4 Ways To Factor Fear Out of Your Finances
When it comes to money, the world would have you believe there are two groups of people: the “Haves” and the “Have Nots.”
God — in His way of doing business — sees it differently. For Him it comes down to the “Fears” and the “Fear Nots.” The Fears are those people who are afraid of not having enough money, or who fear having too much (seems impossible, right?). That leaves the Fear Nots, who aren’t afraid at all.
It’s no secret that there’s a certain fear that can attach to money. That fear comes from the uncertainty, speculation and risks typically associated with money. Because of that, fear has been the driving force of world markets and economies since the Fall of Man.
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
God — THE Creator of commerce, business, money, investing, economics — never intended for fear to “drive” anything in our lives. Hebrews 13:6 (AMPC) reminds us that His design was for faith to be the force behind everything we do…
“We take comfort and are encouraged and confidently and boldly say, The Lord is my Helper; I will not be seized with alarm [I will not fear or dread or be terrified].”
We could add to that — “no matter what’s going on in the stock market, or with gas prices or the global supply chain!”
When confronted by fear and the state of our financial security, it helps to know that God laid some ground rules affecting the global economy.
He assures us in Genesis 8:22 (AMPC), “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest…shall not cease.”
God set principles — spiritual laws — in motion that govern the earth’s productivity and our prosperity, which brought stability and consistency to an Earth that had been ravaged by sin. Add to that…
- A farmer sows seed, the earth does the rest (Mark 4:26-28).
- God causes the sun to shine on the good and the evil (Matthew 5:45).
- God doesn’t show favouritism to anyone (Romans 2:11).
With these principles in place, God created an equal playing field for everyone with no reason for fear. His goodness is always there, always available, always accessible. We just have to apply the principles.
Gloria Copeland says it like this: “The sun will shine on anyone who will get out in it.”
So, how do we step out into the brightness of God’s goodness and avoid the shadows of fear? Below are 4 Ways To Factor Fear Out of Your Finances.
Factor No. 1: Make Heaven Your Goal
Near the end of His ministry, Jesus was asked by a wealthy young man, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17).
Jesus told him, “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven” (verse 21). The guy’s face dropped and he walked away sad, realising all he would have to give up.
Though this guy was wealthy, he was living under the fear of money — the fear of having so much and losing it all. He couldn’t see past the fear.
Jesus tells us, “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven…” (Matthew 6:19-20).
Heaven is where the real money is — keep it in your sight, and fear will stay out of the way.
Factor No. 2: Stay focused
Jesus warns us, “The “[devil] comes only to steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10, NASB).
Since the Garden of Eden, the devil has done whatever he could to keep us from enjoying the prosperous life God has for us. His primary tactic has always been to distract us and draw our attention away from the truth of God’s Word (Mark 4:14-15).
Jesus put it to His disciples like this:
“Listen carefully to what I am saying — and be wary of the shrewd advice that tells you how to get ahead in the world on your own. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity. Stinginess impoverishes” (Mark 4:24-25, MSG).
It’s really not a matter of “What’s in your wallet?” (as popular TV commercials suggest). It’s about “What’s in your ear?” “Who or what are you listening to?”
For the wealthy young man who approached Jesus, his possessions became a distraction. When Jesus said “sell all” — he hit a choke-point. Suddenly, the wisdom he went to Jesus for fell by the wayside, and the devil stole the offer of a lifetime that could have been his. He lost his focus and an opportunity to prosper even more.
Factor No. 3: Stay With God
People in business often introduce themselves by giving their name and the company they’re with.
For example, years ago when Brother Copeland introduced himself, he would say, “Hi, I’m Kenneth Copeland, and I’m with God.” He got some odd looks and responses from people, but it was worth it to program his mind to the revelation he’d received from Mark 10:27 — “Everything is possible with God.”
So, he decided to stay with God.
We learn that when the wealthy young man walked away from Jesus, he missed the opportunity of a lifetime, because moments later, Jesus turned to His disciples and said:
“Anyone who leaves his home behind and chooses me over…possessions, all for the sake of the gospel, it will come back to him a hundred times as much in this lifetime…. And in the age to come, he will inherit eternal life” (Mark 10:29-30, TPT).
There was the answer to that young man’s question. He turned away in fear of losing. Yet, Jesus was about to offer him the best of BOTH worlds. He missed an opportunity to stay with God.
Factor No. 4: Follow Your Heart
Securing your financial future comes down to — What are you willing to sow?
Because we only reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7).
But the apostle Paul assures us that there’s a way to sow that’s free of ALL fear:
“Remember this — a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give…in response to pressure” (2 Corinthians 9:6-7).
Every opportunity you have to give, give by following your heart. Give by following God’s principles, and you’ll never go wrong.
Give fear-free, pressure-free — confident of this:
“You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).