Finances

Covetous thinking is what turns people into money lovers. First Timothy 6:9-10 says it this way: "But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows."

Gloria says, “Persevere!” Keep on keeping on and remember what James 1:25 says: The person who looks carefully into the Word, “and is faithful to it and perseveres in looking into it, being not a heedless listener who forgets but an active doer [who obeys], he shall be blessed in his doing (his life of obedience).”

Why persevere? Because although the Word always works when it's put to work, the results can't always be seen overnight. As Jesus said in Mark 4, the Word is like a seed. It grows up gradually and takes time to produce a harvest.

Here are Brother Copeland’s steps to withdrawing from your heavenly account based on Paul’s teaching in Philippians 4:15-17.

Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.

Remember: As the Body of Christ, we don’t have a lack of money! God has provided every dollar we will ever need not only to have all our needs met, but also to bless others.

When you’re feeling lack, what you need is to get hold of God’s Word about your finances and have a renewing of your mind concerning money in your life. The devil would like to keep you thinking you will never have an abundance of money. That’s a lie!

Becoming debt-free is something every Christian can—and should—accomplish. The Bible tells us in Romans 13:8 to “keep out of debt and owe no many anything, except to love one another....”  In fact, as believers, we should be the lender, not the borrower (Deuteronomy 28:12).

Getting out of debt basically requires some decisions on your part.

“Lord, help my finances!”

If you are like 40 percent of American families who spend more than they earn, you have probably spoken those words. And Americans aren’t alone. Consider this:

You made it! As a new college graduate, now is the time to put a strong financial plan together. Here are some smart financial steps to ensure you have the success you’ve worked so hard to achieve.

Proverbs 3:9 says, “Honor the LORD with your possessions, and with the first fruits of all your increase” (NKJV). The dictionary defines first fruits as “the first agricultural produce of a season, especially when given as an offering to God.” (See also Genesis 28:22; Leviticus 27:32; Hebrews 7:2, 4).

Many churches and ministries honor God by tithing from the money they receive. And there is scriptural precedent for this. In Numbers 18:26-32, the Levites were instructed to take a tenth of the offerings given to them and return it as an offering to the Lord. In addition to that, they were to give freewill offerings from the tithes given to them.

There is an exciting benefit from tithing as a ministry. The church or ministry that tithes reaps the same blessings as do individual tithers!

God desires to meet our needs and heal us simply because He loves us. To connect us with His desire, He has given us a system by which His kingdom operates, and which we are to operate on this earth. It’s called sowing and reaping. Galatians 6:7-9 says, “Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good.

There are countless scriptures in the Bible that warn us of the power of our words to dictate the direction of our lives. Even in the secular world, it doesn’t take much to see that those who speak positively seem to a have a life that follows, and the same is true for those who always speak negatively. You’ll notice those who say, “I get the flu every year,” do in fact get the flu every year! It’s no coincidence.

Sometimes it can appear that ministry would be more successful if it could receive the full-time attention a job does not allow. But the decision to quit your job and live by faith should be preceded by much prayer. And the factor often missing in this consideration is this: You can live by faith while holding your job, too!

Borrowing money is not a sin. 

But it isn’t God’s best either. 

Everything in God’s Word is designed to keep you at the top in every area of life—including financially. You are called to be the head, not the tail; above, not beneath; and the lender, not the borrower (Deuteronomy 28:12-13). In other words, borrowing money is not the goal!

If you want to move to the top as God intended, make debt freedom your aim. Build your faith to receive cars, houses and anything else debt free. And make a decision to stop using credit cards! 

Whenever praying and confessing isn’t yielding results, it is wise to look at other factors, which is what you’re doing.

Financial success and prosperity are promised in God’s Word, but like any other promise, there are conditions we must meet as well. Obedience is key to every promise. Without it, there is no guarantee of results. So, ask yourself the following:

God told Joshua, "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success" (Joshua 1:8). From this one scripture, we can see that God’s prosperity will work only in the life of the believer who is committed to the Word. God’s Word must be first place!

One of the greatest of all deceptions in the Church that keeps God’s people sick, battling diseases and dying young is the lie that healing has passed away.

There is not one scripture that says healing is not for today. None whatsoever. However, there are countless scriptures that declare God’s will is healing—every time, for every believer. Since Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8), He is just as much the Healer He was when He walked the earth.

First Timothy 6:10 says, “For the love of money is the root of all evil” (KJV). Having money is not evil. It’s the love of money—covetousness—that leads to evil.

Debt-free living is certainly God’s best! 

There is no question that it is God’s will for you to live debt free. His Word says He will make you the head and not the tail…and bless all the work of your hands…and you will lend and NOT borrow (Deuteronomy 28:12-13). That means He will help you get there!

On becoming debt-free, Gloria Copeland says, “You are only one decision away from debt freedom.”

God wants you blessed! There’s no question about it—God’s will is for His people to prosper and enjoy a life of “always having all sufficiency in all things” (2 Corinthians 9:8, KJV). When you’re in obedience to God’s Word, as a tither, you are a candidate for prosperity! Malachi 3:10-11 is clear about what a tither can expect to receive from the Lord:

When you give, you should absolutely expect a return! It’s a promise in God’s Word (Luke 6:38; Malachi 3:10, Mark 4:20, 2 Corinthians 9:6). So, if you are a giver, you’re already on the right path to prosperity. But if something is blocking your way, you can take steps to clear the path to your blessing. Begin by considering some of the common roadblocks to receiving.

1.    Are you tithing?