?What's in your heart? I'm not saying you need to unrealistically overlook anynegative possibly, I'm not saying to throw your brain away and trust God (Henever asks us to do that!), but what is it that you concentrate on?

 

HOW THE POISON OFPOVERTY MENTALITY POISONS YOU

 

As I said at the start, this poison isinsidious. The enemy uses TV shows, movies, songs, books and generalconversation to infect you with a poverty mentality, to make you think that, toquote Jack Nicholson, “Did you ever think that maybe this is as good as it gets?”

 

Social security won't necessarily but caninfect you with the poison of poverty mentality. If you don't work or take achance to get something, if it's just given to you, you tend not to truly valueit. I use to give away eye exercises for kids, and no one did them. As soon asI started charging even a small amount, everyone started doing them. It's humannature.

 

And if you are given something for nothing,after a time you start to expect it, demand it, treat it like it's your Godgiven right! Many on government benefits have this attitude, but of course many are grateful andcareful with what they receive.

 

This poison also attacks your faith. Itmakes you doubt God, doubt His plans for you and even makes you mad at God forwhat has befallen you, even if it isn't His fault!  How often have you made bad, selfish, dumbdecisions, seen things go wrong and then blamed God?

 

The poverty mentality always blames someoneelse, it never steps up and accepts blame for any failure.  Talk to most Australians going through atough time, and nine times out of ten it will be someone else's fault…  “I'm in this predicament because of myupbringing, my ex, how I was treated at school, bad luck, anything but my badjudgement or bad decisions!”

 

The constant cry of poverty mentality isthat life's not fair. You know what? Life isn't fair. It's hard, evil sometimesseems to triumph, bad guys win and nice guys finish last!

 

You're probably thinking at times, “God’snot fair.” To this I say, thank God He's not fair. If He gave us all what wedeserved, not one of us would be left standing. We all have sinned, we alldeserve death (Romans 3:23, 6:23), but by God’s grace we don't get what wedeserve from Him.  Thanks, Lord, for notbeing fair, but being gracious!

 

The poison of poverty mentality constantlycries out that it's not fair, it's someone else's fault and “ Why does thisalways happen to me!” 

 

Habakkuk felt the same way…

 

Habakkuk 1:2-4

O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, andyou will not hear?

Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will notsave?

Why do you make me see iniquity, and why doyou idly look at wrong?

Destruction and violence are before me;strife and contention arise.

So the law is paralyzed, and justice nevergoes forth.

For the wicked surround the righteous; sojustice goes forth perverted.

 

Job was another who could have had apoverty mentality when everything he's worked for his whole life was taken awayfrom him. I know how that feels. We worked for over a decade to amass a milliondollar investment portfolio, and watched it be taken away in one week.

 

But what did Job say? His wife said 

 

Job 2:9

Then his wife said to him, “Do you stillhold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.”

 

But Job said this…

 

 Job1:21

And he said, “Naked I came from my mother'swomb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away;blessed be the name of the Lord.”

 

He didn't get mad at God, he didn't say woeis me, he didn't blame and curse and think this was as good as it's going toget from now on. No, he trusted God, because his treasure was not in people andthings he had, but in God!

 

THE ANTIDOTE TO THEPOISON OF POVERTY MENTALITY

 

The antidote to the poison of povertymentality is a multiple step antidote…

 

1. STOP BLAMING

 

Stop blaming God, others, family, previousbosses, the government, the church or anyone else for the way your life isright now. They may have played a part, but your situation is the result ofyour decisions to a large part. Poverty mentality blames others, so the firstpart of the antidote is to accept responsibility yourself.

 

Ezekiel 18:20

The one who sins isthe one who will die. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, norwill the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of therighteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will becharged against them.

 

Ultimately you and youalone are responsible for your sin, and for the circumstances in which youlive. And at the judgement, you stand before the Lord alone!

 

2. HOLD EVERYTHING LOOSELY

 

Corrie Ten Boom said,“Hold everything lightly, otherwise it hurts when The Father prices yourfingers loose and takes it from you.”

 

Cars, houses, friends, family, job, church;the second step is to loosen your hold on all of these things. If your joy isin them more than in your relationship with God, then if they are removed youlose your joy. Your treasure is in the wrong place.

 

 

Matthew 6:20-21

But store up foryourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and wherethieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heartwill be also.

 

 

 

3. RECOGNISE YOURRICHES- BECONTENT

 

We live in a societyconstantly demanding more, but the Bible says this…

 

Philippians 4:12-13

I know what it is tobe in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret ofbeing content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whetherliving in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives mestrength.

 

Are you content withwhat God gives you? I'm not saying don't strive to get ahead, but I am sayingdon't live to get. Winston Churchill said, we make a living by what we get, butwe make a life by what we give!

 

No matter what you have, no matter who youare, my Bible says that if I accept Jesus Christ as Lord of my life, I become ason or daughter of the King of Kings.

 

That makes you a princess, or a prince… Itmakes you royalty. Isn't it about time you started acting like it?

 

Philippians 4:19

And my God will meetall your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

 

His riches become yourriches. Your riches ultimately are worthless next to His anyway, right?

 

It also gives us access to the incredibleriches and resources of Heaven. Divine power to live a holy life? Check! Divineprovision for all our needs? Check! A hope that shines in the darkest place andlasts for eternity? Check!

 

 

Romans 11:33

Oh, the depth of theriches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!

How unsearchable hisjudgments,

and his paths beyondtracing out!

 

 

 

4. WALK IN YOURROYALTY

 

If you are a prince of a princess, you getmany blessings and benefits, but you are also expected to behave and think likeyour Royal station demands. You don't do things that bring disrepute on theKing, you speak the words He wants you to speak as His representative.

 

1 Peter 2:9

 

But you are a chosenpeople, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that youmay declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderfullight.

 

And you can start by changing how you seeyourself, others, money and everything else. That's one step. Staying close toHim is part 2, reading His word, praying, being fully engaged with the Father.That's the key to overcoming a poverty mentality.

 

The opposite of poverty mentality is faith. You cannot havefaith in someone or something you don't know. The better you know someone, themore faith you will have in the them.

 

This week we faced a huge hurdle in thepurchase of this building. Unbeknown to us, the goal posts were moved bycouncil and despite all that we have seen over the last few months, we look inthe natural we are around $30,000short, and without this we are unable to proceed withthe purchase. But I talked to the board and we have agreed that, despite whathas been done, we trust God, not man, not council and not the current owners.

 

I said to the board, as pastor I refuse tohave a poverty mentality over this. My God is able, He is leading us, He willmake a way! I refuse to blame others, blame God, cry unfair or collapse inmisery. If we truly think exceeding abundance (Ephesians 3:20), then this is agreat time to stand up and be counted! The board unanimously agrees, and wewill trust God to open doors that appear shut, because He is the King, we areroyalty, and the King has our destiny in His hands!

 

It's this situation in mind, let me finishwith a verse God gave me this week in my quiet times. This verse sums it up.This is the antidote to the poison of poverty mentality. It comes from the sameHabakkuk who complained about the bad guys winning all the time, and it's howhe finishes his book.

 

You see he didn't stay in his complaint, hedidn't whine and camp there, he let God know how he felt, then pressed into Godfor an answer…

 

Habakkuk 3:17-19

Though the fig tree should not blossom,

nor fruit be on the vines,

the produce of the olive fail

and the fields yield no food,

the flock be cut off from the fold

and there be no herd in the stalls,

yet I will rejoice in the Lord;

I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

God, the Lord, is my strength;

he makes my feet like the deer's;

he makes me tread on my high places.