Help against Financial Embarrassment II

Sunday Service (24th October 2021)
Title: Help against Financial Embarrassment II
Ministering: Rev. Ebenezer Olawuyi

When God helps you, you discover that it is not by your power nor might. You see God’s Grace at work. You can say I laboured yet, you can boldly say, not my labour but the blessing of God upon my labour. People who don’t understand, live their lives struggling. People who don’t understand, sleep late and wake up early and yet, they eat the bread of affliction. People who don’t understand, the Bible says they work and put the money in their pocket and they discover there is hole in their pocket. They wear clothes and yet they are not warm, that is what the Bible says. They drink, and yet they are thirsty. Jacob experienced this kind of life. Jacob had been struggling from his mother’s womb. He was a struggler. He bargained from his mother’s womb. After he was delivered, he bargained again and got the birth right of Esau. When he was in the house of Laban, he bargained again for his wife. Not only that, he bargained ten times with Laban. At a stage again, on his way back, he bargained with an angel. He was good at bargaining. In spite of all, Jacob could say he was not blessed. I keep asking a question, how can a man who had so much say he was not blessed?
If God’s blessing is not on your effort, you can have it but, you won’t enjoy it. You can have it yet, not have peace. 2 Corinthians 8 talks about the Macedonia Christians. They didn’t have much but the Bible says, there was great joy in them. Paul said, “I testify of the great joy of the Macedonia”. Even in their poverty, they were so full of Joy and they were begging the apostles to permit them to be part of ministering to the saints. They brought that which they had in spite of the fact that they did not have much but they were full of Joy. Someone can have fifty thousand naira and can be happier than someone who has ten million. Can be more fulfilled than someone who has ten million. That doesn’t say that God doesn’t want you to be wealthy. The scripture says in Psalm 112, “Blessed is the man that fears the Lord, that delights greatly in his commandments”. The scripture says in vs 2 that, his descendants will be mighty on earth. The generation of the upright will be blessed. In vs 3 it says, wealth and riches will be in the house of that man who delights greatly in the house.
Where did you hear that until you cut corners you will not be blessed? Where did you hear it that until you lose your integrity you cannot be blessed? That is unscriptural. You hear people say they don’t want to be serious with God until they make money. Meaning that if you are serious with God, you cannot make money. It means that when you live a life of righteousness you cannot be rich. The Bible says, wealth and riches are in his house. You see men in the scripture who were wealthy. Abraham was greatly blessed that his servant could testify. What about Isaac? And the Bible says in Genesis 6:13, and the man prospered and continued prospering until he became very prosperous. You need to change your mindset. Even in the land of faming, Isaac prospered. What about Jacob? The Bible tells us in the book of Genesis 30:43 that Jacob became exceedingly prosperous. What about Joseph? They are children of covenant. Father, son, grandson, the covenant was working for them. Joseph stood out. Genesis 45:13
Who says when you are a woman you cannot be rich? That you must die as a housewife? Who says you cannot sponsour family members? You cannot sponsour the church? Slavery mentality. Luke 8:2 Husband, let your wife thrive. Let your wife become great. Encourage her. Women have potentials.
Look at Job. Job 1:1-3 They were able to pick out Job. For them to come to that level, they must have had statistics. They’ve done comparison. And the Bible says, Job was a blameless man. Can you reconcile it in today’s world? The Bible talks about so many of them. You have Uzaih 2 Chronicles 26:3-4. The Bible also talks about Hezekiah, he prospered. God answers to covenant. Deuteronomy 8:18, 2 Corinthians 1:20 Every covenant requires responsibility. There are obligations, things you need to do. Riches are in tithing. You can pray and fast for a long time but if you do not do your part of the covenant, it will not work. Give a room for Jesus in your life and see what he will do for you.
There are so many people that make vows to God in distress but they forget it in comfort. After God remembers you, what did you do? Genesis 28:20, Genesis 34 Friends, do not forget God. You may forget but God will not forget. That secret vow, you may forget but it is recorded in heaven.
What are covenant obligations?
• You must understand your redemption blessing. That salvation you received includes financial blessing. God wants to bless you. It is selfish for you to say, I don’t want to have more than enough so I’ll not be proud. It is not a good prayer. God wants you to have more than enough. If you have enough, you’re a selfish person. That is, just for you and your family. God wants you to be a blessing to others. Genesis 12:1
• You must be a generous giver. Proverbs 11:24, Proverbs 19:17 It is more blessed to give than to receive.
• Make Kingdom project your priority. Haggai 1:4 Let kingdom project move you. Always place kingdom project as your priority. Anything that has to do with the advancement of his kingdom, make it your priority and you will be surprised. Sometimes, let God disrupt your plans. The race of life is not for the fastest runners. Great people don’t usually win battles. Intelligent people don’t usually rise to the top. Capable people don’t usually make earnings. It is being at the right place at the right time.
• Tithing. Don’t joke with your tithe. Tithe is the minimum of your ten per cent. Genesis 14:20, Hebrews 7:8 When you give your tithe, you proclaim that Jesus lives. Tithe did not start from the law, it started from the time of Grace. Grace comes through Jesus. The law will not last forever, Grace will last. Haggai 2:8, Psalm 50:10 It is not God that needs you, it’s you that needs God. If you cannot give ten percent of your money, then you have not conquered greed. Greed will kill you, giving will not. Giving will make you blessed. A test that you have conquered greed is first in tithing. Malachi 3. When you give your tithe, God will curse the devourer for your sake. There will be overflow. Don’t allow any challenge cause you not to pay your tithe. If you want God’s blessing you need to follow his ways.
• You must recognise God. You must give your first fruit to him. Numbers 15:21 Don’t joke with holy things or you’ll see the wrath of God. God was angry with Eli because he did not control his children. 1Samuel 2:29 God will never joke with whatever is Holy to him. He said if he’s the one who created you, he has the right to the first. Meaning, your first income belongs to him.
Blessings of the first fruit:
• God sanctifies the remaining. Romans 11:16 There is a connectivity between the first and the remaining. You need supernatural help. You must carry out your convent obligation.
• God pronounces abundance on you. Overflow. Proverbs 3:9-10
• God will defend you. Jeremiah 2:3 You dare not touch a man who gives his first fruit.
If you need divine help, play your covenant obligation. Understand that God is a God of covenant. Your children will enjoy it. Your children’s children will enjoy it. Bless the poor. Be a giver and see what God will do in your life.