What’s in your wallet?
It’s definitely less than you forecast back in January. Your hours are less, and your clients are infrequent.
Here’s a 3-point prayer that I learned from a famous preacher. “Faith” was his major theme in life. He preached more about faith, walking in faith, and how to grow and exercise faith. But early in his preaching career, he found himself complaining to God that he didn’t have enough monthly income.
God said, “It’s because you don’t have faith in that area, yet.”
So, God continued, “How much do you need each week?”
This preacher calculated his needs (food, gas, rent, clothing, toiletries, and home and school supplies). He calculated with moderate expectations, and did not put down anything lavish or out of the ordinary for his family. The preacher then announced to God, “Ok, I need $1,500 a week. I need $6,000 a month.”
God said quietly to the man’s spirit, “All right. Well, stop praying for Me to send you the money. I don’t have any dollar bills here in heaven. I put all my resources for you on the earth. Every week, I want you to find a quiet, private place. I want you to stand and declare out-loud with your faith . . .’In the name and authority of Jesus Christ, I claim $1,500 this week.’”
The preacher said, “Okay. I understand that.”
Then God said, “Next, I want you to say . . . ‘Satan, get your hands off my money!’”
The preacher thought, “Well, I suppose that makes sense . . . okay, I will say that, too.”
Third, God said, “Then, tell the ministering angels to go and cause the finances to come.”
The preacher gasped, “What? I’ve never heard of such a thing. Tell angels to go and bring the money in?”
God said, “Yes, what does Hebrews 1:14 say?”
The preacher replied, “It says angels are sent to minister to believers . . .”
God gently rebuked, “That’s not what it says.”
The preacher was flummoxed. He thought he had read that verse many times.
God said, again, “That’s not how it reads. Go look, again.”
The preacher opened his Bible to Hebrews 1:14 and read slowly, “Are they (angels) not all ministering spirits sent out to serve FOR the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?” Angels don’t minister to us, but for us.
God then illustrated the verse with a picture of eating in a restaurant. He asked the preacher “what is the job of the waiter inside the establishment? The waiter finds out what you want off the menu and takes your order. Then the waiter goes to the kitchen window and tells the cook what you want to eat. The cook prepares it and places it in the window. The waiter returns to fetch it, and he brings it to you. The waiter doesn’t create the food. He doesn’t prepare the food. He doesn’t cook the food. His only job is to work FOR you to get what you need. That’s what angels do. I have assigned them to work for you. Right now, your angels are unemployed. They are sitting around waiting for you to give them an assignment.”
Soon after I heard this preacher’s sermon I found out about a training conference in California that I wanted to attend. I figured that it would cost me about $1,500. So, I did what God taught this preacher. I stood in my office and out loud declared, “I claim fifteen-hundred dollars to go to the conference in California; Satan get your hands off of my money; Go ministering angels! Get the money and cause it to come in.”
I did that a couple of days in a row. Then I bought my airline ticket on my credit card. I filled out the paperwork for the training conference and paid the registration fee. The money had not come. I told my Board members that I was going to fly to California to attend this conference, but the money had not come, yet. I boarded the plane, but still, no money.
On the second day of the conference, I called home to check in with Cindy, and her first question was, “Why did Jeff C. send us a check for $1,800? It came in the mail today.”
I burst out laughing and said, “Why, to pay for my conference, of course.”
I got home and counted up all my expenses, and I spent $1,808.00. I actually needed more than $1,500. I suppose that God figured if I was good for $8, then He would cover the rest. The number 8 in the Bible represents a new beginning. Perhaps God was letting me know that this way of operation was a new beginning for my own life, too.
This pandemic caused all of our 2020 financial goals to go to pot. (Unless you own Home Depot!) But what do you still need? What will it take to save your business or your home? God doesn’t have any dollars in heaven. His resources are down here. 1) Claim what you absolutely need; 2) Tell the enemy to get his hands off of your money; 3) Employ your angels; send them out on assignment to escort the money to you.
This is not “Name it, claim it,” nor the Prosperity Gospel. This is soberly talking to your Heavenly Father & Good Shepherd, about your actual financial needs, and together with Him planning your monthly income.
You must already be living a life of faith. You must not be overextended on foolish, lavish materialism. If you need more money, you might need to sell some of your possessions that you bought “while walking according to the flesh.” If in the past you have bought certain things without faith, then God might want you to get rid of them.
I encourage you to live spiritually in Romans 12:1. I exhort you to live financially within your means. That is, spend less than you earn (duh!); save some for your retirement so that you are not needy; and carve out money for the ministries, missions or causes prompted in your heart by the Holy Spirit. (I invite you to consider giving to my ministry)
After that, if you need more, make sure that God agrees about what you need. Then claim it, and send your angels out to fetch it.
(more to come about angels)
Carter