The Spirit of Poverty

* DISHONESTY
* THE CONSEQUENCES OF DISHONESTY
* DISHONESTY & THE SPIRIT OF POVERTY
* ATTITUDES OF A PERSON WITH THE SPIRIT OF POVERTY
* THE PROPER ATTITUDE TOWARD MONEY
* CHOOSE TO CHANGE
* DEALING WITH THE SPIRIT OF POVERTY
 

 

A major spirit in Northern Canada is the spirit of poverty.* What is the spirit of poverty?

 

A person with the spirit of poverty feels he is poor and acts accordingly. He thinks because he is poor others are supposed to take care of him. He believes there is not enough for everyone, and he must strive to get what he feels is his before others get it or to get it from someone.

 

Why do so many people live in such a poor condition even though they usually receive adequate funds? There are several reasons, but this article will help to answer one underlying cause.
 
  
* DISHONESTY

First of all, we will establish God’s hatred of dishonesty, although it may not be clear as yet what this has to do with the spirit of poverty.
 
“The Lord abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are his delight.” Proverbs 11:1 God wants us to love others as ourselves and being dishonest causes another person suffering, pain and loss.
 
God’s hatred of dishonesty is evidenced over and over in His Word: “Differing weights and differing measures–the Lord detests them both.” Proverbs 20:10 “The Lord detests differing weights, and dishonest scales do not please him.” Proverbs 20:23 Israel was judged for her greed and deceit (Jeremiah 6:13-15)
 

 Each person is judged for his integrity: Am I still to forget, O wicked house, your ill-gotten treasures and the short spahah, whic is accused? Shall I acquit a man with dishonest scales, with a bag of false weights?” Micah 6:10

 

 

* THE CONSEQUENCES OF DISHONESTY

 

If God detests dishonesty, we can be sure we will suffer just consequences when we are dishonest. He gives us free choice in many areas, but determines the results: “A fortune made by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare.” Proverbs 21:6 God tells us that if we acquire money dishonestly, it will be a fleeting vapor: “Ill-gotten treasures are of no value…” Proverbs 10:2 Either this means that a person will not value something that he has gotten dishonestly or else it means that because of God’s displeasure anything a person acquires dishonestly will end up being of no value, for instance, it will break or decay quickly. Probably both of these interpretations are true.

 

Also, money or anything else acquired dishonestly will in some way become a deadly snare to our family or us: "A greedy man brings trouble to his family…." Proverbs 15:27

 

To purposely steal from someone that has been kind to us brings one of the worse curses on our family: “If a man pays back evil for good, evil will never leave his house.” Proverbs 17:13 When Adam sinned, Satan acquired the authority to bring harm on anyone who is dishonest and especially on anyone who is dishonest or does evil to those who do good to him. God has given Satan the legal right to bring harm and He will not interfere unless we repent.

 

The Bible tells us what happens to dishonest money: “Dishonest money dwindles away…” Proverbs 13:11
"Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice." Proverbs 16:8 A person can acquire much gain with injustice, but it will not bring happiness.
 

“…one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.” Proverbs 28:20 Someone eager to get rich will not consider God in their decisions and actions and will suffer the consequences.

 

God can say such things as: “…the income of the wicked brings them punishment” Proverbs 10:16 and: “…the income of the wicked brings them trouble.” Proverbs 15:6 The wicked include those who are dishonest with their money: “The wicked borrow and do not repay…” Psalm 37:21

 

God says to Israel: “You must have accurate and honest weights and measures, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. For the Lord your God detests anyone who does these things, anyone who deals dishonestly. Deuteronomy 25:15-16 If we want to be secure and blessed by God, we need to be honest.

 

The tenth commandment is: “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” Exodus 20:17 Coveting often leads to deceit, lying, stealing or manipulation. Examples of manipulation are emphasizing how poor you are so that others will give to you or implying to someone that the reason you misbehave is because they will not help you.

 

Several passages show that the Lord curses the thief: “The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously; those the Lord blesses will inherit the land, but those he curses will be cut off.” Psalm 37:21-22 The righteous give generously and are blessed by the Lord to inherit the land. The wicked borrow and do not repay and are cursed by the Lord or cut off (which means the death penalty according to Old Testament law).

 

“I looked again—and there before me was a flying scroll!
He asked me. ‘What do you see?’
I answered, ‘I see a flying scroll, thirty feet long and fifteen feet wide.’
And he said to me. ‘This is the curse that is going out over the whole land; for according to what it says on one side, every thief will be banished, and according to what it says on the other, everyone who swears falsely will be banished. The Lord Almighty declares, ‘I will send it out, and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of him who swears falsely by my name. It will remain in his house and destroy it, both its timbers and its stones.” Zechariah 5:1-4 A curse will be placed on the house of the thief. God uses demonic spirits (2 Chronicles 18:18-22).

 

Our integrity determines how much Jesus can trust us: "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?” Luke 16:10-11 If someone is dishonest in this life, he will suffer the consequences in the next. He will probably be kept from some positions of service in this life, and in the next..

 

“The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people eager for money have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” 1 Timothy 6:10 The worst consequence of being dishonest or eager for money is to wander from the faith. 

 

* DISHONESTY & THE SPIRIT OF POVERTY

 

We have established that there are consequences for dishonesty. What does this have to do with the spirit of poverty?

 

A person with the spirit of poverty may not be dishonest–he just lives far below the blessing God wants to give him. However, one aspect of the spirit of poverty is a person who feels because he is poor he has a right to be dishonest. Some people are clearly underhanded, but others may not realize they are acting unfairly. A person with the spirit of poverty may be dishonest in the fact that he expects the government, family, friends or others to pay for his basic needs.

 

A person with the spirit of poverty can either be a Christian or a non-Christian. We are blind to our sin when it has been a part of our life style for a long time. He probably has money as his idol, although he wonders how money can be his idol if he doesn’t have much money. If he is a Christian, it keeps him from serving God the way he should and may cause him to backslide (turn from God—usually gradually) because “…You cannot serve both God and Money.” Matthew 6:24 

 

Although money can be a factor in determining God’s will, a person with the spirit of poverty may make his decisions around money instead of God’s will. God’s will never need money acquired dishonestly.
 

If dishonesty brings poverty, and a person with the spirit of poverty feels justified in being dishonest, than the person with the spirit of poverty will be poor.

 

“A fortune made by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare.” Proverbs 21:6 He is poor because anything that a person acquires dishonestly (and this includes manipulation), no matter what the reason, will ultimately be wasted and bring harm to himself and others.

 

* ATTITUDES OF A PERSON WITH THE SPIRIT OF POVERTY

 

A person with the spirit of poverty may have some of the following attitudes: He might think, “They have more money than I do so it doesn’t really matter if I pay them what I owe,” or “I know I owe them for the long distance phone calls, but because I am poor no one would mind (even God wouldn’t mind) if I never pay what I owe,” or “I’ll pay back what I owe when I have money” (he never has enough money because there is always something he wants) or “I didn’t really want to buy that so why should I pay for it?” or “My family needs this”(not realizing that giving his family money gained unjustly is harming them—for instance, a family member continues to sin because he is enabled with manipulated money).

 

He may not willingly pay his fair share of expenses and will feel justified in living off other people, maybe even calling it “living by faith”. Other ways he might justify his dishonesty is to think, “They haven’t treated me the way I think they should, so I have a right to keep what I have borrowed” or “Since they didn’t accept what I offered (because they didn’t want it) my debt is cancelled.”

 

The Bible says: “You shall not steal.” Exodus 20:13 It does not say, “You shall not steal unless the other person has more money than you,” or “You shall not steal unless what you are stealing, you are going to use for the Lord,” or “You shall not steal because they have not treated you the way you expect to be treated.”

 

A person with the spirit of poverty is blinded to the true value of things. He will often feel that something is essential when it is a luxury. He often considers his wants to be needs.
 

He may seldom give unless he is giving other people’s money, but expects the church (and others) to give to him. For example, he might say, “I can’t afford to send my children to church camp (expecting the church to pay—which maybe it should if his children won’t go otherwise),” but his children have plenty of money for junk food and, if older, cigarettes and alcohol. If he does give, he expects others to give back to him.

 

“Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules.” 2 Timothy 2:5 We will not receive the victor’s crown that God gives unless we compete according to His rules–in order words, unless we obey His commands. For instance, there are some people who think it is all right to take someone’s Bible, Christian book or gospel tape without their permission. That is going against God’s rule of “You shall not steal.” Ex. 20:15 If someone steals a Bible and, after reading it, does not act upon the conviction that he will inevitably receive, he may be cursed, not blessed. God can supply us with all the Christian items we need if we follow His rules.
 

There are some people who think they have a right not to pay someone the money they owe because that person has not lived up to a standard he/she has set. God is the Judge—not us. We should be concerned about our own integrity. God says that he who has a right to dwell in His sanctuary and live on His holy hill is  he “…who keeps his oath even when it hurts…” Psalm 15:4

 
A person with the Spirit of poverty  may not return what he has borrowed, thinking, “I would have trouble getting one like it and they wouldn’t miss it,” or “I’m going to use it in the service of the Lord (often to give foolishly), so I don’t need to return it,” or “its not worth the effort to return; its not my problem” or “that’s the way we do things here—no one returns what they borrow.”

 

A person might refuse or  neglect to return money, reasoning that he will use this money for the Lord’s work and all will be fair. This is faulty reasoning. God does not want stolen money or money gained through unjust means.

 

It is like the person who says he will give God half the money if he wins the lottery. Playing the lottery is a sin against God, and He does not want that money. He does not want money that someone has gotten unfairly.

 

Even the corrupt religious leaders of Jesus’ day realized this when they wouldn’t accept the 30 pieces of silver Judas wanted to return—it was blood money: “When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. "I have sinned," he said, "for I have betrayed innocent blood."
"What is that to us?" they replied. "That’s your responsibility."
So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.
The chief priests picked up the coins and said, "It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money." So they decided to use the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day. Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: "They took the thirty silver coins, the price set on him by the people of Israel, and they used them to buy the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me."” Matthew 27:3-10

 

The Bible gives another example of faulty reason in order to justify stealing. Jesus said to the religious leaders: “For Moses said, `Honor your father and your mother,’ and, `Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ But you say that if a man says to his father or mother: `Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is Corban’ (that is, a gift devoted to God), then you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother. Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that." Mark 7:10-13 (see also Matthew 15:4-6). Some religious leaders today manipulate to get money. They tell their followers to sacrifice to give to their ministry money, and they will be blessed. That could be true, but often it is just a way to get vulnerable people to give them money. It depends on the motive.

 

This is also the faulty reasoning of someone who justifies not returning borrowed money if he gives it “to God”. He thinks he is giving the money he has borrowed so it is ok, just like the religious leaders of Jesus’ day justified taking money from someone that should have been using that money to take care of their parents. Jesus condemns them!

 

* THE PROPER ATTITUDE TOWARD MONEY

 

The way we deal with money shows our heart—that is why Jesus mentions money so often, even though He doesn’t need money: “I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens, for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.” Psalm 50:9-10

King David had the proper understanding of money: “Araunah said, "Why has my lord the king come to his servant?"
"To buy your threshing floor," David answered, "so I can build an altar to the LORD, that the plague on the people may be stopped."
Araunah said to David, "Let my lord the king take whatever pleases him and offer it up. Here are oxen for the burnt offering, and here are threshing sledges and ox yokes for the wood. O king, Araunah gives all this to the king." Araunah also said to him, "May the LORD your God accept you."
But the king replied to Araunah, "No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing."
So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels of silver for them. 25 David built an altar to the LORD there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then the LORD answered prayer in behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped.” 2 Samuel 24:21-25 (see also 1 Chronicles 21:24-28)
  
 
* CHOOSE TO CHANGE

 

We can choose to change.
First, if we realize the spirit of poverty is attacking us or it is in the family line, we must renounce it in Jesus’ name. That will take care of any demonic influence. A curse has no effect where there is no cause: “…an undeserved curse does not come to rest.” Proverbs 26:2
 
Second, if we are always trying to get more money or more things, no matter what the means, it means a major change in attitude and actions. It will take work to change, but we must, and God is more than willing to help. If we don’t we will forget what we have heard: “Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forget what he looks like.” James 1:23-24
 
Third, we should get support. We can be accountable to a wife or husband, pastor, counselor or trusted friend who is living his Christian faith.
 
Fourth (and most important), we should stay close to the Lord, memorizing and reviewing the passages in the Bible that motivate us to change.
 
God expects us to change: “He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.” Ephesians 4:18 The opposite of stealing is working to earn money so we will not only have enough for ourselves, but so we will have something to share. 
 
“Honest scales and balances are from the Lord; all the weights in the bag are of his making.” Proverbs 16:11 Honesty and treating others the way we want to be treated is God’s idea.
 

“A faithful man will be richly blessed…” Proverbs 28:20 To obey God is the way to be blessed spiritually and financially with all we need.
 
 
* DEALING WITH THE SPIRIT OF POVERTY

 

How should we deal with someone with the spirit of poverty?
It depends on the situation. We need to ask God for wisdom.
 
Are we directly affected? If not, is God asking us to be “speaking the truth in love…” Ephesians 4:15, or is it none of our business: “Like one who seizes a dog by the ears is a passer-by who meddles in a quarrel not his own.” Proverbs 26:17?
 
If we are directly affected, maybe we should overlook the offense: "A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense." Proverbs 19:11 Maybe we should speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) to that person alone (Matthew 18:15). Maybe, if that doesn’t work, others need to be involved (Matthew 18:16). Maybe in a serious situation the church needs to be involved (Matthew 18:17). And maybe if all else fails that person needs to be treated as "a pagan or a tax collector." Matthew 18:17 
 
Paul addresses this situation in 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15. He says: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.” 2 Thessalonians 3:10 and later “If anyone does not obey our instructions in this letter, take special note of him. Do not associate with him, in order that he may feel ashamed. Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.” 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15 We must treat him with “tough love.” Too often he is pampered. Because we are not doing our part he never notices that he is experiencing the consequences of his actions (God does judge each person) and so never changes.
 

Sometimes, hopefully, a person has more immediate problems that have to be changed in his life before God can work on eliminating the spirit of poverty. Maybe we have to put up with the spirit of poverty for a while.
  
However, often when one person will not help the person with the spirit of poverty, he simply turns to someone who will. When the situation no longer affects us we can pray (which is most important).
 
We may have learned our lesson. Our attitude should be that we have acquired wisdom from our mistakes: "Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding." Proverbs 4:7
 
It is very important that we help the poor. “He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.” Proverbs 14:31 Knowing the difference between the genuinely poor and someone with the spirit of poverty takes wisdom, and God promises wisdom: “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him,” James 1:5 Sometimes God allows mistakes to give us wisdom.
 
The most important thing in each situation to is ask God for wisdom. Our money really belongs to Him, and He is concerned because the way we deal with money shows the attitude of our heart. He will answer, although it may not be the way we expect or even like!
“Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."
 Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?" 15 Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." Luke 12:13-15

 

God taught me how to deal with someone who borrowed and did not repay, by making a Bible verse become alive to me. Other people have reached the same conclusion—probably I had to go through difficult circumstances to discover what, to some people, was a easy conclusion!

 

A lady borrowed money from me quite often and never paid me back unless I asked her. She thought I shouldn’t be concerned about small amounts. Usually she borrowed from me, but once I borrowed a small amount from her and paid her right back as I would want someone to do for me. Once I even said she could pay me back less than she had borrowed so I wouldn’t have to remember that she owed me money.

 

Then I read: “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.” Proverbs 22:7 I thought, “I feel like her servant!” I was because I was allowing her to control me in a negative way. I decided not to ask for the small amount she had recently borrowed from me. Instead, next time she wanted to borrow money I would say that she already owed me money. She never asked me again. I wondered why she would know enough not to ask to borrow money again when she should have known from God’s word that it was wrong to borrow and not repay in the first place!

 

Once, after that time, she needed money to get some place, and she didn’t quite have enough. I could see she was agitated, trying to decide if she should ask me. Finally she said, “You don’t have any money to loan me, do you?” Not really asking, but just stating a fact. I said, “No”, but I prayed to myself that she would get a ride, although it didn’t seem likely. She did get a ride.

 

Another time, a girl stopped at our house and asked to borrow some money to buy pampers for her baby. I didn’t know what to do because it appeared to be a worthy cause (although she could have spent her money foolishly and then expected someone to give her money). After a quick prayer, I said, without even thinking, “Ask someone else.” Afterwards, a lady staying with us said, “How come she couldn’t ask her family (meaning her large extended family).

 

Whether it was right to give money in that situation, I don’t know. But I do know I was not a cheerful giver: “ Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:7 Perhaps someone else should have given in that situation. But I do know I gave the right answer for me—God had answered my prayer.
 
God wants all of us to become more like Jesus: “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son…” Romans 8:29 All of us who believe in His Son will be continuingly learning and growing, making mistakes and changing for the better, eventually getting rid of the spirit of poverty.
 
A person can be delivered from the spirit of poverty (it is a demonic spirit). He has to recognize he has it and want to be free. This takes tough love and lots of prayer (God is the One who changes hearts) and patience on the part of other Christians.

 

* David Garcia, at the Native Conference in Calgary in May 1997