I was teaching in Church recently where I told God’s people that one of the reasons you should trust God for financial prosperity is because of your walk with the Lord. I told them; “when you have money, it should enhance your spiritual life. You have money to do stuff that could have taken your time, you now buy time with money so that time can be spent with God and the things of the Kingdom.” The message stuck!
Friend, whereas, you want promotion so you can make more money, wield more influence or live a life of luxury, God wants you to be promoted so you can have more time for Him. When promotion becomes a distraction to your walk with the Lord, you are dealing with a serious Success Transmitted Disease (STD). Unlike Daniel, not too many people understand why God is blessing them or doing what He is doing in their lives (Daniel 2:48-49).
When your income suddenly increase, don’t think that God only wants you to ‘enjoy life’. He also wants you to ‘enjoy Him’ with it. Look at what Paul told Timothy as regard wealthy Church members; “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy” (1 Timothy 6:17). Yes, God gives us stuff to enjoy, but He wants us to enjoy Him first. He wants us to be rich towards Him (Luke 12:20-21).
God is not against wealth, He only wants us to use it to advance our walk with Him and His purpose for our lives. When I look at what you use your money to do, I can tell if you are using money to serve God or you are using God to serve money. Listen, God wants us to love Him and use money and not love money and use Him. If improving your Christian books library, giving to support missions or making other serious investments in your walk with the Lord is not part of your spending plan, I can tell you are already caught up with a STD.
Money is not the root of all evil, the love of money is (1 Timothy 6:10). This is why I believe that the higher you go in life, the more you need an accountability relationship in your life. Like Timothy was to the rich folks at the Church of Ephesus, you need someone in your life who would keep you focused as you become wealthier and more successful. This is why only very few people can maintain their sanity and spirituality when ‘real’ money enters their hands.
As you go into today, I charge you to start preparing yourself for the biggest inflow of wealth. The issue with God is not blessing you, He wants to be sure that He would not lose you in the blessing. Don’t give God reason to keep you small, let Him be free to bless and lift you (Psalms 75:6-7). Take your training and discipleship serious. Let your heart be right even with the little you have at the moment. Don’t wait until you are big. Prioritise your walk with the Lord and His kingdom at the level you are currently in and He will increase you more and more. Amen!
© ‘Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Church
Akure, Nigeria