FIGHTING POVERTY

FIGHTING POVERTY

Fighting poverty is necessary if success is to be a reality. Before we can fight and conquer poverty, we must understand what brought poverty into our lives. Sin is the major chain of Satan and once one is in the grip of the enemy, anything can happen. The greatest sin that brought poverty in the Bible days was idolatry. It made the enemies to take the children of Israel for a ride and they would then torment them so much that poverty would be the result. 

SOURCES OF POVERTY – Idolatry is still a serious problem today and we must fight against it if we want to break the backbone of poverty.

Sin is not the only source of poverty but it is a serious one. If sin brought poverty to you, nothing will relieve it apart from the blood of the Lamp of God.

Other sources of poverty are –there are many other sources of poverty like, Sexual perversion, Curses, Stealing, lies, cheating, laziness, neglect, bad company, easy satisfaction, etc

LAZINESS

• Proverbs 6:10-11 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.
• Proverbs 20:13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
• Proverbs 24:33-34 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.
• Proverbs 28:19 He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.

STINGINESS

• Proverbs 11:24 There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.
• Malachi 3:8- 12

STUBBORNNESS

• Proverbs 13:18 Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.

Drunkenness and riotous living

• Proverbs 23:21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.

Love of money

• Proverbs 28:22 He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him.

CURSES

• Jeremiah 22:30 Thus saith the LORD, Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah.

CASES OF POVERTY

1.   GIDEON TIME Judges 4: 1 – 11 Sin was the main cause of this case. The children of Israel went into idolatry then God withdrawn from them and Satan released his agents to torment them they were highly tormented

• They repented
• They received help from the Lord to eradicate all the enemies.

You must conquer your enemies or they will finish you.

2.   THE WIDOW OF ZAREPHATH 1Kings 17: 10 – 15 There was general famine in the land that brought poverty to this woman who had no relative that could help her.

She decided to support the man of God in her poverty and that is how she broke the power of poverty.

3.   THE WIDOW WOMAN 2Kings 4: 1- 7 In this case, we are not told what brought the poverty. The late husband who was a man of God borrowed money and could not pay. He died a debtor. The woman was not ready to continue in debt neither did she want her children to suffer for the debt they did not borrow.

• She cried unto the Lord
• She was asked to do a foolish endeavour, she did it and she conquered poverty.

4.   SAMARIA 2Kings 6: 26 – 7: 20 Poverty came in because the enemies that surrounded their city. Prophecy came out and God used the lepers to bring abundance

5.   PETER Luke 5: 1 – 7 Peter labored without success, he was to go home with empty baskets. He gave his boat to Jesus and he was given unreasonable command which he obeyed and that helped him to break the backbone of poverty.

Things to note

• Satan does not enter if he is not given opportunity. It is when we give the enemies chances that they will enter and bring poverty.
• We should not be satisfied or be at ease with poverty. There must be decision and determination to come out.
• Learn to cry out to God and obey whatever instruction you had been given.
• If you do not pay your tithe and offerings, poverty will come. Repentance and positive actions are needed to come out.

POSSIBILITY OF PROSPERITY

Genesis 39:3 And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand.

Genesis 39:23 The keeper of the prison looked not to anything that was under his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper.

Deuteronomy 29:9 Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do.

Joshua 1:7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.

1 Kings 2:3 And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself:

1 Chronicles 22:13 Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judgments which the LORD charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed.

2 Chronicles 20:20 And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.

2 Chronicles 26:5 And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper.

Job 36:11 If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.

Psalms 1:1-3 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.  But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Psalms 35:27 Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.

2 Corinthians 8:9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

3John 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.