45. Fighting Poverty
In Jesus you will find ways of fighting poverty
In Your Bible Read This
2 Corinthians 8 and 9.
Here Is Your Memory Verse
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though
he was rich,
yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his
poverty
might become rich. 2 Corinthians 8.9.
Afterwards Talk About
This
Be honest with yourselves. Have you been accepting poverty as
inevitable
and made no attempt to wage spiritual warfare against the
powers of darkness that impose it on you?
Something To Do Before
Next Time
Find every reason to disprove this lesson. If you cannot then
get together
and formally repent before God for accepting a curse as normal,
and in prayer
in the name of Jesus, standing on the word of God, serve notice
on Satan
that war against his poverty has begun.
Written Diploma Work
Write a page to explain what the ‘three-humped camel’
might mean in practice.
Meditate Word By Word On
This Verse
Psalm 23.1
Riding A Three-Humped Camel.
People say that riding a camel with one or two humps is uncomfortable, so imagine a long journey on a camel with three humps. But that is exactly what we are called to do in a life of Christian service. Listen to Paul talking about his own financial lifestyle in Acts 20, 33-35:
Hump one - meeting your own needs.
Hump two - having enough money to help your companions;
Hump three - having enough money to give to the poor. The goal is having enough for yourself and even more to give away to others. It could be that you find it hard to pay your own bills, so how could you ever think about giving so much away?
Faith To Fight Poverty.
Without faith it is impossible to please God, and faith comes by hearing and believing the word of the Lord. So what does the Lord have to say?
Hebrews 11.6, Romans 10.17.
God Gives Ability To Produce Wealth
Deuteronomy 8.18 affirms that it is God who gives ability to produce wealth. God does not give you wealth, he gives you the ability to produce it. Have you asked for that ability?
The key is sowing generously in order to reap a harvest. If you will do that God’s word promises that you will be made rich in every way. Why would God do that? So that you can be generous on every occasion, to your companions and to the poor, and your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. 2 Cor. 9, 6-11.
God’s Indescribable Gift.
Paul concludes his chapters on financial freedom by giving thanks for God’s indescribable gift. What is this gift?
The Gift Is The Lord Jesus Christ
It is only because of Jesus and all of his suffering and work on the Cross that any of God’s blessings are in our lives.
What Happened On The Cross?
Jesus took away all the things that were damaging to us and gave us the blessings of God. A divine exchange took place.
He was crucified for our transgressions.
He was crushed for our iniquities.
He was punished to bring us peace.
He was hurt for our healing.
Isaiah 53, 5-6; 1 Peter 2.24.
- Jesus took our sin and gave us God’s forgiveness. We believe this and fight every attempt of Satan to rob us of our salvation. Yes?
- Jesus took our sickness and gave us healing. We believe this and fight Satan’s attempts to steal our health.
- Jesus took our punishment and gave us God’s peace. We fight every attempt of Satan to steal our peace.
- Jesus took our curses and gave us his deliverance from evil. Galatians 3.13. Jesus was rejected more than any man to bring us God’s acceptance. We believe this and fight every attempt of Satan to rob us of our inheritance. Matthew 27.46; Eph. 1.5.
Let Us Go One Step Further
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. 2 Corinthians 8.9
Jesus was rich in heaven with all the blessings of God. For you he became poor. A poor man is destitute, has no possessions and cannot help himself. On the Cross Jesus became that destitute man. Why? So that you through his poverty might become rich. Closely study the original words and you will find that rich, the words ‘plousios and plouteo,’ simply mean materially rich, and poor, ‘ptocheuo,’ means the depths of destitution.
Paul Did Not Mean Spiritual Riches.
Jesus who was rich took your poverty and destitution, and gave you material riches to receive by faith.
Will You Believe This?
You believe that you are saved and you strongly resist Satan’s attempts to rob you. You believe that you were healed at the Cross and you fight Satan for your health. You believe that you were set free from curses at the Cross and you break every one Satan tries to lay on you, but do you fight poverty in the same way?Or do you compromise with the enemy, accepting his lies and arguments that because everybody around is poor then hunger, suffering and insufficiency in God’s work is inevitable and to be accepted, although the Bible says that poverty is a curse. The highest truth is that because of Jesus and the Cross you are essentially a saved, healed, loved, free and wealthy person. Why receive one and not the other?
Jesus Said, ‘It Is Finished.’
His work on the Cross left nothing for man to do other than to believe. John 19.30. If you are lacking any of God’s benefits who is robbing you ? What are you going to do about it ? If you will get this foundation of faith in place and fight the curse of poverty by persevering in faith, prayer and actions then circumstances will eventually begin to conform to the truth of God’s word.
Malaysia |
||
| People Name | Language | Population |
| Banjar (Banjar Melau) | Banjar | 221,000 |
| Brunei | Brunei | 54,000 |
| Butonese (Wolio) | Wolio | 12,000 |
| Orang Negeri | Negeri Sembilan Malay | 300,000 |
| Sama, Central (Sinama) | Sama, Central | 40,000 |