When God is about to pour out wealth to people who will use it for the advancement of the Kingdom of God, Satan becomes so agitated that he gets into overdrive and uses any weapon that he lays his hands on to block the release of wealth. The bruising battle fought by Strive Masiyiwa to launch Econet Wireless is a good example. If that does not work, Satan puts on another coat, sheep’s clothing. He is so cunning, he begins to shed crocodile tears; the mercy of Judas Iscariot. As a pastor, if someone buys me airtime, that’s okay with the devil, but if someone buys me a handset, he cries foul. He has no problem when my rentals are paid, but when I am given a house, oh hey! If a devil worshipper spends $100 000 on a bottle of whisky and blows half a million dollars one night partying with prostitutes, that’s no big deal with Satan. Before I go further, I shall make a detour.
Over the years the world instituted developmental modules some of which did not really bring development (pronounced “devolpment” in the communities). In the Third World people remember the Economic Structural Adjustment Programme (Esap). Globally the talk is Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). You would do yourself a favour to know what they really are. For Christians, God has been releasing various keys to empower His children and this has not gone down well with the devil. Whereas the world has been promoting theories such as poverty reduction, the Church is instituting prosperity and empowerment. The revelation of the Church is that you cannot use a negative approach to produce a positive result. For example, if you confess that you are not poor that does not mean you are rich, but if you confess that you are rich an atmosphere of wealth is created. Be careful about what you say, stop negative confessions. It is so simple; if I say I am not home that does not tell you where I am.
The Church saw that a vacuum was being created and poverty eradication did not create empowerment and prosperity. This is shown in Matthew 12:43-45 where Jesus says, “When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.” You would appreciate that some of the developmental initiatives left nations impoverished. Students of developmental studies will tell you the challenges of bridging the gap and effecting real crossover from poverty to riches. Wealth transfer will be of no effect except creating scoundrels, extravagance and the more wives syndrome.
True riches are the blessing of the Lord and require a concomitant mind renewal. Mental shift and adoption of the Kingdom philosophy will create the holding capacity of wealth. The Gospel of Christ is preached to connect us to Him (salvation) and access His provision for our stay on earth. The Gospel is one, but unfortunately it has been misunderstood as if there is also a gospel of prosperity. The Gospel of Christ is total prosperity in every facet of human life on earth heading to heaven. However when Christians are enriched and money channelled to the Church, Satan cries foul. This is stated in John 12:4-6, “Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him, Why was not this ointment sold for three-hundred pence, and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.” God cares for the poor, Satan doesn’t.
Will Satan rejoice when a Christian becomes richer? Jesus calls him the prince of this world in John 14:30. Satan will not allow you to use the wealth of this world for God’s purposes. Over the centuries, the world has come from the stone, bronze and iron ages. Industrialisation came and the Internet age is upon us. God created the heavens and the earth and poured the resources for exploitation by mankind for human progress and development. The earth and its fullness belong to God. Haggai 2:8 says, “The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts.” Don’t be fooled by the devil, you are going somewhere.
•All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.
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