THE EVIL SPIRITS OF MAMMON
Luke 16:
10 10 He
that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that
is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
Jesus is absolutely talking about money, Jesus is saying, how you handle
yourself with money is how you will handle everything else.
We are to be wise with the financial opportunities we have, heavens
riches are far more valuable than earthly wealth. If we are not trustworthy
with our money here, we will be unfit to handle the vast riches in Gods
kingdom.
Luke 16:13 13 No
servant 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 mammon.
Money has the power to take Gods place in your life, it can become your
master. So, how can you tell if you are a slave to money? Do you think and
worry about it a lot, is it hard for you to give money away, do you tithe what
belongs to God?
Money is a hard master and a deceptive one. Wealth promises power and
control, but often it cannot deliver. Great fortunes can be made and lost
overnight.
No amount of money can provide health, happiness, or eternal life. So
then how much better it is to let God be your master.
Money is the least of life. Money by itself has no influence, money is
not a problem, it can be a blessing to your life. It is all about the choice
you make. But to some, something about life changes when money shows up.
When life changes because of money, it becomes worldly. Then money
becomes a problem. So, what classifies the things as worldly and what is
worldly based on?
1 John 2:15-16 15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world, the
lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of
the Father, but is of the world.
Some people
think that worldliness is limited to external behavior. Worldliness is also
internal because it begins in the heart and is characterized by three attitudes
(or choices).
Lust for
physical pleasure, lust for everything we see, bowing to the god of materialism
(Satan). This is called mammon, the evil spirit that wants to control your
entire life, and deceive you into thinking that you don’t need God.
Satan is
worldly, mammon is worldly and they are the three spirits; greed, lust of the
flesh and pride of life. This is the spirit of the world system.
None of the three spirits submit to God. They are anti-god. Lust of the
flesh is a sinful habit of the devil; pride of life goes right before
destruction, also it is arrogant and wicked; greed another spirit of the world
simply doesn’t care.
It is impossible to serve the God of heaven and the god of this world.
The spirit of mammon will even get you to lie. As the word says you will love
one and hate the other.
Mammon wants to stop Gods manifestation from working on earth. This evil
spirit has even got over into the church. You
might ask how? Tithes and offerings. The church is hurting for money to pay
their bills, and people are stealing Gods tithes every week.
Malachi 3: 8-10 8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this
whole nation.
10 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.
Everything
we have is from God, so when we refuse to return to him a part of what he has
given, we rob him.
God will
remember those whom remain faithful to him and those who love, honor and
respect Him. This fulfils the promise he made in the covenant to His people.
The spirit
of mammon seeks to steal from God. The spirit of God sows and reaps. Totally opposite.
Do you really
believe that money is the American dream and you don’t need God? That is called
the spirit of mammon and is indirect opposition to Gods will.
The American
dream is the blessed hope that we have in Christ Jesus and his finished work at
the cross which has already been done.
1 Timothy 6:10
10 For the love of
money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred
from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Like I said previously, money is not evil. It is the coveting of money and
the purpose in how you use it. If it was evil, God wouldn’t want you to give at
church.
1 timothy 6:17 17 Charge them that are rich
in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but
in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
Stop chasing world riches, but trust in the living God who gives us richly
all things to enjoy.
Matthew 6:33 33 But seek ye first the
kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto
you.
You can’t go wrong seeking God first…
Stay in the word.
Brother Andy
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