The Spirit of Poverty

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 2 Corinthians (:18

I am reminded that there exists a great spirit of poverty throughout the Church. It is so easy to get focused on everything that we perceive to be lacking.

The spirit of poverty has been weighing me down recently. I look at my to-do list and think to myself, there are just not enough hours in the day. I think of all the various ministries that we have going on at Lord of Life and think there are just not enough people to make them what they could be. I look at our praise team and I see missing instrumentalists replaced by a midi. I see a decline in worship participation. I look at our church's financial situation that is not good. And I think about my own skill, knowledge, and wisdom or lack thereof.

It could lead a person to despair. Satan throws in our face every thing that is missing. And we end up crying out poverty. Look at everything we don't have.

But we end up missing what we do have. "God is able to make all grace abound to you." He promises to give us everything we need to do his work. Our trust is not in our budget, in the number of people serving on a Sunday morning, or in our own ability. Our trust is in God!

I rebuke the spirit of poverty by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord (Isaiah 11:2). What else do you need?

I dreaded all summer long the prospect of finding new Sunday School teachers for the fall. I was worried that I wouuld not be able to do it. But guess what. Sure you can probably guess! God provided. It wasn't me, but it was all him. God is good.

I imagine I will look back at this past year and ask, why did I ever doubt. God is faithful. God is abundant. It is time to do his work, his way, and trust in his supply.