Sermon Series: “Don’t Waste Your Time: Procrastination Is The Enemy of Time!”
March 16, 2025
Sermon Part 7:“The War on Wealth Is Won by Seeking God’s Wisdom, and Following After It!
Satan comes only to steal, and to kill, and to destroy everything that God has blessed us with, especially our money because he does not want us to be a blessing to others in fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant. (John 10:10, Gal. 3:13-14, Gen. 12:1-3)
But, through the Spirit of the Wisdom of God, we are to march against the gates of hell and win a more than decisive victory in every arena of life, including our money! (Matt. 16:18 & Rom. 8:37)
Happy Sunday Saints of the Most High God!
We have well established during this Series, that in Christ we have been called by God and spiritually made to be a blessing to the poor and those in need, in accordance with the Abrahamic Covenant. (Eph.1:3, Gal. 3:6-9 & 13-14) Wealth and material substance belongs in the hands of the Saints and we are to be confident in this Truth. (Prov.13:22) As we study and obey the Word of the Living God, we expect to prosper and have good success. (Josh.1:8-10 & III John 2)
We are to live in the land of “more than enough” because the Lord is our Shepherd. (Ps. 23:1) Yes indeed, it’s so good to know Jesus, so good to know the Lord. With great satisfaction we are to live on earth liberally giving to the Church, to the poor and those in need so that we might receive plenty more money to put in store. (Prov. 3:9-10, 11: 24-26 & Luke 6:38) God is exceedingly “Kind” towards us, thus, we must also be kind to one another. (Eph. 4:32) And, because we are carriers of the blessing of the Lord, we are to leave an inheritance of wealth, with integrity to our future generations. (Ps.112:1-3 & Prov. 13:22)
However, most Americans and born-again Christians alike, are unaware that they are in a “war” with Satan over their money. Figuratively speaking, there is a tug-of-war every person faces with their money. Every day, evil is trying to take money out of our hands. But, Praise God, every day God desires to place money into the hands of His people, as we do things His Way!
Whether our money is devoured through theft, riotous living, nefarious activities, poor business decisions, divorce, catastrophic events, lust, inflation, or taxes; in this fallen world it’s difficult for most people to keep and grow money.
To illustrate, media reports show that in 2024, Americans saved 4.4 percent of their total earned income, modestly up from 3.7 percent in 2023, and 3.4-percent in 2022. So, in each of the last three-years, Americans have spent above 95-percent of their hard earned money. (Financial experts suggest, however, that we should have a savings rate of at least 20-percent of income each month to reach financial independence at retirement age.)
Let me make clear though, the vast majority of Americans have not been spending their money on God. For decades, surveys on Christian Giving have consistently shown that no more than five-percent of Christians regularly tithe (10-percent of earned income), and on average they give about $17 per week in offerings. A whole is cut in the pockets of those who rob God of tithes and offerings, and their money is devoured by the wicked-one Satan. (Mal. 3:8-11 & Hag.1:6-11)
Data also show among Black Americans that little has been saved for retirement; with three out of four Black households ages 25-64 having less than $10,000 in retirement savings, compared to one out of two white households. Needless to say, nearly all Americans have not heard and/or headed the Gospel of the Ant that we talked about last week; to work diligently to eat and store away resources for a future “Time” of need. (Prov. 6:6)
Furthermore Saints, do you have any idea what the number one yearly New Year’s Resolution is among Americans? The majority of Americans resolve each year to “save more money.” Many Americans recognize the importance of setting and reaching financial goals to reduce debt, and increase savings and investments. But they fail to do so because of Procrastination, which works to convince people to put off saving and investing their money until another “Time,” and instead, prods them to spend money on things of lesser importance today. Many people spend more money on monthly cell-phone bills than they do saving and investing. My, my, my; Lord please help us value money better.
Saints, I have a News Flash for every worker in the United States, and born-again Christian. To everyone who has an employment badge I say: “It takes more than hard work to protect and grow your wealth. Many people work hard all their employment careers, some 30-40 years of employment, and at the end have little or no money to show for it.
There is a very familiar money principal that is grounded in Truth, it says, “It’s not how much you make, it’s how much you keep.” This principal suggests that “how” much money you keep, and “how” you manage it, are more important that the amount you earn. Ask yourself now, how much money am I keeping each month? Faithful stewards of God’s money understand that how hard their money works for them and how many generations they keep it for, is what pleases God most. (Matt.25:23) What money lessons are you passing down to your children’s children?
So let’s stop and think right here. When we receive our pay checks from honest labor, what matters most is “how” much money we keep and use to work for us. Notice, there is a gap between when we receive money-wages, and “how” much we keep and have of it to increase for future use? There is a wide-gulf between receiving wages and building wealth.
The operative question that bears repeating is: Oh How, Oh How, Oh How do we build wealth? As born-again Christians, we should not remain standing in the land of lack, when God has Promised and Appointed us to live in the land of plenty. Philippians 4:19 states, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.”
We must recognize the vital necessity of getting the right answer on “how” to keep and grow the money we receive, because Satan is warring against us to take it all away! Um, a wise and faithful steward over money would conclude they need a “Financial Advisor” to instruct them on “how” to eliminate the “Wealth-Gap” in their lives. They need to ask a Financial Advisor how to move from saving little or nothing, to saving much?
The Financial Advisor I’m talking about is God
Earthly financial planners and managers, especially those who are born-again Christians are a good thing to have, but we first need a far greater Financial Expert (God) who made and knows all the hidden secrets and pathways to building wealth with righteousness His way. Notwithstanding that we are not required to pay God fees for His financial advice! Daniel testified saying “blessed be the name of God forever and ever: for wisdom and might are his.” (Dan. 2:20) God knows how to make our money multiply exponentially, if we seek Him first for answers. (Matt. 6:33)
Psalm 115:14-15 states:
The Lord shall increase you more and more, you and your children. Ye are blessed of the Lord which made heaven and earth.
The Scripture above tells us that the Lord God is the Person who is going to increase our money more and more over a long period of “Time.” Make this decree with me: Say, “The Lord is increasing me, more and more, me and my children after me.” Since God is the Person who is going to increase our money more and more, then He is the only Person who knows “how” to go about it. Tell me, who knows more about money than God? God is the owner of all things and knows all things. I love Job 41:11, it reads, “Whatever is under the whole heaven is Mine.”
Since money is under the Heaven and belongs to God, we need God’s Wisdom to teach us “how” to keep our money, and make it work hard to grow more money for us. God delights in the man or woman who will humble themselves and ask for Wisdom, along with it, He also supplies knowledge and understanding. Check out Proverbs 2:6, it states, “For the Lord gives wisdom: out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.”
Now, make this decree after me, “Lord God, teach me “how” to keep money and make it work hard to grow more money, so that I may be an able partaker and participant in the Abrahamic Covenant that was made complete on the cross of Jesus Christ; blessed to be a blessing everywhere I go.” By making this decree, we are asking God for Wisdom to bridge the Wealth-Gap in our finances. So let’s give the Lord thanks- giving and praise, saying, “Lord, I thank you for your Wisdom in eliminating the Wealth-Gap in my finances, which with all diligence I will apply to my life, without wavering, in Jesus name.” James 1:5-7 reads,
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
Now Saints, I caution that our decree is not some kind of New Year’s Resolution, whereby in our own strength we are going to take actions to improve our wealth position. Most New Year’s Resolutions made by Americans are aborted within the same month, or following month after being made.
Rather, we have asked for God’s Wisdom to lead us, and we have earnestly set in our hearts and thought-life to follow His guidance in bringing us into a wealthy place in Christ Jesus. With God’s Wisdom in growing money, we can boldly march against the gates of hell tearing down asunder all barriers to Wealth, and obtain the abundant life that Jesus came to earth to give to every person. (John 10:10)
When diver temptations come to do wrong things with money, or to use money to buy things of lesser importance than saving and investing, we are going to count it all joy, understanding that our trust in God is being tried. With faith and patience we are going to stand on the Wisdom of God regarding all money matters and make sound money-decisions. Then, we will see God transfer wealth into our hands, more and more; money both large and small to save and invest.
Praise God, my heart is so impressed with Verse 5, where James, states that if any person asks God for Wisdom, that God will “liberally,” and without rebuke or shame give it to them. God desires to freely give Wisdom to all people. For so many years, most Americans have missed out on the opportunity to ask and receive God’s Wisdom on how to eliminate the Wealth-Gap in their finances. Even today, God is saying to us that we need not fear being chastened and made to feel ashamed because of past failures in managing money. Instead, God welcomes us to come and ask Him for Wisdom, in faith, and He has Promised to continually saturate us with it.
When we seek God with our whole-hearts, God abundantly supplies the Wisdom we need to prosper and have good success. The Bible straight-forwardly shows us how to eliminate the Wealth-Gap. That is, by finding and following God’s Wisdom. Happy and hilarious is the man who finds God’s Wisdom; His Wisdom founded the earth. (Prov. 3:13-19)
In James, he wrote that if we lack Wisdom we are to ask God for it in faith. In asking for Wisdom in faith, there are two foundational steps we must take to obtain it. They are found in Hebrews 11:6. We must believe God is (have reverential fear for God) and believe He rewards those who diligently seek Him.
First, we must have a reverential fear of God. Proverbs 9:10 witnesses that, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” The fear of the Lord means to have a deep reverence, respect, and awe for God’s Power, Authority, and Presence, coupled with humble submission to His will. Whatever God says, we are to say, “Yes and Amen Lord, have thine own way!” Do you have this kind of respect and honor for God? If so, then the door of Wisdom is open wide for you; the curtain has already been pulled back to enable you to clearly hear and receive the Spirit of the Wisdom of God through the Holy Ghost in every aspect of your life.
Second, we noted a couple of weeks ago that the primary way in which we receive God’s Wisdom to navigate the human experience is through the Word of God. Jesus Christ said that “man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. (Luke 4:4) The Psalmist wrote, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Ps.119:105) The means by which to close and eliminate the Wealth-Gap is provided to us in the Holy Scriptures.
With diligence we must search the Scriptures, for in them we find the Voice of the Spirit of the Wisdom of God. At Mark 4:14-29, through the Parable of the Sower, Jesus Christ taught that the person who sows the Word of God on good ground (into their hearts) by hearing and receiving it (with love, reverence, belief, study, meditation, confession, and application) brings forth manifold harvests from the Word sown therein. (V.20)
Since, we require the Wisdom of God on how to close the Wealth-Gap in our finances, we must sow Scriptures (Word-Seed) into our born-again hearts on money/prosperity/wealth. With diligence, we must search and find Prosperity Scriptures and plant them in our hearts, expecting multiplied harvests. As Joshua meditated on the Law of Moses, day and night, to observe all that was written therein, and prospered and had good success, we must also be diligent in sowing and meditating on Prosperity Scriptures to realize progress and success in our finances. (Josh.1:8-9)
When you take the many Scriptures I’m about to share with you and make them like a mantel around your neck, the Chief Financial Advisor, the Lord God, will graciously pour out on you His Wisdom. Wisdom will flow out of your heart to guide you in all money-decisions, as well as every aspect of life. This is simply wonderful. But, I beg you not to let Procrastination and impatience stop you from being a faithful sower of God’s Word. For you shall reap in due season if you faint not. (Gal. 6:9)
Now, I am going to share with you a large collection of prosperity Scriptures (101in total) compiled on a Christian website called, Encounter Today. I especially like the Scriptures chosen for sowing because the author took the “Time” to present them as “faith confessions.” This is in obedience to our New Covenant with God, which declares that we are to hold fast to the confession of our faith in the precious Promises of God in Christ Jesus, without wavering, as God is faithful to keep all of His Promises towards us. (Heb.10:23) Here is the link to the 101 Scriptures on Prosperity on the website. https://encountertoday.com/blog/2022/04/20/101-bible-verses-that-prove-god-wants-you-to-prosper/
For this Sermon, I have copied the first 50-Scriptures listed, and we are going to read each one and confess them out loud and believe God for the manifestation of Wisdom in our finances and whole-life circumstances. At Isaiah 55:11, God said,
“So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that I please and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
We have God’s Word, that if we ask in faith, He will liberally supply us with Wisdom. Thus, we receive the performance of bountiful Wisdom to eliminate the Wealth-Gap in our lives. After Service get your Bibles and study the 101 Scriptures and affirm them out-loud. Rehearse them over and over like your favorite gospel songs you know and sing so well.
You will notice in the days ahead all sorts of Wisdom flowing out of your heart by the Holy Ghost to direct your life. Hidden Wisdom and counsel related to such things as removing your foot from sin, forgiving others, adopting new ethics and disciplines at work, guidance to keep you from dangers seen and unseen, promptings to give liberally to Church and to those in need, strategies for increasing your savings and investments, exposure to new business and job opportunities, as well as unexpected checks and other favors that come through the mail and other circuitous means.
Just obey all that the Voice of the Spirit of Wisdom communicates through the Holy Ghost, and God will increase you more and more, you and your children.
Here are the first 50-Scripture Affirmations. What a wise choice we have made to use of our “Time,” basking in God’s Word on Prosperity!”
PROSPERITY SCRIPTURES COMPILED BY ENCOUNTER TODAY
⦁ Genesis 12:2 God has blessed me abundantly and I am a blessing.
⦁ Genesis 39:3 The Lord makes all that I do prosper in my hand.
⦁ Genesis 39:23 Because the Lord is with me, all that I do prospers greatly.
⦁ Numbers 14:8 The Lord delights in me, he has brought me into a land flowing with milk & honey.
⦁ Deuteronomy 2:7 For the Lord my God has blessed me greatly in all the works of my hand.
⦁ Deuteronomy 7:9 God is faithful; he keeps his covenant and mercy to them that love him.
⦁ Deuteronomy 7:13 God loves me, blesses me and multiplies me abundantly.
⦁ Deuteronomy 7:14 I am blessed above all people.
⦁ Deuteronomy 8:6-9 God has brought me into a good abundant land, I eat without scarceness and do not lack any good thing.
⦁ Deuteronomy 8:18 God has given me the power to get wealth so his covenant is established.
⦁ Deuteronomy 12:7 I rejoice in all I put my hand to because God has blessed me greatly.
⦁ Deuteronomy 15:6 For God has blessed me as he promised and I will lend to many and not borrow.
⦁ Deuteronomy 26:9 God has brought me into this place, he has given me this land that flows abundantly with milk and honey.
⦁ Deuteronomy 28:2 All the blessings of Abraham have come on me in abundance and overtaken me.
⦁ Deuteronomy 28:3-6 I am blessed in the city and in my field, blessed are my children and the fruit of my ground, cattle and sheep. Blessed are my checking and savings accounts, I am blessed when I rise and when I sleep. I am blessed when I come in and when I go out.
⦁ Deuteronomy 28:8 The Lord has commanded the blessing on me and my storehouse and on all I set my hands to do. He has blessed me abundantly in this land.
⦁ Deuteronomy 28:11 God has made me plentiful in goods, cattle, and the fruit of my body and ground.
⦁ Deuteronomy 28:12 God has opened unto me his good treasure to give rain to my land and bless all the work of my hand. I will lend and not borrow.
⦁ Deuteronomy 28:13 I am the head and not the tail, I am above and not beneath.
⦁ Deuteronomy 29:9 I keep the words of Gods covenant and I do them, I prosper in all that I do.
⦁ Deuteronomy 30:9 God has made me plenteous in every good work of my hand, in the fruit of my body, cattle and land, for good and he rejoices over me.
⦁ Deuteronomy 30:15-16 God has set this day before me and I choose life and abundance.
⦁ Joshua 1:7 I am strong and courageous, I turn not to the right or the left, I prosper wherever I go.
⦁ Joshua 1:8 The word makes my way prosperous and makes me abundantly successful.
⦁ 1 Samuel 2:7 The Lord makes me abundantly rich and lifts me up.
⦁ 1 Kings 2:3 I keep the word and I prosper in all I do.
⦁ 2 Chronicles 1:12 Wisdom and knowledge is granted to me and God gives me riches, wealth and honor in abundance.
⦁ 2 Chronicles 20:20 I believe God’s prophets and I prosper.
⦁ 2 Chronicles 26:5 As long as I seek the Lord he makes me prosperous.
⦁ Job 22:24-25 I lay up gold as dust and have plenty of silver because I have delighted in the Almighty.
⦁ Job 36:11 I obey and serve God and I spend my days in prosperity and my years in pleasure.
⦁ Psalm 1:1-2 I am blessed because I walk not in the counsel of the ungodly, but I delight in the law of the Lord.
⦁ Psalm 1:3 I am like a tree planted by the rivers of water, I bring forth my fruit in season, my leaf does not wither and everything I do prospers abundantly.
⦁ Psalm 5:12 The Lord blesses me and his favor is around me like a shield.
⦁ Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd I am not in want, I am walking in abundance.
⦁ Psalm 23:6 Goodness and mercy follow me all the days of my life.
⦁ Psalm 34:10 Because I seek the Lord I do not lack any good thing.
⦁ Psalm 35:27 Let the Lord be magnified who takes pleasure in my abundant prosperity.
⦁ Psalm 37:4 I delight myself in the Lord and he gives me the desires of my heart.
⦁ Psalm 40:4 I am abundantly blessed because I trust in the Lord.
⦁ Psalm 66:12 God has brought me into a wealthy place.
⦁ Psalm 68:19 God daily loads me with his abundant benefits.
⦁ Psalm 84:5 I am blessed because my strength is in the Lord.
⦁ Psalm 84:4 I am blessed because I dwell in the house of the Lord.
⦁ Psalm 85:12 The Lord has given me that which is good and my land yields its increase.
⦁ Psalm 105:24 God has increased me mightily and made me stronger than my enemies.
⦁ Psalm 105:37 God has brought me forth with silver and gold.
⦁ Psalm 112:1 I am blessed because I fear the Lord and delight greatly in his commandments.
⦁ Psalm 112:3 Wealth and riches are in my house.
⦁ Psalm 115:13 God blesses them that fear him both small and great.
In closing, we simply say to all the Word-Seed we have liberally sown into our hearts, thank you Lord for your matchless Wisdom; as each day our “Wealth-Gap is closing. No one but you oh Lord has made us rich in material substance! We are truly blessed to be a blessing every place that the soles of our feet tread upon.
Lord God, we also thank you for the excellent example of Joshua and the Israelites of how according to Joshua Chapter 4, through blind obedience to your Wisdom, they walked on dry land from the Jordan River to the opposite side of Jericho. As you were with Moses, so also you were with Joshua.
When the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant stepped into the Jordan River, the water stopped flowing, allowing your people to cross on dry ground, and with Jericho being the key landmark on the other side. This crossing marked the end of the wilderness period for Israel, as they had reached a key city (Jericho), which bordered on the Promised Land Canaan.
Lord, step-by-step the Israelites followed your Wisdom, defeated their enemies, and possessed the Land of Canaan. So likewise, as we have received your Word on Prosperity, and obey the Wisdom you impart in us, step-by-step your Presence will go with us, and move us from the land of insufficiency into the land of plenty, according to the Abrahamic Covenant. In Jesus Christ name. Amen, and glory be to God for the Word of the Lord and the things He has done.
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