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Breaking the spirit of poverty

"How to know when you have the spirit of poverty dogging your heals."

Let's start with this. You have the ability to change any situation or circumstance that you currently face. This is done by finding the Word of God on a specific topic and renewing your mind with the truth about the matter. So, if you find that you are suffering with the spirit of poverty, decide that you will change your situation and put on the spirit of prosperity. What is the spirit of poverty? In order to determine if you have the spirit of poverty, there are two basic principles that you must know. These principles work for both the positive and negative. They are: 1) We shall have whatsoever we say (Mark 11:23). 2) As a man thinks in his heart, so is he (Proverbs 23:7). The Scripture says it like this: Mark 11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he says shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he says. The following list will help you determine if you have a spirit of poverty. If you answer "yes" to any of the items below, you are bound by the spirit of poverty. 

• You justify your lack and make excuses. 
• You are critical of those who teach and preach prosperity. 
• You don't think that a man or woman of God should live in abundance.
• You are afraid to give under the direction of the Holy Spirit. 
• You govern your finances with a lack of trust and don't believe God is your source 
• Your are suspicious that those around you may take your money. 
• When things are being handed out for free you grab as much as possible, even if you do not need the things at all. 
• When you can t even imagine tithing to God until after you win the state lottery. 
• Your source of money is the government, your boss, your parents ... You apply for any job that is advertised. You are willing to do any job - as long as there is money involved.
• When you see a brother in Christ prospering and immediately the thought comes to your mind that he must be doing something immoral or illegal. 
• You cannot / do not want to work for free - you have to be paid for everything you do.
  The idea of sowing into someone s ministry is just a mere hopeless impossibility to you. 
• You pray and ask God for just enough provision that you and your family won t starve. 
• Your weekly bill at the video store / computer games is more than you give in a month to your church. 
• You think  tithe  means putting change ( 10c) in the basket in church. You tithe if you have money left. You think tithing is  throwing money away  or  paying the pastor .
• You try out many  get rich quick  schemes - you put your trust in winning competitions, winning the jackpot ... You even tell God you will start tithing if He helps you ...
• You get jealous when others are blessed with money or physical things.
• You think receiving is better than giving.
• You complain about having to pay taxes on an unexpected bonus or reward.
• You go to bed worrying about money many nights.
• You cannot believe that God really wants to bless you - God only blesses white people, rich people, but not you.

God truly meant for his children to prosper, it s documented throughout the entire Bible. The great liar and deceiver Satan, the hater of all of mankind has successfully fooled the world - especially believers into believing that our closeness to God is based on how poor we are or are willing to be. We must stand up, take back what the enemy has stolen from us, and accept the blessings of God without condemnation! 

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How to determine if you have a spirit of prosperity

If you answer yes to all of the items below, you have the spirit of prosperity. 

• You don't settle for anything less that the best.
• You are willing to work for free. You only apply for a job if God tells you to. 
• You support those who support prosperity. 
• You always give away more than your tithe (more than 10% of what you get). 
• Your rejoice with those who rejoice when they receive increase. 
• You love giving more than receiving.
• You understand the mandate of being a blessing until all families of the earth are blessed. 

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How to break the spirit of poverty in your life

1. If you are not a Christian you must first receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. Otherwise satan is your father and boss. Lots of spirits will control your life. Not nice, but true.
2. Christians: Your heart is clean and the Holy Spirit lives there. The spirit of poverty lives in your mind. 2 Cor 10:4-5. The spirit of poverty lives in lies - lies that you believe are truth. You have to destroy the spirit s house. Replace the lies with God s truth. Read these verses (and many others) many times over and over until they get stuck in your mind: 
   Matthew 6:24-34, Phil 4:13, 19, Heb 13:5-6
3. Curses: Poverty is part of the curse (See Deutr. 28:15-68.) You may be under the spirit of poverty because you or your family did something that brought a curse on you. E.g. Going to witchdoctors, stealing, talking to ancestors, sexual sins, occult involvement, disobedience to God's word to you. Break the curse - repent, acknowledge the sin, ask and receive forgiveness, close the door to satan, fill your mind with truth. God wants you to be rich!! Believe it!! More about curses and breaking curses in a later teaching.

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BREAKING THE DROUGHT IN YOUR LIFE!

Perhaps your health, your family, your job, your finances have been attacked and under confusion lately. If it seems like your prayers are not being answered, and something seems to have shut off the blessings. It may be that a drought has come into your life. Paul says in Ephesians 6:

Eph 6:10-16 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching there unto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.

Note v 16 again Eph 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

Sometimes it seems in our life we experience seasons of drought, it is usually due to the fact that we have lowered our shield of faith!

HOW DO WE DO THAT YOU MAY ASK? Well Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. If it cometh by hearing the word, then we must put ourselves in a position to be able to hear God’s Word, because it also goeth by not hearing God’s Words. You may well be a good giver, but have struggled with your receiving, then this message is for you today. Sometimes you mouth is your own worst enemy.

Jesus said in Matthew 12:37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. When I pray I like to pray out loud so my spirit man, God in heaven and also the devil can hear what I believe when I pray. Listen: If your mouth is not speaking FAITH it will be speaking FEAR! There is no middle road, it’s either one or the other, Jesus said to the disciples in the boat, Mat 8:26 KJV And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.

WHY ARE YOU SO FULL OF FEAR?

• F FALSE
• E EVIDENCE
• A APPEARING
• R REAL

Fear is speaking what you have instead of what God says you have in His Word. Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge......... Isa 5:13 Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge.......

YOU CAN BREAK THE DROUGHT BY BEING A FAITH BUILDER IN GOD’S WORD. Rom 14:23 .... for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. What is a drought? It is a lack of water! In our lives, water come by God’s Word.

Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, You do realise that if a drought lasts long enough it becomes a famine!

1 Kings 17:1 KJV And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word. That is a powerful statement for a man to make!

James 5:17 NIV Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. James 5:18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

Elijah was a prophet send by God to King Ahab of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. 1 Kings 16:30-33 And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him. And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him. And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him. A grove is a wooden image on a pole to Asherah a Cannanite goddess. Lets look back to chapter 17 again!

1 Kings 17:1-3 And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word. And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. Get out of town Elijah, Ahab is after your head! God warned the prophet that the King and Jezabel wanted to kill him because light always exposes darkness! Listen to v4, here come Jehovah Jireh my provider! 1 Ki 17:4 And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.

LISTEN TO ME NOW! If you follow God’s instructions and obey His directions they will always take you to the place of His provision even in times of drought! King Ahab’s disobedience was the reason for the drought! Elijah a man just like you and me, he prayed about the kings wickedness and there was no rain for three and a half years. He knew his God, according to my word he said! Elijah knew what God’s Word had to say he had hidden it in his heart.

Deu 11:16-18 Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; And then the LORD'S wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD giveth you. Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes.

1 Ki 8:35-40 When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them: Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, that thou teach them the good way wherein they should walk, and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance. If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, blasting, mildew, locust, or if there be caterpillar; if their enemy besiege them in the land of their cities; whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness there be; 1 Ki 8:38 What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house: Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men;) That they may fear thee all the days that they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers.

IF YOU WANT TO MOVE IN PRAYER AND POWER LIKE ELIJAH THEN YOU TOO NEED TO HID GOD’S WORD IN YOUR HEART, SO YOU CAN DRAW ON IT IN THE DAY OF YOUR NEED! 1 Ki 17:5-7 So he went and did according unto the word of the LORD: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook. And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land. Because there was no rain the natural supply dried up!

Paul says in 1 Cor 15:46 NIV The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual.

1 Ki 17:8-13 And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee. So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand. And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.

She had no vision to live! 1 Ki 17:13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.

FEAR NOT False Evidence Appearing Real! Don’t believe the false evidence even though it appears real!

FEAR NOT! GO DO AS YOU HAVE SAID, BUT FIRST MAKE ME A CAKE AND BRING IT TO ME! Here is Elijah’s prescription for the widow’s future!

• 1. Don’t fear!
• 2. Go a head and take care of your family!
• 3. But give God his portion first! 1 Ki 17:14-16 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth. And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.

In this story, Elijah OBEYED, The ravens OBEYED, The widow OBEYED the Word of The Lord.

Obedience is the key to breaking the drought. Fear not! Take care of your family as you planned! But give God His the first fruits first!

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The Spirit of Poverty has to do with your mind, emotions, and attitudes not money.

God is a giver:- Deuteronomy 28:1-14

The Spirit of Poverty can be upon good Spirit filled tithers. The Spirit of Poverty can be on churchs, youth, anyone or anything.

God is our source. He uses many vehicles to bless us. God will give you a plan to break the Spirit of Poverty. You must learn the obedience of following His plan for us. It goes between the head and the spirit.

The Spirit of Poverty deals with an attitude inside of us, with money and important things. It causes us to focus on minor things (fear of loosing or failing etc) instead of on major things. It makes us remember the past and hurts. God gives us giftings and talents because He is a giver. You must have a positive attitude. God squeezes our finances to get our undivided attention even we don't like it. God is a giver but Satan/man comes to steal, to kill, to destroy (John 10:10) but Jesus comes to give us abundant life. Have a peace about giving or you will give out of presumption. You must operate out of faith.

Proverbs 3:9 God's promise of blessing. Proverbs 13:12 A good man leaves a blessing for his grandchildren. Proverbs 19:17 Giving to the poor is the same as lending to the Lord. Proverbs 22:4 Humility and fear of God bring wealth, honour and life. Proverbs 22:7 The borrower is servant to the lender.(see Proverbs 19:17) Proverbs 22:9 A generous man will himself be blessed. Ecclesiastes 12:12 Blessings to him who pleases God.

The Spirit of Poverty draws us to others of like spirit who will move our centre of focus to the wrong way, away from God, manipulate you, put holes in your bucket. How much money do you retain? Does it slip through your fingers regardless of what you do? Pray and bind the Spirit of Poverty daily over every area etc. Take authority over it. It will be a progressive step, even month by month.

• Step 1 - Prophetic Revelation - See the Spirit of Poverty revealed.
• Step 2 - Prayer and Binding - Pray and exercise authority over it. Example Plan - Pay 10% of your debt into God's debt i.e. the church etc. 2Corinthians 9:6 - Sow sparingly and you reap sparingly. God gives seed to the sower. If we sow to God He will sow to us. If God gives us the money to sow then we will sow it. Your plan might be to give one percent or whatever figure God says. It is the attitude not the money that's important. Give to me God (seed) and I'll give to you God.
• Step 3 - Confirmation - God will give you peace about your plan. Seek Him.
• Step 4 - Preaching of it i.e. have teaching on it.
• Step 5 - Uncover the holes in your bucket. - See where the Spirit is active.
• Step 6 - The planting - Plant the seed that you have agreed to plant. The testimony of your blessing will come. The Spirit of Poverty will be broken.

This teaching was put together using teachings by Dr. Norman Campbell and Creflo Dollar - see their web sites for more excellent faith teachings.

For some wonderful excellent awesome teaching on tithing, giving and wealth go to:

Kingdom finances 1 – Poverty and debt - The cause and the cure

Kingdom finances 2 – Poverty and debt - The cure

Kingdom finances 3 - Three keys to the covenant promises of Abraham

Kingdom finances 4 - Spiritual Principles of Kingdom Investment

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