SPIRITUAL COUNTER STRATEGIES: VICTORY IN FINANCES

SPIRITUAL COUNTER STRATEGIES: VICTORY IN FINANCES

Satan can attack the finances and material possessions of believers through no fault of their own. You read about this in the example of Job. But remember, Satan did not touch the finances or possessions of Job without the permission of God. This was an attack permitted by God to try Job's faith. Because Job was faithful, God blessed him with more than he had in the beginning.

When you experience financial difficulties through no fault of your own, you can be assured it is an attack launched by the enemy. If faith in God is maintained and you continue to govern their financial affairs according to Scriptural principles, God's blessing of restoration will follow this temporary trial:

So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning...

 (Job 42:12)

If you are experiencing financial difficulties because of the violation of Scriptural principles then you must repent and correct the violation. You must dissolve partnerships with unbelievers (II Corinthians 6:14-18). You must correct dishonesty (Proverbs 16:8, Acts 5:3-4) and violation of government laws (Romans 13:6-7). To counteract the strategies of Satan you must refrain from fraud (James 5:3-4), unfair wages (Jeremiah 22:13), greed (Proverbs 28:22), intemperance (Proverbs 23:21), and laziness (Proverbs 20:13).

You should remove yourself from business and financial transactions which entangle and prevent you from being a good spiritual warrior (II Timothy 2:4). You should refuse "get-rich-quick" schemes (Proverbs 20:21; 28:22) which are motivated by the love of money (I Timothy 6:10). You must trust in God rather than wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18-19; Psalms 49:6). You should refuse to co-sign debts for others (Proverbs 6:1-2) and get out of debt yourself (Romans 13:8; Proverbs 3:27-28).

If you are withholding offerings and tithes, you must correct this omission (Proverbs 11:24; Malachi 3:1-12). If you are in positions where you receive offerings, you must not use them for personal gain or regard them lightly (I Samuel 2:29). When you give to God, you must give your tithes and offerings:

• Willingly: Exodus 35:5; I Chronicles 29:9 • With A Perfect Heart: I Chronicles 29:9 • Freely: Matthew 6:38 • Secretly: Matthew 6:3 • Regularly: I Corinthians 16:2 • Cheerfully: II Corinthians 9:7 • With Simplicity: Romans 12:8 • According To Your Income: Matthew 5:42 • According To Your Ability: Ezra 2:69 • By Percentage Of Income: Genesis 14:20; 28:22; Leviticus 27:30; II Chronicles 31:5;  Malachi 3:10

It is only by correcting these Scriptural violations that you can overcome the attacks of Satan in the area

1. Read the book of Job. Job was attacked in the physical, material, and family realms. He was also attacked through human personalities. Behind each of these circumstances and areas of attack there was a spiritual reason. See Job.1:6-12; 2:1-6; 42:5. REMEMBER: There is a spiritual reason behind every circumstance and problem which you face in life.

2. For further discussion of sickness and divine healing of the body, obtain the Harvestime International Institute course entitled "Battle For The Body." Because sickness and divine healing are covered in detail in the "Battle For The Body" manual, the material is not repeated in this course. It is important that you study further in this area, however, as Satanic attacks the body are a major tactic of the enemy.

3. Are you being attacked physically or financially? How does your attitude and practice of giving line up with what you were taught in this lesson. Do you give...

• Willingly: Exodus 35:5; I Chronicles 29:9 • With A Perfect Heart: I Chronicles 29:9 • Freely: Matthew 6:38 • Secretly: Matthew 6:3 • Regularly: I Corinthians 16:2 • Cheerfully: II Corinthians 9:7 • With Simplicity: Romans 12:8 • According To Your Income: Matthew 5:42 • According To Your Ability: Ezra 2:69 • By Percentage Of Income: Genesis 14:20; 28:22; Leviticus 27:30

SATAN'S STRATEGY: TRANSFERENCE OF AN EVIL SPIRIT

Satan is an imitator, not an originator. He uses the pattern established by God for transferring a good spirit to transfer wrong spirits between men. One example of this is the story of the twelve spies sent by Moses to spy out the land promised by God to Israel. Read the account in Numbers 13:17-14:39.

Ten of these spies returned with a negative report. They told of the great walled cities and the powerful enemy forces in the land. They transferred a spirit of fear and unbelief to God's people:

...We are not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants, and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight. (Numbers 13:31, 33)

But two of the twelve spies had a different spirit:

But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land where into he went; and his seed shall possess it. (Numbers 14:24)

And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes;

And they spake unto the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.

If the Lord delight in us, then He will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. (Numbers 14:6-8)

Here were two contrary spirits seeking to control the people. One was the spirit of unbelief. The

other was the spirit of belief:

And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. (Numbers 13:30)

Look how the negative spirit of the ten spies affected the people:

And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.

And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron; and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would God we had died in this wilderness!

And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? Were it not better for us to return into Egypt?

And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt. (Numbers 14:1-4)

There were spirits of despair, murmuring, and rebellion transferred by the ten spies to God's people. Israel was not kept out of the Promised Land because of an inferior army. They were kept out because of a wrong spirit.

Why were the people affected by the evil spirit instead of the good? Because of the basic sin nature people tend to immediately accept and believe an evil report. There is also a tendency to "follow the crowd" and accept the decision of the majority as the will of God. Also, if Israel had accepted the positive report, it would have meant putting their lives on the line. They would have to expose themselves to great danger. Our human nature always wants to take the easy way out.

This powerful strategy of transference of spirits accounts for many of the spiritual battles fought by believers today. It accounts for the abrupt changes from positive to negative behavior which we witness in those around us. It explains why two children, raised in the same home, who receive the same Christian training, can turn out so differently. It is the reason behind divisions in homes, friendships, and church fellowships. When you maintain close association with or come under the influence of a person with a spirit more powerful than yours, you are open to the transference of that spirit to your own spirit. You are influenced by that spirit and it is transferred to you.