I'm amazed, that for this ministry that Anwar has, so few churches are involved with it. I'm staggered, that we are involved with it. I can't understand how something with global-reaching potential…
We're probably the only church that's stood up and said: “we're going to go with you and make this happen”.
We raised the money for the satellite TV; had missionaries go over; we've poured money in; and of all the money that's been received in New Zealand, about a half of it came from BayCity!
It's just extraordinary. So I want to thank you, and honour you, because this is what's called: “making friends out of unrighteous Mammon”.
This is about using wealth, to bring in the nations of the world, for when you fail.
So how can we break free of the Spirit of Mammon? I think the first thing is to recognise the signs that you're in bondage - and there can be many reasons.
There can be acute lack when you're younger. It can be going through hardship, and you make inner resolves: I'll never, never lack; or: I'll never have my family - you can do all this kind of stuff out of bitterness, hurts, pains and failures; or out of just straight being under the influence of the spirit - and we come into bondage.
The first thing to do, is just recognise: I'm in that place of bondage. The second thing is to come to the Lord and repent.
This is a spirit - it's not about the money. It's the spirit that gets a grip of your heart, so you can't access God's blessing and fruitfulness on your lives, as He wants you to.
I know there'll be some people here, and around the issue of money, there's immense bitterness, immense grief and pain, all kinds of injustices you've faced, and difficulties and hardships; but you don't have to be in bondage to that spirit.
You can instead let God heal your heart, bring you to a place of enlightenment.
#1 step is: acknowledge where I'm at.
#2, I need to come to the Lord with a repentant heart, and say: God, I'm sorry I put my trust in these things.
#3: I need to honour God. We won't go into that today, but I need to actually make a decision: that with my finances, I will give God a place of honour.
I've got to honour God with my finances, to bring His blessing over them; because otherwise there's another spirit that says: “not enough”.
Finally (#4), I need to learn how to be a good steward of what God has given me.
I need to recognise: there's a problem. I need to come to the one who can help in repentance and faith, expecting Him to help.
I need to make some changes, so I start to honour God with my giving - with the first of everything I have; and then finally: I need to become a great steward of what God has given me, so I actually then use well what God has given me; and that involves a whole range of things in our life.
Closing PrayerFather, I just thank you for your presence here today, helping us to deal with this issue of money. Thank you Lord. Thank you Jesus.
I sense, even as I talk, people get a bit tense and uncomfortable; but I'm trying to help us to uncover the spirit that makes your life miserable; that brings you into bondage, and sabotages your relationship with God.
Remember: no one can serve two masters. We love one, and hate the other. We serve one, despise the other; loyal to one, and disloyal to the other.
It really does show up in: can I honour God with my finances? Am I managing them well; and do I have a spirit of generosity around me?
Holy Ghost, I just ask: if there's any person here today, that's in the grip of this spirit, that you would deeply convict them and help them today; that Lord as a church, we begin to journey into a place of great increase, and great blessing financially, great increase in our lives, in our finance, in our resources.
Father, I ask for a total breaking over our lives, of meanness and tightness and stinginess; and of every kind of bitterness, anger, and frustration around money.