ONCE RICH: Why You May Be Poor or Broke today ~ Precious Victor Akah

I believe you are among the rich if you can take care of yourself by yourself; feed, clothe, shelter and see to your personal well-being or that of your family, yet have enough left. Now God commands that from what is left, you should do good and be rich in good deeds with it. You are to be generous and willing to share. And by so doing, you'll lay up treasure for yourself as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that you may take hold of the life that is truly life.

Another important thing God commands the rich to do is to avoid the temptation to become arrogant (proud) just because your bank account is heavy with money or you have acquired many valuable properties. You are to be humble. And you are to avoid putting your hope or trust in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put your hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

Let's see this in Scripture so you don't think I'm making it up: "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life." 1 Timothy 6:17-19 NIV

"Give this command to those who are rich with the things of this world. Tell them not to be proud. Tell them to hope in God, not their money. Money cannot be trusted, but God takes care of us richly. He gives us everything to enjoy. Tell those who are rich to do good—to be rich in good works. And tell them they should be happy to give and ready to share. By doing this, they will be saving up a treasure for themselves. And that treasure will be a strong foundation on which their future life will be built. They will be able to have the life that is true life." 1 Timothy 6:17-19 Easy-to-Read Version

"Money cannot be trusted, but God can be trusted."

Now, it is a very sad reality that a lot of rich people in the Body of Christ are poor or broke today, simply because they ignored one, or all of the commands given in the scripture we just read. You can't ignore or break God's commands and continue to prosper, particularly as a child of God, because the source of your wealth and riches is God (the same God you're ignoring or breaking His command). How do you honestly hope to continue prospering and succeeding in what you do - ignoring God's commands?

Some are poor and broke today because immediately they felt they had become rich or acquired high-priced properties in abundance, they forgot God. They forgot that God is their Source and Provider and started trusting in their riches and wealth. They stopped acknowledging God and started acknowledging themselves and their hard work. They stopped praying, studying the Bible, going to church, and even giving to God in seed sowing, tithe paying, giving offerings, first fruits and funding Kingdom projects (Church projects/Gospel related projects). They just suddenly saw themselves as though they made themselves rich. 

"When God stops providing for you, it is a matter of time before all you've acquired ebbs away."

If you find yourself in this category, God is a God of second chance, repent and come back to God with a resolve never to let riches and wealth come between you and God. God will forgive you and raise you up again. 

If your hope is still in God after He has made you rich, you'll still be faithful in your service, devotion, worship, and giving to God. You'll always attribute your achievements, successes and victories to God in words and actions, privately and publicly, without any iota of shame or pride. 

In Jeremiah 9:23-24 the Lord says, "Don't brag about your wisdom or strength or wealth. If you feel you must brag, then have enough sense to brag about worshiping me, the Lord."

There are other formerly rich believers who are poor today because they failed to do good and be rich in good deeds with what God has blessed them with, and to be generous and willing to share the resources God has given them with others: family members, relations, believers in Christ/brethren in Church, the needy and poor in the society. If you find yourself in this category, go back to God in genuine repentance and ask for a second chance, and God, being a merciful God, will honor your request. But don't be stingy anymore. Don't hoard things. Be freehanded.

Now if you're reading this and you're currently in a level/state/position where you can say God has made you rich, learn these two crucial things to sustain your wealth, and for God to keep raising you higher financially: Never put your hope in wealth but put your hope in God, continually acknowledge Him as your only Provider. Secondly, do good, be rich in good deeds, be generous with the riches God has bestowed upon you. Share with others - remembering that God blesses us to bless others.

As the Lord is lifting you, keep this Scripture to heart: Psalm 75:4-7 (Living Bible) "I warned the proud to cease their arrogance! I told the wicked to lower their insolent gaze and to stop being stubborn and proud. For promotion and power come from nowhere on earth, but only from God. He promotes one and deposes another."

Also keep this Scripture to heart: "Our Lord, you are the one who makes us rich or poor. You put some in high positions and bring disgrace on others. You lift the poor and homeless out of the garbage dump and give them places of honor in royal palaces. You set the world on foundations, and they belong to you." 1 Samuel 2:7-8 CEV

It is one thing to become rich and another to stay rich. If God made you rich, you better stay faithful, devoted and committed to Him to sustain the wealth and stay wealthy, otherwise, as the two scriptures above teaches, He can demote you and bring you down to a poor state. This will never be your portion, in Jesus' Name. 

Stay faithful to God.

Remain blessed.

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