Part 1 of 2: Most Christians Are Not Being Led By The Spirit of God in Fundamental Ways That Matter Greatly To God.
Right now, let’s just take a few moments and thank and praise God that, through Jesus Christ, He has made us the sons of God. (John 1:10-12) Thank God we are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ. (Rom. 8:17) Thank God that no matter how many times we get it wrong, and do the wrong thing in life, God still loves us and calls us His own. (Rom. 8:1-2) Thank God that His many gifts and callings are without repentance. (Rom. 11:29) Thank God that He chastens all of His sons with the rod of correction and admonishments from the Holy Ghost so we may be partakers of God’s holiness. (Heb. 12:5-11)
And, if you are a wise son of God, you will come to the place where you love and embrace the Lord’s chastening. For those who love and endure correction, God deals with them as sons who can be trusted with and take charge of their spiritual inheritance, and be a partaker of the true riches of Jesus Christ.
Indeed, today’s message is a strong word of correction for Exousia Ministries, Inc. and the entire body of Christ, the Church. I John 3:1-2 in the King James Version says:
Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed
upon us, that we should be called the sons of God:
therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew
not him.
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not
yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when
he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see
him as he is.
God loves us so richly and deeply that He has poured His Spirit into our hearts, and now we cry “Abba Father,” meaning God is in His holy habitation. (Rom. 8:15) Every born-again Christian has the personal witness, through the Holy Ghost, that God lives in them and the Christian in God. (Rom. 8:15-17) To have full assurance that our Spirits (hearts) right now are identical—the exact duplicate—carbon copy of the Spirit that is in Jesus Christ is beyond even the expression of most grace-filled and grateful words.
When Jesus Christ returns to rapture His glorious Church, we all will see the Lord as He is, and be completely changed into His likeness spiritually and physically. We will be completely “Resurrection on the inside, and Resurrection on the outside!” Bearing the total glory of God for all eternity!
As the sons of God, we have the awesome privilege and opportunity to live on “top of the world.” To have and live long lives on earth in total victory, prosperity, and health—above all the people of the world. All because we have the Holy Ghost—the Spirit of God living on the inside of us leading and guiding us into the abundant life. This is what God wants for His children to have the best of everything! God freely delivered Jesus Christ up for us all, how will He not also freely give to us all things? (Rom. 8:32)
Now, examine closely Romans 8:14, it reads,
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God,
they are the sons of God.
If you are a born-again Christian, it should be your testimony that daily you are being led and directed by the Holy Ghost in everything that you say and do. Can you say that you are being led by the Spirit of God in your doings? Before you make a decision to do anything of consequence, do you first consult the Holy Ghost, listen to what He has to say, and then follow His guidance?
Christians sorely need to “Stop, Look, and Listen to what the Holy Ghost has to say to their hearts and minds in all aspects of life. Sadly, most Christians are not being led by the Spirit of God.
On the contrary, most Christians are being driven by their carnal (fleshy) minds. Making decisions solely based on their five-senses, education, and experiences in the world. Not understanding that being governed by their carnal minds is enmity (hostility) toward God. Living by the dictates of the flesh will only produce failure and death. (Rom. 8:5-8) The world’s way of thinking will always oppose God’s way of thinking and doing things. The carnal mind will always disagree and stand in rebellion to God’s Word.
We can clearly see in the attitudes, behaviors, and performance of most Christians, that they are being dominated by the world’s way of thinking and doing things. Enslaved even in many of the world’s ways of doing things. At the heart their enslavement is a fundamental departure from those things that are most basic to walking with the Lord. That is: Church attendance and financial giving of tithes and offerings to God. Here is a news flash for you: “Going to church, and giving tithes and offerings to God matter greatly to God!”
Recent national survey data by the Pew Research Center indicates that in 2018 and 2019, 44 percent of Christians reported they attended church at least once a week, 18 percent once or twice a month, and 37 percent ranging from a few times a year to never. These percentages have remained almost the same from the survey results reported by Pew in 2009.
Additionally, a 2020 study conducted by Statista Research Department examined the frequency in which citizens of the United States attended church or synagogue: 24 percent of the respondents indicated weekly, 9 percent almost weekly, 11 percent about once a month, 25 percent seldom and 29 percent never, and 3 percent had no opinion.
From both studies, we can see that weekly Church attendance is low. But I’m most intrigued by the Pew study because the survey instrument focused directly on the religious behaviors of Christians. Wow, more than one-third (37%) of Christians indicated that they either attend church a few times a year or never! To my way of thinking, every Christian should attend church every week, so the 18 percent of Christians who reported attending church at least once or twice a month do not receive a free pass either.
There is nothing more important than worshiping God with the Saints of God as often as we can in church. God’s House (Church) is the “House of Prayer,” where every person’s needs are met and exceeded. (Matt. 21:13) We need the Lord every second, minute, and hour of every day! We ought to be glad every time the church doors swing open to press our way in for a refreshing time with God—and we ought to arrive on time! (Ps. 122:1 & Is. 1:18)
Every week, we ought to be earnestly compelling Non-Christians and drifting Christians to come and go with us to church so that God’s house is packed-full. (Luke 14:23) God is always ready to do something good for us when we enter into His House with the lifting up of holy hands and hearts to exalt His name in praise!
Now, in a spirit of love and a desire for the truth to be told, I would ask Christians, like those in the Pew study, who reported chronically or occasionally being absent from church to answer two questions:
- On any given Sunday, like today, who is making the decision for you on whether or not to attend church?
- Did you ask the Holy Ghost whether you should attend church or stay at home and do something else?
Christians need to Stop, Look, and Listen to what their heart is saying—what the Holy Ghost is saying about going to church? As Christians, in fulfillment of the New Covenant, purchased with the blood of Jesus Christ, we are commanded not to forsake church attendance, and to love one another. (Heb. 10:24-25)
If Christians would listen to the voice of the Holy Ghost, they would hear Him saying, “make church a priority and attend weekly”—every time the church doors open. God does not want His people to attend Church out of a sense of obligation, but from a heart-felt passion of love and burning desire to worship Him in spirit and in truth. The Holy Ghost, who sheds the love of God abroad in our hearts would never instruct a Christian to go to church sometimes, seldom, or not at all. (Rom. 5:5) But, a worldly, carnal mind influenced by the devil surely would!
Now, let’s turn to the behavior of Christians regarding financial giving of tithes and offerings to the Church. At the heart of Christianity is “giving” with a motive of love to God and those in need. In return, the giver is supernaturally blessed above that which they released from their hands. (Luke 6:38) Yet, it is simply astounding to me, that this most fundamental and elementary expression of love for God and obedience to His Word is being completely ignored by most Christians.
According to Health Research Funding, only “5 percent of churchgoers tithe (Give at least 10 percent of their gross or net earnings biweekly or monthly) That is, 1.5 million people tithe out of 247 million citizens in the United States.” “The average weekly giving amount per church goer is $17”—using this figure, that’s $68 a month and $816 per giver annually. Weekly giving by the average Christian is just a little more than what a waiter, barber, or hair stylist receives in tips. Health Research Funding estimates, however, that collectively Christians earn wages of about $5.2 trillion annually.
God’s Word makes it abundantly clear that we are to bring the tithe and offerings into the Church so that (1) there may be meat in His House, (2) the giver may be blessed exponentially with financial gain and opportunities, and (3) God may paralyze Satan as he attempts to destroy the material wealth and substance of the people of God. (Mal. 3:6-12) Yet, the survey data report that nearly all of Christians have forsaken God and moved away from His ordinances with respect to financial giving. (Mal. 3:6-12)
As New Covenant Christians, we are not under the Law of Moses, and subject to the curses established under the law, including those for not tithing and giving offerings to God. (Gal. 3:13-14) However, under the New Covenant, God has placed His laws in our hearts and minds, such that our born-again spirits are always willing and cheerfully desirous of tithing and offering to God. (Heb.10:16)
Just as we attend church services weekly, not out of obligation, but out of love for God—we also give our tithes and offerings from a place of love and obedience to the Word of God. As servants of righteousness we yield ourselves to do those things that are righteous and pleasing in the sight of God. (Rom. 6:13)
By refusing to tithe and give offerings, the majority of Christians do not realize it, but they have separated themselves from God. God in no way has abandoned them—but they have left God. Christians are forever claiming to love and trust God, and that they live in the blessings of God, but really they are strangers to the financial promises of God. The things we say from our mouths are important, but what we do speaks volumes louder than our words. (James 2:17 & 26)
Examine the words of Jesus Christ regarding the subject of serving God and money. (Matt. 6:24-34) I highlighted verse 24 for you. It reads,
No man can serve two masters: for either he will
hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold
to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve
God and mam-mon. (money, riches, wealth)
Again, in a spirit of love and truth, we can conclude from the words of Jesus Christ, that Christians who do not tithe and give offerings, are in love with money more than God. In fact, it would be scripturally correct to say that Christians who refuse to tithe and give offerings hate God and love money!
I know this sounds harsh and hard—but it’s just the truth. Jesus said no person can serve God and money. If God is your master, then you will serve God with your money—willingly, cheerfully, and freely. But if Mam-mon is your master, you will withhold your money from God. For 95-percent of Christians, apparently, Mam-mon—a demonic spirit of Satan, is their master. Under the influence of Mam-mon, most Christians have elected to hold on to their money, and despise God.
Make no mistake about it, please do not be deceived, if you are not tithing and offering to the Lord from your earnings, you are serving Mam-mon. Let me assure you that Mam-mon will destroy you financially. This evil spirit is driving you to rebel against God; to make you think, you are the master of your money and destiny. His job is to ensure that you make poor decisions with money, and that those decisions always revolve around you, and your perceived personal needs. When the spirit of Mam-mon is controlling you; your mortgage, rent, clothes, food, credit cards, loans, bank accounts, retirement accounts, college fund, vacation and Christmas accounts will always be deemed a higher priority than giving to God.
When God is not the Master of your money—by default the devil becomes the master and in charge of your money. Mam-mon will make sure that you become a slave to the economy. Mam-mon will make you a slave to a job, for he is a cruel and evil task master! Mam-mon will work you day and night, to keep you out of church, and/or so tired from work, that you have little or no energy or time for the work of the ministry.
Further, Mam-mon will make you covetous, jealous, and envious of the possessions of others. Mam-mon will keep you on a never ending spiral of competing with others for fame and notoriety. Mam-mon will keep you depressed and distressed when resources become scarce. Mam-mon will see to it that you are positioned financially, to where you have little to nothing left over every month—so that you cannot perceive or have the ability to give into the needs of others. Mam-mon, this evil and wicked spirit, is a strong-hold over most Christians’ lives and must be identified, captured, and casted out! (II Cor.10:4)
The whole point of the spirit of Mam-mon is to make money rule over you, rather than you ruling over money. This is what frustrates the grace of God. How and why would Christians allow themselves to fall into the “money love trap,” when it is God who has given us the “power” to get wealth in the first place! God gives us the power to get money, wealth, and riches—not to covet it, but to remember God with it to use to establish His covenant in earth. (Deut. 8:18 & I Tim. 6:17-19)
In Christian circles and even the people of this world have often quoted this verse. “The love of money is the root of all evil.” (I Tim. 6:10) But do we really understand it? The love of money brings you to the root of all evil—the root of all evil—is Satan! Loving money makes you vulnerable and available to every evil work of Satan!
When Christians refuse to tithe and give offerings they employ Satan as the master over all the affairs of their lives because money provides an answer to everything on this earth! (Eccl. 10:19) Satan, as a Christian’s money master, will surely go about bringing misery and destruction to all of the affairs of their lives—seeking only to steal, kill, and destroy. (John 10:10) He will see to it that you are broke, and then sick, and die prematurely leaving your heirs with nothing but a stack of bills to pay, including your funeral costs!
Moreover, Satan the author of deception, has fooled most Christians into thinking that “they don’t love money.” You will almost never hear a Christian admit that they love money. However, Jesus Christ said “where your treasure is so will your heart be also.” (Matt. 6:21) Ninety-five percent of Christians’ treasure is not in Church, rather it’s being consumed on their own lust for things of this world, and therefore their hearts are not with God!
Every Sunday, including this one, as we are assembled together for church service and pass the plate around to collect the offering, the spirit of Mam-mon is at work. He is tempting you, fighting, and warring against the Word of God to stop you from giving your tithes and offerings. Polluting your minds with excuses on why you cannot or should not tithe and give your best offering to God.
You need to Stop, Look, and Listen to what the Holy Ghost is saying. Jesus taught all those who would follow Him to take no care for their lives, but to seek first the kingdom of God, and then God would multiply for them all the material things they needed—shelter, clothing, food, and drink. (Matthew 6:25-34)
Everyone who would come after Jesus Christ, He demanded that they first and immediately leave all they had and follow Him. (Luke 9:23, 18:22 & 28-30)
I ask you and every Christian who would read this Sermon, if Jesus Christ commanded you to go and sell all that you own—as He did with the rich young ruler—and follow after Him, what would be your response? Would you say, yes or no?
Is it likely that most Christians from their hearts would say yes to Jesus and sell all their possessions and follow Him, given they are not even willing to give tithes and offerings to the Lord? Right now, Jesus Christ through the earnest gift of the Holy Ghost is speaking to you and the hearts of every Christian about giving to God. The Holy Ghost is calling and begging Christians to trust God in all things, starting with money!
I hear the Holy Ghost saying to you and Christians everywhere—“get your eyes and brains off of the temporary things of this world, and set your minds on the eternal things of God. You are so valuable to God. God will never ever leave you without resources. God wants you to seek Him, learn of Him, and take on the burdens and yokes of Jesus Christ for they are easy and light. (Matt. 11:28-30)
Right now, take charge by the Spirit of God in you and rebuke, bind, and cast out the spirit of Mam-mon from your life! Let your tithes and offerings flow freely into the House of the Lord so that your barns—wallets, bank accounts, investments will overflow. (Prov. 3:5-10)
To the sons of God who struggle with the fundamentals of Christianity regarding church attendance and financial giving, please know that the God we serve is all knowing and most purposeful! Know that God has a reason why He insists on your
Church attendance, and especially your willingness to tithe and give offerings to Him and others in need. Church attendance and financial giving are the first steps to learning how to live sacrificially! (Rom. 12:1)
In giving to God, God is not trying to take money away from you and your household. Rather, God is trying to get something to you exceedingly and abundantly more valuable than you could ever hope or imagine. The Song says “You Can’t Beat God Giving, No Matter How Hard You Try.”
Next week we will delve into this truth at Luke 16:11.
Therefore, if you have not been faithful in the
use of earthly wealth, who will entrust the true
riches to you?
The inheritance of the sons of God is not just material wealth, but a far more exceedingly great wealth called the “true riches” of Jesus Christ. How you handle money and your relationship with it, greatly determines whether the Lord can trust you with the “True Riches.” The Holy Ghost yearns to reveal and cause every son of God to receive the true riches of Jesus Christ—but we must all Stop, Look, and Listen to what the Spirit of God has to say to our hearts and obey Him in that which is least (making God the Master of your Money) to lay hold on the true riches of Jesus Christ!
The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly. (Prov. 20:27)
Let us close with this prayer. Father we come to you in the name of your dear Son Jesus Christ. Thank you for this message of correction. Thank you Lord for searching our hearts and revealing to us the truth that lies within.
We do love you O’ Lord and seek to do those things which are pleasing in your sight. Only you know whether we are right or wrong. We love and embrace your chastening and endure them as loving sons.
Thank you for showing us our missteps with regard to church attendance and financial giving. With the help of the Holy Ghost, we repent and change our ways with humility and gladness of heart, so we may worship you in spirit and in truth.
We declare from this day, going forward, that we are fanatical churchgoers who love the brethren, tithers, and free givers of offerings by the Spirit of God. We only seek to come up higher into your perfect will, to become recipients and dwellers in the true riches of Jesus Christ, the Lord. In Jesus Christ name we pray. Amen!