“YOU cannot serve God and Mammon”

This statement from Jesus hits at the heart of the issue which can oppress the ministry.

Defining mammon is meaning the pursuit of money over vocational and spiritual objectives making ministry a occupation rather than service.

The world system can press us into making ends meet.

Hebrews 11 talks about the marturia that God gives to us for our ministry.

The marturia is the “witness” God gives to us. This witness is our call and the sustaining power of God for that Call. What comes from that power must come the provision, because pro-vision is exactly that, finance for the vision. So if we are flowing in obedience to God’s Call we will be directed to the flow of God’s provision.

God gives wisdom on how to finance His Call on our lives.

Elijah was directed to the Brook Cherith but his provision changed when the prophetic word of famine also dries up his provision.

God causes him to instill faith, and his faith provided for the family which he was sent to.

Look at the $20 note above. It is a covenant to facilitate an exchange . In Genesis 15 we see God cut covenant with Abraham. God exchanges covenant and promises, protection, provisions. So when we deal with finances in ministry we must talk on a covenantal exchange level. There must first be faith. Then there must be vision, and then something in exchange. Very often it is in service, or a product.

Mammon has none of this. Beyond being a spiritual entity of robbery it does not contemplate the aspect of exchange. It does not prosper the giver. The giver must be led to a deeper walk with Jesus is Lord of their lives and their finances. The ministry must impart a wisdom and a anointing to know how to manage finance.

For us to be free from mammon we must examine how we live. Do we live to minister or minister to live? How do we manage finance? What are our motivations?

Financial giving for ministry must be because those who walk with us recognise the “Witness ” of God upon us. Therefore once we are engaged in the vision people who walk covenantly with us and the leading of the Lord will mean there is a financial flow. Ministries that have no provision flowing to them must seek God to see where their provision lies.

Let us join together in our fight against Mammon so that the work of the Kingdom can be financed properly and managed with integrity.

If we serve money we cannot serve Christ.

Shalom.