By Janie Baer
Financial giving is a part to seeing real financial increase as the Word guarantees but there is more to it than just the giving. That is why Jesus taught the parables of stewardship and the subject of handling unrighteous mammon or money.
Let’s now look at this subject of handling unrighteous mammon or money with an important financial lesson Jesus taught in Luke 16:10-13.
Luke 16:10-13 He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. 11 Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own? 13 "No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." NKJV
Unrighteous mammon is money or the power of this world system. The true riches are the anointing of God which is the power of the Kingdom of God.
Jesus tells you here that in order for God to trust you with the true riches, the anointing or the power of God, you must be able to handle properly unrighteous mammon or money. Jesus tells you if you are faithful with little things then you are going to be faithful with big things but if you are unfaithful with little things then you will be unfaithful with big things. This is an important principle you have to follow every day. It is with this Kingdom principle you will experience the breakthrough you need in finances and other areas of your life such as marriage, family, job, investments, business deals, etc.
This is a powerful principle Jesus is giving you here. It affects every part of your life so you must never forget to be faithful with little if you want to handle much. If you are not faithful with the twenty dollars God has given you then you will not be faithful with the hundred dollars, thousands of dollars and yes, even the millions of dollars. Be faithful with what you possess right now and then you will be responsible with even greater. You have to recognize this principle of faithfulness along with the sowing and reaping and seedtime and harvest principles.
God will always be testing you with little to see if you can handle it before He hands over to you much more. His tests will include faithfulness in financial matters, in your relationships, work ethics, integrity, etc. If you pass the money test then you will move into the wealth the bible promises you.
The biggest test you will ever have is with money for it affects your deepest thoughts, feelings, emotions, integrity, honor, worth, value, etc.
Jesus taught many teachings on the principles of money or finances with the theme again being faithful over little resulting in promotion to much more.
Matt 25:14-27 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. 15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. 16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. 17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. 18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. 19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. 20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. 21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. 23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. 26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: 27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. KJV
Those who were faithful over little gained more but the one who was unfaithful with the little lost even what had been given him. The person who had been given five the master gave ten. The one who had two talents gained four more.
God is a God of financial wisdom and He is a God of business and He knows how to choose the right people to run His Kingdom business. Is He going to be able to trust you with little as well as much in His Kingdom business?
In His Kingdom he gives you responsibilities of a marriage, family, finances, ministry, job, business, money, wealth, government positions of authority, etc. God is faithful to promote you if you are faithful with each of the blessings He gives to you. God has a track record of promoting those who are faithful with His blessings. That is just His nature, I promise you.
God has a Kingdom to run on this earth through you and me so He is always going to be watching you and me with what He has already given us.
Jesus goes on with His teachings of the principles of financial faithfulness,
Luke 16:11 Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? NKJV
“Unrighteous mammon” literally means “the world’s system of wealth”. You could define unrighteous mammon also as money.
Jesus tells you if you have not been faithful over money, then who is going to trust you with true riches.
What are “true riches”? Obviously it is not money, nor what money can buy. “True riches” is only that which comes down from heaven.
If a wealthy person was diagnosed with terminal cancer his money cannot save his life but if he had a healing miracle his life would be saved. Miracles are the true riches.
Being faithful with money God will trust you with the true riches, the miracles, only what heaven can provide for you. See how important it is to you to allow God to counsel you with your money? Those true riches, miracles, heaven’s resources can save your life.
So how do you get the things from heaven to come to you on the earth? It is by the anointing of God. The anointing of God takes the things from heaven and manifests them to you on the earth by the work of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus wants to ask you today, “If you are not faithful with money then how can I trust you with my anointing?” He is also telling you, “If you are faithful with money then I can and will trust you with my anointing.”
The reason why God wants you to know this today is because money is the power of the operation of this world system. It is money that makes this world system operate. In this world system if you have plenty of money it can get you out of things because money is the power of the world system. So if Christians had plenty of money they could own the wealth of the earth and reach this world for Christ because money is the power of this world system. That’s why the devil wants us to be unfaithful in the use of unrighteous mammon or money so we don’t own the wealth of this world and as a result really cause havoc to his kingdom.
Jesus calls money little power because it is little power in comparison to God’s anointing which is the power of the Kingdom of God. That’s why you shouldn’t be thinking and speaking that if you only had a little more money then you would be better off. Instead you need to come to the knowledge of the truth and declare that it is not a little more money you need but it is more of the anointing of God in your life and things would be much better for you.
You can misuse the power of the world, money, and that is when it becomes filthy lucre. When you use money faithfully for righteous purposes, Philippians 14 tells you your offering becomes a sweet smelling savor unto God or sweet smelling money because money is not inherently good or inherently evil but takes on the character and nature of the person handling the money.
Money is the proving ground and the testing ground for the anointing. How you handle money is how you will handle the anointing. If you misuse money and are not faithful how you handle money; then you will misuse and be unfaithful with the anointing.
God is looking right now for the people whom He can trust with money so He can trust them with an end time anointing to destroy yokes of bondage, turn cities, states, and nations upside down with true anointing that transforms a whole society. God needs these kinds of people and He is looking for them right now. Will you be one?
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