Poverty

Poverty is "not having enough".  Simply put, when you need 100%, you have or get less than 100%.  There is no way to succeed in any activity when you always have less than 100% of the resources to get the job done. 

Poverty is a curse, even the curse of the law:

Gen 3:17-19
And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;  In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Deut 28:28-29
The LORD shall smite thee with madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart:
And thou shalt grope at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways: and thou shalt be only oppressed and spoiled evermore, and no man shall save thee.

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

Poverty or lack can be spiritual (lack of wisdom / knowledge (Hosea 4:6), lack of the Word), soulish (a lean soul... not "happy" (which is the same word as "blessed"), or physical (finances, health, success).

Poverty can also manifest in a person's mindset or thought process.  That is, a person always assumes that they will not have enough, will not get paid enough, will not have the resources to do a job (so they never start the job or business), etc....  It is faith in the curse, faith in the lack, faith in the obstacle, faith in the failure... all of which is fear (fear is faith in the curse, the opposite of faith in the Word that has redeemed you from the curse.)  A person must break their mental attitude of poverty before they can stand in a place of faith to receive the blessings of prosperity.

Poverty is the opposite of prosperity.


Redeemed from Poverty

But Jesus has redeemed us from the curse of the law, including poverty (that is, to be poor). 

Gal 3:13-14
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

2 Cor 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.

Jesus gave up all of His rule of all of creation, all of heaven, all of earth, all of New Jerusalem with streets of gold, to become poor... that is, to take the penalty of sin for you... that you might be rich / prosperous.  ("might" in that - be it according to your faith, per Rom 12:2, that you prove what is the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God is... You have to produce the proof by believing, praying and receiving, and confessing the Word, and acting on it thru supporting actions of faith... including diligence.) Jesus has redeemed you from that curse, forever, so that you could inherit rule over of all of creation, all of heaven, all of earth, all of New Jerusalem with streets of gold, because God created it all for YOU.  

Jesus took the curse of poverty for you, when they planted that crown of thorns on His head (Mark 15:17) against the "thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee" (Gen 3:18).  That crown of thorns caused the blood of the puncture wounds (the blood that redeems you) to mix with "the sweat of thy face" (Gen 3:19), there by taking the curse of poverty for you.  So that you can go free (John 8:32) and be a partaker of the blessings of Abraham. 

Remember that God made Abraham rich, that is, the blessing of Abraham makes rich.

Gen 13:2
And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.

Prov 10:22
The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.

God is trying to bless you.  His eyes go to and fro in the earth looking for someone He can bless... Because He is a Blesser! 

Gen 12:1-3
Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

Gen 22:16-17
And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;


Deut 7:12-13
Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the LORD thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers: And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee.

His heart cries out for children to love and bless... Because He takes pleasure in blessing His children, and He addes no sorrow with it. 

Ps 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.

Prosperity

Prosperity is "having an abundance".  Simply put, when you need 100%, you get 100% plus some left over.  Whether it is 101% or 110%, it is "more than enough" and is therefore an abundance.

John 10:10
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

That is why Love never fails (1 Cor 13:8), because it always gives an abundance, more than enough, running over/pressed down/shaken together.... Both in spiritual things, and in natural things.

Ex 1:7
And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.

Deut 28:47
Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things;

Ps 36:8
They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.

2 Cor 9:7-8
Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

Eph 3:20-21
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, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

God takes pleasure in the prosperity of His servants, because it comes from Him, and they receive it of Him.

Ps 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.

Gen 24:40
And he said unto me, The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way...

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

Josh 1:7-8
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.
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

This is particularly evident when God says:

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

Prosperity includes the spiritual, soulish, and physical realms.  True prosperity is being able to take the Word of God produce victory / prosperity / success in any area of your life. 

God says that He desires intensely / passionately / "above all things" that you prosper.  God is for you, and your prosperity, and not against you.  He is more concerned about blessing you, than you are.  Why?  Because He wants you to be blessed (prosperous) and a blessing to others. 


Jesus Preached Prosperity

Luke 4:18-19
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

Luke 7:22
Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.

If you are blind, what is it you want?  What is good news to you?  Your sight!
If you are deaf, what is it you want?  What is good news to you?  Your hearing.
If you are poor, what is it you want?  What is good news to you?  Prosperity.  That you are redeemed from the curse of poverty thru the blood and blody of Jesus Christ.

And that is what Jesus preached, that He redeemed you from the curse of poverty, and took it upon Himself, so that you could be free and prosper. 

We prosper through our giving, that is, sowing and reaping, seed time and harvest.  If you do not plant any seed, you will not reap a harvest.  In the working of spiritual laws / principles concerning prosperity, it is important to know that there is a difference between firstfruits, tithes, and offerings:

2 Chron 31:5
And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel brought in abundance the firstfruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the fields; and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly.

Neh 10:35-37
And to bring the firstfruits of our ground, and the firstfruits of all fruit of all trees, year by year, unto the house of the LORD:
Also the firstborn of our sons, and of our cattle, as it is written in the law, and the firstlings of our herds and of our flocks, to bring to the house of our God, unto the priests that minister in the house of our God:
And that we should bring the firstfruits of our dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, of wine and of oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground unto the Levites, that the same Levites might have the tithes in all the cities of our tillage.

Neh 12:44
And at that time were some appointed over the chambers for the treasures, for the offerings, for the firstfruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions of the law for the priests and Levites: for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites that waited.

Firstfruits

We should give God our best, and of the best of the firstfruits of our increase (not the last fruits).  If we honor God at the beginning of anything, He will bless it and cause it to abound. 

Ex 23:19
The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the LORD thy God....

Deut 18:4
The firstfruit also of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy sheep, shalt thou give him.

Prov 3:9-10
Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

An example of this would be if you received a promotion of $100 a week, you would give the first week's $100 to as a special firstfruits offering.  Or if you started a new business endeavour, you would give the first profit from it to God as a special firstfruits offering.  By giving the firstfruits offering, you are thanking God for the new harvest and God moves on your behave (based upon Prov 3:9-10 above) to ensure that the full harvest comes in. 

Tithes

Your way out of poverty is thru faith in and obeying of the Word.  That includes paying of tithes and offerings.  You see, Jesus is Lord and Saviour (2 Pet 1:11) (not Saviour then Lord); that is, He cannot deliver / save you in any area of your life that you are not willing to make Him Lord of (by obeying His Word) first. 

Lev 27:30-32
And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD's: it is holy unto the LORD. And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof. And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD.

Deut 14:22
Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year.

2 Chron 31:12
And brought in the offerings and the tithes and the dedicated things faithfully....

The tithe is 10% of all your increase.  For example if you receive a paycheck for your labor, your paycheck (before taxes) is your increase.  If you are a businessman, your profit is your increase. 

Mal 3:8-12
Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts.

According to Lev 27:30-32 (above), the tithe belongs to the Lord.  That is, we do not "give" the tithe.  It does not belong to us.  I cannot "give" something that does not belong to me.  We "bring" the tithe (as in Mal 3:10 above).  Look at it this way.  God owns everything.  He lets us be partners with Him, giving us 90% and expecting His 10%.  I cannot "give" (to my partner or to someone else) something that belongs to my partner already.  The tithe is what belongs to my partner, God, from my current increase (that is, the current harvest).  I cannot pray for a 30 / 60 / 100 fold return on what does not belong to me.  I pray for a 30 / 60 / 100 fold return on what I give thru offerings (that is, seed time).

Many times, we hear that the tithe is the first tenth of our increase.  However, this is not supported by scripture and probably comes from mixing / misunderstanding of firstfruits and tithes.  The only time a distinction is made is in Lev 27:32 where the tenth animal (not the first animal) is the tithe.  But for most of us (as was truth for most cases in the Bible), there is no way to determine the tenth part of our increase, so we are commanded to give a tenth part, that is, the tithe. 

Tithing was before the law.  Abraham (Abram) tithed to God, in faith, before the law, to the minister of God at that time, who was Melchizedek. 

Gen 14:18-20
And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.  And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

Paul said that "here men receive tithes".

Heb 7:5-8
And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham: But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.  And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better. And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.

Note that the priest (and ministers today) pay tithes (that is, the tithe of the tithe) of what they are paid.

Neh 10:38
And the priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes: and the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes unto the house of our God, to the chambers, into the treasure house.

And Offerings

There are many types of offerings.  But the main point of them is that they are "free will" offerings.  That is, tithes are required, but offerings are by your heart's desire to give.  When you talk about your financial seed that you planted in faith, being God to return (30, 60, 100x fold), you are talking about you offerings, not tithes. 

Prov 11:24-25
There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.

Luke       6:38
Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom.  For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

While we give general "offerings", that the minister or church decides how to best use.  We also give more specific offerings, such as (1) to specific areas such as benevolence (to the poor), minister's love, and missions, and (2) some times we give to a specific incidences as a particular family having a need and a special offering is taken up to help them. 

Benevolence

Ps 41:1
Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.

Psalms 112:9
He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.

Prov 14:21
He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he.

Prov 14:31
He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor.

Prov 19:17
He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.

Prov  21:13
Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.

Prov  22:9 
He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.

Prov 28:27
He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.
 
Prov 31:20 (speaking of a righteous woman showing mercy and giving to the poor)
She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.

Minister's Love

Gal 6:6
Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.

1 Tim 5:17-18
Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.

1 Cor 9:7
Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?

1 Cor 9:14
Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

Missions

Rom 10:14-15
How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

It is God's Will to Bless You

God desires above all things that you prosper and be in health.

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

God is not trying to withhold any good thing from you. 

Psalms    84:11-12
For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.

He is trying to get you into a place of obedience and faith to receive.

Isa 1:19
If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:

God is trying to give you witty inventions to make you rich.

Proverbs   8:12
I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.

Because God takes pleasure in your prosperity.

Ps 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.

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